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Showing posts with the label language

English or French - take your pick

Canada has two official languages. Two. Period. English or French - take your pick. Not Mandarin or Cantonese, not Punjab, or German, or Spanish, or Russian. If you want to live here for any length of time, please learn and develop a working knowledge of at least one of our languages. And if you've chosen to live in western Canada, that language would be English. Today, a young family came into my place of business to ask for directions. No one in this family could speak enough English to make themselves understood, and it was only through catching the odd word and figuring out some gestures that I finally got what they were trying to say. These people were not tourists (if they had been, I would have sympathized with their plight). They were asking for the auto insurance business that used to occupy the space where my business now resides. This means they've been in Canada long enough to have a driver's license and an insured vehicle. And since they were carrying the tel...

I. AM. CANADIAN.

I tried to apply for a job once.  I was told that since I didn't speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Punjabi, or a Filipino dialect, I need not apply.  I wasn't going to be an "asset to the team."  This job was in Canada.  I am a fifth generation Canadian, and I can't apply for jobs in my own country because I speak our official languages.  I've seen a massive increase in signs around my city that are written in a language I don't understand.  I've been treated poorly in retail stores that were not meant for English speaking Caucasians to shop at. I'm all for equality and diversity and fairness.  I really am.  I have no trouble with people coming to our country to have a better life.  But why, why, why can these same people not take the time to learn the language and customs of their new country.  I wouldn't dream of trying to move to China/India/France/Russia/Germany, etc without being able to passably speak their language.  I woul...

From the Minister of Foreign Relations and Banishment

Hello and welcome to SYPH and GH from your friendly Minister of Foreign Relations and Banishment. Or my informal title may be the Minister of Go Home. Ever wonder when Canadians became "Indo-Canadians", "Chinese-Canadians", "Korean-Canadians", and "African-Canadians"? What happened to "Canadians"? As a pure "Canadian-Canadian", where do I fall into this spectrum? When did becoming a Canadian entail gaining citizenship and rights without any responsibilities? I can maintain my language, religion, culture, and beliefs and still gain all rights and privileges of being a Canadian citizen. I'm all for freedom of religion and freedom of speech - I mean come on, read the blog! But I believe in the SAME freedom for all. If I want to pray to God in the middle of a public park, I want to do that. If I want my children to bring their Bibles to school, I want them to be able to. As far as I know, Canada has two national languages. Fr...