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Is it wrong to expect a Prime Minister fluent in English, but not French?

October 10, 2008 By 4 Comments

While one could make cracks about many world leaders (like Dub-ya) who should be fluent in English, but aren’t, there is a little brewhaha over Stephane Dion and this fluency in English—CBC.ca – Canada Votes – Duceppe defends Dion over language ‘double standard’—and my question is are we wrong to expect this of a national leader?

Without getting into the Quebec/official languages debate, let me say first, I can’t speak French. I did take Spanish, German, and Latin in school which I gather puts me well ahead of my American countrymen. So I have taken the time to try to learn other languages even if I’m only fluent in my mother-tongue.

My feeling is, though, that our PM should be completely fluent in English.

French? There I’m stuck. How much French is good enough for a PM to converse with Quebecers?

In my mind the majority of Canadians speak English. Granted it might be safe to say that for a very large percentage of them English is a second (or third) language, but I think English is the dominant language of Canada. Shouldn’t then our leader be able to converse and answer questions in English?

On the other side of the coin, since French is the other official language, the PM should also be able to converse in French as well.

Problem is as I see it that there haven’t been many politicians of PM caliber who have been able to do that.

From there I’m stuck. What is the right balance here? How can our leader represent Canadians best?

Your thoughts?

© Tris Hussey 2008 A Larix Consulting Production.

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  • http://brandingdavid.com David

    The PM should represent the majority, and as such should speak the most common language. If he/she can speak more than one, that’s great, but he or she can speak only one language, it should be the most commonly used one in the country they serve, and it should be at the highest level.

    If Mandarin ever becomes the most widely spoken language of Canada, then our PM should speak Mandarin first. ;) I don’t see how someone that 90% of the electorate can’t really understand very well can be considered the main representation of our country.

    Think about all of the world leaders he/she will have to meet and converse with. Trade deals anyone!?

    C’est la vie.

    David´s last blog post..Plan Your Business and Brand

  • http://brandingdavid.com David

    The PM should represent the majority, and as such should speak the most common language. If he/she can speak more than one, that’s great, but he or she can speak only one language, it should be the most commonly used one in the country they serve, and it should be at the highest level.

    If Mandarin ever becomes the most widely spoken language of Canada, then our PM should speak Mandarin first. ;) I don’t see how someone that 90% of the electorate can’t really understand very well can be considered the main representation of our country.

    Think about all of the world leaders he/she will have to meet and converse with. Trade deals anyone!?

    C’est la vie.

    David´s last blog post..Plan Your Business and Brand

  • http://www.trishussey.com/ Tris Hussey

    Thanks David. Not being native born Canadian I know I don’t fully understand all the subtleties here, but in these times I think our leader needs to be able to be understood by all Canadians equally well. And he/she understand us.

  • http://www.trishussey.com/ Tris Hussey

    Thanks David. Not being native born Canadian I know I don’t fully understand all the subtleties here, but in these times I think our leader needs to be able to be understood by all Canadians equally well. And he/she understand us.

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