It is the law, but I am not sure that everyone understands it. It is an opportunity for me to influence the perception that Canadians have about our linguistic duality or common languages.
Something that I feel very strongly is that these issues have evolved. There is clearly a need for a legal framework in order for that to happen, but we do have that. This bill that was adopted and that amended the Official Languages Act is the most recent step. In 1969, people used to say that we were shoving French down their throats. Things have changed since then. When David Crombie proclaimed the new Official Languages Act in 1988, it was another milestone. Then Senator Gauthier almost on his own but with a lot of support, developed the concept of linguistic duality. We are now at the point where there is not a Canadian to be found who does not acknowledge our linguistic duality to be one of the key components of our Canadian identity.
When will the public service begin to act like this is a fact? When will well-intentioned public servants who want to study French be able to do that in part during their hours of work? I can assure you that many government workers in Edmonton—especially young people and those at lower rungs in the hierarchy—sign up for French courses given at night and on weekends. They rarely get any help from their departments. For example, someone I know quite well started with no knowledge of French and she now has her B level. That person is Stephanie Robinson. She now manages quite well in French. She did it all herself, at her own expense. What is the public service waiting for? When will the hundreds and even thousands of Canadians who must have gone through immersion be able to practise their French? Why do they not practise their French with the help of the public service of Canada? That is a good question.
Instead of being required to provide services, the public service could become a promoter of Canada's linguistic duality. Psychologically, that changes everything.