Certainly, this would be of enormous help to further the respect of both official languages, but, we must, at the same time, realize that not all Canadians have access to good training. If bilingualism were required for all positions in the public service, a great many public servants in Quebec would not be hired, just as there would be many public servants in the west who could never get into the public service. There is always a certain tension between the spirit of the law on the one hand and the letter of the law on the other hand. We must also contend with the reality of this land.
I have often said that there are four reasons why a public servant should be bilingual. It enables him to serve the public, to manage people who have the right to work in their own language, to serve a minister—even if this is not in the legislation, the minister should be able to receive information in the language of his choice—and finally, a factor which is perhaps more important but more difficult to define, to have an understanding of this country. Nevertheless, not all members of the public service meet these obligations.