We are fortunate to have local educational institutions working to help create more bilingual residents, with some primary schools and high schools offering French immersion streams to help children who learn English as their first language also learn the French language before they graduate. We also have schools in the public and Catholic system, providing primary and secondary education in French, allowing francophones to maintain their language.
At the post-secondary level we have two local colleges: Northern College and Collège Boréal. These two colleges, one providing training primarily in English and the other primarily in French, allow the opportunity for secondary school graduates to attend an institution that provides training in their preferred language choice, limited of course by the program offerings of each institution.
It is also possible to take French as a second language courses as part of the Collège Boréal continuing education curriculum to help adults improve their French language skills and become more bilingual. The number of local residents and member businesses who speak French has also impacted the Temiskaming Shores and Area Chamber of Commerce and how we offer services to our members. For example, many of our publications are available in both English and French, and our events such as our annual dinner and business awards are now presented in both the English and French languages.
Our area businesses are well aware of the bilingual reality of our communities, and the majority strive to provide services in both official languages. In some cases this is accomplished by the owner having the ability to speak French, either as their first language or by having learned it later in life, while in other cases they must hire the expertise as part of their staffing plan.
Speaking with business owners, however, shows that the perception exists that it is often difficult to hire a person with the right technical skill set for a position who is also fluently bilingual. In these cases, a choice must be made about the right candidate for the job, which is never easy.