Ostie de niaseux...
My experience, as an anglo in the CF, was the exact opposite of this fellow's:
When I was at RMC in the early 90's - an institution that requires functional bilingualism in order to obtain one's degree - it was widely acknowledged that on a five-point scale (one no longer in use), anglos had at least a point advantage over their franco counterparts. I always assumed the higher standard for francophones was because it was easier to learn english immersed in it in Kingston than it was to learn french in a predominantly english community. But the bias was clear and obvious - and precisely the opposite of what the retired officer is saying above.
Obviously, your mileage may vary.
Complaints have abounded that the public service language tests, administered to Forces personnel, are skewed so that an anglophone must be perfectly fluent in the Quebec French dialect in order to pass, while broken English will enable a francophone to qualify as bilingual.
When I was at RMC in the early 90's - an institution that requires functional bilingualism in order to obtain one's degree - it was widely acknowledged that on a five-point scale (one no longer in use), anglos had at least a point advantage over their franco counterparts. I always assumed the higher standard for francophones was because it was easier to learn english immersed in it in Kingston than it was to learn french in a predominantly english community. But the bias was clear and obvious - and precisely the opposite of what the retired officer is saying above.
Obviously, your mileage may vary.
posted by Babbling Brooks at 11:32 a.m.
2 Comments:
I saw the language testing at RMC (in the late 80's)to be pretty balanced on the scores between Anglos & Francos. The percentage of Francos who qualified at the top level (5's) was higher than the Anglos. But, as you point out, the environment was predominantly english and there were more incentives (the town of Kingston)to speak English in the off hours than French, so would favour that result.
I do however agree that you had to speak the Quebec French dialect to be scored as fluently bilingual. I know of at least one Acadian French classmate (taking engineering in English, thus being tested in French as his second language) who was being slotted in for a score of 2's until he replied "C'est ma langue maternelle." when asked where he started to learn French.
As an employee in the public service in Ottawa I can confirm that the reputation of the current public service language testing is that it is skewed against anglophones. There is a lot of muttering about the 'french conection' and the 'gatineau ghetto' and a belief that promotions happen more often for people who live North of the Ottawa river.
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