Occasions for defining moments do not arise every day. When they do, we must seize the opportunities they present for improving everyone’s life.
All of us in Quebec — and I mean all of us — have allowed language to become a preoccupation that works to the disadvantage of all of us — and I mean all of us. This has recently taken a turn for the worse with the current minority government adopting a position that, under the guise of protecting the French language, is actively punitive regarding other languages. This diminishes the respect with which Quebec is regarded throughout the world and will have an ongoing negative impact on our future.
Why do we not take a step back and approach the matter of language in a manner that will help Quebec to be the leading example of how citizens from many different backgrounds can help to maximize our societal potential? This way, languages become an asset, a tool for personal and collective improvement. Only in North America is it regarded as a major achievement to speak one language moderately well. We merely have to look to Europe to see the obvious advantages of speaking multiple languages.
Is a German who speaks French, English and Spanish any less German? Am I any less an anglophone Quebecer if I speak French and Spanish? Is a francophone Quebecer diminished in any way when speaking English, Spanish or Italian? Of course not! We do not lose our cultural identities by speaking other languages; we expand them, and, in the process, we understand our own cultural backgrounds even better.
All of us must be vigilant in not allowing language to become a political weapon in the hands of persons or parties that seek nothing principled, but merely election or re-election. They think only of themselves and their personal short-term interests. They care nothing about holding back the development of Quebec in a rapidly shrinking world. There are no philosophical or historical principles involved, only fearmongering and creation of dissension. Can you imagine the mindset of Quebec politicians who complain of “galloping bilingualism” in a world-class city like Montreal? They do not care if Quebec risks becoming a ghetto, with diminishing importance, a stagnant economy and overwhelming debt.
All of us should insist that government — and personal — actions not be based on a “zero-sum” model, in which forward progress for someone can only be achieved at the expense of someone else. It is possible, preferable, and far more beneficial for all of us to move forward and upward together. We need a strategic plan for success to ensure that all Quebecers are encouraged to make active use of the opportunity to learn to speak and write at least two, and ideally even more, languages. The leaders of the future will be the best communicators, and language is the essential element of communication.
Challenge the political leadership — of all parties — to embrace this goal of making Quebec better. Their zero-sum mentality has already cost Quebec far too much. It will take us time to recover, but a well-educated and outward-looking Quebec will have far more potential to progress than other segments of the world that lack linguistic skills and tools.
Failure to challenge the short-sightedness will diminish all of us and reduce the base from which we hope to progress. Attempting to build a language wall around Quebec is precisely the wrong policy to follow. It will keep out of Quebec exactly what we need to attract by way of talent and capital; it will drive our best — francophones as well as allophones and anglophones, with their talents and capital — to leave Quebec.
Challenge the leadership — of all parties — on this losing strategy. Challenge our MNAs — of all parties — on this failure of leadership. Do not support — in fact, actively oppose — any party or candidate that will not commit to and deliver the tools Quebec needs for the difficult future challenges it faces.
We must make it clear that all of us who make Quebec our home want our Quebec to be enlightened, enabled, equipped and enthusiastic about creating a society in which we can all maximize the opportunities to make that society one that we — all of us — are proud to support, share and promote. Make governments use our resources to make all of us better. Do not allow them to suppress the ability for us in Quebec to acquire the tools and skills we will need to excel in today’s world. Insist on your rights to succeed.
This is not someone else’s problem. It is ours, and we — all of us — have not paid sufficient attention to it. Do not let history judge us as incompetent, inadequate and unresolved. Now is the time to reverse the downward spiral. If we really love Quebec, we can do this.
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Richard Pound has represented Canada at the Olympic Games, as a member of the International Olympic Committee and as chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He is chancellor emeritus of McGill University.