Originally Posted by robwod

Canada has two official languages, not one as some seem to want to believe. It's not a second language, it's one of two official languages. As such, you have the right, as a citizen, to request to be served in either official language. THAT is why there is such a requirement.

My wife works for dept of defense. When she decided to apply for a gov't position in such a capacity, she went to night school to re-learn French as she had forgotten most of what she learned in high school. But she took the initiative to actually get qualified versus complaining about it or that it was an unfair requirement.

Canada offers both languages in its public school system, thus it is up to each individual if they actually want to learn it or not. Most, however, blow it off and then complain about the gov't requirements afterwards.

It's a whole lot easier to complain about something than it is to take the initiative to do something about it.

As for the decent jobs being gov't based, I am not sure where you're located, but I've held a couple of VERY lucrative positions that were anything but gov't jobs. And they certainly were not union jobs (I'd never work for a union).

For the record, I cannot speak French either, but understand why there is a requirement for a federal position.

I will agree, however, it's a giant bureaucracy.

(I can't believe I am involved in one these ridiculous dra threads on this rather poor excuse of an adult webmaster business board.... carry on wasting your time ;)