Open your eyes my fellow Ontarians “Liberal Diarrhea swamp” is only gathering
future voters………PERIOD!

Another waste of money to appease immigrants from third world nations. But what else is new.

Creative Employment, sponsored with more tax dollars, and more and more so they can continue to run more efficiently.

I'm inclined to agree with you.

These kids would be better off joining a softball team on Saturday mornings and learning to speak and act "Canadian" instead of going after a phony credit for "learning" their parents' language.

Here he goes again!

Considering how many of London's recent immigrants come from Central and South America, I'm surprised that Spanish isn't on the list. Also, no first peoples' languages? Just sayin'.

Spanish is certainly offered in most high schools as a regular course. Maybe that's why they don't seem to offer it on a Saturday.

Good point.

But, they're already here.

@H.S. And if you reading this at LPS, OPP or the HPS. We are not interested in dialogue with. And we will respond 'in kind' if you attempt to 'scapegoat' us again. We will simply go about 'our business' from now on. Nothing more.

Does anyone have the remotest clue as to what this guy is going on about?

I was thinking the same thing. Got his liquor mixed up with his medication again.

@H.S, That being said. If you 'take' your discussions elsewhere. And if no one in London wants to stop you. Then it's really NOT my concern (ever). "Then go about your business", Um, K? You know my name. I am a Coughlinite (former Brentwood ALUMNUS). And it is my intention to keep 'the peace' in OUR COMMUNITIES. Nothing more.

@H.S, You were the cause of all this chaos. Along with The Windsor Star and then The Toronto SUN. And any chance of an economic recovery in SW Ontario has 'stalled'. Is this 'your game'? I shout you down at CTV and you simply take your foolish game of lies elsewhere. H'mmm? Maybe the problem isn't just you. But you 'permissive' parents.

Why not include local native language(s) in the offerings? The presumed arguement for offering anything other than French is the economic value of having knowledge of a language spoken in emmerging economic powerhouse nations or the preservation of language for the sake of pride in heritage and seeking to carve a space for it to live in this country. Certainly, there are other reasons such as scholarship,personal development and plain old interest. I would argue that all of these same reasons on the surface save one, the economic driver, apply to native language(s). When you offer a native language ( one of the local nations), you send the message: native language is important to learn and has value in line with other offerings. These languages were spoken here, first of all. These languages, like all others contain the essence and key to understanding and participanting in a specific culture. These languages contain histories of yhis place we call home and wisdom about this place and an understanding of the people who lived here first. Further, these languages are dying out and without a life line of active speakers or at least those who have intimate understanding of these languages we all lose something unique and forever wasted. Why we would not take a page from the book of new Canadians who are careful to preserve some space for heritage and pride in originating culture, I do not know. If we were to demonstrate the value of native language to all of us who live in this space we call Canada, by placing native language amongst the others we will also demonstrate pride in these languages and keep them alive. Over and over again it has been demonstrated thate loss of language is loss of culture and place. Giving native language(s) their rightful place at the table gives people the opportunity they may never have had to learn about themselves or about those that were here before them. Holding native languagelearning up as a value can only serve to assist us all, but more importantly allows children in this space the opportunity to view native language and culture as important and worldly. This is an essential ingredient in raising the economic status of those in our communities and having that space is important for the health of the whole of Canada. I would love the opportunity to learn a dying language; to participate in its revival and to keep the culture and the knowledge inherent to it present and available. How wonderful an about face it would be to attempt to reverse the damage of the residential system by offering native language(s) in the present systems.

I actually do know a fair number of natives. Don't know one that can carry a conversation in a native language. They know sayings and ceremonial stuff, but not regular conversational talk

There a multitude of dialects just between different tribes. They're not All the same.

Why not teach the Native languages? Easy. They lost, white man won. After that as history has always shown in other countries where people had their land and lives stolen from them, one of the first objectives of the conquerors is to destroy the language and the traditions. Nothing much changes really.

Peter- they do offer native languages at high schoo man elementary. Mostly at schools with high native poulations, like manor and highland park.

The unfortunate part for Canada is when the British won the war between upper and lower Canada, they permitted those in Lower Canada to continue to speak french. They should have been required to cease and desist, would have saved this country billions of dollars on printing things in both official languages. And would have saved us billions in stupid referendums.

Gross oversimplification.

Terry it would have definitely saved the Government money. Though extreme Francophones (the ones who to this day think Quebec would be better off without Canada which is a complete joke!) would not be happy...but they won't be happy until Quebec is its own country.

If only they had a time machine, eh?

That wasn't an issue worthy of print before Trudeau Sr. bumbled along.

These kids come from other countries to Canada and the focus needs to be on learning good English or French which are our official languages. Encouraging them to gather to talk in a language they already know is a form of ghettoization. They need to blend in with Canadian society. It is up to the parents to help their kids to keep their language and traditions and not the school boards. We are a melting pot culture. We cannot afford to become a culture with islands of people who follow their previous cultures exclusively.

My Canadian-born English-speaking daughter attended French Immersion starting in grade seven. In grade eight she wanted to study German which is my heritage even though I am the first generation born in Canada in my family. They popped her into grade nine beginners credit course while in grade eight and her teacher at French Immersion also taught her German on Saturdays for credit. Every summer she took English prior to the grade she was going into. Also, she took two dual credit courses (earn one college and two high school credits per semester) at Beal in conjunction with the college in Sarnia. End result, she graduated high school after three years in high school with enough credits. She has no regrets and I am proud of her.

Well Said. Teachers seem pretty dam good at creating employment for themselves. Must be that warm and fuzzy feeling they like when they give something away. It's unfortunate its our taxes.

"Instead of pushing the bilingual crap agenda of Quebec, why not teach a language that is in the top 5 spoken in the World. French doesn't even hit the top 5!! Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world"

Totally agree especially considering the power that China is increasingly gathering in the world. With 1.3 billion people, the world's second-largest economy, and the fastest economic growth among industrialized nations, China is an undisputed economic powerhouse [source: World Bank]. China is also the foreign country that owns the most U.S. debt, breaking the trillion-dollar mark in 2011 and never looking back.

The current language for trading is English. All International companies have employees that speak English. With 3 major countries speaking English they have no reason to change this.

Even if China tried to call the US debt it would just plunge everyone back into a recession because the US imports mostly Chinese made products, and dragging everyone else with them including China.

That is true that the major language for trading is English and probably will remain the same with the exception of some major change in world power. That being said however, in the world of business it is vital to have other languages and that is where the growing power of Mandarin, Arabic and Hindi come into focus because those, are the future. More deals and financially intimate associations are made at places like golf courses, than in boardrooms and translators who not only speak the language as well as understand traditions cannot be with someone 24/7.

What kind of crapblather is that ? How would you know if French taught in schools can be understood in France or Montreal. I don't think you speak a word of French. I have spoken French in Paris, Montreal, Quebec City and been understood just fine and my first language was English. I learned French from grade school in Ontario.

It cannot be understood in France. I studied Parisian French and British English in Germany as second languages (lived there in the 70's in my teens). When I returned to Canada, I couldn't understand Quebec French because the pronunciation was so different even though the words and language are the same.

Quebec French is more or less slang compared to Parisian French.

I was forced to take french for years in school in Ontario. Do I speak it today - no I don't! I have spoken what little I know to tell those in Montreal that I don't speak french...only to be continued to be spoken in french. Then when I tell them in English I don't speak french they speak to me in very broken English. And since all the provinces in Canada must teach their children french, why is English not a required course in Quebec. One of their most famous citizens Celine Dion, in many interviews has stated she knew no English until Rene told her she must learn it if she wanted to be famous! As for the difference between Quebec French and Parisian French, its well know they are not the same! That Quebec speaks Quebecois and Citizens of France speak French.

Bs. Just got back from Quebec City. They speak English better than you can. Tim hortons, mcdonalds, fine restaurants, luxury hotels. They all speak English and french. The American tourist dollars are too important to not. All of these bs anecdotes you cretins are spouting are old wives tales from the 70s that you believe without actually knowing for yourselves.

My experience, Terry is limited to Montreal as I have been traveling thru to and from the Maritimes. And I can tell you in cities like Levis, which is not far from Quebec City and a major stop for Buses to the Maritimes, English is not spoken, the menu's at the restaurant are in French only. I asked the hostess who seated us if there was an English one I could look at, there wasn't one. I would be all for Bilingualism if Quebec would follow its own demands, make it a requirement that any Quebec born child in order to graduate High School must be able to speak English as fluently and write English as fluently as they do French. And not just in Quebec City or Montreal...but everywhere. And the next time the province wants to hold a referendum regarding separation, they should damn well pay for it themselves!!

did you go to a french first school? my 6 yr old does and when we went to france he could carry on simple conversations with people.

Never wanted to go to a french first school. English is spoken in all European Countries and understood around the world. No need to learn French thanks!

Oh, so ignorance is ok with you, then, eh? Too hard? Don't want to try? Pathetic.

If people want to learn French that should be up to them, it should not be mandatory as it currently is. I am not the only Canadian who believes that Bilingualism has failed. There is only 1 province in Canada that is truly Bilingual and that is New Brunswick. I did try to learn French in school. As an adult I don't see why since it is not a language needed to speak in the majority of the world, why it should be forced upon children.

have you ever traveled outside of canada?

He's never traveled outside his own mind.

Shove it John, you know absolutely NOTHING about me!

Amy G no I have not travelled outside of Canada. However my father has for many years and told me long ago English is spoken by most educated Europeans, even if it is broken English. French while spoken by millions is not even in the top 8 languages spoken in the world...its 10th. English is 2nd.

Big deal. So you can't speak french because you had a bad attitude, have never tried to learn another language, and have never left canada. Great advice, cosmopolitan.

There are many Canadians who have not traveled to other countries, and there are many Canadians who can only speak and write in English. Just as there are Quebecois who have never left the Province and can only speak French. English is spoken by more people then French its a simple fact.

Horse Puckey, Parisian French, Joual from Montreal or Quebec City French are as similar as Canadian English, British English, American English or Australian. There are differences, but they don't matter in the least in your daily conversations.