The Editor,

I attended Chelsea, Quebec’s all-candidate’s meeting at Camp Fortune Oct. 21.  On arrival, I was pleased to see a well attended meeting but as the meeting progressed, I felt out of place in my adopted community whose population is 50 per cent French and 50 per cent English (Statistics Canada - Census 2006).

This linguistic balance is one of Chelsea’s greatest assets.  In fact, it was one of the major attractions for my wife and I to move in this community, more than ten years ago.  She is anglophone and I am francophone.  It was a perfect match!

However, times are changing.  While the demographic has remained stable, the linguistic duality at this all-candidates meeting was barely noticeable.  The moderator read a few token words in French at the beginning but conducted the rest of the meeting entirely in English.  That is “déplorable.”

With the exception of a few who spoke in both languages, all the candidates made their presentations in English only.  This was followed by three prepared questions that were sent to each candidate, two in English, one in French.  Again, with the exception of a few, they all answered in English, even to the French question!  This is “incroyable”, if not insulting.

Candidates who wish to represent their constituency but address themselves to only half of the population should not be surprised if the result of the election is not in their favour.  At least for the post of mayor, people of Chelsea would expect the candidates to be bilingual.  It is not sufficient to have bilingual posters and websites.  In this community, if one wants to do business or run for political office linguistic competency is the expectation.

Claude Cousineau

Chelsea

Tagged as: all-candidates election meeting, chelsea quebec, Letters, municipal elections