Thursday, April 20, 2006

Bungled Bilingualism Bonus

Did you hear about this latest bilingualism fiasco?

It turns out the federal government is dishing out about $275,000 a year to pay 344 foreign affairs bureaucrats bilingualism bonuses even though they don’t qualify.

In some cases, the bureaucrats receiving the $800 a year bonuses haven’t mastered both official languages and in other cases they are working in posts not designated as bilingual.

Just one question.

Weren’t these non-bilingual government employees wondering why they were getting bilingualism bonuses?

I guess they just figured were part of some new government program.

Just like government sometimes pay farmers not to grow crops, maybe these employees believed they were being paid not to be bilingual.

One more sad example of your tax dollars at work.

5 comments:

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

I am all for putting money into ensuring bilingual services are available where numbers warrant. I also think being bilingual is an asset rather than a liability however throwing money around mindlessly is not the solution. All departments including sacred cows should come under close scrutiny to ensure money is spent properly.

Anonymous said...

Official Bilingualism is not about language but about French power. It is nothing less than a reversal of bhe Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759; i. e., a devious act of war by sociopath Trudeau.

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

I disagree that official bilingualism is about French power. I believe both Anglophones and Francophones should have access to their government in both languages. Now I agree mandating French on every cereal box may be going a bit far, especially if its stuff other than the ingredients or any health risks.

Clinton P. Desveaux said...

All hands on deck fellas, Harper and Clement are prepared to hold back transfer payments to Alberta over healthcare reforms:


Ottawa could hold back transfer payments to Alta over health reforms: Clement

CALGARY (CP) - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement isn't ruling out holding back transfer payments to Alberta if the province's Third Way health-care reforms violate the Canada Health Act.

But the minister says he expects full co-operation from Alberta and points out he has yet to see the government's final proposal.

Clement says withholding transfer payments is the only tool Ottawa has if a province violates the act, but he admits it's a "blunt instrument."

He says his only concern at this point is the potential impact of a dual system allowing private and public health care to co-exist.

Clement met with Alberta Health Minister Iris Evans on Wednesday.

The Alberta government caucus is meeting in Calgary to decide how the province should proceed with its Third Way plan.

Anonymous said...

Clinton: Your post does not pertain to the subject of this blog entry but to the one following.

Under official bilingualism a bilingual anglophone's level of
French must be top drawer; no similar requirement for a francophone's English. This is discrimination which along with Quebec's language legislation deprives Canada of the moral high ground in intenational human rights matters.