English versus French

   Somethings in life don't make sense to me. Now this will offend some of you but facts are facts and just because we don't like them doesn't mean they are not true. If you are french in Ottawa you have a distinct advantage over everyone else. Both in jobs, especially government ones, and in education. It's not fair and it needs to stop.

  The french school board gets more money per student than their english counterparts. After too many hours spent on phone calls, my answer was unhappily given by an accountant who could not, or would not, give me the exact number but did say the extra money was for cultural promotion. What??? Using that logic, northern indigenous schools should be rolling in cash but we all know that isn't true.

  When I continued to ask about what exactly that meant, cultural promotion, the conversation ended. There is no explanation given as is no concrete number. Why the secrecy? Is there real danger that the french culture is under attack and needs promoting....to themselves? Is this across the country or just here in the nations capital? Do the english get extra funding in Quebec to promote their culture? 

  A child I know, in the french board, was given an educational assessment free of charge. Those assessments cost, on the average, $2200. His parents were never asked for a dime. This family has insurance which would have covered part of this hefty price tag. But again the cost was never discussed. When it was recommended my child have one done, the wait time for a "free" assessment was almost four years! French versus english. He would have graduated by that time.  

  Education has always been the great equalizer. No matter your economic background, you were given the same opportunities to learn as everyone else. The government made sure of that. Now that equality is gone. At least where I live. 

  Two things I want to add...this is NOT me being anti-french as many of you will be quick to point out. It's about the basic rights of EVERY child in Canada to the best education we as a country can give them. Whether they speak english or french should not play any part in it.

  The second thing...the child I spoke of, and his family, are very dear to my heart. They did what was best for their child, as hopefully we all would. The system is fractured not the people using it. You know I love ya Jen!

 Ang