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diff --git a/25040.txt b/25040.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c57776 --- /dev/null +++ b/25040.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1221 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bilingualism, by N. A. Belcourt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Bilingualism + Address delivered before the Quebec Canadian Club, at + Quebec, Tuesday, March 28th, 1916 + +Author: N. A. Belcourt + +Release Date: April 11, 2008 [EBook #25040] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BILINGUALISM *** + + + + +Produced by K Nordquist, Marcia Brooks & the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net + + + + + + + + + +ADDRESS + +DELIVERED BEFORE THE + +QUEBEC CANADIAN CLUB + +AT QUEBEC + +TUESDAY, MARCH 28th, 1916 + +BY + +The Honorable N. A. BELCOURT, K.C., P.C. + + +BILINGUALISM + + +QUEBEC +THE TELEGRAPH PRINTING CO. + + +1916 + + + + +ADDRESS DELIVERED + +BEFORE THE + +QUEBEC CANADIAN CLUB + +AT + +QUEBEC + +TUESDAY, MARCH 28th, 1916 + +BY + +The Honorable N. A. BELCOURT, K.C., P.C. + + +Gentlemen of the Canadian Club:--Your president has asked me to address +you this afternoon in the English language. It is with great pleasure +that I received this invitation and that I avail myself of the privilege +of speaking to you in that language with regard to the very troublesome, +somewhat distorted, and certainly much misrepresented school question in +your sister province. First of all, I wish to assure you that I shall +not make a speech. I desire, in as simple and lucid English as I can +command, to endeavor to explain to you the difficulties of that school +question, addressing myself preferably to your intelligence, rather than +to your hearts. + +I want, if I can, to enlighten you as much as possible with regard to +this school trouble, a trouble which unfortunately is not a new one for +us in Ontario, which we have had many times in the past, and which I am +none too sure we shall not have again in the future. This time, as you +know, it has broken out over the notorious regulation No. 17. That has +been the center of the storm, and until the question it has raised is +solved it must, I am afraid, continue to be a storm center. I want to +tell you what is the real meaning, what is the object and what will be +the effect of this regulation. I am going to give you concrete evidence +of everything that I propose to tell you. + +Let me tell you also that I will do so with the greatest care and +moderation, and, whilst I feel strongly, as you may imagine, upon this +question, I am going to suppress my own feelings and make a calm and +dispassionate analysis of the question. I will leave it to your +intelligence and to your own sympathy to decide what course of action +each one of you individually may feel called upon to follow. + +Regulation No. 17 has been designed, enacted and enforced with no other +object than the gradual proscription of the French language in the +primary schools of the Province of Ontario. I say there is no question +about that, and if anyone of you will take the trouble to follow me +closely, and afterwards, if any doubts remain about the matter, and you +will take up the regulation and study it carefully, I am sure you will +agree with me. + +The regulation treats of the use of French in the primary classes in +Ontario in two ways: First, as a means of instruction or communication; +and, second, as a subject of study. + +Now, as a means of instruction, that is, as a medium of communication +between the teacher and the pupil, the use of that language in all +schools, in all classes, at all stages, and on every subject is limited +to where, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector of the Province, IT IS +NECESSARY. In other words, as a medium between the teacher and the +pupil, the French language cannot be used with French-speaking children +to impart to them any information on any subject whatsoever, unless the +Chief Inspector has previously decided that in the case of each +particular child the use of the French language is absolutely necessary +because the child does not understand enough English to receive +instruction in that language. I say without hesitation that if anyone of +you will read regulation No. 17 you will come to no other conclusion +than that. + +And you can imagine how impracticable and impossible it would be for the +Chief Inspector, with all his other duties, to examine each individual +child in the hundreds of schools in the Province of Ontario to ascertain +if such child understands the English language well enough to receive +instruction in English. + +Now, as a subject of study. As a subject of study there is a distinction +to be made between the schools which were in existence prior to the +enactment of the regulation, and the schools subsequently established. +That is, prior to the month of June, 1912, the use of the French +language as a subject of study was confined to begin with to the +elementary subjects of reading, composition and grammar. In the schools +then in existence, subject to the approval again of the Chief Inspector, +these subjects may be taught to the French Canadian children whose +parents demand that they shall be taught those subjects. The maximum +time fixed is one hour, but the Chief Inspector may increase that by +special order given by himself. But in all cases, let me repeat, these +subjects cannot be taught for one hour or one minute to any +French-speaking child in any class, in any school in Ontario, unless the +Chief Inspector has pronounced upon each individual case. I said a +moment ago that the time is limited to one hour, but he may make one +minute if chooses. With reference to the use of the French language, +whether as a means of instruction and communication, or as a subject of +study, the decision of the Chief Inspector is in every case final and +conclusive. There is no appeal. + +I told you a moment ago that I would endeavor to give you concrete +evidence of what I say. + +The regulation, as I have said, was promulgated in the year +1912. There were then hundreds and hundreds of separate schools +in Ontario--corresponding to your dissentient schools in this +province--where French had been a subject of study, where French had +been used as a means of communication. And the permission to use French +as a subject of study, as I have already explained, is confined to these +schools. In all schools established after the month of June, 1912, the +French language is banished at once, completely and forever; and I +propose to prove it to you in a very conclusive way. + +In the Green Valley case, in the county of Glengary, was a case brought +by Scotch-Catholic rate-payers against the Roman Catholic school +trustees because during one hour of the day the teacher, who was a +French-Canadian, taught in French for fifty minutes reading, grammar and +composition, and gave ten minutes to catechism in French. An action was +taken for an injunction, and the court granted the injunction. It was +proved in the case that about seventy-five per cent of the rate-payers +and seventy-five per cent of the pupils were French-Canadians. The +injunction was granted and when the trustees continued to employ this +system they were called up before the judge on a charge of contempt of +court, with an application to commit them to imprisonment. The judge +ordered that each of them should pay a fine of five hundred dollars, not +because they had taught French reading, grammar and composition for +fifty minutes each day, but because for ten minutes of each day +catechism had been taught in French to the French-Canadian pupils. Now, +Catechism is something that is always taught in a Catholic separate +school. That is the very principle--that is the reason why separate +schools were established by law. So you will see the extent to which +French is prohibited in Ontario under this regulation. + +Now, with reference to the use of the French language as a subject of +study in the schools since 1912 we have had several complete and +authoritative demonstrations of the meaning of the regulation. In the +City of Windsor there were in 1912 three Roman Catholic Separate +Schools, namely, the "Sacred Heart," with 45 per cent, "St. Francois," +with 65 per cent, and "St. Edmond," with 85 per cent of French speaking +Catholic pupils. Prior to 1912 French was a subject of study in the +Sacred Heart school only. French has continued since 1912 to be a +subject of study in that school. Prior to 1912 there was no French +taught in St. Francois and St. Edmond School; since 1912 the trustees of +these two schools have applied to the Department, for permission to +teach French in these two schools for one-half hour in one of them and +for one hour in the other. The following letter from the Department +peremptorily denies them the right to have even one minute of French in +these two schools: + + Catholic Separate School Board. + + Windsor, Ontario. + + "The Minister of Public Instruction requests me to + acknowledge receipt of your letter of August 8th, and to + say in answer that he has studied the subject carefully and + finds that the regulations of the Department of Education + do not allow French to be taught as a subject of study in + any of the separate schools of the city of Windsor, with + the exception of the Sacred Heart School. Consequently, + with a reasonable delay, you will make such changes in the + organization of your school as may be necessary under this + regulation." + +This letter was signed by Mr. Colquhoun, Deputy Minister of Education in +Ontario, and is dated October 31st, 1914. Now, the other day the acting +minister of the department, the Hon. Mr. Ferguson, published a long +statement covering nearly two pages of newspaper, explaining this +matter. With regard to this particular case, concerning the schools in +the city of Windsor, his answer was, I respectfully submit, unworthy of +himself, unworthy of the province, and especially unworthy of the great +subject of education. His answer was that the children of the +French-Canadian parents at Windsor had not been refused anything to +which they were entitled under regulation 17. That was his answer, +begging the whole question. + +May I now give you a very independent and impartial opinion as to the +effect and nature of this regulation? Within a year after it was +promulgated and sought to be enforced, the six inspectors appointed by +the Government, for the very purpose of enforcing the regulation, were +called to Toronto by the Head of the Department of Education, to make a +report of their findings after the regulation had been in force about a +year. The six inspectors were three English-speaking and three +French-speaking inspectors. They met in Toronto, and, after comparing +notes, made a unanimous report to the Minister of Education, and please +remember that this report and the investigation from which it arose were +both made at the request of the Minister of Education. The report was +unanimous. I shall not quote it all, but only a few lines: + + "The inspectors agree that the above regulation (17) has not + been effective, for the following reasons: + + "IT WAS TAKEN TO MEAN THAT FRENCH COULD NOT BE USED AS A + LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION AND COMMUNICATION; + + "IT WAS REGARDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO GRADUALLY ELIMINATE THE + FRENCH LANGUAGE FROM THE ENGLISH-FRENCH SCHOOLS." + +That is not my statement, remember, gentlemen, but the unanimous +statement of three English inspectors and three French inspectors +charged with the duty of enforcing this regulation. + +Naturally the French-Canadians of Ontario, of whom there are 250,000, +who have in the past enjoyed the right of teaching their language to +their own children, promptly and strongly resented all this. But they +have not been the aggressive and turbulent agitators which they have +been represented to be. On the contrary, they took the constitutional +means of going to the Department about the matter. Memorials, +representations and calm and dignified protests were made. Delegations +were sent to Toronto. On one occasion the chairman of the Ottawa +separate school board went to Toronto as the representative of most of +the different separate school boards throughout the province. Nothing +came of it. Sir James Whitney told them that he was not going to +establish RACIAL SCHOOLS in the Province of Ontario, whatever the +meaning of that may be. He sought to make them feel that he looked upon +the use of French in the Ontario schools as introducing racial schools. + +Gentlemen, I have to touch on these points very briefly because I know +your time is precious, and I do not want to trespass upon your +indulgence. I might say that such litigation followed. However I do not +propose to go into that as I do not know that much profit could be +derived from it in the time which you have kindly allowed me. + +Then this statute was passed last year, of which we are now asking the +disallowance, and I am going to speak of that briefly. I am sure you +have heard something of the petitions which have been circulated, not +only in the Province of Ontario, but also in Quebec, calling upon the +Dominion Government to disallow this statute passed in 1915. The statute +has two effects, the validating of regulation 17, which in the meantime +was being tried in the courts, and the purpose of establishing the +Ottawa Separate School Commission, of which I have no doubt you have +also heard. + +The act takes all the powers from the Roman Catholic Separate School +Trustees elected by the Roman Catholic rate-payers and confers them upon +the Commission. This Commission--which I shall not qualify, but which I +shall describe--was composed of three gentlemen, Mr. Denis Murphy, Mr. +D'Arcy McGee, and Mr. Charbonneau. The first two being Irish Catholics, +and the other a French-Canadian Catholic. + +The Roman Catholic population of Ottawa is composed of nearly 50,000 +people, of whom about 33,000 are French-Canadians and about 17,000 are +Irish Catholics. As I said, the Government appointed two Irish Catholics +and made one of them chairman, the other vice-chairman, and Mr. +Charbonneau simply a member. This commission was vested with all the +powers which the board of elected trustees had the statutory right and +the duty to administer. You can imagine, gentlemen, how efficiently +these schools could be conducted under such conditions and with such a +commission. You can imagine the provocation it was to the +French-Canadian population of Ottawa. I should add that one of the +commissioners--they are all respectable men--but one was in the +unfortunate position of being a license holder under the Government +which appointed him. Mr. Charbonneau, or the firm to which he belonged, +held a license for the sale of intoxicating liquors. He held his license +from the Government appointing him, and this was the man who was going +to administer these schools in the capital of Canada. You can imagine +the resentment of the people and how difficult--how impossible--it was +for such a commission to administer in a proper way the schools confided +to their care. The result was confusion worse confounded, and +considerable agitation, with the result that to-day there are nearly +5,000 children belonging to the English-French schools of Ottawa who are +deprived of an education, and have been so deprived for two months. +Their teachers have not been paid some of them for five, ten, fifteen +and twenty months. The taxes belonging to the French-Canadian supporters +of these schools have been used for the payment of the teachers in the +schools attended by the Irish Catholics, schools which have not in any +way, at any time, under any conditions being interfered with by the +French-Canadian people of Ottawa. + +Another result of regulation No. 17 is--I doubt if there is anyone in +this room who will really believe me, but I assure you that it is +true--let me tell you, gentlemen, that to-day the Germans in the +Province of Ontario have and are enjoying, with the consent and +participation of the Department, rights that are absolutely denied to +the French-Canadian population. I knew you would say "shame." I know no +intelligent person will believe this at first, but I pledge you my word +that that is the case. I am going to read you regulation 15 so that I +shall not be misunderstood. Regulation 15 says: "15. In school sections +where the French or German language prevails, the trustees may, in +addition to the course of study prescribed for public schools, require +instruction to be given in reading, grammar and composition to such +pupils as are directed by their parents or guardians to study either of +these languages, and in all such cases the authorized text books in +French or German shall be used." + +Regulation 17 has abrogated this provision with respect to French in all +schools established after June, 1912, and with respect to German the +matter remains as it was under regulation 15. + +Now, what is the case of the French Canadians of Ontario, on what do +they rely, on what do they base their claim that French should be used +in their schools? By the British North America Act it is provided that +the rights and privileges enjoyed by Roman Catholics in the Province of +Ontario at the time of Confederation, or by the Protestant minority in +the Province of Quebec, shall not be interfered with by the provinces. +Subject to these rights the provinces are given absolute power to +legislate on school matters. There is the whole question so far as the +legal and constitutional aspect is concerned. You have to see what in +1867 were the rights of the respective minorities in Ontario and Quebec. +So far as Quebec is concerned, it is not and never was subject of +misunderstanding. Everyone has agreed as to what the rights of the +Protestant minority were and are, and no one has interfered with them. +But it is different in Ontario. I have been there for thirty-two years, +and it has always been more or less a subject of discussion and dispute. +The rights of the Catholics in Ontario in 1867 were the rights given by +the act of 1863. + +The first part of the act gave to the Roman Catholics the right to elect +trustees to conduct the Catholic separate schools, in other words the +right to fully administer the schools. Other provisions of the statute +dealt with the right to determine the kind and description of the +schools, in other words the right to have schools where both languages +would be taught, as it had been previous to 1863. Then there was the +right to appoint teachers and define their duties; also to appoint +inspectors or superintendents. Every one of these essential +things has been wiped out and taken away from the separate schools +supporters of the city of Ottawa, not in part, but wholly and +completely, and conferred upon Government appointed Commissioners. + +Let us see what this means. The questions involved in this controversy +are in principle as essential and as important as any question that ever +came before the British people. Why, it goes back to Runnymede, when +this principle was settled forever--No taxation without representation. +The French-Canadians of Ottawa are compelled to pay taxes and they have +no representation. They are taxed and have to pay taxes for schools, and +yet they have nothing to say regarding the expenditure of their taxes or +the conduct of these schools. + +What would you say if my good friend, Sir Lomer Gouin, undertook to say +to the city of Quebec: I don't like the members that you send to +represent you--they don't do things as I like to have them done, and +hereafter you are not going to select your representatives, but I am +going to name or appoint them for you; or if he arrogated to himself the +right to have your dissentient schools conducted and administered wholly +not by your elected trustees or Commissioners, but by certain persons +chosen by him. Gentlemen, I say in all solemnity that there is no +difference between that and the things that have been done in the +Province of Ontario. Am I not right in saying that this question should +be of the deepest concern to all lovers of British constitutional law +and constitutional history? + +Now, as to the second point, the kind, number and description of +schools. + +Prior to Confederation there were French schools--not English-French +schools, but exclusively French schools under the Department of Public +Instruction in the Province of Ontario. I use that term advisably, +because it was so called at that time, although it is now called the +Department of Education. Time and again it occurred, with the approval +of the educational authorities, that teachers who could not speak a word +of English, but only German or French, were employed in the schools of +Ontario. There were schools in the Province of Ontario before +Confederation where no English was taught, and that with the sanction of +the Department. In many parts of Ontario there were schools, many of +them, where there was only French, and there were many others where both +the English and the French languages were taught. They had French +teachers and French inspectors, and French text books. I am referring to +this in order that you can fix in your minds what were the conditions in +1867. In other words, what were the conditions which the Act of +Confederation, an Imperial Act, has made perpetual in Ontario, as well +as in Quebec. + +We had these rights in 1867; in what way and when have we been deprived +of these rights--on what authority have they been taken away? Absolutely +none. There was only one authority that could deprive the Roman +Catholics French-Canadians of Ontario of their rights in that province, +or the Protestant minority of their rights in the Province of Quebec. +There is only one authority, not the Ontario Legislature, not the Quebec +Legislature, not the Dominion Parliament, but the Parliament of +Westminster. The Act of Confederation is an Imperial Act which no +Canadian Parliament or Legislature can in any way affect. The Imperial +Parliament has not dealt with the question. If I have made it clear to +you that there were rights which were enjoyed in 1867, since those +rights have not been touched by the only authority that could touch +them--have I not made out an absolute case that those are rights which +we had then and still have to-day, and ought to have now and in the +future? + +Section 133 of the British North America Act--and I refer to it because, +strangely enough, it has been quoted and relied on by both sides in this +controversy--section 133, you will remember, provides that either the +English or the French language may be used in the Parliament of Canada, +the Legislature of Quebec, and the Federal and Quebec provincial courts, +and it places these two languages on an equal footing in such +Parliament, Legislature and courts. It is argued by those opposed to us +that that is a restrictive provision, a limitative provision, on the +doctrine "inclusio unius fit exclusio alterius." I do not think so at +all. Here were new forums being created: The Parliament of Canada, the +Federal Courts, where it was absolutely necessary that the language to +be used should be determined without doubt--there should be no doubt +that in the Federal Parliament both languages should be official--no +doubt that is what was in the minds of the fathers of Confederation. + +But, they say, why mention Quebec at all? Why did they say that English +could be used in the Legislature of Quebec and why not say that French +could be used in the Legislature of Ontario? + +The answer to that is that the English language was safeguarded in the +Legislature of Quebec simply because our English friends were on that +occasion, as usual, a little more practical than we are. They wanted the +English language to be official in the Legislature of Quebec, and asked +to have it stated in the Act. That was a concession to the Protestant, +or rather to the English-speaking minority in the Province of Quebec. +Section 133 is not limitative. Some people are apt to look upon this +matter in a very strange way. We are told that we are not to claim any +rights for the French Language in Ontario, because there is no text of +law. I ask you, gentlemen, if you have ever seen anywhere a text of law +which says that the English language is the official language of the +British Empire? No, there is no such law, none anywhere, not at +Westminster, at Ottawa or at Toronto. Why? Simply because language is a +natural right--there are rights that we all enjoy which do not need the +sanction of law, the right to live, to breathe, the right of +property--these are rights which do not need the sanction of law, that +is, of any special text of law, but belong inherently to all individuals +and everyone is entitled to their enjoyment without any text of law. +These rights are the necessary attributes of individual freedom. + +The rights of the minority in the Province of Quebec with reference to +their religious tenets and their language have no other and no better +foundation than the same rights of the French or Catholics in the +Province of Ontario. If we are deprived of the right to use the French +language in our schools in the Province of Ontario, and if that is +constitutionally sound, there is nothing to prevent the government of +the Province of Quebec from saying that in the English schools of the +Province of Quebec there shall be no word of English spoken. I should +think the contemplation of such a thing would make you shudder. It is +really inconceivable with anyone in Quebec. + +I have tried to show you the conditions at Confederation. I said I would +give you authority for my statements, and I am going to give you the +authority of different and most competent people. First of all, I will +give you the authority of Sir Oliver Mowat. He had no doubt on this +matter, nor had Sir George Ross, and both of them said so in very clear +and unmistakeable language. As long as their authority lasted the use of +the French language in the Province of Ontario was not interfered with, +but was treated in a broad and sympathetic way. I will quote also from +Doctor Ryerson, who was the father of the Ontario school system, and who +for thirty-five years exercised undisputed sway over the schools of that +province. I will likewise cite Sir James Whitney. + +Sir Oliver Mowat, in a speech made at Woodstock, on December 3rd. 1889, +said: + + "French-Canadians cherish their own language lovingly; they + wish their children to love it and be educated in it; but + they know it will be for their interest to be familiar with + English also, and to be educated in English, as well as + French. Proscribe French, their mother tongue, and they will + hate you and have nothing to do with your schools. Permit + their own language to receive attention, and they are glad + to have their children learn English also as soon and as + fast as it can be imparted. Such was the view of the + Commissioners as to the proper policy; it is the view of + this Government; and it is the view of all intelligent men, + except our political opponents. It was the view of Dr. + Ryerson and his Council of Public Instruction, even to the + extent of putting no pressure whatever on French or German + schools, and of awaiting their own spontaneous action as to + English and other matters. + + "Our opponents insist that the Government should insist on + all instruction being given to the French children in the + English language. No such regulation was suggested by the + Commissioners, and none such has been made, because such a + regulation would be absurd; and, instead, of serving the + cause of education, would often prevent education + altogether. How can you teach in a language which the + children do not understand?" + +Gentlemen, I want to quote also a letter of Dr. Ryerson, whose name I +have just mentioned, dating as far back as 1857, and this letter, +although it contains but four lines, contains the whole thesis upon +which this question rests. I invite your special attention to every word +of this letter, not only because of the man who wrote it, but on account +of the significance of the words he uses. It is as follows: + + "24th April, 1857. + + "Gentlemen:-- + + "I have the honour to state in reply to your letter of the + 16th instant THAT, AS THE FRENCH IS THE RECOGNIZED LANGUAGE + OF THE COUNTRY, as well as the English, IT IS QUITE PROPER + AND LAWFUL for the trustees to ALLOW BOTH LANGUAGES TO BE + TAUGHT in their schools to children whose parents may desire + them to learn both. + + "I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, + + "Your obedient servant, + + "(Sgd.) E. Ryerson." + +I also stated that I would quote Sir James Whitney, and that is very +much more recent history. Within a few months of the promulgation of +regulation No. 17, in fact on the 25th of July, 1911, Sir James Whitney +caused this letter to be written: + + "25th July, 1911. + + "Reverend and Dear Sir:-- + + "I am directed by the Prime Minister, Sir James Whitney, to + acknowledge your letter of the 21st and to state that no + change has been made in the school law or the department + regulations AFFECTING THE STUDY OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN + THE SCHOOLS. + + "I AM DIRECTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE QUESTION IS ONE + ENTIRELY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.... + + "(Signed) A. H. U. Colquhoun. + + "Deputy Minister of Education." + +This letter was written to Reverend Father Chaine, of Arnprior, a town +not far from Ottawa. + +I spoke to you a moment ago of the right to appoint trustees. I want +you, gentlemen, many of whom I have the honour of calling my friends, +and whom I see before me, my Protestant friends of Quebec, how would +you like it if the Roman Catholic School Committee in this province were +to arrogate to itself the right to appoint the teachers in your +dissentient schools, and to define their duties? How would you like it? +Would you think that was keeping faith with the British North America +Act? Would you think that was keeping faith with the Confederation +partnership? How would you like it if this same Committee, not only +would assume to appoint your teachers and your inspectors, and would +take good care also to appoint Catholic inspectors in your Protestant +schools--how would you like it? Will you not take that suggestion home +with you, gentlemen, and think it over? How would you like this +regulation No. 17 to be applied to the Province of Quebec? + +Let me read the two or three most important sections of the regulation +and substitute the word "French" for the word "English" and vice versa +wherever they occur, and I want you to take that home also and think it +over. Let us read section 3 of the regulation No. 17: + + 3. Subject in the case of each school to the direction and + approval of the superintendent of Education (I use that + term advisably as corresponding to the term used in + Ontario) the following modifications shall also be made in + the course of study in separate schools. + + The use of ENGLISH FOR INSTRUCTION AND COMMUNICATION. + + (1) WHERE NECESSARY, in the case of English-speaking + pupils, English may be used as the language of instruction + and communication; but such use of English shall not be + continued beyond Form 1 (that is the first two years the + child goes to school) excepting that on the approval of the + Superintendent of Education, it may also be used as the + language of instruction and communication in the case of + pupils beyond Form 1, who are unable to speak and + understand the French language. + +Now, gentlemen, will you seriously consider that? How would you like +that kind of thing, you the English-speaking people of the Province of +Quebec, if you could use your language in your schools, as a means of +instruction and communication in the first form, that is during the +first two years, only if and when the Superintendent of Education for +this Province, after examination of your children, might say it was +absolutely necessary to use English? + +As a subject of study let us carry on the same process. I will read +further from regulation 17, making the same transposition: + + "English as a subject of study in separate (or dissentient) + schools." + + 4. In schools where English--(remember, gentlemen, we are + now in 1912)--has HITHERTO been a subject of study, the + separate (or dissentient) school board may provide, under + the following conditions, for instruction in English, + reading, grammar and composition in Form 1 to 4, in + addition to the subjects prescribed for the separate (or + dissentient) schools. + + (1) Such instruction in English may be taken only by pupils + whose parents or guardians direct that they shall do so, + and may, notwithstanding section 3 above, be given in the + English language. + + (2) Such instruction in English shall not interfere with + the adequacy of the instruction in French, and the + provision for such instruction in English in the time-table + of the school shall be subject to the approval and + direction of the Superintendent of Education, and shall not + in any day EXCEED ONE HOUR in each class room, except where + the time is increased upon the order of the superintendent. + +Would that be agreeable to you, gentlemen, to have only one hour of +English in your school, and that confined to reading, composition and +grammar, and nothing else, and just one hour--and more than that if it +pleased the Superintendent of Education to say that you should have +English for one minute only each day, would you be satisfied with that? +That is Regulation No. 17 in all its simplicity! + +Are you surprised, gentlemen, that the French-Canadians of Ontario have +strenuously protested and intend to continue to do so, and have asked +the support of the Province of Quebec under conditions of that kind? We +have sought the support of our French-Canadian friends in the Province, +and we have got it; but I for one am very much more anxious to have the +sympathy and the help of the English-speaking people of the Province of +Quebec. If I accepted the invitation to come here within half an hour +after getting the telegram from my good friend Mr. Paradis, it was +because I thought that I might contribute in some small way to assist my +English-speaking friends in the Province of Quebec to a proper +understanding of the real meaning and object of this very troublesome +question. + +Perhaps you may think it impertinence on my part, but will you not allow +me to say that you owe it to yourselves first of all to look carefully +into this matter. To-day it is a question in Ontario, but to-morrow it +may be a question in Quebec. Don't you owe it to yourselves to consider +this most carefully? But, to put it on a higher ground--because I have +unbounded confidence in the feelings of justice and fair play of the +Protestants in the Province of Quebec--don't you owe it to us +French-Canadians, in both Provinces, to come to our assistance in the +Province of Ontario, where we are seeking the preservation of our most +elementary rights? I think you owe it also to Canada, to Confederation, +to take a part in this matter. I am not trying to convince you of +something which is not right or just or fair, but convince yourselves, +gentlemen, look into these questions, and if you are not satisfied with +the explanations that I have given, come to me, or go to some one else +in whom you may have more confidence, and find out--learn about it all. +Permit me also to say to you, with all the solemnity and earnestness of +which I am capable, that it is your duty, because the present is as +grave and as dangerous a situation as ever arose in Canada. I say Quebec +is as much a partner in Confederation as the other provinces. +Confederation is a partnership in which we are all jointly and severally +responsible for the performance of duties and obligations assumed by +every one of the provinces, and for that reason I am sure--I hope at all +events--that you will agree with me, that it is incumbent upon you to +look into this very serious matter and do what you can to bring about a +just settlement of it. + +Nay more, I say in the interests of the Empire--and I am one of those +who believe in some form of a united Empire--though no one seems to have +yet found the formula, yet I hope it will be found some day--is it not +necessary that we should first have national unity, Canadian unity, +before we can seriously consider Empire unity? How are you going to +bring it about? And is national unity, in Quebec, in Ontario, in Canada, +or the British Empire, dependent upon unity of language? How shall we +have a united Empire if all parts must speak the English language? How +and when are you going to change the 144 dialects of India into English? +Then there are Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and other places where +French is spoken. And what about South Africa? Here is a colony which a +few years ago was under arms against England, and did everything it +could do to break the British power. When the time came for England to +deal with the Boers she treated them not with her ancient generosity +only, but with a measure overflowing--she treated the Boers in a way in +which we are not treated in the Province of Ontario. To-day in the Boer +States the Boer language and the English language are on an absolute +equality. They do not have to ask a superintendent or any one else for +one hour a day in the school to learn their national language. And are +we, the French-Canadian people, the descendants of the race who +colonized not only this country but a large portion of the North +American continent, who explored it from Hudson's Bay to the Gulf of +Mexico and from the St. Lawrence to the Rocky Mountains, to leave behind +us and bury for ever, a history which has never been surpassed anywhere +in the world, for courage, devotion and heroism; are we the descendants +of these men, in this Canada of ours, to be deprived of the use of the +language of our forefathers? Are we to be told that in order to have a +united Canada and a Empire we must forever renounce and deny our origin, +our traditions and our beloved language? I ask you, gentlemen, is there +any man in the city of Quebec, any Protestant or English-speaking man, +who would not despise me if I threw all this to the winds? If I did so I +would richly deserve your supreme contempt and you would not be slow in +extending it to me--and yet this is what we are asked to do. + +And was there ever a time, gentlemen, less than the present, when +Frenchmen any where in the world, let alone in Canada, could be asked to +forget their origin and their language? When the France of 1915 and 1916 +has compelled the unbounded admiration of the whole world for her +sublime courage and devotion. And yet we are asked, we who speak the +same language as the men, our full brothers who have fought so nobly in +the trenches in Flanders, whose defence of the Verdun forts is the +finest and most glorious event of the present horrible war, to forego +our French language and all that it carries with it, we are told that +our children cannot learn it, and must despise it and allow it to die an +unnatural death in Canada. I ask you, my English-speaking friends of the +Province of Quebec, will you not come to our rescue and look into this +question? I believe that there is not one who has done me the honor to +listen to me to-day, and who will take the trouble to seriously ponder +over the matter, but will say: Yes, I am going to help our +French-Canadian friends in Ontario to solve this question and obtain +justice and British fair play. + +I hope the appeal which you have permitted me to make to you will bear +some fruit, and that the interest, the influence and the sympathy of the +English-speaking minority in the Province of Quebec will be aroused, and +that you will take such steps as you may think proper to bring about a +solution of a question which, I repeat, is of the very gravest +character, a question which, if not solved promptly, will bring about--I +dare not say what--I would rather let you draw your own conclusions. We +French-Canadians of Ontario have done all we can in the Province of +Ontario to enlighten public opinion. But all in vain. There is not one +English newspaper in the Province of Ontario which has printed or paid +the slightest attention to any of the arguments which for four years we +have advanced. All our literature has been thrown in the waste-paper +basket--not one newspaper has taken the trouble to investigate the +question. Our arguments have been met with nothing but contempt and +abuse. + +Now, I say again, I, for one, wish to appeal as earnestly, as solemnly +as I can, to you English-speaking Protestants and Catholics of the +Province of Quebec, for your help and succor in the solution of this +momentous situation. I wish to again offer you my most grateful thanks +for your very kind attention and indulgence. + +The Honorable Mr. JUSTICE McCORKILL:--Mr. Chairman and Senator Belcourt, +fellow-members of the Quebec Canadian Club. When I left the Court House +to come here, I had not the faintest idea that I was going to be singled +out for the duty of moving a vote of thanks for the lecturer of to-day. +I came here because I am a Canadian, because I think I have a proper +appreciation of the French race and the French language, and thirdly +because I have known Senator Belcourt for a good many years. We were +students at the same time--I am sorry to have told you that, because you +will think that he is older than he really is--and I knew that what we +would hear to-day would be worth hearing. + +The English Canadians of the Province of Quebec have been puzzled--I +mean the English-Canadians native-born, those who have been brought up +with the French-Canadians, who have spoken with them in their language, +who have played with them in their school grounds, as I have done, on +the lacrosse fields, who have served with them in the ranks of the +militia, and in the Legislature. + +I am sorry that I was not given warning of the task that was before me. +I came here determined to listen, and I have listened. Nothing has gone +through my mind as to what I am to say, except to express my humiliation +to think that we English-Canadians here have listened to a French +lecturer who can speak our language as well as his own, as well as we +can ourselves. Of how many of us could the same be said with regard to +the French language? + +I may say, as far as I have known the speaker of to-day, he is a +thorough Canadian, and I am sure that the fact that we all listened to +what he has said to-day will produce an effect. I am sure he was moved +not only because he is a French-Canadian, but because he is a Canadian, +to come here and address us on this occasion. It is a very serious +question agitating the Province of Ontario, and we English here, as I +said a moment ago, cannot understand how such a feeling should arise. + +I have some friends in the Province of Ontario, and I must say they are +imbued with the same idea as those who passed regulation No. 17. I am +sorry for it; I have done my very best to convince them they were wrong, +and I knew they wouldn't feel as they did if they had had the experience +I have had with French-Canadians. + +I need not tell you that I have been a student of Canadian history from +the very earliest days. I have read with the greatest interest the +history of the old regime, the opening up of the country, and then of +the abandonment of the people by their country, so to speak, and of the +tremendous efforts they made to keep the country for themselves. I have +read the history of the country under the British regime, and how they +have fallen in so well with the administration of justice, the +administration in our Legislatures and municipalities under the British +system. I believe that a certain French-Canadian at Ottawa is one of the +greatest parliamentarians under the British Constitution that we have in +any part of the Empire. + +They have adopted our system, but there are two things they have clung +to, their religion and their language. I believe that their national +sentiment is even stronger than their religious sentiment--I really +believe so. The national feeling among them is intensely strong, but I +would ask you English, Irish and Scotch descendants born in this +country, and brought up here, supposing a regulation similar to No. 17 +were passed in the Province of Quebec, what do you think our duty +towards it would be? Supposing Sir Lomer Gouin--I cannot imagine it--but +supposing he did have the courage, or the nerve, so to speak, to pass a +regulation of that kind. There would be a rebellion in this Province, I +think. And here we have our French-Canadian brethren in the sister +Province who by constitutional means are trying to obtain the repeal or +the modification of the regulation, or some other settlement of the +question which would be satisfactory to all concerned. + +Gentlemen, you didn't come here to hear me, and I am not going to detain +you any longer. I wish to express, on behalf of the members of this +club, our sense of pleasure and obligation to Senator Belcourt for +coming here to address us on this question. I am delighted to see so +many English-Canadians here to-day. Some may have felt it required a +little extra courage to appear, but I do not think so. It does not mean +that you are all in sympathy with everything that has been said, but it +means that you want education and enlightenment on this matter. And I am +sure the appeal the Senator has made to us to study the question will +have its effect. And I will agree with him, in the hope that they may +have our sympathy and co-operation in bringing about a satisfactory +settlement of the question in Ontario. + +[Illustration: Decoration] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Bilingualism, by N. A. Belcourt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BILINGUALISM *** + +***** This file should be named 25040.txt or 25040.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/0/4/25040/ + +Produced by K Nordquist, Marcia Brooks & the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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