PETER PARK

In a world where subtitles and Google Translate exist, why bother learning a second language? The task is certainly not easy for Canadians.

In a column Stephen Harper wrote for the Calgary Sun in 2001 he said, “It’s extremely difficult for someone to become bilingual in a country that is not.” Yes, we have two official languages, but it is indeed quite a stretch to attempt to claim that we live in a bilingual country. In fact, the vast majority of the population consists of exclusively English-speaking citizens.

In anglophone Canada, bilingualism is very much optional in the form of French immersion and core French programs in elementary and secondary schools. However, should it be this way? Given that the purpose of education is to prepare the youth for their future so that they may succeed individually and as a whole nation, bilingualism should be an indispensable part of education and more highly regarded.

According to a 2011 census by Statistics Canada, only 17.5 per cent of Canadians are able to converse in both English and French. In contrast, more than half of the European Union’s citizens are bilingual or even multilingual.

The EU’s current language policy requires students to learn at least one language in addition to their mother tongue in secondary school. Multilingualism grants EU students certain advantages over Canadian students in the increasingly globalized world such as preference in the global job market and intercultural understanding.

Maybe a certain level of proficiency in French — the reverse being English in Quebec and other francophone areas — should be required of students in order to graduate from high school in Canada. As a former French immersion student, I don’t believe that such a change would be too drastic and that the school system would still remain far simpler than that of the EU.

It is difficult to argue against the benefits of bilingualism. Studies have shown that learning multiple languages provides cognitive advantages — essentially it makes you smarter. Bilingualism also tends to improve many complex cognitive processes such as attention span, inhibition, monitoring, selection, memory and planning. Besides improving cognitive function and awareness, bilingualism’s effects on the brain have also been known to protect against some mental illnesses, namely dementia in old age.

Aside from the cognitive benefits, there are the obvious practical benefits like the ability to communicate with francophones in Quebec and abroad. Additionally, employers love seeing bilingualism on a resumé, particularly if you’re looking for a career in government. In this day and age when an ever increasing amount of information is being shared through the internet, fluency in an additional language can prove to be a very useful tool.

Again, becoming bilingual is by no means a walk in the park. I do feel that it is difficult to learn a new language when you’re not immersed in it. Going to class and reading a French textbook doesn’t quite compare to listening and conversing in French.

Canada really isn’t a bilingual country in practice, so it’s not often that French is heard in everyday situations. The amount of time it takes to make any significant progress is huge; it is a big commitment and takes dedication to stick with it. Nevertheless, the benefits outweigh the costs.

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Graphic: Stephanie Mah/Graphics Editor