For immediate release                                                                                                                          February 6, 2007

CROP poll confirms Canadian support for bilingualism
and need for French taught in schools
OTTAWA–     Parent-led advocacy group Canadian Parents for French (CPF) has dedicated the last 30 years to the promotion of linguistic duality and is pleased to see the results of the latest CROP poll indicating that 81 per cent of those surveyed support the idea that Canada is a bilingual country.
“This is a clear and promising indication that there is an appreciation of our two official languages in Canadian society. According to the results, the general public believes that our education system may be failing us in providing us with the opportunity to become bilingual,” said CPF President Ms. Anna Maddison.

The recent CROP poll commissioned by CBC Radio-Canada shows that 50 per cent of Canadians state that there were not enough courses available to learn the other language. “CPF has been dedicated to the promotion and creation of French-second-language education (FSL) for years. Unfortunately, not all Canadian youth have an opportunity to learn FSL in classrooms,” stated Ms. Maddison.

CPF Executive Director James Shea added “It is clear from the results shown in this poll that Canadians want their children to have access to FSL education. The results indicated that approximately 70 per cent of those polled think that teaching FSL should be mandatory in elementary and high schools.”

According to the poll results, Canadians recognize the advantages of being bilingual. When it comes to job opportunities and benefits, those polled indicated that 80 per cent said they believed that being bilingual could help them find a job. Seventy-eight per cent said it could help with travel and personal development.

CPF’s The State of French-Second-Language Education in Canada 2006 report contains a summary of a literature review which outlines the advantages of being bilingual including cognitive, personal and cultural benefits, and increased employability in the global marketplace. In addition to improved communication skills, bilinguals develop cultural sensitivities. It opens their minds to respecting differences between people and cultures.

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Canadian Parents for French is a national network of volunteers which values French as an integral part of Canada and which is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French-second-language learning opportunities for young Canadians. There are currently more than 25,000 members across Canada.

Information:
Antonia Papadakou, Director of Communications
Tel : 613-235-1481 ext. 26          Cell.: 819-665-5382  apapadakou@cpf.ca