Wednesday, January 25, 2017

From 2:15 pm - 7:30 pm you can buy GO fare/update Presto cards in the VIA Great Hall in Union Station (in case you missed it)



I don't get the bilingual sign.

None of the on-board communication on GO Transit is in French. Yet, all this energy is spent on bilingual signage. GO's website presents an option in French, but how many of the "on the street" employees, bus operators, transit safety officers and CSAs are fully bilingual?

Or is this just because GO operates out of Union, a major transit hub and there's some sort of federal legislation? Or is it just arbitrary common courtesy decided adhoc?

Please enlighten me. Thanks

7 comments:

  1. EdJanuary 25, 2017 at 3:21 PM

    Provincial legislation and a waste of money. Mandarin is used in the GTA more than French.

    About 10% of front line employees are multilingual, but their shifts can overlap and cause gaps when French is required.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJanuary 25, 2017 at 6:51 PM

    Front line staff have access to tools to ensure bilingual servces are available at any time when requested.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2017 at 7:45 PM

    Better than Google Translate?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tal HartsfeldJanuary 26, 2017 at 10:15 AM

    Probably federal legislation.
    Can't be anything practical or logical.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TomWJanuary 26, 2017 at 12:56 PM

    Ontario's French Language Services Act requires that provincial agencies are required to provide services in French in municipalities with a significant number of French-speakers. "Significant" means more than 5,000 people, or more than 10% of the population. Within the GTHA, it's only Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton that meet the criteria.

    For GO, it's simplest to employ a system-wide approach - hence all the printed material is bilingual. Stations all have phone links to French-speaking staff available for when staff don't speak French.

    The Act does not cover municipal government services, so there is no such requirement for the TTC or other local transit agencies.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2017 at 8:55 AM

    Having lived in Quebec I learned commenting on language rules is a social no-no. Much like talking about religion in the workplace, or doing heroin

    ReplyDelete
  7. C.J. SmithJanuary 30, 2017 at 9:28 AM

    ^ It shouldn't be like that.

    As a fully bilingual CANADIAN, I welcome discussions about our two official languages. This includes disagreements, concerns,opinions, etc...

    ReplyDelete

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