ÉDITORIAL

Language of sweet parties

 

I recently walked the halls of my daughters’ school with a few other parents. It was quiet, but groups of parents chatted here and there. Surprisingly, there was not a word of French – or English! It was all Chinese.

This was a random moment of synchronicity; that the parents were all Chinese-speakers. It isn’t that all the kids at the school are of Chinese origin. But the experience was a powerful reminder to me as a business-person operating in Aylmer.

These families care about their kids – mothers and fathers both came to the school event. These families have children and are active with them, they go to the pool, the library and other activities. Immigrant families are moving to Aylmer for many reasons. The homes are affordable and nice. The schools are good, daycare is inexpensive; and there are plenty of small businesses for sale. This is an important part of the immigrant equation. Immigrating to Quebec as a business investor is a common way to move here; in Old Aylmer alone, there are a dozen businesses owned by Asians, most are recently established here.

These families can read some French. They can read some English. Of course they can and they do. But organizations such as APICA and their rue Principale committee, which is dedicated to creating dynamism on Aylmer’s rue Principale, know very well that visitors must be coddled.

Bureaucrats don’t understand this. Neither do activists. These two sets of people believe society must fit in their idealistic mold; the mold that is correct, not the mold that is real. These are the people who close a library on holidays when families would use it. These are the people who create an event, and then only promote it in one language to a diversity of cultures new to the area.

Readers will have noticed the advertisement in last week’s Bulletin about the Maple Sugar Festival on rue Principale. It is called La Principale se sucre le bec. Another advertisement will be in next week’s Bulletin, watch for it. There is a line in English on that ad, a courtesy to the English-speaking community, organizers say. It is still so strange to hear that English on a community activity poster is considered a courtesy.

Isn’t it in the best interest of the event to invite people? Putting English isn’t a courtesy to the community, it is a courtesy to the event; they will attract more visitors. And this is the only reason the event exists; to attract people to rue Principale so they have a good time, enjoy the businesses there and come back throughout the year.