Philippe Lagassé: The bilingualism requirement for Governor General is colonialist

Insisting the GG speak French and English privileges the languages of those who settled here over those who were here first. True decolonisation would mean giving Indigenous languages equal weight.

By: Philippe Lagassé

Canada’s incoming governor general, Mary Simon, speaks Inuktitut and English, but isn’t fluent in French. Is this a problem?  At the risk of being labelled a bad French Canadian, my answer is no. 

Questions about Ms. Simon’s lack of French tells us something important about Canada’s two official languages, namely that requiring them f…