Canada has two official languages English and French. But recent events in Canada have caused a new debate over whether French speakers face discrimination. Canada’s largest railway company, CN, is based in Montreal. The city is in the province of Quebec, where 95 percent of the population speaks French. However, none of CN’s recently named nominees for its corporate board are native French speakers. After public anger, the company said it plans to search for a French-speaking board member in the coming months. The question of whether Canadian business leaders should be bilingual in French and English began receiving attention last November. The attention came after comments made by Air Canada President Michael Rousseau. Rousseau said he did not have the time to learn French. The airline leader later publicly apologized for what he said. Canadian law requires companies like CN and Air Canada, once owned by the state, to provide services in both English and French. The same is true for places like airports and government ministries. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is bilingual. He said this week he was concerned about the lack of French speakers on CN’s board. French-speaking Canadians across the country should see themselves reflected in our major national institutions, Trudeau said. Of Canada’s 37 million people, only 8 million speak French. The Canadian constitution in 1982 officially protected the French language as an official language. But the recent happenings have reminded people of the continued fight to support the language. A recent public opinion study found that over 90 percent of Canadians support bilingualism as part of Canada’s culture. However, only 20 percent of the population can speak both French and English.
Title: The French Language Debate in Canada Continues
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/A5.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='The French Language Debate in Canada Continues' data-article-id='6089'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='6792'>Canada has two official languages English and French. </span> <span data-start-time='6792' data-end-time='15396'>But recent events in Canada have caused a new debate over whether French speakers face discrimination.</span> <span data-start-time='15396' data-end-time='21271'>Canada’s largest railway company, CN, is based in Montreal. </span> <span data-start-time='21271' data-end-time='29229'>The city is in the province of Quebec, where 95 percent of the population speaks French.</span> <span data-start-time='29229' data-end-time='38271'>However, none of CN’s recently named nominees for its corporate board are native French speakers. </span> <span data-start-time='38271' data-end-time='47688'>After public anger, the company said it plans to search for a French-speaking board member in the coming months.</span> <span data-start-time='47688' data-end-time='58833'>The question of whether Canadian business leaders should be bilingual in French and English began receiving attention last November. </span> <span data-start-time='58833' data-end-time='66208'>The attention came after comments made by Air Canada President Michael Rousseau.</span> <span data-start-time='66208' data-end-time='72500'>Rousseau said he did not have the time to learn French. </span> <span data-start-time='72500' data-end-time='78646'>The airline leader later publicly apologized for what he said.</span> <span data-start-time='78646' data-end-time='91396'>Canadian law requires companies like CN and Air Canada, once owned by the state, to provide services in both English and French. </span> <span data-start-time='91396' data-end-time='97542'>The same is true for places like airports and government ministries.</span> <span data-start-time='97542' data-end-time='101958'>Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is bilingual. </span> <span data-start-time='101958' data-end-time='107667'>He said this week he was concerned about the lack of French speakers on CN’s board.</span> <span data-start-time='107667' data-end-time='117521'>French-speaking Canadians across the country should see themselves reflected in our major national institutions, Trudeau said.</span> <span data-start-time='117521' data-end-time='123229'>Of Canada’s 37 million people, only 8 million speak French. </span> <span data-start-time='123229' data-end-time='131771'>The Canadian constitution in 1982 officially protected the French language as an official language. </span> <span data-start-time='131771' data-end-time='138417'>But the recent happenings have reminded people of the continued fight to support the language.</span> <span data-start-time='138417' data-end-time='148708'>A recent public opinion study found that over 90 percent of Canadians support bilingualism as part of Canada’s culture. </span> <span data-start-time='148708' data-end-time='154792'>However, only 20 percent of the population can speak both French and English.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/A5.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18569 data-hint-location='97542' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_bilingual.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word bilingual?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='able to speak two languages fluently'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/able_to_speak_two_languages_fluently.wav'><span>able to speak two languages fluently</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/prejudiced_against_or_antagonistic_toward_a_person_or_people_on_the_basis_of_their_membership_of_a_particular_group.wav'><span>prejudiced against or antagonistic toward a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/relating_to_biology_or_living_organisms.wav'><span>relating to biology or living organisms</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/noisy_energetic_and_cheerful.wav'><span>noisy, energetic, and cheerful</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18570 data-hint-location='117521' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/of_the_37_million_people_in_canada_how_many_speak_french.wav'>Of the 37 million people in Canada, how many speak French?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Eight million'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/eight_million.wav'><span>Eight million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/ten_million.wav'><span>Ten million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/eighteen_million.wav'><span>Eighteen million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/eighty_million.wav'><span>Eighty million</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18571 data-hint-location='148708' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/however_only_20_percent_of_the_population_can__blank__both_french_and_english.wav'>However, only 20 percent of the population can <span class='blank'>speak</span> both French and English.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='speak'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/speak.wav'><span>speak</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/screen.wav'><span>screen</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/spook.wav'><span>spook</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5526/steak.wav'><span>steak</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button 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