Well I’m not crazy. And I’m not a dog person either.
My previous exposure to meetings that suddenly took a Francophone bent were previously of the sort where I was the sole Anglophone in the area. Today was my first lower management meeting were an Eastern European (of four languages but French is not their primary) returned from parental and the other a Québécois who had been on vacation. And both of them were privately messaging me on the side with a “WTF is this?”
What can I do other than say this is the new normal. Hilariously, the Eastern European is married to a local, lifelong Quebecer and despite not living in French thought that their French was pretty good. But quickly came to the same conclusion as I. Being able to watch some TV and banter through some polite small talk is not the same thing as a full blown meeting.
It’s interesting.
I don’t know how this is sustainable. And I suspect it’s not meant to be.
I cannot fulfill a big part of my job. And that makes me exceedingly uncomfortable. It makes me reconsider my job. It makes reconsider living in this city, in this province.
Should I just join a start up that is exempt by their small size. Or should I just join a billion dollar company that is also exempt, but because their linga Franca is English. Should I not just get something remote in the US or semi remote in Toronto.
Maybe I should just simply reframe my thinking. Maybe I am not in actuality a Canadian citizen. Maybe I should view this as I am an immigrant again, to Quebec. If I moved to France, I might not enjoy the linguistic journey. But I wouldn’t kid myself. I would be a stranger in a foreign land and learning the tongue would be part of that journey.
I cannot change the politics of this province single handedly. And when I don’t agree with the laws what choice do I have. I can either comply and shut up. Or I can vote with my feet and leave.
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