(Ottawa) CEO and owner of MDC Canada’s immigration consulting firm, Dave Allon, apologizes after publishing an article by his company claiming that one of the downsides to newcomers who have settled in the country is that there are “several people who speak French”.
On Thursday, Mr. Alon wrote in a statement on his company’s website: “I personally am a proud Canadian who speaks French and grew up in Montreal and was personally offended by the publication of this article.
He explained that this fatal error arose because the editor was in the hospital at the time of publication of the text written by a freelance writer.
As a company, we completely depart from the idea that was expressed in this Mail He said in a statement in both official languages.
We take full responsibility for it and learn from what went wrong. […] We are committed to our customers and employees to correct the situation so that it does not happen again. We appreciate being a multicultural company dedicated to supporting people around the world in pursuit of their dreams for a better future in Canada. “
Earlier in the day, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, Melanie Jolie, called on the company to make an apology to French speakers.
The Vancouver-based company has angered French speakers across the country after it recently published a list of the pros and cons of settling in Canada for immigrants.
While the company emphasizes good food like poutine, a comprehensive education and health system, and compliments Canadians in this post, it regrets Canada’s harsh winters, the high costs of airline tickets, and the fact that “a lot of people speak French here.”
“These are unfortunate and unacceptable comments, and the French speakers in the country deserve an apology,” said Minister Melanie Jolie, who just unveiled a roadmap for official languages aimed at boosting the position of French in the country.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, Canadian Press Archive
Melanie Jolie
Our two official languages are the core of Canadian identity. The fact that French is spoken in Canada is an asset and helps make our country unique. She added that Canadians, from coast to coast, have more than ever before a positive view of bilingualism. “
The Government of Canada firmly believes that all newcomers, including French-speaking immigrants, contribute to the vitality of this country. When we create welcoming and inclusive societies and when we offer support for Francophone newcomers to settle there and create bonds, all of Canada benefits, ”Minister Julie continued.
This listing was published on February 26th. But MDC has since removed it from its Facebook page. However, the document is still available on his Twitter account.
In Quebec, Party Quebec strongly denounced this exit from the company. Sometimes Canada’s disdain for French-speakers and Quebec is so gross that it’s caricatured. Party Quebec leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon told Montreal Magazine, “As long as we are a minority stuck in a country that is not ours, we will always be treated as an anomaly.”
The Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the Confederation of Francophone and Akkadian Communities in Canada also denounced the company for publishing such a statement.