We are fortunate to be interconnected with francophone heritage around the world. Connections with French-speaking cultures and peoples everywhere enrich what it is to be Canadian.
La Francophonie is also at the heart of our trade unionism. Francophone workers built this land as much as anyone else, and solidarity must never be limited by linguistic divides.
At work
For anglophone Canadians, embracing la Francophonie includes bilingualism. We strive to work in both official languages in a spirit of inclusion and camaraderie.
Official bilingualism is central to federal public service workplaces. Canadians have the right to be served—and to participate—in the official language of our choice. As a negotiated condition, the Bilingualism Bonus helps reinforce this. We work to improve it at the bargaining table, for the good of both workers and society.
In the union
Official bilingualism is also a part of how we conduct ourselves in the union. We take the care and effort to respect both languages at a fundamental level in our democratic process. Our commitment to that is baked into how we operate at all major union events, including this year’s upcoming convention.
Working-class solidarity in Canada must transcend linguistic boundaries. Like la Francophonie, which opens to the world, our solidarity must do the same.
In the world
La Francophonie globally is much bigger than bilingualism. Francophone culture connects people throughout the world. For more information about the francophone world, please visit the website of the International Organization of La Francophonie. There you will find a trove of interesting information about culture, development, and mutual aid in the 90 participating countries.
We celebrate the proud Francophones among our membership. Solidarité!
