West Nipissing considers bylaw requiring signs and documents in French and English

A new bilingualism bylaw could spark a contentious debate in one northern Ontario town.

West Nipissing is looking at requiring all municipal signs and documents to be in both English and French.

The proposed bylaw would also require employees who deal with the public to be fully bilingual.

"I think we should be ambassadors here in French and English," Mayor Joanne Savage told council Tuesday night.

"Once we have a revised bylaw we should advocate to our neighbours in proceeding with the same."

'You'll hate my guts'

But council agreed not to argue about the bylaw last night and instead struck a committee to look into it further.

"I have some real concerns with this document," said councillor Christopher Fisher. 

"I thoroughly agree it should be taken away and given some more serious thought. Otherwise you can sit here all night, I'll go through my grievances point by point and we'll leave at 10 o'clock and you'll hate my guts."

West Nipissing councillor Dan Roveda agreed that the proposed bylaw was looking at services through the "lens of the federal government" and needs to be "localized."

"Look at them from the perspective in light of the intent and in light of ensuring that our language survives," said Roveda.

"It's not going to happen overnight, but it needs to happen. And it needs to happen faster than it's been happening since 2002," said councillor Lise Senecal, referring to when Sturgeon Falls, Verner and other villages were amalgamated into West Nipissing.

The proposed bylaw also calls on the municipality to encourage private businesses to provide services and signage in both languages, as well fly the Franco Ontarian flag at all public buildings in the town.

Mayor Savage said that the flags would be the only extra cost to taxpayers, but West Nipissing chief administrative officer Jay Barbeau disagrees.

"This is a lot," he said referring to the extra translation services needed for all municipal documents, including council minutes. 

Barbeau also said that the employment requirements in the bylaw could lead to a "serious human resources issue."

"I absolutely I appreciate it and support it and if council wishes to fund it, absolutely I have no problem," said Barbeau. 

"I have just administrative concerns, not political concerns at all."

In the end, council decided to strike a sub committee that will report back at a council meeting in mid-March.