Mayoral candidate Bob Chiarelli says it’s time to declare Ottawa as officially bilingual

By CityNews Ottawa

A mayoral candidate believes it's time for a new city council to ask the provincial and federal governments to declare Canada's capital as officially bilingual. 

Bob Chiarelli is one of 14 candidates running to be Ottawa's next mayor. 

“It has to be more than just a symbolic gesture and photo op,” said Chiarelli. “It must be a significant recognition of one of the country’s founding languages.”

Chiarelli stressed French language rights are well protected by the Francophonie Act in Ontario, a Bill sponsored in the provincial legislature by Ottawa-Vanier MPP Lucille Collard in 2021 and the decades old federal Official Languages Act.

“This is not creating any new rights other than finally recognizing the reality we already know, that Canada’s Capital City is officially bilingual,” he added. 

The former member of provincial parliament (MPP) and mayor said Ottawa has over the past two decades seen bilingualism flourish in communities all over the city outside the traditional francophone neighbourhoods in the east end.

As a member of provincial parliament, Chiarelli said he had significant requests from families across the city, including the growing suburbs, about the lack of French language schooling options for their children.

He took that first hand feedback to Queen’s Park and with his colleagues was able to secure funding for French language schools that now dot the city.

His proudest moment he says was being able to secure funding to finance the conversion of a former elementary school to a French community centre (La maison de la francophonie d’Ottawa) that is now enjoyed by tens of thousands of residents from across the city.

Two pillars of the francophone community, Ronald Bisson, one of the founders of La maison de la francophonie d’Ottawa, and Linda Savard, former chair of the French public school board in Ottawa, applaud Chiarelli’s efforts.

“Bob was born and raised in Ottawa’s Little Italy, a community that was host to three francophone parishes,” said Bisson. “He was the eighth born in the Chiarelli family. He grew up arm in arm with Francophones who became his lifetime buddies.”

Chiarelli was recognized for his dedication to the francophone community when he received Le Prix de L'allophone de l'annee.

“He worked hard in the Francophone community for the creation and funding of La maison de la francophonie d’Ottawa and numerous public and Catholic schools throughout Ottawa,” added Savard.

Chiarelli was recognized for his dedication to the francophone community when he received Le Prix de L'allophone de l'annee.

 

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