Jeff Burgar
It’s news from a few weeks ago, but still interesting news, given Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is messing with language.

To recap, a few weeks ago, Big Lakes County councillors voted down a recommendation from county staff that councillors take a Cree Level 1 course offered by Northern Lakes College. Staff brought the idea to council because of some interest, they said. When it came to show support for the idea, only one councillor spoke in favour of taxpayers paying the $257.25 cost per person.

So, was it wrong for the rest of council to turn this down?

Probably not. Cree isn’t an official language in Alberta, or even in Canada. French is.

Maybe it might have been a better idea if French, and Ukrainian, were also included in the recommendation.

Interestingly, by choosing not to vote for the recommendation, councillors sort of sent a signal that if politicians want to improve themselves, they should pay for it themselves. It has nothing to do with the pros and cons of Cree, French, Ukrainian, Norwegian or Maritime slang.

This is the real topic here: Should taxpayers pay for politicians learning?

There are many instances when instructional courses and seminars help our elected officials. Some cost money. Some are supposedly free, but in fact taxpayers still foot the bill for councillor’s time and often travel.

For example, councillors and the reeve might have to make decisions when there are emergencies. It’s a good idea they know where their authority and responsibility begins and ends. It’s also a good idea senior staff know what they should be doing, and what councillors should know. Are such courses now off the table? Again, probably not.

Another example, councillors and staff should have a clue about ethics and conflicts of interest. There is so much truth in the statement, “The people who need instruction the most are usually the ones who never show up” bears repeating again and again.

Bringing such courses to councils does often seem a waste of time. They already know everything! Many such courses should be compulsory.

Meanwhile, back in Quebec, Trudeau is taking heat for responding to a town hall question last week, presented to him in English, asking why mental health services were not commonly available in English. Trudeau answered the question in French, saying that because he was in Quebec, he would use French.

By any definition of politeness and civility, Trudeau was completely out to lunch. He has since admitted that, sort of.

Yes, it would be nice to talk to people at one of our local settlements or reserves, on their ground, in the language of their choice.
Politicians might already know Cree, or can learn on their own, if that is what the parties choose to speak.

But anybody refusing to talk to someone because they don’t know a language, be it Ukrainian, Cree, French or whatever, is just plain wrong.