It appears as though Canadians have no interest in bilingual politics.
Less than two weeks after Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante was not sorry enough for speaking English during a speech addressed to three U.K. businesses, oil workers booed Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi for speaking French in Alberta.
Nenshi was addressing Quebec Premier François Legault’s recent anti-oil comments in which he criticized Alberta’s “dirty energy.”
“It’s important that this message carry across the whole country, so I’ve been asked by the organizers to say a few words in French,” Nenshi began. A few words in French later, boos rained down like oil from a blowout. The pro-pipeline crowd can be a tough one.
The oil and gas workers booed at Calgary's Mayor @nenshi today just as he was about to say a few words in French.
He wanted the Alberta message to be understood by francophones in Quebec.
The gentleman on his left is with @CanadaAction#ableg #polcan #cdnpoli #quebec #alberta pic.twitter.com/Pnw5SlkQ3n
— Geneviève Normand (@GeNormand) December 17, 2018
“Let me give you a little bit of advice: if you want someone to listen to you, you have to speak their language,” Nenshi said in reply to the boos. This surely did not go down well. No, not it did not:
The good people of Calgary showed up to give support for our energy sector. The bad people at council came to lecture its citizens, and even spoke in French. To Calgarians! ? #NenshiMustGo https://t.co/d5fL7u1xP4
— Char Char Coco Bar (@CocoBails) December 18, 2018
So let December 2018 be a lesson for politicians: do not speak English in Quebec, and do not speak French outside of Quebec.