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Ottawa’s mayoral candidates need to step up en français.
Columnist Brigitte Pellerin recently called out Jeff Leiper for repeated grammatical errors in the French on his campaign signage. It might seem like a small thing. In Ottawa, it isn’t.
There’s a particular irony here. Leiper likes to remind people he’s “Jeff from Orléans.” But Orléans is one of the most francophone parts of the city. According to City of Ottawa data pulled from the 2021 census, roughly one-third of residents in the Orléans wards have French as their mother tongue:
· Orléans East–Cumberland: 32%
· Orléans West–Innes: 28.5%
· Orléans South–Navan: 31.6%
Campaigns make mistakes. But if you’re running to lead the nation’s capital, getting the French right isn’t a detail. It’s a signal of respect.
If Paul Wells, who regularly appears on French-language programs talking politics, were to train his gaze on the mayoral campaign here in Ottawa, I’m certain he would pick up on this.
Alexander Lawson and Neil Saravanamuttoo should take note.
Being able to communicate in French to Ottawa residents is not an “asset,” it’s a requirement.
