In response to the article in the Journal dated January 11, 2023, page 17 (Pontiac Municipalities affirm bilingual language status) I’m very disappointed to read that Fort-Coulonge and Mansfield did NOT SIGN a resolution to keep the municipalities bilingual when most other municipalities DID SIGN. We are so close to the Ontario border that they should take that under consideration in case this becomes a problem.
I would like to know what percentage of people cannot speak English in Mansfield and Fort-Coulonge not counting the people who moved here from French cities? Also, I would like to know how many people in Fort-Coulonge and Mansfield write in English on Facebook?
Most of us would rather fill out government forms in English because it is much more understandable. I hope these municipalities will re-consider their decisions; if not, at least let the people vote on it. The council should not make a decision of this magnitude and not let the people have a word on it. Nobody asked me what I would like. Most of the people in these two Municipalities are bilingual.
Rose Marie Paquette
Mansfield