Globe editorial
John Baird and a lack of respect, in 140 characters
Here’s a really good question: Should federal cabinet ministers be obliged to tweet in both official languages, or are they allowed to tweet only in their mother tongue because their Twitter accounts are personal, and not government business? The Official Languages Commissioner is currently asking that very question as he follows up on complaints that John Baird, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, often tweets government business in English only, on his feed. The announcement of the investigation has touched a rather raw nerve.
For Mr. Baird, the issue is black and white: He says his Twitter feed is personal and therefore exempt from bilingualism requirements, even when he is using Twitter to announce government news and policy. His Treasury Board colleague, Tony Clement, has gone further and said he will quit the hyper-addictive online networking service before he ever allows the Official Languages Commissioner to “overlord” him. This is a memorably improbable statement from someone who has tweeted an average of 10 times a day since joining Twitter in 2010.
Mr. Clement’s indignation is misplaced, and Mr. Baird’s position doesn’t add up. The OLC is smart to look into what is a complicated but very relevant question in the social-media age.
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/john-baird-and-a-lack-of-respect-in-140-characters/article20484259/?utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_source=The+Globe+and+Mail&utm_type=text&utm_content=TheGlobeandMail&utm_campaign=119507326
For Mr. Baird, the issue is black and white: He says his Twitter feed is personal and therefore exempt from bilingualism requirements, even when he is using Twitter to announce government news and policy. His Treasury Board colleague, Tony Clement, has gone further and said he will quit the hyper-addictive online networking service before he ever allows the Official Languages Commissioner to “overlord” him. This is a memorably improbable statement from someone who has tweeted an average of 10 times a day since joining Twitter in 2010.
Mr. Clement’s indignation is misplaced, and Mr. Baird’s position doesn’t add up. The OLC is smart to look into what is a complicated but very relevant question in the social-media age.
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/john-baird-and-a-lack-of-respect-in-140-characters/article20484259/?utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_source=The+Globe+and+Mail&utm_type=text&utm_content=TheGlobeandMail&utm_campaign=119507326
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