Ontario Community Newspapers

Orono Weekly Times, 18 Oct 1995, p. 13

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t'Orono Weekly'limes, Wednesday, Qctolber J18, 1995,- 13 Area School Reaches Out To QuebeC Legisiative Assistant to Mr. O'Toole, Steve Kay, Mrs. Andrea Witzke and Durnam East MPP John O'Toole with the tape the 4-6-year-olds made two years ago of O Canada in French. Mr. O'Toole hopes to propose its use by the Harris Govermentini Legisiative on Monday, October 16. This tape was flot made as a political statement. It is used every day to start the school day at Ontari o Strret. by Lorna Miller Ontario Street Public School, a Frenchi Immersion school in Bowmanville, is proof that lan guage is no banrier to understanding. Two years ago, the Junior Choir, comprised of four to six-year--olds, were taped singing the National Anthem in French. It is played every morning at the start of the school day. Listening,.to it brought tears to the eyes of Mrs. Andrea Witzke, a Bowmanville resident and parent of a grade one stu- dent in the scho.ol who decided to take a copy to Durham East M.P.P. John OToole. "I thought that if the peo- pie of Quebec could hear Enghsh children in Ontario, stagtag "O Canada" in flaw- iess French they might real- ize that language is no real banrier to co-eistence inaa multi-lingual, multi-cultural Canada," she says. Mrs. Witzke belleves that children today are being taught to work in an inter- national market wherein being bi-lingual -will be an enormous advantage.- This belief is echoed by Mr, Foxtier, Principal of Ontario Street, School. "Betag bi-lingual will be -a definite advantage," he says. "We are very proud of our schooi and the children who are now in it and those who have graduated from it stace itbegan in 1976." The Northumberland- Clarîngton School Board opened the first- French Immersion School ta 1975 in Cobourg. "In Durhamn Reglon stu- dents can enroîl inFrencli Immersion classes from Kindergarten through high schoo l," says Mr-. Fox-Uer. There are cries in some quarters for the French Immersion Program to be Photo by Lomna Miller denied further funding if Quebec becomes a sovereign nation after the October 3th referendum. But, as Mr. Fortier points out, the children of Ontario Street School have encouraged good relations with children -of Quebec through its exchange program, the Society of Educational Visits and Exchanges in Canada. "Those grade six students who participate in the SEVEC exchange program have the opportunity to lîve with a French family. This gives the children a chance to develop a greater appreci- ation of the differences and similarities between Ontario and Quebec. It provides them an opportunity to learn fîrst-hand of the Frenchi culture and lan- guage and develop new friendships. This is impor- tant to children no matter whether Quebec separates or not," he says. The tape was sent to the Ontario Legisative Building in Toronto where it is hoped that it will be played as part of the campaign Premier Harris is mounttag to con- vince Quebec separatists that their best interests lie in remaining united with the other fine provinces for a stx-ong and prosperous future as part of Canada. "If we had this tape a week ago. we miglit have been ableéto get it played on the open-line taàlk show which had a Toronto- Montreal llnk-up," Mr. OToole says., M.P.P. OToole went on to say that it is the children of Canada who will have to deal with each other in the future and the tape is proof that English children are more than willing to learn other languages in order to compete in that future on an equal footing international- 'y." -The tape is proof that English children can be pro- ficient in French if taught from an early age to speak it, says Steve Kay, Legisiative Assistant to Mr. O'Toole.' "I dont understand how Quebeckers could feel ost ra- cized from the rest of Canada if they heard, this tape," Mrs. Witzke says. -It is sung beautifully.- You couldn't tell it wasn't French children singing it. I hope that the people of Quebec- have a chance to hear it before the Referendum on October 30., It might change their assumptions that we in Ontario don't appreciate or cant speak French."» Mr. Fortier says that the tape was not made to fur- ther the "No" campaign or to make a political statement. "It is an exainple of how Ontario recognized the need for a diversified province whlch uses Frenchi on a daily basis." Mr-. O'Toole says. MASARU KARATE CLUB SHORIN-RYU Classes for Children and Aduits Now Avaiabe. .. Martial A~rts Supplies-- 905-786-2793 Put more money in your pocket and a lot less in your garbage at, ORONO BULK.,u FOODS 5331 MAIN STREET, ORONO 983-1143 We now have CAKE PAN RENTALS Shop at home service - pick-up, or home delivery available WATCH FOR WEEKLY SPECIALS! 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