On Language, Clarity, and Responsible Public Communication
An Open Letter to the Mayor and Members of Council,
And to the Residents of Ormstown
There is no place I would rather live.
Belonging to a tight-knit community is one of the most meaningful experiences a person can have. In Ormstown, that feeling is constant.
I feel it when I’m coaching local kids on the soccer field.
I feel it while documenting our agricultural exposition and community events.
I feel it in simple conversations on a park bench on Lambton Street.
Ormstown is where I choose to live.
It is where I choose to raise my daughter.
That choice is deliberate.
And because it is deliberate, I care about how we govern ourselves — and how clearly we communicate with one another.
This conversation is not about ideology. It is about stewardship.
Recognizing What Is Working
It is important to begin by acknowledging something positive.
In recent months, Ormstown has done a noticeably better job of offering timely and more reliable communications. Updates have been clearer. Information has moved faster. The Municipality has shown improvement in how it uses both its website and Facebook to reach residents.
That deserves recognition.
It is also admirable that our newly elected mayor has, on his personal Facebook page, made efforts to offer a degree of bilingual transparency when posting key messages. That demonstrates goodwill. It reflects an understanding of the linguistic makeup of our town and a desire to ensure people understand what is happening.
Those efforts are appreciated.
The question now is whether the Municipality itself, as an institution, can adopt that same spirit of clarity within the framework it already has.
What the Law and Our Directive Allow
Ormstown.ca describes itself as the Municipality’s principal tool of information. The Town also uses Facebook actively as part of its communication strategy.
French is the official language of Québec. That is not in question.
But Ormstown has adopted a Directive relative à l’utilisation d’une autre langue que la langue officielle, and that directive does more than affirm French primacy.
It identifies circumstances where another language may be used, including:
• When health requires it
• When public safety requires it
• When principles of natural justice require it
In emergency situations — boil-water advisories, evacuations, severe weather — the directive explicitly allows communication in French and in the second language in importance on the territory (English), with French remaining predominant.
To the Town’s credit, English has been used appropriately in most safety contexts. That reflects responsible judgment.
So this is not a framework of prohibition. It's a framework of discretion.
French remains primary.
English may be used where comprehension matters.
Who We Are
According to the 2021 Census:
• 55.9% of Ormstown residents know both English and French
• 10.7% know English only
• 33.2% know French only
These numbers represent neighbours. Families. Business owners. Seniors. Volunteers.
They reflect the lived linguistic reality of our town.
Providing limited English summaries in defined governance contexts would not weaken French. It would acknowledge that we are a bilingual community.
Where English Makes Sense
No one is suggesting full translation of every municipal document.
The official versions remain in French. They remain legally binding.
But there are areas where English summaries would align with the directive’s allowance for natural justice and strengthen transparency.
- By-law Summaries
When a by-law changes zoning, affects property use, or introduces new obligations, residents deserve to understand the essence of what has changed.
An English summary explaining what the by-law regulates and who it affects would promote compliance and reduce misunderstanding.
If a rule affects your home or finances, comprehension matters.
- Council Decision Summaries
Council minutes are official records.
An English overview of major decisions — budgets, tax changes, infrastructure projects — would improve accessibility without replacing the official French text.
Transparency is not measured in how much is published.
It is measured in whether people can understand what was decided.
- Public Notices and Permits
Public notices carry deadlines and financial implications.
Permit processes are technical.
Clear English overviews would reduce administrative errors, improve compliance, and lower frustration for residents and staff alike.
Transparency and Understanding
Québec’s access to information law exists to promote transparency and accountability.
Publishing documents satisfies the letter of that law.
Ensuring residents understand them fulfills its spirit.
Access without comprehension limits participation.
Matching Goodwill with Institutional Practice
The Mayor’s bilingual outreach on his personal page shows goodwill and leadership.
If individual elected officials recognize the value of clear bilingual summaries in certain contexts, it is reasonable to ask whether the Municipality itself can adopt a similar approach — carefully, responsibly, and within its own directive.
This is not about changing identity.
It is about consistency.
If we already recognize that clarity matters in emergencies, and if goodwill exists at the leadership level, extending that clarity to defined governance areas is a logical next step.
A Community Strong Enough for Clarity
Ormstown is a place where people look out for one another.
We are not divided by language.
We are connected by streets, schools, farms, businesses, parks, and shared responsibility.
French-first is our law.
Understanding one another is our strength.
The Municipality has already shown that thoughtful, limited bilingual communication can be done respectfully and responsibly. It has demonstrated improvement in how information is shared. It has shown goodwill in moments that matter.
The opportunity now is not to redefine who we are.
It is to build on what is already working.
It is to ensure that our institutional communication reflects the same openness and consideration that residents show one another every day.
When clarity guides us, trust grows.
When understanding is prioritized, participation strengthens.
When safety and governance information are accessible to all, our community becomes more resilient.
And when clarity guides us, the community we love becomes even stronger.
Jesse Roskies
The Ormstown Observer
www.ormstownobserver.ca