But Clint, if that was a valid argument (you want **minority language ** - you pay for it) we'd have all-Welsh schooling in Wales. That is: Welsh has become a minority language due to invasion of one sort or another. When it wasn't in the minority, different excuses were used ... whatever was necessary to prove the case of (in this particular instance) English.

In the early days of modern Welsh lang. education (not so long ago - 50, 60 years?) we did want it, we did pay for it, and it's become so respected that we're winning the case for more state schools.

One of the weaknesses of the Canadian system is that it's grounded in the politics of the two main invading nations, rather than in cultural or local relevance. I grew up in southern Ontario and I'll bet that there were more Italians and eastern Europeans in town than French - or perhaps equal numbers. But we only learned English and French in school. Seems to me that I saw some figures on language groups in Alberta, and French fell far below almost anything else - German had more speakers. But French was the 'other' language taught. Needless to say, Native languages weren't even in the game.

However, I vaguely recall from the sixties that there did exist some provision for kids with second languages to try exams and get credit for 'roots' languages - they just didn't get the instruction in school. I don't know if that's still around.

But to come back to the joys of diversity, here's a test question:

Lot's of 'Catters speak various languages. What words do you know for 'snowflake'? In Welsh, it's snow feather (pluen eira). I know it's a minor example, but knowing that, in Welsh, helps me with creative writing in English.

Gotta go. Work calls. (boo-hiss)

sian