Lost in translation

While watching the livestream of the tabling of the province’s 2024 budget on the Government of Ontario’s French YouTube channel, a Francophone noticed that, when the Minister of Finance spoke in French near the end of the video, the interpreter translated what he said into English.

While watching the livestream of the tabling of the province’s 2024 budget on the Government of Ontario’s French YouTube channel, a Francophone noticed that, when the Minister of Finance spoke in French near the end of the video, the interpreter translated what he said into English. The woman pointed out that this prevented Francophones from hearing the one part of the speech that the Minister delivered in French.

RESULT: As a result of our intervention, Cabinet Office committed to posting French or bilingual livestreams from the Legislative Assembly on the government’s French YouTube channel going forward. Only the parts in English will be translated, so Francophones watching on the French channel will no longer hear an interpreter talking over a member of the Legislative Assembly who is speaking French in the House.


Learn more about the French Language Services Unit which answers questions and takes complaints about services in French.