# Montreal reserves?



## Na$tySal (8 Nov 2008)

Are there any reserve units in Montreal that are English speaking or at very least would tolerate a non-french speaking Canadian?


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## TheHead (8 Nov 2008)

What type of trade are you looking for?


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## Na$tySal (8 Nov 2008)

Infantry or Armored, I've found several units in Montreal that are those trades (Regiment du Montreal, Black Watch, HCH, maisonneuve regiment...) I just can't seem to see what their primary language are. Their websites are all bilingual and don't specifically state what language they operate in. 

 But as to trade, if neither of those are available in English and another is, I would not be opposed.


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## geo (8 Nov 2008)

A little bit of everything.... 

Armoured Recconnaissance
Royal Canadian Hussars

Artillery
2 Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers
34 Combat Engineer Regiment

Infantry
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Black Watch (RHR of C)
The Royal Montreal Regiment
Les Fusiliers Mont Royal
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve

Signals
712 Communications Squadron

Medical
51 Field Ambulance Company

Music
Black Watch Pipe band
34 Brigade Band
438 Squdron Band

Also
4th Intelligence Company
CIMIC (Civilian / Military Cooperation
Psychological Operations

Off Island (North or South Shore)

4th Bn Royal 22nd Regiment
51 Service Battalion
438 Tactical Hellicpoter Squadron


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## Na$tySal (8 Nov 2008)

Ciao geo, are those just English units or are those all the units in Montreal?


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## geo (8 Nov 2008)

English units......
None of them are 100% anglo - this is Quebec after all and you recruit from the local population
All in all - the Black Watch & CGG are mostly english - but not exclusively english...
The FMR & the R de Mais are mostly french - ..... umm... pert much exclusively frency....

Most other units are a mix - where you can talk & be heard in either language without too


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## ark (8 Nov 2008)

Na$tySal said:
			
		

> Ciao geo, are those just English units or are those all the units in Montreal?



The following units (Armour/Inf) are English:

Royal Canadian Hussars (Armour)
Royal Montreal Regiment (Inf)
Black Watch (Inf)
CGG (Inf)

The Recruiting Center in Montreal should have a list of all reserve units with occupations related to each and the language of preference. Watch out for units who claim to be bilingual as they may have a dominant language.


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## Na$tySal (8 Nov 2008)

ark said:
			
		

> The following units (Armour/Inf) are English:
> 
> Royal Canadian Hussars (Armour)
> Royal Montreal Regiment (Inf)
> ...



 Thanks, that was what I was worried about. I'd be in a bilingual unit and it would be mostly French, they'd be yelling orders at me in French and I would jsut be standing there with a blank stare on my face not even knowing they were talking to me. I'll give those 4 a call Monday to inquire as to more information and just to confirm. Thanks.


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## geo (8 Nov 2008)

Na$tySal said:
			
		

> Thanks, that was what I was worried about. I'd be in a bilingual unit and it would be mostly French,
> *they'd be yelling orders at me in French and I would jsut be standing there with a blank stare on my face not even knowing they were talking to me.* I'll give those 4 a call Monday to inquire as to more information and just to confirm. Thanks.



Sal,
If you are able to work / study / live in the greater Montreal area, you can deal with pert much all of them - xcept possibly the FMR, R de mais and the R22R.


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## dapaterson (9 Nov 2008)

ark said:
			
		

> The following units (Armour/Inf) are English:
> 
> Royal Canadian Hussars (Armour)
> Royal Montreal Regiment (Inf)
> ...



Legally, all those units are Bilingual units, as is 34 CER (the Engineers).


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## aussiechangover (10 Nov 2008)

Na$tySal said:
			
		

> Thanks, that was what I was worried about. I'd be in a bilingual unit and it would be mostly French, they'd be yelling orders at me in French and I would jsut be standing there with a blank stare on my face not even knowing they were talking to me. I'll give those 4 a call Monday to inquire as to more information and just to confirm. Thanks.



as an anglo myself in montreal i can tell you that during parades there is a short delay from what others do to what i do because of the language, although some of the commands always catch me out. but you do get to practice before so it`s not quite so noticable.


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## the_girlfirend (10 Nov 2008)

Hi!

I have applied to a bilingual unit in Montreal, and reading this topic, I am wondering how does it work?
Everybody talks in the language they are most confortable with??? 
I just don't see how that can work.
There has to be a dominant language. 
Is there anybody who has experience at a bilingual unit, and can explain how it works?

Thank you


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## aussiechangover (10 Nov 2008)

the_girlfirend said:
			
		

> Hi!
> 
> I have applied to a bilingual unit in Montreal, and reading this topic, I am wondering how does it work?
> Everybody talks in the language they are most confortable with???
> ...



for me personally i work in english only because basically i butcher the french language (although i butcher the english language as well, guess that has to do with the aussie accent). if i have to speak french it`s slow and bad but i can sometimes get a point across with pointing and pictures. i don`t think you`ll have much to worry about though i make it sound tougher than it actually is. normally if people speak to me in french and i have no clue i give them the look of a deer dazzled by headlights and appologise and say i`m anglophone usually works.


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## davidk (10 Nov 2008)

I work in a Montreal 'bilingual' unit and I find that while it's not strictly bilingual in that orders are given in duplicate, English and French etc., people generally make an effort. Our primary working language _is_ English, and there's no way around it. However, we do have members whose first language is French. People go our of their way to make sure that they understand what's going on - there's no sense marginalizing individuals who could be very capable soldiers but simply grew up speaking something else. During a CO's hour a while back, one of these people asked a question, and the CO did his best to answer in French.

the_girlfriend, what unit did you apply to?


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## the_girlfirend (10 Nov 2008)

HighlandIslander, 

I applied to 712e escadron des communications, and I have to say that everybody seemed to be bilingual when I went there, so I did not bother. 
But now that I think about it there has to be a dominant language.
I am very very french   
I usually understand english very well, I can write in english, but speaking is another game... 
I just hope that I will be able to speak french in general, but still it is not a big obstacle. 
The worse that can happen is that it might lead to awkward situations, I guess... let me know what you think.

Thank you


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## dapaterson (10 Nov 2008)

There should not be any issues with 712e Esc Comm in either official language; I've know quite a number of people there, with both languages as their mother tongue.

In fact, since there are only 3 Reserve comm units in the province, they are heavily tasked to support 5e QGET (Regular Force signals unit in Valcartier) where French is the language of day to day work.


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## ark (10 Nov 2008)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> Legally, all those units are Bilingual units, as is 34 CER (the Engineers).



Can you elaborate a little on the legal side? My understanding is that units in bilingual regions may be unilingual as long as there exists an alternative in the other language for the same type of unit. In other words, infantry units in Montreal can be unilingual as there are alternatives but units like RCH, 2 FD Arty etc. should be bilingual as they are one of a type.


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## George Wallace (10 Nov 2008)

ark said:
			
		

> Can you elaborate a little on the legal side? My understanding is that units in bilingual regions may be unilingual as long as there exists an alternative in the other language for the same type of unit. In other words, infantry units in Montreal can be unilingual as there are alternatives but units like RCH, 2 FD Arty etc. should be bilingual as they are one of a type.



Your....er...."interpretation" is wrong.  These units designated as Bilingual, are Bilingual.


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## ark (10 Nov 2008)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Your....er...."interpretation" is wrong.  These units designated as Bilingual, are Bilingual.



So units in bilingual regions are automatically designated bilingual?


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## davidk (10 Nov 2008)

You shouldn't have any problems at 712 squadron.


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## geo (10 Nov 2008)

ark.....
There isn't a "legal" issue.
Montreal is Montreal.  It is a cosmopolitain city where the two dominant languages are French & English.
Troops are a valuable asset that units spend a lot of time, money and effort in training.  Consequently, we work with out troops... both in french & english.
It's not a legal issue - it's a common sense issue.


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## dapaterson (10 Nov 2008)

ark said:
			
		

> So units in bilingual regions are automatically designated bilingual?



Units of the Canadian Forces exist because of a Ministerial Organizational Order (a "MOO").  From that, a Canadian Forces Organizational Order (a CFOO) is issued.

The CFOO of each unit designates the language of that unit.  Key positions within a unit may be designated as requiring both official languages dependign on the linguistic designation of the unit.

In this case, within Montreal, the CFOOs for the RCH, 2 RCA, 34 CER, 712 Comm Sqn, the CGG, the Black Watch, the RMR and 51e BnS all designate those units as bilingual.


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## ark (10 Nov 2008)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> Units of the Canadian Forces exist because of a Ministerial Organizational Order (a "MOO").  From that, a Canadian Forces Organizational Order (a CFOO) is issued.
> 
> The CFOO of each unit designates the language of that unit.  Key positions within a unit may be designated as requiring both official languages dependign on the linguistic designation of the unit.
> 
> In this case, within Montreal, the CFOOs for the RCH, 2 RCA, 34 CER, 712 Comm Sqn, the CGG, the Black Watch, the RMR and 51e BnS all designate those units as bilingual.



Thanks!


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## Na$tySal (12 Nov 2008)

HighlandIslander said:
			
		

> I work in a Montreal 'bilingual' unit and I find that while it's not strictly bilingual in that orders are given in duplicate, English and French etc., people generally make an effort. Our primary working language _is_ English, and there's no way around it. However, we do have members whose first language is French. People go our of their way to make sure that they understand what's going on - there's no sense marginalizing individuals who could be very capable soldiers but simply grew up speaking something else. During a CO's hour a while back, one of these people asked a question, and the CO did his best to answer in French.
> 
> the_girlfriend, what unit did you apply to?



 What unit are you in? I'm looking to transfer units so I think I need to get the paperwork in before we close up for Christmas.


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## davidk (12 Nov 2008)

Na$tySal said:
			
		

> What unit are you in? I'm looking to transfer units so I think I need to get the paperwork in before we close up for Christmas.



The information you're looking for can be found in my profile.


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## geo (12 Nov 2008)

HighlandIslander said:
			
		

> The information you're looking for can be found in my profile.



Umm..... Oh yeah, this is good.... Master Private ???

Explain cause, there is just no such thing


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## davidk (12 Nov 2008)

Long story, Geo, people from my unit would understand. If it bothers anyone, though, I'll change it.


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## geo (12 Nov 2008)

Considering the nature of all the users on this site... do yourself a favour and change it.

(PS - I figured it out... but not everyone else would - others would label you a "poser" and question pert much everything and anything you might post)


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## davidk (12 Nov 2008)

Duly changed.


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## Na$tySal (12 Nov 2008)

HighlandIslander said:
			
		

> The information you're looking for can be found in my profile.



 I get an error "Many apologies, but you can't view just any profile." why I try to view it. But am I safe in assuming that it's the Black Watch given your avatar? 

 Would it be ok if though private messages i asked you a few questions about the unit? Trying to find something similar to what I have here, so it would be quite helpful.

 Thanks.


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## davidk (12 Nov 2008)

I am in fact with the Black Watch. Feel free to send me a PM with any questions you may have.


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## ggranatstein (13 Nov 2008)

The 712 is very bilingual. People speak in the language that they are most comfortable. Some classes / courses are given in only one language or the other, but there will always be someone to help you either way. 

If you're entering as an NCM, you will be able to communicate in English / French as you like. If you're entering as an officer, well, we would want you to be able to eventually speak to your troops in the language that they are most comfortable with. This is not an absolute - we don't offer language training at the unit - but it's generally good form to make an attempt to learn the other official language, particularly if you are in a position of leadership. 

If you have any questions re the 712, please PM me or post here. I'm a bilingual (English as my mother tongue) officer there and one of my secondary duties is as the "Official Languages Officer." I'd be quite happy to address any questions you might have.

I'm very proud of what our unit has achieved with regards to bilingualism - it hasn't always been smooth, but we always do our best to respect the rights of both groups.


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