Speaking English in Canada

This is not about books or running, this is about the thing that has taken me away from my children, my books, my running, and my sink full of dishes today.

Today, I dialed the 800 information number for the tax information people at Canada Revenue...for you Americans, that's the IRS here.
I had some very simple questions about the accounting breakdown for myself as an employee of my husband. Very simple!
So, the first gentleman I spoke to wanted to help me, but his first language was probably Urdu, or Punjabi or something. So he and I limped along together, he using phrases like "this monies covers all the stuffs you talking about..." and me wanting a touch more clarification.
With great trepidation, I asked to speak to his supervisor. He became enraged....saying basically that his supervisor doesn't have time for silly things like this.
So I thanked him, said goodbye and dialed the same help number again. This time, I was on the the line with a man who perhaps has a background in Sindhi, but who could not pass any English language test. He meant well, and I just wanted him to help me through a procedure which he had not heard of, though it's listed on their web-site.
More frustration followed.

I know that if I were to move to any foreign country and learn their language, I would feel it was quite an accomplishment. I do not want to denigrate the efforts of these individuals.

But here in Ontario everything printed, and every automated telephone system must present in both English and French.....and the French must be correct.
But the English, which is the primary language here, is treated almost as if it were incidental.

Even as an American in Southern California, where Spanish was as commonly used as English, my memory is that there was always the hope of finding an agent who could speak the language you needed, whichever one it was.

That is my rant for the week.