Egan: Bilingualism, blessings and curses. It's how we roule.

The story of Ian Potter will surprise no one in the federal public service, where the blessings of official bilingualism have stalled many a career, tormented many a soul, fed many an absurdity.
To grow up in a government town is to have heard it all: anglos (mostly) sent for months of daily language training, kept awake at night by the prospect of failing, only to take on jobs where they hardly use the newfound French; being bypassed in competitions by the bilingually less competent; intensive