Learning French no piece of cake, former ombudsman cautions Kevin O'Leary

Canada's first ombudsman for veterans admits he underestimated just how difficult it is to become fluent in French — a lesson he says Conservative leadership candidate Kevin O'Leary should learn, too. 

O'Leary announced he was jumping into the crowded leadership race Wednesday, just in time to miss Tueday night's all-French debate in Quebec City. He's faced criticism about his lack of proficiency in Canada's other official language, and he's promised to work on it.

Pat Stogran, a retired colonel and Canada's first veterans ombudsman, has been there: Stogran told CBC's Ottawa Morning that he used to think it would be a "piece of cake" to become bilingual, but now says he couldn't have been more wrong.

"It's probably the most fatiguing work you can do, is to force-feed yourself to become fluent in a second language like that," said Stogran. "Mentally, physically, it was full on."

Born and raised in Quebec

Stogran was born and raised in northern Quebec, and says he had a decent grasp on what he calls "pidgin French." But he spent his teen years in British Columbia, and it wasn't until he moved up the ranks in the military that French became imperative to the job.

It's probably the most fatiguing work you can do, is to force-feed yourself to become fluent in a second language like that.- Pat Stogran

"Very much like Mr. O'Leary, I could throw out a really choice phrase, had a great accent and those sort of things, but I knew three verbs," Stogran said. 

When the order came down to learn French properly, Stogran told his boss it would be easy, and tried to turn down a year of language training. The military sent him anyway.

"Wow, it was a good thing I did," Stogran told host Robyn Bresnahan. "In order to gain a degree of fluency it requires concerted effort... I really underestimated the demands that would be placed in order to become sophisticated enough to speak with fellow adults and be convincing," he recalled. 

6 months of lessons

For six months, Stogran underwent eight-hour days of intensive French lessons. After class he'd watch French television or read a French-language copy of retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire's book Shake Hands with the Devil. 

"I have a pretty thick skin and threw myself into it," he said. "I see it as a gift, especially for anybody in a leadership capacity."

Stogran said since leaving his position as ombudsman he hasn't had regular opportunities to speak French, and he admits that's taken a toll on his own language skills.

"The ability to speak it requires regular immersion in it."