Monday, September 8, 2008

Dion's Hearing Problem

Stephane Dion has claimed that he has a hearing problem, and that is why he has trouble hearing English?

Pardon moi?

Stephane Dion may indeed have a hearing problem, millions of Canadian's do. I myself have a very hard time understanding French due to my inability to distinguish between many sounds of the French language. That, and they speak really fast. I can speak quite a bit of French, and French is an important language where I work and play.

So despite my sympathies with Dion's hearing problems, and my understanding of the difficulties of learning a second language late in life, I still need to question this announcement. Some pundits think this might be to garner sympathy votes or something, but the commentators on MDL seemed to think it would help him not at all.

My issue with this explanation is that it doesn't explain anything. Seriously, why would it hinder is communication in English but not French? Maybe it is easier for Dion to communicate in French as he as more memories and is better able to fill in the gaps between what he is hearing. I can understand difficulties understanding the question in the din of an election rally or Parliament Hill scrum.

But I still have issues with this as an explanation. The reason is he cannot form coherent sentences in English.

Dion, who has faced criticism for failing to communicate his message clearly to English-speaking Canadians, added his mother had the same problem. But he was unable to recall the medical term of the condition.

"I've been tested, and it's the case that I hear everything when the sound is isolated, but when it's confused with other sounds, then it's completely confused," he said. "It may affect my ability then to catch the music of the beautiful language of English."

So I don't get the explanation, sorry, I just don't.

We're better off with Harper, though not because of Stephane Dion's hearing issues. No, we're better off with Harper because Stephane Dion's policies will hurt and divide Canada.

We're better off with Harper.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it really that Stephane Dion has a hearing problem or is it that he's just amother Liberal refusing to listen.

Anonymous said...

Is it really that Stephane Dion has a hearing problem or is it that he's just another Liberal refusing to listen.

hunter said...

What about PM Harper's asthma? Does that qualify for sympathy votes??

Even in French, Dion can't put two ideas together.

wilson said...

Is there any more important quality for a PM than being able to communicate the message?

Impairments can knock you out of the contest for many jobs.
Can't drive a taxi if you're colorblind.
Can't be a pilot if you have kidney stones.
Got flat feet, the army doesn't want you.

No sympathy here.

AnonymousCoward said...

It's not his hearing problems that put him out of running for Prime Minister of this great country, it is his policy.

Anonymous said...

If Dion has a hearing problem why dosen't he get a hearing aid? I myself think that he is so anxious heaping up lies about the Conservatives that he doen't have time to listen or learn English, or maybe to him it's not relevant to learn English.

md

AnonymousCoward said...

Stephane Dion's hearing problem is not related to his inability to speak English. Sentence structure is not related to hearing.

Beast said...

It's beyond Me how anyone could apply for a job in the government admitting they have trouble with one of the official languages. What ever the reason(and I don't believe his). How far would he get in the public sector? And he wants to be PM?

Saskboy said...

Actually AC, it is. I grew up with a deaf girl, and she had/has? trouble with english writing because she hasn't heard it. If Dion didn't learn until after he lost some hearing, it's quite likely that he's struggling to cope.

AnonymousCoward said...

Saskboy, you comparing apples and oranges.

Someone completely deaf versus someone who has some trouble distinguishing some sounds. Bit of a difference I would say.