Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre said he would pass a plain language law to require the Canadian government publish information in the simplest and fewest terms needed. .“The new rule will be that everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler,” said Poilievre in a Thursday press release. .“This rule still leaves room for technical terms and terms of art where they are necessary to provide clarity for persons affected by the law or regulation.”.Poilievre said complicated language can “hurt job-creators and ordinary Canadians and help crafty consultants game the system for the rich clients and big corporations who can afford them.” .The Canadian government’s current plain language policy is a single short sentence buried in a 23-page, 5,066-word directive on communications management. This directive asks heads of communication to make “communications clear, timely, accurate, accessible, and written in plain language.” .The release said the Canadian government "loves to ignore" style rules. While the Canadian government’s online style guide recommends saying 'get' instead of 'obtain,' a search of its website turns up more than 441,000 results for this word. .The release went on to say too often bureaucracies write terms no one can understand. This confusion makes it impossible for people to understand the rules or for public servants to enforce them. .It added fuzzy writing goes along with fuzzy thinking. Errors in logic hide behind jargon and buzzwords. .Poilievre said the law will enable the auditor general to audit government forms and websites to ensure they abide by it. He said it will make plain language skills a job requirement for anyone hired to write for the Canadian government. .A webpage will be created to report bureaucratese. Bilingual training to public servants will teach them language ordinary people speak. .The release said the law will avoid the cost of rewriting documents by applying it to new publications and old ones when they are revised. It will mandate government writers draft laws to be as simple as possible. .“We need to start somewhere, set clear deadlines and demand compliance,” said Poilievre. .“Let’s make the government work for the people, not the other way around, and give people back control of their lives.”.Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest campaign co-president Tasha Kheiriddin said the law will “mandate newspeak.” .“Welcome to 1984,” said Kheiriddin. .About 1,000 people cheered on Poilievre at a rally at Rio Banquet Hall in Calgary on Saturday. .READ MORE: About 1,000 people jam Poilievre rally in Calgary.“If I was starting a new political party, I would call it the Mind Your Own Damn Business Party,” he said. .Poilievre said he's helped the Conservatives become the largest political party in Canada. He said people are voting for him because they are “tired of big bossy governments.”
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre said he would pass a plain language law to require the Canadian government publish information in the simplest and fewest terms needed. .“The new rule will be that everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler,” said Poilievre in a Thursday press release. .“This rule still leaves room for technical terms and terms of art where they are necessary to provide clarity for persons affected by the law or regulation.”.Poilievre said complicated language can “hurt job-creators and ordinary Canadians and help crafty consultants game the system for the rich clients and big corporations who can afford them.” .The Canadian government’s current plain language policy is a single short sentence buried in a 23-page, 5,066-word directive on communications management. This directive asks heads of communication to make “communications clear, timely, accurate, accessible, and written in plain language.” .The release said the Canadian government "loves to ignore" style rules. While the Canadian government’s online style guide recommends saying 'get' instead of 'obtain,' a search of its website turns up more than 441,000 results for this word. .The release went on to say too often bureaucracies write terms no one can understand. This confusion makes it impossible for people to understand the rules or for public servants to enforce them. .It added fuzzy writing goes along with fuzzy thinking. Errors in logic hide behind jargon and buzzwords. .Poilievre said the law will enable the auditor general to audit government forms and websites to ensure they abide by it. He said it will make plain language skills a job requirement for anyone hired to write for the Canadian government. .A webpage will be created to report bureaucratese. Bilingual training to public servants will teach them language ordinary people speak. .The release said the law will avoid the cost of rewriting documents by applying it to new publications and old ones when they are revised. It will mandate government writers draft laws to be as simple as possible. .“We need to start somewhere, set clear deadlines and demand compliance,” said Poilievre. .“Let’s make the government work for the people, not the other way around, and give people back control of their lives.”.Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest campaign co-president Tasha Kheiriddin said the law will “mandate newspeak.” .“Welcome to 1984,” said Kheiriddin. .About 1,000 people cheered on Poilievre at a rally at Rio Banquet Hall in Calgary on Saturday. .READ MORE: About 1,000 people jam Poilievre rally in Calgary.“If I was starting a new political party, I would call it the Mind Your Own Damn Business Party,” he said. .Poilievre said he's helped the Conservatives become the largest political party in Canada. He said people are voting for him because they are “tired of big bossy governments.”
