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The group that wants Canada’s capital to be “officially” bilingual might use the 2018 municipal election as leverage if it can’t get city council to address the matter in the country’s 150th year.

“I don’t think any politician wants to carry this into the next election,” said François Baril, an Ottawa lawyer who has been one of the big advocates of a proposal to make the capital officially bilingual.

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“I think it will be an election issue unless the city moves on it.”

Supporters are planning a march to Ottawa City Hall and a rally on Wednesday morning, plus an evening rally at De La Salle High School.

They continue to hope that the City of Ottawa considers official bilingualism this year as a way to mark the country’s 150th birthday.

“It’s an ongoing effort,” Baril said Tuesday. “A lot of it is behind the scenes. It is an issue that is not going away.”

The group of francophone organizations, united under the name Bilingual Ottawa, has come up with a version of official bilingualism that it believes would be acceptable. It would involve a mention in the City of Ottawa Act and a corresponding edit to the city’s bilingualism policy.