By Prabhy Rehal,  New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In 2021, 4.6 million Canadians spoke languages other than English or French at home according to numbers released August 17, 2022 by Statistics Canada. Many of those would be in families that have emigrated to Canada and have to rely on their children to help them acclimatize to their new surroundings, often using them as translators. That’s because children tend to learn English faster than their parents. 

As language brokers the children aren’t just translating but often also helping their parents interpret the larger culture around them. Although this practice may be helping the parents become accustomed to their new country, their children are given an added responsibility.