Fed gov't inquiring if I speak French for prospective employment?

Fed Gov't job opening - passed all the major hurdles:initial testing, 3 hour exams, panel interviews, 7 page reference checks etc. Then they sent me written inquiry if I speak Canada's second official language - French - and I don't. How do I respond to this properly, while still having chance of being the succesful candidate!

I have children who work for the Fed gov't and they don't speak French. You didn't mention which dept or city this job is for. When they posted the position was being bi-lingual a pre-requisite? If the particular position you applied for didn't specifically say you needed French then I wouldn't be that concerned. The majority of the positions in the western provinces don't require you to have French. If you live in Ontario there is a better chance that you will need it. The Maritime provinces also tend to not need it for the majority of their positions. If you applied for reception then it's 50/50 because at least one reception must be able to speak French. If it is a management position and they feel that French may be required in the future then they will make French language classes available to you.

I know that the Fed. Gov't will send you to classes if you are required to know French later on. You can tell then that you are more than willing to take classes if need be because your command of the language would likely not be to their standards since you only took it for a short time when you were attending school.

Tell them that you do not speak french but would be willing to learn and languages come quickly to you

Please tell them that you are fluent in their first language, and that you can master the second language within 8 months !