According to the book Linguistic Imperialism by Robert Phillipson (http://www.amazon.com/Linguistic-Imperialism-Oxford-Applied-Linguistics/dp/0194371468), which I highly recommend in spite of the price along with Language Policies in Education (http://www.amazon.com/Language-Policies-Education-Critical-Issues/dp/0805836012) (which I'm currently reading), English-spekers around the world enjoy great privileges along the same parallel as white privilege in the world.
Though his book was first published in 1993, a recent study by Francois Grin (http://cisad.adc.education.fr/hcee/documents/rapport_Grin.pdf) indicates that the UK gains from 17 to 18 thouasan million euros annually from language instruction alone. This is nothing new of course, as is confirmed by the British Council's annual report of 1983-84:
Of course we do not have the power we once had to impose our will but Britain's influence endures, out of all proportion to her economic and military resources. This is partly because the English language is the lingua franca of science, technology, and commerce; the demand for it is insatiable and we respond either through the education systems of "host" countries or, when the market can stand it, on a commercial basis. Our language is our greatest asset, greater than Borth Sea Oil, and the supply is inexhaustible; furthermore, while we do not have a monopoly, our particular brand remains highly sought after. I am glad to say that those who guide the fortunes of this country share my conviction in the need to invest in, and exploit to the full, this invisible, God-given asset.
(British Council Annual Report 1983-89:9, as quoted on pages 144-145 of Linguistic Imperialism)
Though Phillipson's book applies mainly to former British colonies, often to former US colonies, and seldom to Canadian linguistic imperialism; and though Grin's report applies mainly to the EU, both of these can be applied to the Canadian context none-the-less. When I was visiting China a year ago, a Chinese friend of mine had pointed to an elementary school textbook partially fnded by CIDA (the Candian International Development Agency), being sold in Chinese shops. Of course the Canadian content of the book far exceded Canada's influence in the world. So essentially, the book served as a propaganda tool to promote Canada over other nations in the EFL classroom for elementary students! Of course Canada is not unique in this 'textbook' imperialism; the uK has been known to be so 'charitable' as to give out such textbooks to other countries too, most recently to Russia, again with the aim of promoting British culture over others. This undoubedly translates into economic benefit for these countries. Clearly English-speaking countries can amass great amounts of money from this that other countries simply can't, be it thoguh the 'language tourism' industry in English-speaking countries, university education in English-speaking countries, export of books and copyrights from Englishs-epaking countries, etc.
Yet this applies to Canada too as it also promotes a divide between English-Canada and French Canada. Clearly English-medium universities, even mediocre ones, have a privilege that even the best of French-medium universities in Canada can't match. Same goes for linguistic tourism, etc.
Yet this further extends into the job market among other things. Since about 75% of the Canadian economy is English-speaking, this means that monolingual French-speakers are limited to the other 25% access to Canada's economic resources. And for monolingual Nunnavummiut, they have access to but a small fraction of the Northern economy.
Yet I thought all Canadians are supposed to be equal. So why this considerable Anglo privilege in the economy? What woud be an effective way to solve this problem?