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Speech by the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs and Minister of Community and Social Services

at the Banquet and Celebration of Canadian Francophonie, Francophone and Acadian Community Summit

University of Ottawa
Thursday, June 2, 2007

Mr. Albert,
Mr. Fraser,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good evening.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this magnificent celebration of Canadian Francophonie.

It really warms my heart to see such a large number of participants from all across the country who have gathered here in Ottawa to talk about Canadian Francophonie, to talk about the future, to rally around a common vision that will ensure the continuing influence of our Francophonie nationwide.

I am especially happy to be here with you because the leadership role played by the FCFA, in part through events like this Summit, is essential.

The importance of the FCFA comes from the pan-Canadian federative role it plays.

As you and I well know, the vitality of Canadian Francophonie depends on the willingness of Francophones all across the country to take action in the present in order to secure their future.

The vast size of the country, the way Francophones are scattered all across it and the challenge of making their voices heard when they are in a minority situation make a strong link among Canada's diverse Francophone communities a necessity.

The FCFA plays this role of common thread for all of Canadian Francophonie.

And so, all of you, individually and collectively, play an active part in the present and future dynamics of Canadian Francophonie.

On behalf of the Ontario government, I would therefore like to congratulate you and thank you for your leadership and unflagging commitment.

This Francophone and Acadian Community Summit represents a turning point at a critical moment in the history of Canada's French-speaking communities.

The word "community" automatically brings to mind the idea of a group of individuals who of course share allegiances and interests, but who also share a sense of belonging linked to a common history and a common language and culture.

In short, what makes a community a community goes beyond individuals to form a collective will to act in solidarity for the betterment of the whole.

The associative movement plays a crucial role in the development of a strong and energetic civil society where citizen engagement is the guarantor of a vision of society that will benefit current and future generations.

This is one of the reasons why holding this Summit is so important.

This Summit creates a space for collaboration and action around the major questions affecting the Franco-Canadian community in all its diversity.

We can see that the six challenges to be explored during the Summit are the result of deep and informed reflection.

These themes reflect the issues faced by Canada's Francophone communities and the fact that they are now being explored in such depth is evidence of great insight and an undeniable will to self-empowerment.

I firmly believe that it is of the utmost importance to look back on the road travelled, to celebrate our remarkable achievements and to publicize the extent of our successes.

But I believe just as firmly that a strong, fully matured Canadian Francophonie must be prepared to examine the challenges facing it in order to meet them effectively.

The Ontario government recognizes the crucial importance of this collective will to reflect, to act and to progress. That is why we are using all the means at our disposal to strengthen the foundations of Ontario's francophonie and in this way contribute to its vitality.

Our government seeks to be a loyal partner in building a society in which the Francophone community is a full stakeholder in its development and future.

Although today the focus is first and foremost on Canadian francophonie, I believe it would be relevant to highlight some recent advances for Ontario's francophonie to which our government has contributed.

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First let me mention Montfort Hospital, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Rassemblement SOS a few weeks ago, this turning point in the modern history of French Ontario. Montfort is at one and the same time the symbol of a cause, the embodiment of an institutional ideal and the standard bearer of a promising future.

As you know, today Montfort is blossoming anew, thanks to a colossal investment of 185 million dollars by Dalton McGuinty's government; this represents a real step forward for Francophones in Ontario.

The government has accorded Montfort its rightful place among the province's health care institutions, through the number of patients it serves, through the quality of care it provides, through its technological and scientific advances, through the excellence of the specialists who find at Montfort a working and learning environment that meets their requirements.

Montfort stands out because of its symbolic value not only for Ontario's francophonie, but also for Canadian Francophonie.

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Any self-respecting modern society has an obligation to invest in education to lay the foundations for a promising future. Our government has a strong commitment to education and this includes education in French.

Under our government, French language schools are experiencing unprecedented growth, thanks, in part, to 317 million dollars in additional funding for French language education.

Furthermore, Ontario has passed the billion mark in terms of dollars spent annually on the education of Francophone children and youth in our schools.

Thanks to these investments and the quality of our teachers, it is not surprising that students in French language schools are more and more successful.

And, but don't say this too loudly, in some respects they are leading the field in the province!

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To continue our discussion of institutional development, what can I say about TfO, our Franco-Ontarian educational television network?

Tfo is indeed a jewel in the crown of Ontario's francophonie, but it is also in many respects a jewel in the crown of Canadian Francophonie.

I am proud that the Ontario government has recently given it full governance.

This is another example of the Ontario government's expressed desire to endow the Franco-Ontarian community with autonomous, fully equipped institutions to provide our community with a promising future.

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Twenty years after the adoption of the French Language Services Act, another historic page has been turned with the recent adoption by the Ontario Legislature of the bill creating the Office of the Commissioner of French Language Services.

Our government is very proud of this initiative. It marks a new and extremely important step in the evolution of relations between the provincial government and Ontario's francophonie, and strengthens the foundations of the French Language Services Act.

The Office of the Commissioner of French Language Services will give Francophones a stronger voice as well as more transparent and effective recourse in ensuring respect for their right to receive services in French.

I am convinced that the Office of the Commissioner of French Language Services will have a very great impact on active offer and on the quality of French language services in Ontario.

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Finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning the travelling exhibition we recently launched in cooperation with the Vanier Museopark of Ottawa.

With this exhibition, called Ontario's Francophonie: Then and Now, the Ontario government is paying tribute to the Franco-Ontarian community, whose history goes back four centuries.

This overview of four hundred years of history plays out in French and English on 22 panels. The exhibition has already started to tour the province, thanks to a partnership with the Regroupement des organismes du patrimoine franco-ontarien.

If I am not mistaken, you will be able to take a look at this exhibition as part of the 30the anniversary of the FCCF, which is being celebrated this weekend.

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I could go on to provide other concrete examples but I will stop here.

The message I am sending you today from this platform is that the McGuinty government in Ontario wants to be a friend and partner of Ontario's and Canada's francophonie.

That is why I am proud to be associated with the Francophone and Acadian Community Summit and to show my support for this event in a meaningful way.

The Ontario government believes in the benefits of strong communities and considers the active participation of Francophones in civil society essential, as civil society is the foundation of a healthy and fully participative democracy.

This Summit provides eloquent evidence of the dynamism and vitality of Canadian Francophonie.

Ladies and gentlemen, Francophones from here and elsewhere, please rise!

Together, the future belongs to you ...

The future belongs to us!

Thank you.