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Speeches

Speech by the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs and Minister of Culture

RIFSSSO Convention
(Regroupement des intervenants-es francophones en santé et en services sociaux de l'Ontario)
Best Western Hotel, Ottawa, November 6, 2004

As the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, I know that French-language services are indispensable for our communities.

As a nurse who received my training at Montfort Hospital, I know by experience how essential French-language services in the areas of health and social services are.

[I would like to] congratulate the RIFSSSO, its Chair, Marine Blondeau, her whole team, all the organizations that are members of the RIFSSSO, and their presidents who are here (Paul-André Gauthier is present).

By working together, we will be able to ensure that our communities are strong, and that our French-speaking citizens have the opportunity to fully enjoy a healthy and enriching life in a prosperous province.

Surveys have shown that health services are the primary concern of Canadians.

For Franco-Ontarians, the primary concern is access to health services in their own language.

Montfort Hospital is the perfect example of the importance of this issue.

Gisèle Lalonde was the guest speaker yesterday.

We are grateful to Ms. Lalonde and to her team for their hard work to save Montfort, and to people like you who were able to come together for such a fundamental cause.

That courage and tenacity remind me of the valiant sisters of the Filles de la Sagesse, and the intrepid people that laid the cornerstone of Montfort Hospital.

That was also a cornerstone of our Franco-Ontarian society.

One month ago, I attended an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of Montfort.

It is a timely moment when two anniversaries occur at the same time: the 50th anniversary of Montfort and the 400th anniversary of Champlain.

Just like the arrival of Champlain, the issue of Montfort is now a part of the history of the Francophone community.

Like SOS Montfort, and like the Filles de la Sagesse, we Francophones know what courage is, and what it is to work together to build our communities.

The theme of this convention, Collective Strength Comes from Unity, could be the theme of all Franco-Ontarians.

And also the theme of my government.

We want to work with our citizens.

Premier McGuinty highlighted that cooperation when he met with the Toronto Chamber of Commerce on October 18.

He said how happy he is to see that Ontarians want to work together.

The time of conflicts that intentionally divide communities is over.

We no longer want to be subject to the destructive duel that pitches the business sector against the community sector.

He quoted business people who maintain that access to health care is a vital condition for economic development.

That is why our government has just allocated 8 million dollars in funding to Montfort Hospital.

That is also why the minimum wage and social assistance and health insurance premiums have just been increased for the first time in 10 years.

A family that makes both ends meet is a family in good health.

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Our spirit of cooperation is evident in my Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs:

Providing advice on the development of strategies;

Establishing priorities;

Creating programs that will affect the Francophone community;

Planning and delivery of government services in French, not forgetting health services and social services.

We believe that Francophones must have a voice in today's main issues.

One of the main issues is the Local Health Integration Networks.

The government is beginning a fundamental transformation in the planning and implementation of the delivery and funding of health services.

I have met with my colleagues at the Ministry of Health a number of times to discuss the needs of Francophones.

The members will be appointed by government order.

Since the Local Health Integration Networks are government agencies, they will be subject to the French Language Services Act in the designated regions, and will be obliged to provide their services in French.

Gilles Huot from the Ministry of Health and Jacqueline Frank, the Executive Director of the Office of Francophone Affairs are participating on the panel this morning.

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This is an exciting moment for me in Francophone affairs and also in this dynamic government.

Some recent examples of our initiatives.

Yesterday, here in Ottawa, the Cross-Sector Meeting on the Development of French-Language Services for Fighting Violence Against Women was launched.

Sandra Pupatello's project aims at developing a long-term approach that will meet the various needs of Ontarian women, including Francophone women.

As part of this initiative, Premier Dalton McGuinty introduced the first measures for the development of an action plan:

Housing for female victims of violence and their children;

A public education campaign to break the cycle of violence;

And better training programs for police officers and lawyers.

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We have just added four community agencies that work in the area of health and a legal aid clinic to the list of designated agencies under the French Language Services Act.

On October 8, Marie Bountrogianni announced one of the new support mechanisms for families with autistic children.

Those mechanisms begin with the initial evaluation of children, and continue throughout their school education.

Those new preschool and school-based services will help children and young people with autism to acquire the skills and confidence that will lead to greater independence.

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On October 20, Gerard Kennedy announced one stage of the McGuinty government's plan to make schools healthy and conducive to learning.

We will ask the school boards to remove unhealthy foods from the automatic dispensers located in the elementary schools.

We will continue collaborating with school boards, schools, educators and parents to improve the eating habits of children and to encourage young people to make healthy choices.

Between now and next autumn, the next stages of the plan will consist of ensuring that students get 20 minutes of physical exercise per day, and in cooperating with parents to promote healthy lunches at school.

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Mary Ann Chambers has announced a new 10 million dollar fund for the training of tomorrow's nurses.

This investment will make it possible to provide better health services, and to ensure that we have the educators in Nursing Sciences that we will need in the future.

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Last week the Premier also made an announcement that will have repercussions on health in the future.

This is Active 2010.

This strategy is meant to encourage a greater number of Ontarians to engage in physical activities, in order to improve people's health and ensure our prosperity.

The government will invest 5 million dollars a year in Active 2010:

Raising public awareness about physical activity and motivating the population to do exercise;

It will include a campaign for young people and for people aged 45 to 65;

It will contribute to eliminating the obstacles that prevent people from participating in recreational and sports programs;

It is particularly important for children of low-income families, older adults and people with a disability.

Lack of physical activity costs the Ontario health system approximately 1.8 billion dollars each year.

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Our commitment does not stop at our borders: the Ontario – Québec initiative.

Improving the quality of life of the citizens of both provinces.

Targeting Francophone affairs, and in particular education, health, early childhood education and culture.

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You can see that, just like you in your organizations, the government is devoted to the Francophone community, to health and to social services.

And to work.

Like the Filles de la Sagesse at Montfort, and like Samuel de Champlain himself, the government, and we Francophones, are used to challenges.

And to successes.

I wish you an excellent convention.

Thank you.