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Speeches

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

to the Annual General Assembly of
Parents partenaires en éducation
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ottawa
Saturday, November 13, 2004

Thank you for your introduction.

I am really pleased to be with you here this morning for your Annual General Assembly.

I would like to congratulate your Board of Directors for organising this event, and for its work within the organisation.

Parents partenaires en éducation plays a very important role: ensuring that the education system is aware of the needs of Francophone students in Ontario.

Education is the foundation of our society.

It is the cornerstone of the Franco-Ontarian community.

Many experts have shown that schools play an essential role in the development of cultural identity.

A few weeks ago, during the Ministerial Conference on Francophone Affairs in Moncton, I referred to action research on the relationship between language, culture, and education in a Francophone minority setting entitled Recherche-action sur le lien langue-culture-éducation en milieu minoritaire francophone.

The authors of this study came to the conclusion that there must be a close partnership between stakeholders in education, the arts, and the community.

In order to evolve, a French-language school pursuing its cultural mandate needs the ongoing cooperation of all stakeholders.

Including parents.

I am speaking to a group that knows the value of working in partnership.

There are many people like us who think this way.

In September, I proudly took part in the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of École Francojeunesse in Ottawa.

Francojeunesse was the French-language public school in eastern Ontario.

With support from the community, parents, and a whole range of stakeholders, it is now in the process of expanding.

In October, I had the pleasure of attending the ground-turning ceremony for a new French-language high school in Brampton.

Just like you and just like our government, the officials and the parents at these schools know that we need a plan in order to promote and pass on the French language and the culture that it expresses.

*****

That is why, late last month, my government announced an historic plan.

The first policy of its kind in Canada.

I am talking about the new policy on language development for French-language education – la Politique d'aménagement linguistique pour l'éducation en langue française.

It is designed to help Franco-Ontarian students to preserve their culture, improve their academic performance, and build their self-esteem.

It is also designed to keep Franco-Ontarian students in French-language schools.

The policy on language development will promote cooperation between the French-language school boards and school authorities and their communities – teachers, parents, students, and community organisations – to develop a local strategy for improving academic achievement and student retention rates.

Our government is determined to make Ontario's public education system the best in the world.

And this applies fully to French-language education.

Allow me to say a few words about the principles that guided us in the development of this Policy.

First of all, your motto: "Collaborate to Educate", would suit our government.

We want to increase institutional accountability on the part of the school boards.

We want to strengthen partnerships with the broader Francophone community.

We believe that, just as the school belongs to the community, the community must take responsibility for the education of its Francophone children.

This Policy will make it possible to systematically target the results that we want to achieve, while fully respecting the mandate of the school boards.

Through this Policy, we want to counter the assimilation of young Francophones by providing more training to teachers who must contend with the challenges of teaching in a minority setting on a daily basis.

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I think that this Policy is very timely: this year, we are celebrating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Champlain in North America.

Like Champlain, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy is expanding the horizons of Francophones in North America – Francophones in Ontario.

We aren't just celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of Champlain. We are also celebrating the fact that, in 2004, Francophones are still here.

And we are active, determined, and very optimistic about our future, in spite of the challenges that we face at this time.

*****

Our government believes that we must act quickly and vigorously  – particularly in the areas of learning, Francophone identity, and participatory leadership that gets parents involved.

And we plan to do this while fully aware of the challenges posed by the demographics and the social and cultural realities of French Ontario.

I would like to share with you my enthusiasm for some of our other commitments to the Francophone community.

Last spring, we announced an investment of $30 million in the basic grants that go to the French-language school boards in Ontario.

For over 10 years, the French-language school boards have been calling for an equitable funding formula that takes into account the unique demographics of our community.

For the first time, the Government of Ontario has heard and understands that French-language education costs more, per student, than English-language education.

For example, in the 2004-2005 school year, the total revenue of the English-language school boards increased by 5.6%, whereas the total revenue of the French-language school boards increased by close to 10% (9.8%).

*****

One of the initiatives of which I am particularly proud is my Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs.

It has a mandate to advise me on:

• Priorities in the area of French language services;
• The creation of programs that affect the Francophone community;
• The planning and delivery of French-language government services, and that includes health and social services.

I am also working on a project to create a position for a Linguistic Ombudsman.

This individual will settle disputes and ensure that language rights are respected.

*****

Our actions go beyond our boundaries.

On April 22, the premiers of Quebec and Ontario announced a new era of cooperation between our two provinces.

This initiative will improve the quality of life of citizens in both provinces.

It will focus on Francophone affairs particularly in the area of education, health, early childhood, and culture.

We also acknowledge the importance of our role within the international Francophone community.

Ontario wants to play a more active role in the Organisation internationale de la francophonie.

Ontario's presence would be conducive to economic relations and the creation of partnerships with the 56 countries and governments that use the French language and share certain values.

As the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, I am proud of the fact that Francophone Affairs is a priority for our government.

*****

The statistics point to a decline in French in Ontario and increasing assimilation of Franco-Ontarians.

As a Francophone and also as the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, I want to emphasize the vital importance of reversing this trend.

The Policy on language development and the other initiatives which I have just described will go a long way toward slowing assimilation.

*****

Our writers are among the finest products of our education system.

One example is Daniel Poliquin, an Ottawa writer who has won a Trillium Award and received the Order of Canada.

Another example is Serge Denis and his book on social democracy and labour movements entitled Sociale-démocratie et mouvements ouvriers.

Another is Angèle Bassolé-Ouédraogo who has published a collection of poems entitled Avec tes mots.

Our beautiful language – the language of Molière – is spoken by over 500,000 Ontarians. It's not just a language; it's the soul of a people that wants to grow and prosper.

Our writers reflect our collective soul.

They dream our dreams.

In his book entitled Témoins d'errances en Ontario français, Franco-Ontarian Fernand Dorais wrote that "education must provide an introduction to the quality of language, the human condition, and life itself."

This is a tremendous challenge.

However, with our policy on language development, and with you, we will take up this challenge enthusiastically.

Thank you.

I wish you a wonderful meeting.