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Location: What's New > Minister's Office > Speeches > March 23, 2005

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

To The Round Table on Language Planning and the Development of French-Language Services in Ontario

Arts Pavilion
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I would like to thank the organizers of this forum on Aménagement linguistique and French-Language Services.

I am very pleased that these two themes have been brought together, because they are at the heart of the development and growth of French in the minority setting that we all live in.

As our society is becoming increasingly urbanized and very pluralistic, opening ourselves to the outside world is an unavoidable reality. This provides possibilities of an unprecedented magnitude.

At the same time, this trend is shaking the foundations of a by-gone era in which isolation and homogeneity were factors that were relied on for the survival and endurance of Franco-Ontarian language and culture in minority settings.

The pervasiveness of English, both because of its demographic weight in North America and Canada and because of the worldwide influence it has through new technologies, makes the challenge of maintaining and developing French language and culture an even harder one, as we are already aware.

Many efforts have been made over the past few decades to set up services and institutions in various key areas of activity, including education – elementary, secondary and postsecondary – the justice system, the health network, etc.

The advances for Francophone communities in these sectors in Ontario during recent decades has been the result of many efforts by grass-roots organizations and by legislative initiatives at the federal and provincial levels, namely the Canada Official Language Act (1969), (1988) the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) and the Ontario French Language Services Act (1986).

The right to governance in elementary and secondary education, the development of postsecondary institutions, the growth of community health centres, Montfort Hospital, the adoption of bill 163 for the City of Ottawa, and many other things, would not have happened without that legislative and legal framework.

Notwithstanding all this progress a question still remains...

What is needed to nurture a strong French language and culture which can thrive within this global era.

This question needs to be asked more specifically in light of the assimilation which is ongoing, despite definite progress that has been made in terms of institution growth and services.

The decline of the Francophone populations born in Canada cannot be disputed. In addition to this trend, there is also the phenomenon of French-language retention, in particular among young people.

In light of globalization to and free flow across borders, we must make French in Ontario a language and culture that is in step with the 21st century, a language that is associated with success while at the same time existing side by side with English, a relevant language that meets the aspirations of young people, and a language and culture that take their proper place in the context of demographic diversity.

The development of Francophone communities in minority settings can be furthered through the outreach of institutions beyond their physical boundaries and through their readiness to be shaped by their surrounding communities.

French language schools are an eloquent example of this two-way dynamic. Over the years we have learned that our schools must be more than microcosms of educational life in French that are closed in upon themselves.

This realization was exemplified by the emergence of animation culturelle [French-language cultural development] and many resulting school-community partnerships.

Think about the Franco-Ontarian Games and the FESFO's leadership in that activity. What a wonderful example of an innovative initiative for the development of cultural identity, created by and for young Francophones! As well, the leadership of Parents partenaires en education has been remarkable when it comes to the active participation of Francophone parents in their local school education mission.

Also think about Parents partenaires en éducation, which over the years has succeeded in providing Francophone parents with an increased sense of participation and in highlighting their relevant contributions to the school's educational mandate.

This brings me to the topic of "Aménagement linguistique".

The primary objective of this new French-language educational policy, which my colleague, Gerard Kennedy, the Minister of Education, and myself launched last fall, is to focus people on a shared vision of French-language education, and by doing so to mobilize all local communities to ensure that the various components work together in a complimentary manner.

The launch of the language planning policy, which is a first in Ontario and Canada, and the support for its implementation, demonstrate the importance that the government places on the future of French as a minority language.

This policy is organized around five key areas:

Language learning, the building of identity, participatory leadership, the involvement of parents and the community, and the vitality of schools.

Seen from this specific point of view, the primary aims of this policy are to:

Improve students' written and oral communication skills, which are the basis for the development of reading and writing skills.
Create conditions for learning and teaching that will foster an improvement in student performance and promote a greater feeling of identity.
Involve parents and communities as partners in the development both of intervention programs focused on student achievement, and support mechanisms in a community context that encourages French language and culture.
Enable schools to maintain and even increase their clientele, so that French-language education can have a promising future and stimulate the development French-language communities.

The concept of "aménagement linguistique" has been developed over a long period of time. Its achievement is the result of the work done by the French-language educational community over the past 20 years.

"L'aménagement linguistique" is in many ways one of the main tools for building the future of Francophone communities in minority settings.

It provides the necessary framework for implementing cooperative measures of intervention that will promote the recruitment and retention of people who are seeking to defend their rights and also the increased French-language development of children and young people who are threatened with assimilation.

At the same time, "L'aménagement linguistique" should be a way of teaching parents, both French-speaking and non-French-speaking, so they will become more familiar with the mission of the French-language school. It will also encourage them to fully participate in the life of the school.

Aménagement linguistique is likely to have an impact beyond the borders of this province and become a model for French-language communities across the country.

To achieve this, among other things, the Francophone community must be a part of the school's educational mission, and the schools must rely upon the contribution of the community, in all its diversity, on the business sector and, obviously, on the leadership of parents and young people.

The government acknowledges the challenges that Francophones face as a minority community.

Since we arrived at Queen's Park, we have demonstrated our commitment to support the development of Francophone communities by furthering French, not only as a language of access to public services, but as a source of social, economic and cultural life.

Some of the achievements over the past year show the importance that the government places on Francophone interests.

I will mention a few of these achievements:

The creation of a Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs, whose mandate is to provide advice on issues that are key to Francophone interests.
The creation of the Francophone working group, under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer of Montfort Hospital, Mr. Gérald Savoie, whose mandate is to advise the Advisory Group on Local Health Integration Networks, and to represent the interests of Francophone communities.
The designation of the City of Brampton and of the Municipality of Callander, which brings the number of designated regions in Ontario to 24.
The launch of the implementation of the Go Transit French-language services plan (a significant initiative in the Greater Toronto region).
The passing of Bill 163 on the bilingual status of the City of Ottawa.
The investment of one million additional dollars in six Francophone sexual assault centres.
The addition of 30 million dollars to the operating budget for French-language schools.
The increased availability of resources and the implementation of a training program in the schools to support Francophone students' learning of reading, writing and Math.
The provision of daycare facilities when new schools are built. This measure will certainly promote the recruitment and French-language development of children in the French-language schools.
An investment of over $750,000 by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, to help Francophones who have received training in other countries to join the Ontario job market.
An increase of the government's investment in TfO, thanks to collaborative projects with certain ministries, including the Ministry of Education.
The launch of the Best Start Plan, which aims at the expansion of daycare services and programs for children. Francophones will therefore be able to get their specific needs met and use their creativity in providing services for preschool aged children.
An increase in appointments of Francophones to government agencies and commissions. I highlight this point in particular because it is essential to increase the input of Francophones in decision making in key areas of government activities.
These initiatives are some examples of the government's actions that will benefit Francophones and to further the progress of French-language services.

A lot still remains to be done.

It is clear that we must ensure that institutions from the public and broader public sector are accountable and put in place the conditions that are conducive to the delivery of high-quality French-language services.

We consider it extremely important to have performance indicators that will allow us to measure the level of delivery of the services that are available and the quality of those services.

We currently do not have any instrument that allows us to capture the level of improvement or deterioration of services.

This is an issue that the Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs is going to examine very closely over the next few months.

Again, in terms of accountability, the government is committed to creating a Language Ombudsman's position, so that the rights of Francophones to French-language services can be better protected.

In terms of postsecondary education, the results of the filing of the Rae Report, whose recommendations are encouraging for Francophones, should be watched very closely.

Finally, the government is very interested in the International Organization of the Francophonie, and would like Ontario's membership in that prestigious organization to be considered.

Obviously, this is a very complex topic that requires meticulous work. There are a number of issues that will have to be addressed.

In the government's opinion, French-speaking Ontario, in all its diversity, has a lot to offer to the international Francophone community, and it is important for Ontario to play a leadership role and make its own Francophone community and its assets better known beyond our own borders.

Finally, I believe that it is also important to count on a population of over one million Ontarians who speak French.

It seems to me that Ontario can play a dynamic role in promoting French as a second language. We need to use benefits of bilingualism in Ontario to our advantage.

The learning of a second language is recognized as an asset all around the world, which is increasingly globalized.

The French language and Francophones only stand to benefit from the interest of a large number of Ontarians in the value of French as a second language, on the social, cultural and economic levels.

For this purpose, it goes without saying that close collaboration with the office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Ms. Dyane Adam, is very important. I salute the leadership of Ms. Adam, and openly acknowledge that Ontario can make a great contribution to bilingualism.

We will all continue to do everything possible to ensure that the availability and quality of public services respond to the needs and aspirations of Francophones.

This proposal to better serve the interests of Francophones also based on the principle of reciprocity.

We need the support and the active participation of Francophones.

Thank you.