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Location: What's New > Minister's Office > Speeches > September 29, 2005
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Address by The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur,
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs and
Minister of Culture
at the Symposium on Bill 8
in Sudbury, Ontario
September 29, 2005
Dear friends and colleagues,
First of all, I would like to congratulate you and offer you my sincere thanks for inviting me to speak at a forum as prestigious as this one.
It's not every day that so many defenders of the French presence in Ontario find themselves gathered together in one place.
I am convinced that the meetings in the coming days will provide for some lively exchanges.
The passion that we share for the French language will no doubt inspire constructive discussions that will enable us to go further together.
Last Tuesday, September 27th, was the launch of the 2005 edition of the statistical profiles of Ontario's Francophone population.
I won't go into detail, especially since you are all invited to the launch of the profiles that has been organized by the Office of Francophone Affairs for tomorrow at 5:00 PM. However, I can't resist sharing the good news with you: according to the most recent general census, Ontario's Francophone population has grown by 1.2%. Naturally, some people will say this is a small increase. My response is that it represents an important change, as the previous census reported a decrease in the Francophone population.
The statistical profiles reveal many changes and raise new questions, to which we will have to seek answers together.
When I learned of the most recent statistics on women, racial minorities, youth, and the elderly, I realized just how much the Francophone reality is changing from day to day.
The full development and prosperity of the Franco-Ontarian community is tied to our ability to re-invent ourselves, individually and as a group, in order to adapt to social and demographic changes that are happening every day.
As you know, the history of Ontario's Francophonie has been punctuated by high points and low points that have shaped our communities. From Regulation 17 to Montfort, the recognition of our rights was won after collective struggles and resulted in gains that have gradually been confirmed by major institutional advancements.
On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the French Language Services Act, it's time to take stock. We owe it to future generations to start taking a long, hard look at what the future holds in store for us.
In recent decades, a great deal of effort has been devoted to setting up services—and institutions—in various spheres of activity critical to the development and prosperity of our communities.
The progress that has been achieved in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education, in the legal system and, more recently, in the health sector represents a solid foundation upon which to continue to build over the longer term.
Over the years, progress in these areas has been closely linked to persistent and often arduous efforts on the part of the Franco-Ontarian associative movement.
During this time, the Official Languages Act of Canada (in 1969 and in 1988), the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (in 1982), and Ontario's French Language Services Act (in 1986) have given the community's efforts an extra boost.
It must be acknowledged that the gains that have been made by Ontario's Francophone community were driven by the evolution of the linguistic duality across Canada. This evolution has sought not only recognition of the equal status of French-language minority communities, but also tangible evidence of their rights.
Access to justice in French is obviously an important individual right but it is perhaps even more crucial as a collective right. Think about the importance for Francophone communities to assert their linguistic rights or defend their institutions in their own language.
In the past 20 years, there have been a number of decisive moments.
Allow me to recall a few.
- The Forest judgement (in 1988) increased access to the courts in both official languages.
- The Mahé judgement (in 1990) created an obligation to right past wrongs and paved the way for the governance of French-language education by and for Francophones.
- The Beaulac judgement (in 1999) confirmed the true equality of official language communities.
- And recently, of course, the Montfort judgement (in 2002) promoted an enhancement of French-language health services and recognized the unwritten constitutional principle of the protection of minorities.
The Montfort decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal is all the more significant because it illustrated that the scope of the French Language Services Act, whose preamble recognizes French as an historic language in Ontario, goes beyond a simple offering of French-language services by the government.
On a personal level, I am pleased to be able to contribute, in my own way, to the development and prosperity of Francophones. On a political level, I am very proud to belong to a government that recognizes the critical role of the various communities in the development and overall prosperity of our society. The concept of healthy, strong communities is translated in our commitment to guarantee the full involvement of Francophones in the government's participatory project.
Since being elected to office, we have demonstrated our willingness to support the growth and development of the French language, not only as a language in which to access public services, but also as a source of social, economic, and cultural vitality.
The government is using all of the means at its disposal to preserve the hard-won achievements of Franco-Ontarian communities and to strengthen their foundations.
Allow me to elaborate on some of the developments that reflect the government's genuine willingness to work hard for the development and prosperity of Francophone communities.
Education
As you know, education is the guarantee of the survival and future of our Francophone communities. This is the spirit in which to understand the government's response to the recommendations in the Rae Report and its decision to commit funding in the amount of $6.2 billion, including targeted funding to promote access to postsecondary education for Francophones, by 2009-2010.
In the near future, Francophones will be invited to create an advisory committee for sharing their perspectives and identifying the issues involved in French-language post-secondary education, in the context of implementing the Rae Report.
Still in education, the additional $140 million in funding, including $70 million for the year 2005-2006, allocated to French-language school boards will contribute to the development and prosperity of French-language schools throughout Ontario.
With the trend toward globalization and disappearing borders, we have a duty to ensure that, in Ontario, the French language and culture are in tune with the 21st century. That French is a language associated with success. A language that co-exists with English while reflecting the aspirations of our young people. A language that they want to identify with. A language that is "plugged in".
In Ontario, the growth and prosperity of Francophone communities depends on the reach of its institutions. Our institutions must support—even influence—the surrounding environment.
That is why Ontario recently adopted a policy on aménagement linguistique for its French-language schools.
My colleague, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, and I launched this policy last fall. Its primary goal is to rally people around a shared vision of French-language education and to mobilize entire communities so that their various components work together toward a common goal.
This policy is divided into five areas of intervention:
Language training, identity building, participatory leadership, parental and community commitment, and institutional vitality.
This policy is the first of its kind in Ontario and in Canada. Support for its implementation reflects the importance that the government places on French as an official language and on the tools with which we plan to equip Francophone communities so that French becomes a source of cultural, social, and economic growth and prosperity.
Language planning is the cornerstone for the future of Francophone communities in a minority setting. It provides a specific framework for the francisation of children and young people who are at risk of assimilation.
At the same time, aménagement linguistique requires us to work with parents, regardless of whether or not they speak French, in order to make them more aware of the mission of the French school and, at the same time, invite them to become full participants in the life of the school.
Aménagement linguistique could very well contribute to extending the reach of our institutions beyond our borders. From this perspective, it could become a model for guiding and supporting French minority language communities across the country.
The Best Start Plan
The Best Start Plan is part of the government's plan to provide child care services and preschool education services for children 0 to 6 years of age with a clearer focus. The Best Start Plan, with funding in the amount of $1 billion over the next three years, will support the objective of preventative francisation.
Francophones will have input into the service development plans that will be submitted through the regional Best Start networks.
Our government understands that French-language schools play a key role in the development of services for children and youth. The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services has just provided the French-language school boards with a budget of $700,000 to initiate and support the planning of child and youth services over the next three years.
Health
The availability of health services is critical to our communities. Since the decision in the Montfort case, this observation has become a hard fact. The government acknowledges this situation.
The symbolic status and real worth of Montfort Hospital has been established beyond a doubt. This key institution is not only here to stay; it now has the means to expand its role as a leader in the development of French-language health services in Ontario and in the training of Francophone health professionals.
In this spirit, Premier McGuinty recently announced that the province would be investing in the order of $125 million to expand Montfort Hospital.
This colossal investment is not just for infrastructure. It is designed to equip Montfort Hospital more effectively so that its services meet the needs of Francophones even more fully.
The government also recognizes the importance of increasing the pool of French-speaking health professionals and making it easier for them to get specialized training.
As you know, Northern Ontario has faced its share of obstacles to health care services. This requires special attention and solutions must be found.
The creation of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine marks a major milestone in the development of health services in this region of the province.
The creation of this school is a major event; it is the first new institution dedicated to the teaching of medicine in the past 30 years.
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine meets a great need for health training in a region of the province where the lack of health professionals is particularly acute.
The school will have a mission to improve access to medical training programs and health services for Francophone and Native communities.
The school's commitment to training Francophone professionals has great potential that we need to develop.
With a community orientation and an openness to diversity, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine promises to become a centre of expertise that will benefit communities in Northern Ontario.
I salute the hard work of the school's board of directors—in particular, Judith Woodsworth of Laurentian University—in its efforts to promote access for Francophones to training programs and the commitment that the administration has demonstrated in integrating this aspect into its program planning.
Municipalities
The AFMO
Citizens and their elected municipal representatives enjoy a close relationship.
Who among us does not identify first and foremost with his neighbourhood, street, place of residence, and community?
I have always believed in the power of municipalities to act because their actions have a direct and significant impact on our quality of life.
The proposed partnership between the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Ontario and the Association française des municipalités de l'Ontario, which I had the pleasure of announcing in Kirkland Lake recently, reflects the dialogue that our government has established not only with elected municipal officials generally, but Francophone elected municipal officials in particular.
This is a partnership to translate municipal by-laws and other key documents pertaining to municipal governance into French. This is a commitment on the part of our government that we are supporting with an investment in the order of $700,000 for the next four years, with costs to be shared between the province and Canadian Heritage.
Ottawa – A Bilingual City
Having the City of Ottawa's bilingual status enshrined in Bill 163 is another important step toward official recognition of the equality of French and English. This step will no doubt have a positive impact on the offer and availability of French-language services in the City of Ottawa.
Designation of Brampton and Callander
I would also like to mention that Brampton and Callander have been added to the list of cities recently designated under the French Language Services Act. The last city to be designated was London in 1994.
The Francophone community in these cities played a key role in this process. The Office of Francophone Affairs is preparing to begin work on planning the implementation of services. And the Francophone community will take part in this process, as will the ministries involved.
Partnerships between Ministries and Community Organizations
A closer bond between the ministries and organizations in the Francophone community is conditional upon increased French-language service delivery and it will act as a catalyst.
I would like to emphasize our government's commitment, under the Canada-Ontario Agreement, to dedicating an additional sum of $5.6 million to partnerships between the ministries and Francophone organizations over the next four years.
The municipal by-law translation project to which I referred earlier is an example of a partnership that holds promise for the future.
Family Violence
I would be remiss if I did not mention the progress that has been made recently in combating family violence. The government wants to continue to make services more accessible for victims.
Last winter, the government invested an additional $1 million in six Francophone sexual assault centres, including Centre Victoria in Sudbury. In so doing, it demonstrated its interest in improving the availability of support services for Francophone women.
Other efforts must be made; however, this recent investment is a very significant one.
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As you can see, the steps that the government is taking to support the development and prosperity of Francophone communities are significant.
I am sure you will agree that the special interest that our government has taken in Francophone Affairs is a major departure from the minimalist approach of previous years.
The Outlook for Francophone Affairs
In light of these accomplishments, can we afford to rest on our laurels? Absolutely not! We still have a lot of work to do and, in some cases, catching up is necessary.
When Premier McGuinty shared with me his expectations of the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs when we first took office, I was touched by his determination. He told me that he wanted to see a huge change to promote the development of our communities throughout the province.
On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the French Language Services Act, I would like to share with you our government's intention to breathe new life into Francophone Affairs.
In particular, we need to see real change in the area of French language services. It is becoming increasingly important to do whatever it takes to ensure that the ministries' public policies and programs are thought through and designed proactively, in response to the needs and aspirations of Francophones.
Allow me to provide you with the broad brushstrokes of the mission that we intend to give to Francophone Affairs. This mission will revolve around four key principles:
- Better access and enhanced quality of French-language services in the context of modernizing public services;
- Greater responsibility and accountability on the part of government ministries and agencies;
- Increased representation of and participation by Francophones in public debates on the directions of the government; and
- Increased visibility of Ontario's Francophonie within the international Francophone community.
Modernization
The modernization of public services is a priority issue for the Ontario public service. This exercise is designed to provide the Government of Ontario with a strategy for the delivery of public services and to increase the relevance and quality of government services.
The Office of Francophone Affairs is currently working closely with the Ministry of Government Services—the lead ministry in this area—to ensure that French language services are integrated into this process of reorientation.
The close relationship between the Office of Francophone Affairs and the Ministry of Government Services is strategic; it will give rise to actions in the area of human resource management throughout the public service, including French-language services.
In so doing, we must focus on the role of the French-language Service Coordinators and see just how closely this role reflects the new realities.
In recent years, the coordinators have done an admirable job under what have often been difficult conditions. At this point, it is important to re-evaluate the work of these professionals and, at the same time, to see how we can better support them.
Responsibility and Accountability
I believe that it is important for government ministries and agencies to take responsibility for the delivery of French-language services through accountability mechanisms that will ensure that they meet their obligations.
At the present time, the public service does not have a tool for determining whether services are improving or deteriorating. That fact is clear. Consequently, there is a need for performance measurement indicators in order to more accurately track the availability—and quality—of services.
This is a priority issue that the Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs is examining at the present time. I will be very interested to hear their recommendations.
In addition, the government has indicated its intention to create a position of Linguistic Ombudsman in order to protect the public's right to French-language services and to rigorously document any complaints that are received and the recourse that is offered.
Clearly, the current method of investigating complaints needs to be revisited. The current system does not lend itself readily to an accountability framework that involves those who are responsible for French-language services, i.e., government ministries and agencies.
Representation of, and Participation by, Francophones
Our government is of the opinion that it is critical to consult the communities so that it can base its decisions on concrete realities.
Where Ontario's Francophonie is concerned, this call for public participation has already led to the creation of the provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs. I am pleased to introduce the Committee's members, since many of them are here today.
(List of Names Read Aloud)
Diane Dubois
Denyse Culligan
Rolande Faucher
Colombe Hinse
Guy Matte
Jacques Michaud
Florence Ngenzebuhoro
Ryan Paquette
Normand Labrie
Jacqueline Pelletier
Wesley Romulus (absent)
Donald Obonsawin (absent)
In a similar vein, the creation of a Francophone working group on the local health integration networks, under the leadership of the Executive Director of Montfort Hospital, Gérald Savoie, is a reflection of our government's desire to provide Francophones with tools for representation and, consequently, for influencing the policies that affect them.
This working group represents the interests of Francophones on the very important issue of the restructuring of the health care system. It has a mandate to instruct the Local Health Integration Networks Action Group on the aspects of this restructuring exercise that affect Francophones.
Lastly, our government is working to increase the number of Francophones appointed to government agencies and commissions.
I want to emphasise this last point because it is essential to increase Francophone involvement in key areas of government decision-making.
The International Francophone Community
Lastly, our government is very interested in the Organisation internationale de la francophonie and wants Ontario's membership in this prestigious organisation to be explored seriously.
From the government's point of view, French Ontario in all of its diversity has a lot to offer the international Francophone community. It is important for Ontario to distinguish itself as a leader and to promote the advantages of its own Francophonie to the broader international community.
Naturally, this is a highly complex question requiring meticulous groundwork. There are many issues that we will need to address.
This process will be linked to a strategic process of reflection that will enable us to focus our efforts and target those actions most likely to generate positive and concrete results.
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As you know, living in French internationally or here in Ontario is first and foremost an individual choice.
Language is a tool. It is a tool that brings us back to our roots. It is a tool that enables us to articulate our thoughts, convey our emotions, and dream our dreams.
Our collective efforts will only bear fruit if each and every one of us decides to live in French and to share who we are.
In Ontario, French is first and foremost a state of mind—a state of being. It transcends legal and legislative structures. In order to flourish, the French language must first live in us. It is intimately connected to who we have been and who we are now.
More than ever, the future of the French language depends upon what we decide to become, individually and collectively.
I wish you all a good evening.
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