From the outset, Raymond Théberge warns that a number of key questions are barely addressed “in this report”: “This should not be seen as an omission, but as a result of a necessary arrangement for a concise report emphasizing some sectors that are suffering or preparing. to know about major changes related to the modern Law [sur les langues officielles]».
Among the areas where Ottawa still has work to do regarding language rights, education – especially early childhood – and immigration stand out.
It also notes “worrying delays” in paying money for the basic work of community groups. Some of them are more than a year late. The commissioner directs Canadian Heritage to monitor the amounts, as the department promised to do in the last Action Plan.
“Although they are up compared to previous years, the amounts mentioned in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028. […] still well below the need measured by [les organismes communautaires].»
In response to the report, the Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities (FCFA) affirms in a press release a year and a half after the publication of the Action Plan, “the precarious situation of the groups that keep the French alive throughout the country is not. it has hardly changed” because of problems with the circulation of money.
Also read: Finances of French organizations still in the red
Requirement of special language clauses in agreements
The Commissioner is also committed to examining the Pan-Canadian Early Learning and Child Care Plan to determine if it really helps Francophones in minority situations benefit from daycare spaces for their children.
“It would be impossible for everyone [communautés de langues officielles en situation minoritaire (CLOSM)] they cannot benefit from this progressive policy,” the report affirms.
In response to a question from Francopresse about the absence of clauses in intergovernmental agreements, Raymond Théberge regrets that “in the history of the relationship between the provinces, the territories and the federal government, there are many freedom of agreement”.
He insisted that the contracts were “the tool par excellence” to guarantee places in French day care outside of Quebec.
On Tuesday, at a meeting of the Official Languages Committee in the House of Commons, two experts definitely put in the need to have “special classes for Francophones to support stable and continuous funding” in agreements that have been passed federal government and the provinces and territories, but also in the action plans of the last official languages.
“It all depends on the province or region, it is gradual,” said the director general of the National Commission of Francophone Parents (CNPF), Jean-Luc Racine, in front of the committee representatives.
The latter and president of the CNPF, Gillian Anderson, recalled for example that Alberta did not have a language clause. Even worse, they claim that no federal funding has been set aside for day care in minority settings since the Official Languages Action Plan in March 2023.
For Raymond Théberge, these contracts should lead to “evaluative innovations […] study and […] transparency and accountability” of the federal government.
It repeats in several places in the report the pending regulation of Part VII of the Official Languages Act, which relates to the duty of federal institutions to consult with OLMCs and the necessary measures be taken to encourage the inclusion of linguistic clauses.
Structural and financial problems in education
The Commissioner of Official Languages recalls that, in the field of education, demand “exceeds current capacity”, especially in early childhood, with a “severe” shortage of qualified workers.
Read also: Early childhood, severe lack of services in French
In addition to this is the fact that the cost of wages and infrastructure is not taken into account in the amounts granted for childcare services. All this leaves “the next generation vulnerable to assimilation,” the report says.
Regarding primary and secondary education, from 5 to 17 years old, Raymond Théberge expects the federal government to implement the commitment to regularly identify the number of children of rights holders who deserve French education in a minority situation, as ensured in the Official Languages Act.
The commissioner is also awaiting data from the next Statistics Canada survey on official minority languages that is expected to guide the federal government to “strengthen the continuity so essential to the vitality of OLMCs”.
He remembers that “more than a third” of the children of rights holders who qualify for a French education outside of Quebec have never attended minority schools.
Raymond Théberge also focuses on post-secondary education, which suffers from “continuous structural and operational underfunding” that shows the “visible effects” obtained by intergovernmental agreements.
Also read: The federal government does not accept all obligations
Francophone immigration in the commissioner’s view
The commissioner also emphasizes that some post-secondary institutions see in the government’s recent decision to a cap the number of search permits issued to foreigners, a “negative effect […] on their financial stability and the offer of programs in French.
Immigration is still one of the main factors in recruiting French speakers, Gillian Anderson and Jean-Luc Racine argued on Tuesday in a parliamentary committee. Not only to fill job shortages in all areas of French education, but also to maintain demand for French programs.
Raymond Théberge also encourages the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to “actively” listen to French OLMCs and take into account “their concerns and the recent recommendation of the Committee.” [des langues officielles de la Chambre des Communes]» regarding immigration.
The latter includes making recognize to the IRCC that its targets of 6%, 7% and 8% for the years 2024, 2025 and 2026 are not sufficient.
The MPs also ask IRCC to gradually reach the 20% target set by the FCFA until 2036.
Also read: French immigration outside Quebec: the FCFA wants a progressive “repair” target from 2024
2024-10-09 16:22:00
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