Evidence of meeting #11 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was university.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Poirier, by way of a conclusion, at least as regards my remarks, I would like to know whether you would like to put us onto any specific challenges, concerning Quebec's CEGEPs, which should be considered in the short or medium term.
Member of the Board of Directors, Director General, Cégep de l'Outaouais, Fédération des cégeps
Your question concerns everything relating to official language learning. We're currently concerned with establishing a college-level finishing standard for second-language learning. That will apply to both anglophone colleges, for proficiency in French, and francophone colleges for proficiency in English. I think that's the major issue right now.
I must say that we are a bit overwhelmed. I think we're doing everything that can be done. I am the director general of the Cégep de l'Outaouais. As you'll understand, the second-language proficiency level there is perhaps higher than elsewhere. These students are subject to general training core curriculum requirements that involve a fairly large number of courses given in the second language. We offer these students the opportunity to study English literature, Shakespeare, for example, but they can also choose to learn a third language once they have demonstrated their language proficiency by means of an evaluation. Spanish and German are the languages most taught at my college.
I think we've gone as far as we could. These requirements apply throughout the curriculum. I was even awarded a booby prize by the defenders of the French language. We have an agreement with Heritage College. In administrative technologies, for example, the business law course is given in English at Heritage College for students from the Cégep de l'Outaouais, and in French at the Cégep de l'Outaouais for Heritage College students. There are second-language proficiency requirements for all courses in the program, which is three years long.
The Vice-Chair NDP Yvon Godin
Thank you.
I'd like to thank our witnesses.
Our study will continue. We don't particularly like the situation, but we must take note of it. I believe we could draft a report expressing the wish that services and bilingualism will be improved in Canada.
Thank you and good day.
The meeting is adjourned.
