Evidence of meeting #76 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
NDP
5:25 p.m.
Director of Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
In our school board, if they already had some French, I would certainly have suggested immersion.
5:25 p.m.
NDP
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
The other situation that I want to tell you about is mine. When I went to high school, I was living in Toronto and I was attending Étienne-Brûlé School, a French-language school. I had come from Quebec, and so I spoke French well. However, in the schoolyard, no one else spoke French. I would go to parties where everyone would be speaking English and I would not understand anything.
Now, we are talking about teenagers. It is a little bit more difficult to convince teenagers to continue speaking French.
5:30 p.m.
Director of Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Absolutely.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
So, how can we convince them that it will be useful for them? What can the federal government do to help in this respect?
5:30 p.m.
Director of Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
I believe that Mr. Morrow and Ms. Ellwand are better able to answer your questions, because they see opportunities in all of these activities.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay.
Unfortunately, we are out of time.
It is 5:30 p.m. and the bells are ringing.
I want to thank everyone for their testimony.
Madam Ellwand, who's here via video conference, Madam Adams and Mr. Morrow, here at the committee, thank you very much for your testimony. It's been very useful. Thank you to members of the committee for their participation.
Without further ado, this meeting is adjourned.