Official Languages Committee on Nov. 25th, 2013

[Jocelyne Lalonde]

I cannot speak for them, but I am sure that, for the European countries in which French plays an important role, the fact that people can speak both official languages is certainly an asset. In a number of other European countries, French is not the first language. But Italian and Spanish are in the same family.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mrs. Lalonde.

My next question goes to the representatives from the Peel District School Board.

People say that it is not difficult to find qualified teachers for these programs, but you are talking about a shortage? Who is right?

[Shawn Moynihan]

We can speak to our experience in Peel. It has been difficult to find committed, fluent, qualified French immersion teachers. That has been the difficulty in our board.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Do you make an effort to recruit francophone teachers from other provinces? You are in Ontario, but do you let francophone teachers in other provinces know that you have jobs for them? I am thinking about Quebec. A lot of francophone teachers might be interested.

[Scott Moreash]

Absolutely. Our recruiting process does take us into the province of Quebec—for example, looking for teachers. In fact it would take us across Canada in some instances. Certainly we have hiring processes in place that specifically target a search for—again—qualified, fluent, and committed teachers to teach in our FI programs.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Ms. St-Denis, the floor is yours.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Thank you.

First, I have a question for Mr. Moynihan.

You mentioned a survey that you conducted with parents of children in immersion, but you did not talk about the result.

What did your survey say about why people enrol their children in immersion schools?

[Shawn Moynihan]

Thank you.

Through you, Mr. Chair, we have some sample responses for what parents said as to why. The most prevalent response was “to open doors to future opportunities for my child”. Another frequent response was “to increase my child's appreciation of other languages and cultures”. The third most frequent response was “to help my child learn French, the language we speak at home”. The fourth most common response was “to help my child get into a post-secondary institution”, and the next most common one was “to enhance my child's future potential”. The next one was “to increase my child's opportunities for success in a rapidly changing global economy”.

[Scott Moreash]

We've also heard anecdotally from parents—sorry.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Not many people say that they send their children to immersion to improve their job prospects. No one says that it is in order to get a job.

But what is the attitude of immigrants to immersion? Do first-generation immigrants send their children to immersion?

[Shawn Moynihan]

Yes, we have many English language learners who are registered in French immersion schools.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Is that for the same reasons?

[Shawn Moynihan]

Yes, for the same reasons.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mrs. Lalonde, when immersion programs are being developed, what role does an introduction to francophone culture in Canada have? Does French-Canadian culture come first, then the culture of the various minority francophone groups? Are children introduced to the culture in the programs? Is that done, or is it just about teaching the language?

[Jocelyne Lalonde]

Do you want me to talk about the post-secondary level?

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

No. So I will ask the school board representatives that question.

[Scott Moreash]

I'm sorry, could we ask you to repeat the question?

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Do you want it repeated in English?

What I want to know is if you teach French culture in your courses, the culture of Quebec and the culture of all other French communities in Canada? Is it in the program to do that?

[Scott Moreash]

Absolutely yes. That would in fact be an important part of our teaching of French as a second language, not only in the immersion program but in our extended programs and our core French programs as well. Culture is a very important part. It isn't only a language acquisition course; it's a holistic approach to French as a second language.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

You said that 20% of the people who enrol at university come from immersion. What is the percentage from francophone communities outside Quebec?

[Jocelyne Lalonde]

At the moment, there are between 24,000 and 25,000 students in the universities with programs in French. Of that number, about 5,500 come from immersion. The rest are from francophone communities.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Do you believe that French immersion programs help in a tangible way with the survival of the most threatened francophone communities in the country? Do you feel that it will be necessary to create different programs for the other francophone communities outside Quebec where French is threatened with extinction?

Do immersion course help to breathe life into Saint Boniface, for example? Take any francophone community. Do immersion courses help the vitality of those communities?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I think that question was for the Peel District School Board.

Madame St-Denis is asking if French immersion programs strengthen and contribute to the vitality of official language minority communities living in places like Welland, Ontario, or St. Boniface in Winnipeg or places like that.

[Scott Moreash]

It's difficult. We can't speak for any other jurisdiction but our own. We are a suburb of Toronto where the percentage of francophone population in the overall population I suspect is relatively low, but certainly we've seen, just from interest in French immersion programs, that not only does it certainly vitalize and bring life to an individual school but given the demand for FI programs, it really also adds a lot to the program offerings that we can bring to our school.

As for other jurisdictions, I'm sorry but I can't speak of them.