Evidence of meeting #5 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was programs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Associate Director, Instructional Support Services, Peel District School Board
Yes. The language of instruction officially in our IB program is English.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Okay, so you offer it in English. You don't offer it in French?
4:15 p.m.
Associate Director, Instructional Support Services, Peel District School Board
Correct.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
And that would be a cause and effect for the dropout, I suspect.
Do you have late immersion programs?
4:15 p.m.
Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction Support Services., Peel District School Board
Yes.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
4:15 p.m.
Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction Support Services., Peel District School Board
Through you, Chair, we start in grade 7.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you very much, Madame Bateman, for your questions.
We'll now give the floor to the member from New Brunswick Southwest, Mr. Williamson.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Chair, the opposition members have not yet had a chance to ask questions.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Okay, fine. Excuse me, Mr. Chair.
My questions go to the representatives of both organizations. First, I would like to talk to the witness from the Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne.
What will be your challenges be in the next 10 years? In your institutions, one student in five comes from immersion programs, meaning that one student is anglophone while the other four of the five are francophones. Given the way in which schools change and given the number of students currently registered in them, what will be your main challenges in the next 10 years?
4:15 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
Our challenges in—
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
I am talking about the challenges that your schools have to face. Are you afraid that there may be fewer students in your schools in 10 years?
4:15 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
Actually, there are three client groups in universities and colleges outside Quebec: immersion students, francophones who have studied in French all their lives, and international students. At the Université de Moncton, in New Brunswick, the proportion of international students is almost at 20%. That client group is increasingly a presence in our universities and colleges.
In some regions of Canada, the young francophone demographic is declining. Clearly, at the moment, that decline is being felt more in the Atlantic region than in western Canada. Nevertheless, the number of students in our universities is staying the same, because of an increase in the number of immersion students and especially in the number of international students.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
In New Brunswick, where I live, we are already seeing changes in the number of students attending our schools.
Do you think that the number of international students and students coming from elsewhere in Canada is going to be able to solve the problems in the Atlantic region?
4:15 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
For the time being, the increase in the number of international students is allowing us to maintain the number of students we have.
In addition, the universities and colleges outside Quebec are working together more and more in order to provide on-line programs. We are offering more and more distance education. It allows us to offer more programs than a single university could. That kind of collaboration allows us to offer distance education programs that can be used in a number of francophone communities. Several universities use them at the same time.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Do those programs work reasonably well for students who are not on campus?
4:15 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
Actually, those programs can be offered in more than one way. It is always important for a student to have support in person. Some courses can be offered as distance learning options, but the student can also have access to educational support in person at a university or college.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
How do you assess the second language French competency of students coming from immersion programs across the country who want to enrol in the universities in your network?
4:20 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
When they arrive at the post-secondary level, either university or college, immersion students have a very good understanding of French.
Ms. St-Denis was asking earlier how they integrate into our communities. They integrate as members of French-speaking Canada. Just today, I was at a meeting where the person in charge was a student with two anglophone parents. She had been in immersion programs all her life and spoke French as well as I do. They integrate into our communities.
Basically, people who are in immersion from elementary to post-secondary level have very good French skills.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Mr. Williamson and Mrs. Lalonde.
Now we'll give the floor to Mr. Benskin.
November 25th, 2013 / 4:20 p.m.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Good afternoon. Thank you for being part of our meeting today. My question goes to either one of you.
How can we encourage high school students in immersion to continue studies in French?
Mrs. Lalonde, you are saying that, at the moment, some French-speaking universities have assistance programs for students who come from immersion schools but who do not necessarily have confidence in their ability to operate in French.
4:20 p.m.
Director General, Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne
Let me answer your second question.
We are conducting a study at the moment in which we are asking high school immersion students to tell us why they would continue to study in French at university or college level. We are also asking them what would cause them not to. We want to find out about the obstacles they see and the fears they have, so that we can put in place the support they are going to need at university.
At elementary school and high school, they are studying with other anglophones who are also learning French. But at college or university, they are studying with francophones. We have to be able to provide those students with separate and appropriate services that meet their own personal needs. We have to let them know about that opportunity so that they can trust their own ability to succeed at post-secondary level. That is important for them, because their future is at stake.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you.
I'll go over to you, Mr. Moynihan.
What do you feel can be done at the secondary level to encourage immersion students studying in French to continue their studies in French at the university level?