Thank you.
Mr. Chair, esteemed members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, thank you for inviting me here as you carry out your study on the state of Canada's Francophonie.
This past November 15 has been called “Black Thursday” and with reason. In its fall economic outlook, the provincial government attacked the francophonie by proposing to withdraw funding from the Université de l'Ontario français. It also proposes to eliminate the French Languages Services Commission and transfer the part of the Commissioner's mandate that deals with complaints to the provincial ombudsman.
These two decisions have led to our province's biggest linguistic crisis since they tried to shut down the Montfort hospital in 1997.
The only positive outcome of these ill-informed decisions is that it has more than ever united francophones and francophiles from coast to coast.
Over the course of the previous weekend, almost 15,000 people, francophones and anglophones alike, took to the streets in Ontario to make two points.
Firstly, they came together to celebrate with pride our French language, our culture and our heritage.
Secondly, they took to the streets to tell the provincial government that these two institutions are necessary to our survival and that we need them to protect and promote our language and culture.
We all wished to make sure that the premier was left with no doubt as to the essential role of these two institutions.
I would like to thank the people who came out. They were loud but peaceful. Our community was able to present a positive image when all eyes in the province, in the country and even in the world were on us.
It is not only the vast majority of francophones and anglophones that support us. The five federal political parties are with us, as well as the opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the Government of Quebec, and many representatives of the big media outlets, such as The Sun, Le Devoir, La Presse, Le Droit, The Ottawa Citizen, The Globe and Mail, andThe Toronto Star, to name but a few, who have supported us in their editorials and columns. We are extremely grateful for this wave of solidarity that has come from all corners of the country.
The Government of Ontario has based its decision to attack two Franco-Ontarian institutions on economic reasons. This is why the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario was so thrilled to see that the Government of Canada is willing to foot the bill for at least 50% of the costs of setting up the Université de l'Ontario français.
We would like to thank all federal political parties for their leadership and their willingness to find a solution. We are nearly there.
In order to avoid irreparable damage to the Franco-Ontarian community by pushing back the timeframe in which the institution would welcome its first students, which is set for September 2020, I sent a letter to the Premier of Ontario and to the Minister for Francophone Affairs. You will receive a copy of this letter. It contains all the necessary information so that the Government of Ontario may present a request for funding to Canada at its earliest convenience.
The Government of Ontario therefore has all it needs to quickly make a request for funding to the Government of Canada. The Government of Canada has this letter and therefore has what is required to get the ball rolling.
The Franco-Ontarian and francophile communities need a Franco-Ontarian university which is managed by and for francophones in a region that has the least amount of post-secondary programs in French but which is where those communities are growing exponentially.
Let me be clear: the Université de l'Ontario français exists. It hasn't had an easy time of it up until now. You will find the university's history at tab 1 in the document that we have distributed. This historical context clearly shows how much a French-language university is needed in Toronto.
The university has had its own enabling legislation since last year which was passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. You can read the legislation at tab 2. You will see that the institution has all the attributes of a real university: a senate, a board, a chancellor, a president, and so on.
The University has already published its first annual report on its operations which you will find at tab 3. I encourage you to read it.
Finally, tab 4 contains answers to certain basic questions that will help dismiss some myths and stereotypes.
We must keep in mind the following: the Université de l'Ontario français exists. It already has quite a few employees and it will open its doors to its first students in September 2020. Unfortunately, the Government of Ontario wishes to eliminate this institution. The AFO is requesting that all federal parties act, and act quickly, to save it.
As well, Madame Joly said that she would do anything in her power to support Franco-Ontarians. The Government of Canada's position is clear. It is ready to be a partner with the Government of Ontario by funding at least half of the university's opening costs over the next eight years. In the past, the Government of Canada provided the significant funding needed to launch la Cité collégiale and Collège Boréal. The Government of Canada has the programs in place to support a project like the university. The province has simply to submit the project, and the federal government can help fund at least 50%, if not much more.
L'AFO asks that the federal government show leadership at this time of national crisis and provide, without delay, the funding required for l'Université de l'Ontario français to continue its operations for the next few years, even if that means that over the life of a five- or eight-year federal-provincial agreement, 100% of the funding in the first few years comes solely from Ottawa.
Thank you very much for listening. The Ontario francophonie and the official languages minority communities need you.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.