Evidence of meeting #22 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was francophone.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
They do not want to take part in recruitment missions. Is that it?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
We would have gone to those countries for them. I do not know whether they are uninterested, but they did not answer us.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I know that the Université Sainte-Anne, for example, and the Université de Moncton are recruiting in the field in the countries in question.
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Yes. The Université Sainte-Anne people are going there in any case.
However, we do not deal with the universities. We deal with the colleges. There are 80 college students at the Université Sainte-Anne. Then does the university want to conduct international recruitment at the college level? That is the question we must consider. Sainte-Anne is recruiting for the university, but is it doing it at the college level?
For example, we went to France last June. We are working on recruitment, but also on mobility, so that a student can come and study here for a year and then go back to France. We are recruiting, but we also have to consider that it costs $12,000 in tuition fees alone.
The problem is getting a student visa.
It is a pain in the butt.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
We are examining that in our capacity as the federal government, and we will be moving forward soon, I suppose, because this is very important.
Are you offering training for immigrants, as stated in Commissioner Fraser's report? Is that training being given in French?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Yes, many courses in French, as a principal language or second language, are being offered to immigrants at colleges in Toronto, Ottawa, and many other places.
Liberal
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Good morning, Mr. Harvey. I am delighted to see you again.
We are talking a great deal about francophone education outside Quebec, and that interests me. I have noted two or three points from your remarks. Am I mistaken in saying that many immigrants are already enrolled at most colleges and universities outside Quebec?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Do you mean on the francophone side?
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Yes. When you admit immigrants, do many of them go to francophone colleges? What would be the percentage?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
I do not have the figures. However, as I told you, many francophone immigrants in the major cities are not proficient enough in English to study in that language and are looking for a francophone college where they can study.
These days, the education setting no longer consists of 40 students sitting in a classroom with a teacher. The process is done online or remotely, which makes it possible to provide better services.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
You also said it was difficult to organize exchanges between provinces as a result of certain professional associations.
We are admitting many immigrants these days. Have you observed an increase in the number of immigrants at francophone colleges or universities, or has there been no change?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
We have seen many changes. I do not know about the universities, but we have seen many immigrants enter our colleges. Those immigrants have not come as students. They are immigrants who come as family members, who come in other ways, and can thus study at our colleges without any problem. However, the international student pathway is another matter.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
All right, but let us talk about immigration. How can you recruit immigrants or refugees, Syrian refugees, for example, to attend francophone colleges if they do not speak the language?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Courses are given; they are called French courses, francization courses.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
You give them here.
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Yes, we give a lot of francization courses. We have previously brought in Chinese students; that is the trend these days.
Conservative
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
Chinese students did not study at a cégep or university for a year; they learned French for a year. That was part of the agreement. The same is true of Syrian or other immigrants wishing to study in French: they must first undergo francization.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Is it that way everywhere, including outside Quebec?
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
It is that way everywhere.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Perfect, that is another matter.
I have another question for you. Based on your experience, and knowing that some 5,000 francophones in the Northwest Territories are served by no college—
Director General, Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada
They are served by an organization that is not officially a college.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
In that case, how difficult is it for a francophone outside Quebec or in immersion? That organization gives immersion courses to the 5,000 francophones in the Northwest Territories, does it not?
