Thank you all for being here today. Your presentations are very interesting and your experiences are truly inspiring.
My name is François Choquette and I represent the riding of Drummond. The city of Drummondville is well known for its poutine, of course. You can try it if you ever go there, although it is not very healthy. I am a French teacher by profession. So I admire what you do. Finally, as a member of the NDP, I am currently vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
We went to British Columbia and learned that French as a second language courses were not mandatory. Many school boards have decided not to offer them. There is no French immersion program or French-as-a-second-language course. This is a gap.
As I understand it, in Manitoba, the province or the department does not make the teaching of French as a second language compulsory, but virtually every school or school board provides it.
What is the reality? Do all children have the opportunity to do French immersion? My understanding is that about 13% of anglophones in Manitoba have access to French immersion.
Do all the others have access to French-as-a-second-language courses?