Until 2018, the protocols between the federal government and the provincial education ministers didn't state the percentage distribution of funding between minority and immersion schools. It wasn't until the most recent protocol, the one from 2019 to 2023, that there was any such clarity. However, the rules provide that a province may change the funding distribution between immersion and French-language schools, provided they inform Ottawa of the change.
Earlier we heard witnesses complain about the lack of funding. However, it's extremely difficult to get any information from Ottawa or to know whether a province has altered the funding distribution, as it's entitled to do, even if it has signed the protocol.
I tried to do it. I contacted all the authorities and was told I could get the information, but I didn't even get an acknowledgement of receipt. It's very hard to find this out. There's clarity in principle, but, in actual fact, it's still very hard to get that information.
Earlier Ms. Ashton mentioned the teacher shortage. Immersion and French-language schools compete with each other to recruit French-language teachers.
If French-language schools remain underfunded and immersion schools raise salaries, French schools won't be able to compete with immersion schools, and the teacher shortage will worsen for French schools.