Even though the professional associations are under the jurisdiction of the provinces, I believe that the federal government can be a leader on an issue such as this. It can challenge the provinces on the issue of credential recognition. It can ensure that the language issue is taken into consideration in the work that the professional associations do and that there is fair access to training material that provides access to certain disciplines.
There are a host of actions that the federal government could take to demonstrate its leadership. It must start by understanding its responsibilities regarding the vitality of the francophone communities. It will be difficult to enhance the vitality of francophone communities in the context of a shortage in which people are unable to have their credentials recognized or find ways to complete the training that would enable them to access the professions. That work should be started.