Official Languages Committee on Oct. 25th, 2023

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

That's a very good question.

The francophone community in Alberta has changed in the past 15 years as a result of francophone immigration. Consequently, I have to congratulate the committee because I remember the debates that took place on this issue many years ago. At the time, it was impossible to increase francophone immigration from 1.5% to 4.4%, even though it was a more sensible target. However, we've now achieved 4.4%, which is the highest we've ever had.

It will be important for us to have an agreement or more cooperation between Quebec and the Canadian government regarding francophone immigration broadly speaking.

The work that our government has done and that you have done as parliamentarians has made it possible to secure new funding totaling $137 million for the action plan. That includes $25 million for innovating in immigration and $50 million to support the francophone integration pathway and assist francophones when they arrive in Canada. This funding is for Edmonton as much it is for Atlantic Canada and the north.

I think this is a sign that the government takes francophone immigration seriously. Of course, Mr. Miller is responsible for meeting our targets, but we'll insist on setting higher and achievable targets.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you.

Since I only have 45 seconds left, you probably won't have time to tell me about your action plan. Perhaps you could do so soon. Thank you, Minister.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would like to note how important it was for Ms. Kayabaga to come to Edmonton. When MPs, whether francophone, francophile, "francocurieux" or queer, visit different regions of the country, that helps improve the situation. If more people travelled to Quebec and outside Quebec to speak both official languages, that would be a win for our linguistic duality.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Boissonnault.

Mr. Beaulieu, second vice-chair of this committee, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, according to the 2021 census data, the percentage of Quebec residents who mainly speak French at home declined from 79% in 2016 to 77.5% in 2021. Do you agree that suggests French is declining?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

When we met in my office, we agreed on the Statistics Canada figures. There are more allophones in Quebec who speak a different language at home but who can function in French.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

So you agree that these are valid figures and that French is on the decline.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

The figures are valid, and we'll be pleased to provide more.

The demographic weight has changed in Quebec; that's also the case across the country. Quebec has more people who speak French, but the demographic weight of francophones is declining.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

How do you explain the fact that the Minister of Immigration doesn't acknowledge that? He only acknowledges the decline in mother tongue use?

Two days ago, the Bloc Québécois introduced a motion in the House in which it presented Statistics Canada data, but the Liberals opposed it.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I think you have to let the minister speak for himself. It's important that he express an opinion on the subject.

However, I view the data from a certain point of view to protect the official languages across the country. I would like to see a strong francophonie in western Canada, just as I would like us to protect the language and societal rights of anglophones in Quebec.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Since the Official Languages Act was passed 53 years ago, nearly $3.5 billion has been spent essentially to support English in Quebec. I did the calculations and it adds up to 94%. That money comes from federal taxes collected in Quebec. Ultimately, the Canadian majority is using our money to impose its language on the only francophone state in North America. Will that continue?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

It's very important to note that we must protect francophones outside Quebec and anglophones in Quebec. Quebec is an incredible society, one in which French dominates, and we want both to preserve it and sustain it.

I'd like to discuss the action plan for official languages and the money allocated to anglophones. We need to discuss real things: 40% of funding granted for anglophones is used to francize them so they can enter the workforce.

In addition to being the Minister of Official Languages, I'm also the Minister of Employment and the Minister of Workforce Development. I wear several hats. I think we can agree that, to keep Quebec strong, we need people who are well trained in French so they can access the workforce.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

In the past, it was 6% of the budget at most. So will have to check that.

You say it's 40%, but, according to what the Bloc has read in the action plan for official languages, it was essentially anglophone organizations in Quebec that were consulted, and they're the ones that will be funded. You say that will be verifiable.

Is there anything that will serve to protect and promote French in Quebec?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Allow me to answer the question.

Of the $137 million that will be allocated for Quebec anglophones, $50 million will be used to francize people so they can enter the workforce. Our government is very receptive to the idea of holding discussions with Quebec regarding assistance for it to protect French and to reverse the declining demographic weight of francophones.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You said approximately 40% of new funding; that is, 40% of $137 million of new funding. However, the budget for official languages in Quebec will be approximately $150 million a year. Will 40% of that amount be used to promote French?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

That won't be the case for the moment because the responsibility of the action plan and of the Department of Official Languages is to protect official language minority communities. Consequently there's no funding for Quebec since it is predominantly francophone. However, as I said, our government is willing to consider ways to work with Quebec to reverse the declining demographic weight of francophones in that province.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

We'll take a proper look at that.

It isn't logical for 60% of new funding to be used to promote English. The budget contains no specific amounts, even though French is threatened and English is doing well in Quebec. The federal government justifies its support for English by saying that it's supporting linguistic minorities on a province-by-province basis.

However, even the UN Human Rights Committee has stated in one of its decisions that Quebec anglophones may not invoke linguistic minority rights because they're part of the Canadian majority. It even added that the majority in a province may claim minority rights if it is itself in a minority across Canada.

Do you agree that Quebec is in the minority in Canada?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I clearly stated that French was in decline and that francophones in North America constituted a minority. As you said, that has been confirmed by the UN. That being said, we can simply look at the figures.

When I meet the representatives of groups from anglophone communities in Quebec, they say they don't want to live their lives in English only. They are some of the most bilingual people in the country, and they simply want to know that their institutions and their rights are respected. As the Minister of Official Languages, I have a role to play in that regard.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Everyone agrees that there are English-language services for anglophones. Where we are less in agreement—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you very much, Mr. Beaulieu. I warned you I would be strict about speaking time.

Now we are headed for Alberta, with a stop in beautiful Manitoba.

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Thank you very much.

Minister, my question concerns French-language education in general, particularly the labour shortage in the child care services sector. For example, the Association francophone à l'éducation des services à l'enfance de l'Ontario laments the shortage of educators in francophone day care facilities.

Knowing that nearly half of Franco-Ontarian children may not have access to child care services in their language before they are old enough to go to school, what measures is the government considering to solve the critical problem, experienced across the country, of a shortage of qualified educators? Would it consider improving working conditions, offering training or attracting new professionals to the sector?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you for that very good question, Ms. Ashton.

Our concern as a government is to ensure that our child care services plan is fully implemented across the country in a manner consistent with the Official Languages Act. That, incidentally, was at issue in the initial bargaining rounds with the provinces. My ministerial colleague Jenna Sudds is responsible for that file.

We agreed that we should increase the number of training programs for educators. Under our action plan, $14.2 million is being set aside to train people on site. What's very important is that more day care centres will be created for francophones across the country and anglophones in Quebec. The issue of day care centre capacity is also important. To address it, we have a $50 million fund to develop the capacity of French-language day care centres across the country.

Colleagues, we're talking here about services from "the cradle to the rocking chair", about fostering a continuum in education. A fellow minister of mine is responsible for child care services, whereas I'm responsible for the workforce. We want to secure an educational continuum that is long enough for people who so wish to acquire their entire education in French and then access the labour market.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

I see.

The capacity of day care centres is so important. We already have a few buildings, but that's not enough. We need spaces because what we don't have is the personnel to work in the field.

Talking about the education continuum, we're aware there's a shortage of 10,000 French language teachers. This particularly affects immersion, of which I am a proud product. This shortage also affects education in French..

In order to provide a high-quality education in French across the country, how do you intend to cooperate with the provinces and territories to address the teacher shortage, which is clearly a national crisis in francophone and immersion schools across Canada?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you once again for a very appropriate question.

I would've liked to go through immersion as well, but the program was cancelled when I was 14 years old and in grade 9. I had to take the French 30 program to get into university. Imagine.

In response to your question, we've invested $16.3 million in immigration for the corridor for the selection and retention of French language teachers in order to attract francophone teachers.

In addition, why did we invest $170 million in the post-secondary education system last year? It was to ensure that institutions such as the Collège Mathieu in Gravelbourg, the Université de Saint-Boniface in Manitoba, Campus Saint-Jean in Edmonton and other institutions here in Ontario could train the next generation of teachers so they can go out into the francophone or immersion system. That's essential.

When I was parliamentary secretary to Ms. Joly, I remember that the committee had made an effort to provide more money for education. This isn't the first year that we've had that money. This is an issue that constantly has to be raised with our provincial counterparts because this is their jurisdiction. In the negotiations on minority-language education programs, this is a very important factor that affects teacher training.

I hear you clearly, Ms. Ashton. This is the issue we are dealing with. We've put the money on the table to address this labour shortage.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

I see.

Talking about labour shortages, we know that many teachers who have come to Canada in recent years are francophone immigrants. That's something that the committee discussed at length during our recent study on francophone immigration.

Would you be in favour of establishing a new pool targeting French language education as a path to immigration to offset the educational labour shortage that we discussed and that the Association canadienne des professionnels en immersion noted in its 2021 study?