Evidence of meeting #94 for Official Languages in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was programs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
The new structure set up by the Association francophone pour le savoir, Acfas, led by Thierry Drapeau, has been extremely helpful to us in obtaining research funding.
To my knowledge, federal funding for research in French is not very much. Research by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is funded, but a lot of that research is done in English.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
It seems a little strange to hear that federal funding is not enough, yet we don't know how much it amounts to.
Mr. Good, do you have an amount in mind?
Co-President, Association des universitaires de la faculté Saint-Jean
I don't know the amount, but I would say that all the federal announcements I've attended concerned investments in infrastructure.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
That's fine.
My next question is also for both of you.
How much provincial funding does your institution receive for research each year?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
Your question is a little vague, Mr. Iacono. Do you mean research in French?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
Do you mean research on francophone communities done in French?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
I'm not in a position to answer that question.
Co-President, Association des universitaires de la faculté Saint-Jean
The Campus Saint-Jean report does not include these figures, because at the provincial level, the money is allocated to the institution. Since research funds are not distributed among faculties, I don't have the figures for Campus Saint-Jean.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
In your opinion, is there more university revenue for the English language than for the French language? Yes or no?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
What do you mean by university revenue?
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
It's the money you get for research from the federal government, whether it's for the English language or the French language. It's money to encourage your professors to conduct research in French or in English.
Would you know about this?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
Absolutely. As I was saying, there are measures in place, particularly in collaboration with Acfas, an organization you've probably dealt with. We set up an office to support research in French. Obviously, in a structure like Simon Fraser University's and in most ethics committees, for example, all this work is done mainly in English. The same goes for funding applications to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, or NSERC, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, or SSHRC, and the health institutes. The Acfas project is therefore very promising. We support it, and we've already met to support our researchers here. There is research being done in French, at the international level.
You're asking me to give you figures. I could find you some. There are people who do research on language education, on French-language teaching. There are some figures, but I'm trying to pin down what you're referring to.
Are you thinking specifically about funding from the federal government?
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Exactly. We've asked other institutions the same question: How much money does the federal government give to institutions that do research, that offer students the opportunity to do research and complete master's degrees in French, for example?
If we hear that French is in decline but we don't know how much money you're investing or how much you receive from the federal government to support research in French, it's difficult to gauge what your needs are.
I will ask you my next question. Federal funding is important, but the provinces also need to get involved. In fact, federal funding must be accompanied by provincial funding.
Does the province give you less funding than it gives to institutions that serve the linguistic majority?
Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, Simon Fraser University
Definitely. Mr. Good, I didn't mean to interrupt you, but SSHRC used to have programs that supported minority communities. They were called CURAs, or Community-University Research Alliances, which no longer exist. That is a shame, because these programs worked really well.
SSHRC, to name just one organization, has programs aimed at indigenous communities. It seems to me that the federal government could participate in these programs, which are working well, with the provincial departments of post-secondary education, of course. The provinces have a role to play; if that's the point you wanted to make, I agree with you.
However, I think it's quite clear that federal research funding institutions aren't doing enough to support research in French outside Quebec. The Association francophone pour le savoir, Acfas, has published a report from an extremely well-done study showing all the shortcomings in the area of research.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Is Canada's current system of post-secondary institutions adequately meeting the needs of francophone communities outside Quebec?
Co-President, Association des universitaires de la faculté Saint-Jean
I would say yes, to a certain extent, in terms of infrastructure. On that point, that's certainly true. Then again, I would say that there are still some challenges when it comes to Campus Saint-Jean and its students.
Now let's talk about translation, for example. Since Faculté Saint-Jean is part of an English-speaking university, most services pertaining to student loans and top-up grants for both foreign and Canadian students are offered entirely in English. It seems to me that the federal government is a key pillar in ensuring the translation of documents related to these services. This would provide access to our French-speaking students, and especially to francophones who don't have the language skills needed to fill out these forms in English. I think this is essential.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Thank you, Mr. Good and Mr. Iacono.
The next few questions will be asked by the Bloc Québécois. The second vice-chair of this committee, Mr. Beaulieu, has the floor for six minutes.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I also want to thank our guests.
I will start with a question for Mr. Good.
We know that, for several generations, teaching French was completely banned by law in Alberta. This resulted in a very significant assimilation of francophones in Alberta.
In your view, has the Alberta government acknowledged that fact? Has some form of redress been made or is in the process of being made?
Co-President, Association des universitaires de la faculté Saint-Jean
I would say yes, to a certain extent. The provincial government recognizes its obligations and the role it must play in correcting the wrongs of the past, if I can put it in those terms. I would also say that the provincial government continues to be involved in consultations, in events to further enrich francophone culture, the French-speaking culture in Alberta, and enhance the vitality of the community.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
In 2020, financial and administrative measures taken against Campus Saint-Jean gave rise to a whole movement to defend the campus.
Campus Saint-Jean is the only French-language post-secondary institution in Alberta. I don't think it offers all study programs. It provides some. How do you explain these financial measures, among others, that forced organizations like the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta, or ACFA, to launch the “Save Saint-Jean” campaign?
How is it that you've been reduced to resorting to such tactics?
Co-President, Association des universitaires de la faculté Saint-Jean
You're talking about the ACFA initiative aimed at the provincial government and the University of Alberta.
I'm not quite sure how to answer your question. Could you maybe rephrase it?
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I find it astounding that the only campus offering French-language education in Alberta has to fight these kinds of battles to secure its existence. Even the ACFA has drafted a brief stating that underfunding is jeopardizing French-language post-secondary education in Alberta. In my opinion, this is not exactly a sign that the Alberta government is willing to correct a wrong.