Official Languages Committee on Nov. 18th, 2025

[Denis Prud'homme]

No problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I now give the floor to Mr. Beaulieu for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Prud’homme, you said that about 27% of Acadians spoke primarily French at home, compared to about 31% before. Can you give us more information about that?

[Denis Prud'homme]

The proportion I mentioned fell from 31.5% to 27.7% in 2021. We can assume that this decline is continuing at present. A bit like everywhere else in Canada, there’s an anglicization of the new generation.

There’s also a lot of competition among post-secondary educational institutions. Anglophone universities are reaching out to Acadian students by offering them substantial scholarships. So, some choose to continue their studies in English instead of coming to the University of Moncton. That’s why, this year, we’re trying to increase the scholarships we offer, to be more competitive.

You know, every year, between 150 and 200 Acadian students apply for admission to the University of Moncton and are accepted, but do not show up in September. This means that they were approached by other universities. Sometimes, they’re francophone universities, like Université Laval, but they’re often anglophone universities because they offer much larger scholarships.

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

It’s quite dramatic.

It is also interesting to note the trend that has been observed due to the famous provision that services must be offered to the minority where the numbers justify it. In other words, when French is in decline somewhere, there are fewer services in French, as they are less justified by the number of rights holders. So, instead of changing this criterion, there was a tendency to modify the indicators of linguistic vitality. People then started to consider the first official language spoken, for example. Recently, the potential demand for minority language services has even been added to the indicators. However, it conceals the decline of French. I think it’s better to face reality and take action, rather than always quoting new statistics.

What we see is that the risk of assimilation is also concerning in New Brunswick and Acadia, the main locus of resistance for francophones outside Quebec.

[Denis Prud'homme]

You raise the issue of the definition of a francophone. There are about seven different definitions, and the percentage can vary from 15% to 20%, depending on the definition used. When trying to justify a service, the arguments presented often use the definition according to which the number of francophones will be highest. However, as you mentioned quite accurately, it can conceal a significant decrease in the number of people who speak French at home.

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

My next question is for Ms. Lavoie.

I find what you said very interesting. It has always appeared absurd to me that there is always, it seems, an increase in funding for the teaching of French as a second language, compared to education in French as a first language.

You said that education in the minority language received only 38% of base funding. Could you tell us a little more about this? The rest of the money would therefore be allocated to teaching French as a second language. Is that right?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

In our province, we receive about $6 million for education in the minority language, while that figure is just over $10 million for the teaching of French as a second language.

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

So, according to what you’re saying, all of the funding should instead be dedicated to education in the minority language.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

In fact, we recommend at least a reversal of the percentages, meaning we should receive more funding than that allocated to the teaching of French as a second language.

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

You don’t necessarily want to reduce funding for the teaching of French as a second language, but you at least want there to be enough funding for education in the minority language. Indeed, it is somewhat illogical to increase funding for French as a second language if funding for education in the minority language is insufficient.

I find it interesting because it’s what we saw in the new approach that was adopted by Ms. Joly, among others. It was announced that funding for the teaching of French as a second language would be increased. On the other hand, nothing was announced for the funding of education in the minority language, although there has still been some increase, I believe.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

The base funding hasn’t really increased. We have received additional funds. In this respect, second language education receives four times more funding than education in the minority language. It’s huge. Imagine everything we could offer if we had better funding.

It should be noted that the OLEP, the official languages in education program, does not target basic education. This aspect falls under provincial jurisdiction; that’s agreed. The OLEP is for doing additional activities, to offer additional programs, to enhance what we should already be doing. Remember that, as a francophone school board, we have a dual mandate: language and culture. It’s not just about teaching French. It’s about teaching in French, but also about bringing to life all this culture, and francophone cultures, in fact. Indeed, as mentioned earlier, immigration brings many francophone cultures to our country.

So, to echo your words, we find it very absurd that French immersion receives four times more funding than the French-language school board.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Mr. Beaulieu, your time is up. Thank you very much.

Colleagues, given the time we have left, about 16 minutes, I have a proposal for you for the second round of questions. Five members will speak, namely Mr. Godin, Ms. Mingarelli, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Bélanger, and Mr. Villeneuve. Normally, the Conservatives and the Liberals have five minutes, while the Bloc Québécois has two and a half minutes, but I propose to do the same as with the first group of witnesses, that is, three minutes for the Conservatives and the Liberals, and one and a half minutes for Mr. Beaulieu. I will thus reduce speaking times proportionally.

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

I would have preferred that we have speaking times of five minutes, five minutes, and two and a half minutes. Otherwise, I’m losing a lot of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I understand, and I’m open to the will of the committee. I propose that the parties talk to each other if they want to change how we proceed. I respect the committee’s wishes, but the committee’s approval is needed to do it. Given the little time we have left, I suggest we do as I proposed for the 15 minutes we have remaining today. Next time, you can change the way we proceed if you want.

Does that work?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I’ll tell you: we will discuss it.

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

Perfect.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor for three minutes.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I’ll continue in the same vein as my colleague concerning the difference between funding for second‑language education and funding for minority‑language education.

I don’t understand. Sincerely, Ms. Lavoie, I don’t know what’s happening in British Columbia. You constantly have to fight. You get court judgments, but you have to fight to have them applied. The situation in British Columbia is quite unique.

In fact, before going into more detail, I’d like to know the reasons for this situation.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

That’s a good question. Honestly, I don’t know the reason for it. What I know is that, unfortunately, we always have to fight and we must never, ever give up. We’re exhausted from having to fight.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Doesn’t this demonstrate a lack of will from the provincial government, the federal government or even both?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

I think a large part falls to the provincial government, but the federal government also has its share in this.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Is there currently an agreement between Canada and British Columbia that binds the two levels of government?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

To my recollection, there isn’t, but Ms. Bernier can correct me if I’m wrong.

[Pascale Bernier]

In fact, it depends on who you’re talking to, Mr. Godin.

Let me explain. When we had meetings with representatives from the province, we were told that there was an agreement, but we can’t find the published agreement.