Official Languages Committee on Nov. 18th, 2025

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

In that case, I understand the confusion somewhat.

When I look at the table presented in your brief, I see a disproportion in the funding. As you mentioned, minority‑language education receives $6 million, compared to $10 million for second‑language education.

In most other provinces and territories, minority‑language education receives much more funding than second‑language education.

There seems to be a lack of intention or will. We need to find out where we can intervene. Indeed, we want to help you because what you do is important.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

I would add that we also need to take into account the province’s contribution. Normally, according to that agreement, the province should provide the same amount as the federal government. So, if we receive $6 million from the federal government, we should also receive $6 million from the provincial government. When we ask the representatives of the province, we’re told that we already receive that amount.

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

So they’re playing with the numbers, and the agreement is nowhere to be found. Your school board is being limited in its activities.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

Exactly.

If the OLEP didn’t exist, we would receive the same funding from the province. We are therefore lacking at least $6 million a year, and that’s been the case for years.

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

This amount would put you on the same footing as second‑language education.

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

If we received the provincial contribution, yes, that would be right.

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

How much time do I have left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

You have three seconds left.

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

Thank you. In that case I’ll wait for my next turn to speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

Ms. Mingarelli, you have the floor for three minutes.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much to all the witnesses for being with us today. My questions will be for Ms. Lavoie and Ms. Bernier.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia declared that “majority school boards…must consider the importance of minority French-language education when the CSF asks them to transfer sites that are surplus…or under-utilized.”

How do English school boards generally respond when you request the transfer of surplus or under-utilized sites?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

It varies.

It should be noted, regarding the ruling you mentioned, that the Vancouver School Board was our opponent in that case. They react very poorly and really want to keep everything.

There are English school boards that absolutely want to keep their lands and sites. Indeed, it’s not just about land, but about sites, including buildings.

However, there are other school boards that are happy to work with us. I’m thinking of the one in Burnaby, with whom we had excellent collaboration. We successfully acquired a site from that school board. As well, not so long ago, we held the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a school that we had been waiting for for a very long time.

The reaction varies from one place to another. In British Columbia, there are 59 English school boards and just one French school board. So, we handle it on a case‑by‑case basis.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Good; thank you.

My second question is directed particularly to you, Ms. Lavoie.

You stated that the Supreme Court of British Columbia gives a lot of leeway to the province to remain reactionary rather than proactively helping the CSF overcome challenges in finding sites and building schools as required by case law.

In your opinion, what measures should the province implement to move from a reactive approach to genuine proactive planning?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

That’s a hard question to answer.

I think we need to work better together. We need to come to an agreement with the province. The province needs to understand the needs of the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie‑Britannique. We always keep repeating what makes us unique. We’re the only school board that covers the entire province. There are places where there are no schools at all, even though there are rights holders' children. The province needs to understand—and needs to want to understand—our unique situation.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you very much,

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Mingarelli.

I now give the floor to Mr. Beaulieu for one minute and a half.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I find it outrageous to hear that. In Quebec, the funding granted to anglophone schools is higher than it should be, based on the proportion of English speakers. We’re called racists because of Bill 101 by provincial governments that systematically underfund French schools after having tried to voluntarily assimilate francophones. It's a bit shocking. I apologize, it may not help you, but it might increase the pressure.

You talked about welcoming immigrants and mentioned that they should be informed about the existence of French schools. Would it not be more logical to try to direct French‑speaking immigrants to places where there are French schools, without forcing them to do so, of course?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

Indeed, we can’t force them to do so, but we still need to talk to them and let them know that they exist. I think it's coming, progress is being made, but there’s still a lot of work to be done in that respect.

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

I completely agree with you.

For the University of Moncton, do you find that francophone immigrants are systematically directed toward francophone universities? Are there any mechanisms that exist?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I would ask you to respond very briefly, as there are only 10 seconds left.

[Denis Prud'homme]

Yes.

This year, we saw an increase in the number of permanent residents attending the University of Moncton. So that was a nice surprise for us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

I now give the floor to Mr. Godin for three minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You stated that, according to the 2021 census, there are apparently 43,000 rights holders in British Columbia. However, you only serve 14% of them, so about 6,000 rights holders.

According to the law, services must be provided where the numbers justify it. Mathematically, such numbers justify it. Has there really been no change in funding from the federal government or the provincial government?

[Marie-Pierre Lavoie]

No, there hasn’t been any.

As you mentioned earlier, we still have to fight to be able to start offering programs in places where there are none. Currently, our board of directors is considering opening two programs, in Castlegar and Creston. We receive no funding from the province for the first year of a new program, as the funding formula is based on the previous year. Since this program did not exist last year, the students entering the system are not counted.

When anglophones want to open a new school, the students have already been counted, so they already have that funding.

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

What I understand, Ms. Lavoie, is that you take a risk by launching a program, and you cover the funding for the first year.