Ottawa, November 19, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Immigration should mean diversity in both official languages
The Commissioner of Official Languages, Dr. Dyane Adam, published a new study today that traces the real-life experiences of immigrants as they settle and integrate into minority official language communities. Entitled Official Languages and Immigration: Obstacles and Opportunities for Immigrants and Communities, the study draws from these experiences to outline a series of approaches that governments must take to ensure that minority official language communities become full partners in the immigration process.
Earlier this year, the Commissioner made public a demographic study showing that French-speaking communities across Canada are not benefiting from immigration to the same extent as English-speaking communities. While one in five Anglophones in Canada is an immigrant, the same is true of just one in twenty Francophones. Since immigration is now the single most important factor contributing to Canada's population growth, it is urgent that measures be taken to ensure that all Canadians, including those living in an official language minority context, benefit equitably from immigration.
"Linguistic duality is at the heart of our Canadian identity, as is our ethnocultural make-up. I believe that having two official languages has created the type of sensitivity and respect in Canada that has allowed us to welcome people of many different origins. Canadian diversity must be visible and fully expressed in both of our official languages if we are to ensure that the foundations of our country remain strong," declared the Commissioner.
The study released today goes beyond the demographic analysis and makes practical recommendations related to the selection, settlement and integration of immigrants.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada is now suggesting new and innovative measures to ensure that immigrants settle in parts of the country that immigration has so far largely bypassed. The Commissioner calls on the government to go one step further and ensure that both regional and linguistic imbalances are addressed by setting specific selection targets for immigrants headed for minority official language communities across the country. Mechanisms must also be developed to monitor whether immigrants remain within these communities in the longer term.
Secondly, potential immigrants need to be better informed about the settlement opportunities in French-speaking communities outside Quebec and the communities must be given tools to allow them to establish direct contact with immigrants before they arrive in Canada. This includes encouraging these communities to actively participate in the Provincial Nominee Programs and propose immigration candidates with the linguistic profile that would make them productive members of their communities.
Thirdly, if French-speaking immigrants are to become active members of Francophone minority communities, the host community must be able to play a central role in ensuring that immigrants' needs are met from the very moment they arrive and throughout the settlement and integration process. "Official language minority communities currently have very limited resources to act as host communities. They need to be committed to making immigration a success. This means developing comprehensive strategies and enlisting federal and provincial government support to allow them to become full partners in the settlement and integration process," stated Dr. Adam.
Finally, the study looks at the issue of identity and belonging within minority official language communities. Immigrants must feel that they are part of a community's collective identity in order to become fully contributing members. This identity needs to be sufficiently permeable. The Commissioner calls for increased dialogue between newcomers and established Francophone minority communities that will allow both sides to retain central aspects of their origins while creating new communities composed of many different identities where the French language serves as a common link and a defining feature.
While the study focuses particularly on the French-speaking community outside Quebec, some of the observations and recommendations apply to the English-speaking minority in Quebec, which, although it is immigrant-rich in the Montreal area, has not always succeeded in retaining its immigrants and in attracting them to rural English-speaking communities in the province. Indeed, many of the obstacles identified by the immigrants interviewed for this study, such as the difficulty in having their professional qualifications recognized, apply to all immigrants, whether they be French-speaking or English-speaking, and settling in urban centres or rural areas of the country.
"Under the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the federal government has made a commitment to supporting the development and vitality of official language minority communities through immigration. This study uses concrete examples to show what actions are needed so that this commitment can become a reality. Strong leadership from the federal government on this issue will ensure that both linguistic groups can fully reflect the diversity of voices that make up our country," concluded Dr. Adam.
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