Winnipeg, November 28, 2008
Notes for an address at the Conférence pédagogique des
Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba
Graham Fraser – Commissioner of Official Languages
Check against delivery
Suzanne, Marie-Claire, Mr. Auclair, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
I want to start off by thanking you for inviting me to join you in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba. As an organization representing French-language and French immersion teachers, your work does not go unnoticed here in Manitoba. I also commend you for being the only association in the country that brings together immersion teachers and teachers in the French-language system. Manitoba’s Francophone community exhibits a vitality that is virtually unparalleled elsewhere in Canada. You can therefore be very proud of your achievements.
The theme of this conference, “À travers les accents,” is very meaningful to me―and not only because of my accent. It clearly demonstrates that the Francophonie has many faces―it is made up of local Francophones, but also of Francophones from elsewhere in the country, of Francophones from elsewhere overseas and even of francophiles of all backgrounds, who share our love of the language.
This theme also shows that our Canadian―and Manitoban―Francophonie has significantly evolved in recent decades. And the issues that affect this community are quite different today. Now that the right to an education in French and the right to school governance have been acquired, it is time to ensure the vitality of our communities and to build on the rights we have acquired thus far.
As Commissioner, I have had a number of opportunities to come to Winnipeg and witness the remarkable sense of cohesion within the Francophone community. Just recently, I was in Winnipeg for the Forum on Language Rights of the Société franco-manitobaine. Such events make it clear that your community’s vitality is still strong. I can also tell you that your community is used as an example for other Francophone minority communities in the rest of the country.
As teachers, you need to draw on the various “accents” in your classrooms as part of your efforts to foster a sense of identity among your students. This new face of the Canadian Francophonie provides opportunities for all members of your community to gather around a shared interest―the French language.
New realities of the Canadian Francophonie
Although several factors influence the Canadian Francophonie as we know it today, there is one particular topic I would like to focus on: immigration.
Today, 70% of Canada’s demographic growth can be attributed to immigration, and we expect a further increase in the number of immigrants over the next few years. Three years ago, Statistics Canada predicted that one out of five Canadians would belong to a visible minority group in 2017. Right now, for every Francophone immigrant, Canada welcomes nearly 10 Anglophone immigrants. This disproportion is even greater in French-speaking minority communities, since the majority of Francophone immigrants choose to settle in Quebec. In fact, while 22.3% of Canada’s Anglophone population consists of immigrants, immigration accounts for just over 8% of the Francophone population throughout the country, including Quebec. In Manitoba, immigrants make up 5% of the Franco-Manitoban community and, according to the 2001 census, this number is increasing.1
French-speaking immigrants who settle in Francophone communities outside Quebec find themselves in a group for whom the strength, number and accessibility of institutions and services vary significantly from one region to another. In spite of everything, French-speaking immigrants are often faced with a lack of adequate French-language services to meet their needs. As a result, only half of immigrants who first settle in Francophone minority communities are still there 10 years later.2 If we ever needed proof of the impact of accelerated assimilation, this is it.
We cannot help but see a parallel between the language transfer among immigrants who speak only French when they arrive in Canada, and what Francophone communities have traditionally experienced because of assimilation. Together, we need to ensure that newcomers have every chance to succeed in the official language of their choice, and not inevitably become language-transfer casualties.
It’s worth pointing out that the challenge of attracting French-speaking immigrants and helping them integrate into minority-language communities is directly related to the success of linguistic duality throughout Canada. The country’s immigration practices should therefore seek to strengthen official language minority communities. Otherwise, the gap will only widen, and these communities will miss out on the vitality that newcomers bring to Canadian society.
The cultural and linguistic diversity of Francophone communities has many components and presents many facets. The vitality of cultural and linguistic diversity is part of our mandate. I personally consider cultural diversity and linguistic duality to be very important, and I will continue to explore how these values can coexist within Canadian society.
To this effect, I encourage Francophones to partake in the discussions on recognition of credentials, reinforcement of language skills, and housing and employability support for newcomers. All of these issues are relevant to members of your communities.
Education must also be on our agendas. Here in Manitoba, it is up to you, the teachers and organizations working in French-language education, to see how programs can be implemented and material presented so as to better reflect diversity. Welcoming immigrant children is paramount for the vitality of your community. It’s up to you to give them an opportunity to make a place for themselves in this new culture. In so doing, you provide an ideal environment where they can adapt to their new community. In fact, the classroom is the gateway to Canadian society.
We can no longer base identity solely on a shared past, what with the growing contribution of ethno-cultural minorities to the development of our Francophone communities. Today, we must value all cultures that make up the Francophonie. And the unique problems faced by refugees must be acknowledged.
Canada’s demographic growth depends, among other things, on immigration. It is not surprising that, according to 2001 census data, exogamous households now represent 37% of the Francophone population outside Quebec and the Acadian community, while their children make up 63% of young people eligible to attend French-language schools.3 Therefore, these exogamous households account for the vast majority of the French-language school system’s clientele. In this case, we are clearly referring to children whose parents are defined as “rights holders.”
Massive recruitment efforts targeting exogamous families are currently underway in several of the country’s French-language school boards. However, we know very well that the number of enrolments is not the only problem that needs to be addressed. In fact, children from mixed households often speak a language other than French at home. Their knowledge of French may therefore prove to be very limited when they start school.
However, we must recognize the role their parents, who speak more than one language, play in bringing communities and cultures together. The relationship that children develop with the Francophone community also depends on the cultural framework they get at school and the ongoing work of teachers throughout the child’s schooling.
I have often said that French-language school boards are obliged to provide top quality education. No parent should be forced to choose between a good school and a French school for their children. No parent will sacrifice their child’s education for a principle. This is why a very strong culture of excellence has developed within the French-language system.
Of course, the issue is not just about French programs, but about immersion programs as well. Not all children of immigrant parents have access to a French-language school. However, many parents have recognized how important it is for their children to learn both official languages. They therefore play a major role in immersion programs. In addition to these students are francophiles, a group that Francophone communities must seek out as allies for their cause and vitality.
These francophiles add to the number of people who appreciate the French language. They support arts and culture. They are in a position to benefit from all the programs offered by your community. So do not forget to give them a helping hand and to ensure partnerships between French-language and immersion schools.
2. Building a sense of identity
Arts, culture and schools all belong to the Francophone spaces established by your community. In fact, I had addressed this topic as part of the Société franco-manitobaine’s Forum on Language Rights in Manitoba, held on October 18th of this year.
Manitoba has seen an increase in the number of Francophone spaces over the last few years. Fifteen years ago, there were only four officially bilingual municipalities in Manitoba. Today, there are 17. These municipalities are committed to promoting both official languages, thanks in part to the leadership of the Francophone community.
This leadership of Francophone communities throughout Canada is critical to ensuring their vitality and visibility. These communities must adopt effective means of communication, including French-language newspapers and radio and television stations. They must support the cultural milieu, whose role is essential to their identity. Of course, Manitoba’s Francophone community has already had a good head start in this regard.
As teachers, you have a very important and influential position vis-à-vis your students. In Francophone minority communities, I notice that the French language is still associated with folksy concepts among some young people. They do not always understand the need for this language in the present day. In your role, you can show them the benefits of the language and of belonging to the Francophone community, as well as the importance of carving out a place for the French language in all aspects of community life.
As I mentioned earlier, today’s youth can benefit from the rights their parents acquired for them.
Although there is still a long way to go in some respects, these young people can now focus their efforts on initiatives that support the vitality of their community. They can work toward shaping Francophone identity so that it reflects their current reality. They can redefine the Francophonie through such cultural and sport activities and initiatives as Francoforce or the Canadian Francophone Games. The latest edition of the Games was held in Edmonton this year, and the presence of events for Francophone youth from all over Canada, in the heart of a Francophone minority community, helps promote our communities’ existing vitality.
I encourage you to promote activities and events among your students so that they can grow in the Francophone community, learn to discover other Francophone communities and get excited about their future in their community or, at least, in the Canadian Francophonie.
Beyond your responsibilities toward your students, I encourage you to increase your visibility within the Francophone community. Get involved in arts and culture. Get involved in the various community organizations. Don’t hesitate to request services in French. This is how you will encourage those around you to do the same.
Conclusion
Francophone spaces and fostering a sense of identity are essential to a community’s vitality, but it doesn’t stop there! When it comes to learning the language and culture, the benefits extend much further in this era of globalization. For some, French is a first language, followed by English. For others, French is a second language, with English being their first. For others still, French is a third or even fourth language.
I often say that knowledge of our two official languages can be a gateway to the world, to other cultures and to other languages. But the opposite is also true, as demonstrated by newcomers to Canada who have a passion for our history and for the languages enmeshed within it.
As Manitoba’s Francophone teachers, you interact with your counterparts throughout the country and share two common goals with them: to ensure the vitality of the French language and to provide our children with the tools they need to succeed in this world. To this effect, I congratulate you for the excellence you demonstrate in your work.
You are leaders. You are role models. You are an inspiration to young people and to your community.
Thank you.
1. Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, 97555XCB2006054 and 2001 Census, 97F0007XCB01043.
2. Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Immigration and the Vitality of Canada’s Official Language Communities: Policy, Demography and Identity, 2002.
3. Statistics Canada, Profile of languages in Canada: English, French and many others (analysis series, 2001 Census), 96F0030XIF2001005.
