Chapitre 3 – Regionalization
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A strong Francophone community in Sudbury means: contact with the predominantly English-speaking environment is not as sudden and overwhelming as it would be in other contexts. Immigrants can use French in their professional and social life, while exploring and becoming increasingly familiar with English.
Settling into rural communities is not the first choice for newly arriving immigrants but it can be an enticing alternative when the conditions are right. An immigrant who had spent a few years in Northern Ontario puts it this way: "I'd rather be exotic in a small community than unemployed in a big city." While rural communities cannot match the range of services available in cities, they are able to offer more personalized attention which differs from the often anonymous treatment in large cities. A report (Harry Cummings & Associates 2001, pg. 21) commissioned by Citizenship and Immigration Canada echoes the immigrant's sentiment by reporting findings from rural Manitoba which indicate that "Despite the lack of resources, many communities (...) would be willing to assist in language, employment and social services. (...) The research revealed a strong desire among communities to develop the necessary support services and assistance to attract immigrants and retain them in rural areas." Quoting Montgomery (1991, pg. 108) the report points out that "if decent jobs are available, and if extended family members can be housed in the smaller municipalities, much of the relocation to large urban centres may not occur." Immigrants are very mobile at the beginning of their integration into Canada. If they do not find satisfactory employment during this time, whether in small towns or large cities, there is a great likelihood that they will move. However, as time progresses, immigrants change from being extremely mobile to becoming even more sedentary than the average Canadian.
Successful initial settlement experiences in a rural context are the best guarantee that immigrants will stay within rural communities.
Official language minority communities in a rural context who are interested in attracting immigrants should benefit from the renewed interest that Citizenship and Immigration Canada is placing on a wider geographic dispersion of immigrants. While the federal government is likely to announce specific measures to increase settlement in rural areas, Manitoba already awards points under its Provincial Nominee Program to candidates committed to settling in a rural area. Points for what is called "Regional development" can be obtained by immigrants if they demonstrate that they have unique ties to a rural community. Such ties may be religious as in the case of the Mennonite community, but it may be feasible to use the French language as a way to recruit French-speaking immigrants to rural Francophone settlements, provided, of course, that some employment opportunities exist.
Francophone Immigrants Outside the Big Cities: African Professionals in Sudbury
"Many Francophone immigrants end up taking a close look at Sudbury," explains Bululu Kabatakaka, Director of Boreal International. Sudbury was not Mr. Kabatakaka's first destination when he came to Canada but in his professional capacity he is now very much involved in making sure that others find their way to Sudbury more directly. In his experience, African Francophones typically head for Quebec first. For them it is a natural choice because of the French language and the fact that many immigrant networks exist there. The enthusiasm about a vibrant Francophone environment, however, all too often turns to frustration when much time and effort is spent in a futile search for employment. Mr. Kabatakaka is blunt about what drives Francophone immigrants to Sudbury. "They come here because there is work. I know at least 15 professors of African origin, like myself, who teach at Collège Boréal, at Cambrian College or at Laurentian University. But there are also numerous immigrants, not necessarily Francophones, who work in the health sector here in Sudbury after having been unable to find jobs in Canada's big cities."
Moving to a place where you can work and afford your own home is very enticing. But what about forgoing the big city with its networks of ethnic immigrant organizations? Mr. Kabatakaka laughs. For most immigrants, he believes, it is important to become involved with their local community and Sudbury has a fair number of Francophone organizations, among them even those targeted specifically at African Francophones such as ACPAS (Association culturelle et professionnelle des africains de Sudbury). Plus, a strong Francophone community in Sudbury means: contact with the predominantly English-speaking environment is not as sudden and overwhelming as it would be in other contexts. Immigrants can use French in their professional and social life, while exploring and becoming increasingly familiar with English.
Are Francophone immigrants concerned about the fact that Sudbury is not close to any large metropolitan area? Not according to Mr. Kabatakaka. Sudbury has much to offer in its own right, he believes, and the fact that many big city distractions are absent from Sudbury is actually an advantage. The Collège Boréal, for example, has partnerships with educational institutions in Tunisia and France. When potential students and their parents need to be convinced that Collège Boréal is the right place, Mr. Kabatakaka points out to them that Sudbury offers the opportunity to focus on one's studies in French in a small city, combined with a chance to learn English at the same time. This combination, he says, has brought an increasing number of foreign students to Sudbury to study health sciences and information technology.
"Still, many Francophone immigrants end up leaving Sudbury," he cautions. As many university teachers and other professionals are married to equally qualified partners, it is these partners who are often unable to secure a position and cause both partners to look elsewhere. Organizations like Contact interculturel francophone and ACPAS are, however, are creating a network through which any opportunities that do open up within Sudbury become known about so that the new Francophone immigrant community continues to grow.
