Open Letter in Response to Article Published by the Globe and Mail
CPF was troubled by an article published by the Globe and Mail on October 16, 2023. Read our reaction to the article in which we voiced our concerns and responded to the issue.
Good News for Official Languages as Support Remains High Across Canada
A nationwide survey conducted by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages found that support for bilingualism remains extremely high. Roughly 87% of the overall population supports Canada’s status as a bilingual state and the availability of services in both English and French, a win for the Francophone minority and those seeking to take advantage of French Second Language Programs.
Remake French Immersion Into Program for All Students, Commissioners Say
A report conducted by the provincial government of New Brunswick has found the education system to be falling far short of French language education goals with close to half of anglophone students graduating without conversational skills. The report points to a need to increase French educational programming in anglophone regions as more than 60% of anglophone students avoid second language education entirely.
Ontarians Deserve Immediate Action on French Immersion
This uneven availability of French immersion speaks of an urgent need for reform as many who are interested in developing skills in French are structurally prohibited from doing so. French immersion has been proven to be a net gain for students; French language programs in addition to their numerous professional advantages are proven also to improve overall communication skills rather than diminish students’ performance in their English classes.
Ontario to Spend Millions in an Effort to Recruit French Teachers due to Shortage
Ontario is currently facing a severe shortage of French language teachers, therefore threatening the integrity and survival of the province’s French immersion program. Through a mix of increased funding and a new training program, Ontario is seeking to fast-track the process of filling vacant positions to meet high demand for immersion. The provincial government is collaborating with French language postsecondary institutions to make teaching programs more accessible.
Liberals Table Bill to Protect French in Sweeping Update to Official Languages Act
Bill C-32, introduced on June 2021, attempts to amend the Official Languages Act to reflect the contemporary political/linguistic landscape in Canada and protect language rights.
Major Investment in Postsecondary Studies in French at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia
The Canadian government has released a plan to heavily invest in French postsecondary education programs to meet increasing demand from both students and the professional world. As part of the effort to revitalize the Official Languages Act, the government will invest roughly 121 million between 2021 and 2024 in making French programs more accessible. This investment will primarily go towards boosting the capacity of existing programs.
‘An impossible choice’: Parents plead with TDSB to save French immersion classes at their school
“Parents of French immersion students at one Toronto school are trying to persuade the school board to change its mind, after receiving an email telling them to put their children in the English-language program or switch to a different school.”
Campaign aims to save French courses at University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean
“The University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean has been a home for French education for more than 100 years, but now, thanks to reduced funding by the Alberta government and a freeze on reserve funds, nearly half of its courses could be axed.”
Quebec Community Groups Network: It’s time to update the Official Languages Act
“Bilingualism serves as a cornerstone of our nation. It is an essential element that provides a durable foundation. It must not and cannot be shunted aside. An updated Act is required to continue to promote our linguistic duality, properly adapted to the many changes experienced – not just by Canada as a whole but also by the English-speaking community of Quebec.”
Liberals’ proposed language reforms seek ‘equality’ of English and French in Canada
“The Trudeau government is proposing a series of sweeping language reforms that will “intervene vigorously to counter and remedy” the decline of French in Canada.”
Joly: Canada’s bilingualism is under pressure, and reform can’t wait
“Too often, parents who want to enrol their kids in French immersion can only do so through a wait list or lottery system, due in large part to an insufficient number of French teachers in their community. And too often, our federal public servants don’t feel comfortable using French either.”