"Francophone Communities Outside Quebec:
at the Heart of the Canadian Ideal"
Notes for an address to the
Institut franco-ontarien
Sudbury, Ontario
December 13, 1996
Introduction
Linguistic duality has built our country. It has allowed us throughout our history to build bridges between Canadians. It has helped our federation to become a universal example of tolerance, openness and generosity.
I want to talk about that linguistic duality with you, about the great wealth it represents, the advantages it gives to all Canadians and the tolerance it fosters, and the need to strengthen that tolerance. I want us to examine together the current situation of Francophone minorities outside Quebec, without whom our linguistic duality would no longer have the same meaning. I hope that our examination will be neither complacent nor defeatist. We will also look at the realities you have to deal with and the assets at your disposal.
I am especially pleased to be talking about the importance of the future of our linguistic duality today with members of the Franco-Ontarian community, which constitutes the strongest French-language minority in the country. The Institut Franco-ontarien, which is celebrating its 20th birthday, is reflective of your community: courageous, determined, an example for all Canadians.
Linguistic duality: a source of dialogue and tolerance
Our official languages, one of Canada's strengths, are among the most widely spoken languages in the world. They greatly contribute to Canada's economic, social, cultural and international success.
French and English are recognized languages of the United Nations and NATO. French is the official language of no fewer than 33 countries, and English, 56. Some 800 million people in the world speak English, and 180 million speak French. Canada is a member of both the Francophonie, which includes 49 countries and governments, and its Anglophone counterpart, the Commonwealth, which comprises 50 countries. In this era of market globalization, Canada's bilingual character facilitates trade ties with all those countries. In a highly competitive market, a bilingual work force is an asset that can make all the difference.
According to Jean Laponce, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia and the University of Ottawa:
"Having English and French as its two dominant languages makes Canada unique among democratic industrialized states, the very states that are at the core of the world communication system."
Linguistic duality does not only help to create economic wealth. It also lays the foundations of a tolerant society. Linguistic duality has helped us greatly to show more solidarity and openness to diversity. That spirit of tolerance, which we all cherish today, stemmed precisely from the need for the English and French to find ways to take advantage both of their respective identities and of the complementarity of their cultures. It has not always been easy, there have been dark pages in our history and many injustices committed against some communities, such as the unfortunate passage of Regulation 17 in Ontario in 1912.
The early history of our Confederation, however, must be judged against attitudes prevailing elsewhere in the 19th century. The linguist Jacques Leclerc prepared an overview in 1986 of linguistic situations throughout the world, based on an analysis of some 6,000 languages and 170 sovereign states. According to Leclerc, "In the 19th century, centralizing authoritarianism, which consists of unilaterally imposing a single language throughout a territory and ignoring linguistic pluralism [...] was the order of the day."
The values of tolerance which we now feel are essential were simply not at that time. A number of countries then, including France and the United States, had active policies of cultural assimilation, notably through a "one size fits all" system of mandatory education. Fortunately, Canada rejected that system. We can see today how much our linguistic duality gives us a clear advantage as human beings in comparison with citizens of unilingual countries.
The close proximity of another language encourages us to become open to a whole cultural universe. Language is a means for transmitting cultural and social values. Learning a second language such as French allows Anglophones to incorporate cultural elements and values from other parts of the world, such as Switzerland, Haiti or Cameroon. As the writer Antonine Maillet so eloquently puts it, "Every time you look at the world and life and humanity through the key, which is language, you discover another profile, another vision of the same world... So learning another language makes you bigger, gives you a wider vision [....]"
The cohabitation of our two linguistic communities has helped us to welcome with greater tolerance and openness our fellow citizens from all continents. In that respect, Canada's bilingualism and multiculturalism, rather than conflicting with each other, complement and mutually strengthen each other. That is why it would be so regrettable for Canada to break up because of its linguistic aspect, when it is that very aspect that has helped it so much to become a model of openness celebrated throughout the world.
We must preserve and continually improve that spirit of tolerance. For if intolerance were to prevail today against linguistic duality, an essential aspect of our country, it would turn on our multicultural component tomorrow, and we would thus lose the soul of Canada.
Indeed, it is to preserve tolerance and openness that I am so opposed to secession, the very dynamic of which is a source of division. Secession is the kind of divisive issue that can plunge the most tolerant populations into intolerance. The threat of secession is not only creating an unhealthy split between Quebec Francophones and Quebec Anglophones, but is also aggravating tensions between Canadian Anglophones and Francophones outside Quebec. Some of you may have some experience of this. Secession would have serious consequences not only for French-language minority communities, which would be cut off from the only majority Francophone society in North America, but for all Canadians as well.
The situation of French outside Quebec
That Francophones outside Quebec account for only 3.6% of the Canadian population overall obviously does not make things any easier for them. Some disgruntled observers conclude from that that there is no longer any future for them, and that assimilation is inevitable. To back up their pessimism, they always trot out the same series of statistics comparing mother tongue and language spoken at home. And, indeed, Statistics Canada data do indicate that, outside Quebec, French is the language spoken most often at home for 3.2% of Canadians, whereas mother-tongue Francophones represent 4.8% of the population. The same situation can be seen in Ontario: whereas Francophones represent 5% of the province's population, 3.2% of Ontarians speak French most often at home. But those numbers have to be looked at in the proper context! The indicator of language spoken most often at home does not, in and of itself, make it possible to conclude that there is assimilation. Someone living in an English-speaking city with an English-speaking spouse is likely to use English at home more often. That doesn't mean, however, that that person no longer uses French or is not passing that language on to his or her children.
It is true that the relative demographic weight of Francophones outside Quebec is dropping: from 7.3% in 1951 to 4.8% in 1991 for Canada not including Quebec, and from 7.4% to 5% in Ontario during the same period. That drop is due in large part to a lower birth rate and the strong attraction of English for immigrants. And yet, despite that drop in the relative demographic weight of Francophones outside Quebec, and despite the "no future outside Quebec" doomsayers, the actual number of Francophones outside Quebec, based on mother tongue, rose from 721,000 to more than 976,000 between 1951 and 1991, an increase of 35.4%. In Ontario, for example, the total number of Francophones also continues to rise, from 341,000 in 1951 to more than 503,000 in 1991, an increase of 47.5%; by comparison, Quebec Anglophones have seen their numbers increase by only 12.2% during the same period. That increase is especially visible in urban regions: Statistics Canada reports higher numbers of Francophones outside Quebec in 19 out of 20 metropolitan regions in Canada between 1986 and 1991.
Nevertheless, beyond Statistics Canada data and quantitative indicators, the living proof of the vitality of your Francophone communities is, in fact, their very vitality itself. No matter where they are, be it in Ontario, New Brunswick, Alberta or elsewhere in Canada, your communities display remarkable energy and great determination, as evidenced by your cultural, social and economic institutions. Your contribution to Canada is invaluable.
No matter what the writer Yves Beauchemin may have to say, the Franco-Ontarian community and Francophones outside Quebec are far from being "warm corpses"! The very opposite is true. One need only think of your institute, created by a handful of idealists 20 years ago, which is a haven for Franco-Ontarian research. The many literary awards garnered by Franco-Ontarian writers are a testimony to your vitality. In 1996, the poet Andrée Lacelle won the Trillium literary award for her collection Tant de vie s'égare. In 1993, François Paré won the Governor General's Award and Radio-Québec's Signet d'or award for Les Littératures de l'exiguité, and Daniel Poliquin took the Signet d'or for L'écureuil noir. In 1988, playwright Jean-Marc Dalpé won the Governor General's Award for his play Le Chien, and Michel Ouellette received the Governor General's Award for Frenchtown in 1994. And there are so many others, such as Patrice Desbiens, Andrée Christensen, Roger Levac and Paul Savoie... More and more Franco-Ontarian authors, writers, poets, novelists and playwrights are known not only in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada, but also beyond our borders.
The Toronto French Book Fair has been going strong since 1992. French-language publishing companies are becoming increasingly numerous, such as Prise de Parole (Sudbury), Les éditions du Nordir (Hearst and Ottawa), Les éditions du Vermillon (Ottawa), and Les éditions David (Orléans). And let's not forget the professional theatre companies, such as the Francophone theatre company of Sudbury and the Théâtre du Nouvel Ontario founded here in Sudbury 25 years ago, and the numerous Francophone festivals such as Ottawa's Franco-Ontarian festival, LeFranco, which is the foremost French-language cultural event of its kind in North America.
That same vitality can be seen at the economic level as well. Francophones own more than 7,500 stores, businesses and companies in Ontario. The Francophone business community is coming closer together: in particular, the Chambre Économique de l'Ontario, which was established four years ago, not only links businesspeople within the province, but also fosters contacts with other Francophone organizations in Quebec and the other provinces. The first Forum of Francophone Businesspeople and Elected Municipal Officials in Canada was recently held in the Beauce region of Quebec, attracting more than 200 participants from across Canada to discuss ways to maximize opportunities for doing business in French in Canada and abroad. Francophone entrepreneurship outside Quebec accounts for 348 Francophone cooperatives, with $3.9 billion in assets, $327 million in investments and 20,000 Francophone entrepreneurs.
Realities you have to deal with and assets at your disposal
Francophone communities outside Quebec need to be vibrant and dynamic, because the realities of today constitute a major challenge:
And yet, you are not unequipped to deal with those realities. First and foremost, as I have said, you have your extraordinary vitality. Moreover, you can count on the values of tolerance and respect you have been able to develop alongside the Anglophone majority. Those values are certainly being tested today, by the host of reactions that the threat of secession is generating in the country. Nevertheless, the vast majority of your English-speaking fellow citizens want to help you and are proud of their country's Francophone dimension.
When you appeal to their hearts and their finer feelings, Canadians are generous people. According to a new book by Angus Reid entitled Shakedown: How the New Economy is Changing Our Lives, more than 85% of Canadians "believe that English and French Canadians can live harmoniously under one flag." Another poll (Compas, May 1995) indicates that three out of four Anglophone Canadians want their children to learn French.
A second asset is that more of your Anglophone fellow citizens now speak French than ever before in the history of our Confederation. According to Statistics Canada, close to 2.8 million young Canadians were enrolled in French or English second-language programs in 1995, 77.2% in French. Those classes are yielding tangible results: the proportion of bilingual 15- to 25-year-olds rose from 16% to 23% between 1981 and 1991. The highest rate of bilingualism is found among Anglophones in the 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 age groups, at 14.8% and 16.7% respectively. A record 313,000 young Anglophones are now in French immersion school, compared with 38,000 in 1977. That means there are now 10 times as many French immersion students as there were 20 years ago!
A third asset you have is the charters. Your rights have never been better established than since the introduction of the Official Languages Act, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Constitution Act, 1982. Since the Constitution Act, 1982, French-language educational services have been more available. Francophone school management is a fact of life in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Yukon, and is close to being introduced in Nova Scotia. It is unfortunate that Francophone communities in some provinces have to go to court to have their rights respected. The federal government will continue to support the full implementation of your rights in all provinces and territories.
Finally, you have another asset, which is the support of the federal government. That doesn't mean that the provinces don't have to help you, but you know that the Prime Minister and the federal government will always have a special responsibility in respect of this country's official-language minorities. It is true that you are often hurt by budget cuts. We have had to make difficult but necessary decisions to reduce the deficit, which had reached record levels, and to put our fiscal house in order. All federal departments and agencies have had to deal with budget cuts. It is impossible to spare Francophones outside Quebec, but we have always sought to ensure that your communities are given equitable support.
The federal government's support to official-language minority communities takes account of the sociological context. You, as Francophones outside Quebec, are a minority in your own province, a minority within Canada and a minority within the English-speaking North American continent.
Our policies seek to help you in four ways. First, through support for official-language education. Next, through support to your communities themselves, through equitable representation of Francophones within the public service and federal institutions, and finally, by availability of federal services in French.
Since 1970, in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, the federal government has financially assisted the provincial and territorial governments so as to give members of official-language minority communities the opportunity to study in their own language and to enable young Canadians to learn French or English as a second language. Those two elements -- minority-language instruction and second-language education -- correspond to our vision of Canada. Through the Official Languages in Education Program, some 161,000 Francophone elementary and secondary students can study in their own language in some 700 Francophone schools outside Quebec. In addition to giving young Canadians the opportunity to learn French or English as a second language, it has supported the development of existing institutions such as the University of Ottawa, and has also made it possible to expand the network of Francophone post-secondary institutions. Collège Boréal in Sudbury, Collège des Grands-Lacs and Cité collégiale, institutions that did not exist only a few years ago, will help to advance knowledge of and use of French among Canadian young people.
Our government also provides direct support to official-language minority communities through Canada-community agreements. The agreements were initiated in 1988 with Saskatchewan's Francophone community and enable communities to make decisions that affect their development and reflect the needs of their members. The Canada-community agreement with Ontario, the last to be signed, will provide more than $18 million to Ontario's Francophone community and will help it to set development priorities. Through the Department of Canadian Heritage, the federal government supports official-language minority community media such as TFO, the French-language service of TV Ontario, as well as weekly newspapers.
The federal government has very specific obligations under the Official Languages Act, particularly with respect to equitable participation by members of official-language communities in federal institutions. The federal government is continuing its efforts to ensure that participation of federal employees reflects the presence of the two linguistic communities. Francophones have maintained their presence despite the reduction in the size of the public service. As of March 31, 1996, 29% of federal employees were French-speaking and 71% were English-speaking. We know that Francophones make up 25.2% of Canada's population and Anglophones, 74.3 %.
We also have obligations pertaining to the availability of federal services in French. The situation is not perfect. In his 1995 annual report, the Commissioner of Official Languages noted that the Ontario public was experiencing proportionally more frequent problems than in the other provinces. Federal institutions have taken action and progress has since been made with respect to three indicators of public service: service in person, service by telephone and active offer of services. The improvements were highlighted in the latest report by the President of the Treasury Board: service in person and by telephone is now available in 98% of offices that are required to provide services in both official languages, compared with 85% and 88% in 1994 and 1995 respectively. With respect to active offer of services, the percentage of offices fulfilling their obligations has risen from 53% to 97%.
Another example is labour market agreements transferring active employment measures to the provinces. Those agreements, one of which has just been concluded with Alberta, will stipulate that all signatory provinces must provide services in French where there is a significant demand. The Government also takes official languages considerations into account in connection with privatization measures, on a case by case basis. For major privatization operations, privatized organizations have been made subject to the Official Languages Act, in whole or in part, as is the case with Air Canada, CN and Nav Canada. Under the Act, Internet sites of federal offices must be designed in both official languages and provide information in French and English. Guidelines will help federal institutions to understand clearly and fulfil this requirement.
Progress has been made, but there is room for improvement. In 1996, the Government published the results of the first phase of an audit on service to the public that was conducted between January and March 1995 in some census areas. The Government intends to continue its audits.
Your federal government is providing you with support, a framework and tools, but your vitality comes first and foremost from within yourselves.
Conclusion
Our linguistic duality has fostered the emergence of a tolerant society which we must strengthen. Canada itself is a major challenge which we must never take for granted. And your communities are at the heart of the Canadian challenge. You are the very essence of the Canadian ideal. It would be very difficult to find your equivalent elsewhere in the world in this century, when the number of languages spoken is getting smaller, rather than larger, for the first time in the history of humanity.
While there are now only 20 million Europeans who speak a minority language in their own country, compared with 50 million at the turn of the century; while there are now 20,000 people in Ireland who can speak Irish, compared with 6 million of their ancestors in the 18th century; while there are now only 25,000 Austrians who speak Slovenian, compared with 100,000 in 1880; while there were only 7,000 Germans who spoke Friesian in 1925 and there are even fewer today, whereas there were 52,000 two centuries ago; and while a paltry 1% of the Welsh population knows Welsh, whereas two thirds of the population spoke Welsh in 1840, in this country called Canada, there are now and still will be in the next century strong Francophone communities outside Quebec who speak French. In the next century, they will still express an irreplaceable facet of the culture and history of our country. They will become stronger, because this is Canada, the country of tolerance.
Which Canada do we want to prevail: that of Regulation 17, or that of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; that of Francophone communities outside Quebec left to their own devices, or that which supports them; that of French not recognized in federal institutions, or that of the Official Languages Act?
The Canada that will prevail is the Canada of openness and tolerance, the Canada of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canada of official languages, and the Canada of the Franco-Ontarian community.
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