Canada has the good fortune and privilege to have inherited two official languages, English and French, which are, incidentally, also two languages of international stature. I consider myself very privileged to have been given the mandate of Minister responsible for Official Languages by the Prime Minister of Canada at a turning point in the future of our two official languages.

I would be remiss if I did not highlight in particular the role of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Dr. Dyane Adam, in organizing this important meeting, which will give us the opportunity discuss issues of concern. I am sure that sharing ideas on – and, I hope, solutions to – the challenges facing us will help us to rise to those challenges with confidence.

You have aptly entitled this meeting Vision and Challenges for the 21st Century. So I would like, in the time allotted, to share my views on this subject and the factors that lead me to look with optimism to the country’s future from a linguistic standpoint.

I am here today to deliver three key messages.

The first is that the Government of Canada is firmly committed to fully implementing the Action Plan on Official Languages announced on March 12 of last year and to realize the ambitious objectives which we set for ourselves in the plan. This Action Plan is the next act in the fascinating adventure of our linguistic duality.

The second is that to attain the ambitious objectives of the plan, such as that of ensuring an increase in the number of young Canadians who are bilingual, it will be necessary for all the forces of civil society to be involved. There are, in fact, limits to what the Government of Canada can do; it will therefore be important to mobilize all those who share this objective. This is what we are undertaking today.

Finally, I hope to demonstrate the extent to which the official languages of our country are a strength for our collective future. But first, permit me to speak to you about the Government’s commitment to official languages.

A commitment reaffirmed

Since December 12, 2003, the Government has sent clear signals that it remains unequivocally committed to the values and principles of our official languages policy and the implementation of the Action Plan.

First, the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin, formally named a Minister responsible for Official Languages. This is the first time in the history of Canada that a minister has formally been sworn in as Minister responsible for Official Languages.

Second, the Speech from the Throne committed the Government to working to build a Canada where our official languages are celebrated from coast to coast to coast and asserted that: “Linguistic duality is at the heart of our identity. It is our image in the world. It opens doors for us. The Government will nurture this asset, which benefits all Canadians.”¹

Third, I confirmed in the House of Commons on February 18^th that, notwithstanding the review of expenditures announced by the Prime Minister last December, the Government will fully respect the funding allocated to the Action Plan for Official Languages.

Partners engaged in the implementation of the Action Plan

Implementing an action plan, however essential, cannot be the task of one government alone. By definition, it requires the support of stakeholders from all sectors. All of you here today are an eloquent example of that. Our government has already called for input from those partners during the consultations leading to the development of the Action Plan. Implementing the measures provided for in the Plan makes their contribution just as necessary today.

Given the ambitious nature of the Action Plan's second language learning objective, mobilizing key partners within Canadian society will be crucial. We know we cannot do this alone.

As Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs I am keenly aware of the importance of intergovernmental relations to the success of the Action Plan. Education falls within the jurisdiction of the provinces. Building a strong partnership which respects provincial responsibilities and responds with flexibility to local needs will be crucial.

This is why we will be investing $346 million over five years in targeted funds in the area of education which will go to provincial and territorial government and will permit them to allocate resources where they will make the greatest difference. We will also put in place evaluation and performance measures which will allow us to monitor progress toward the attain of our objectives.

These additional resources will help us address the many challenges we are facing. It is not enough to get young Anglophones and their parents interested in learning French. We have to give them the means to do so.

We need to overcome two major obstacles which I feel are curbing Canadians’ real enthusiasm for learning French. The first is that we have not been able to extend the success of our immersion schools to the post-secondary level. There are still too few universities and colleges in Canada that enable students to pursue their education in both official languages. The direct consequence of this phenomenon is that too many secondary students who have come through the immersion system gradually lose their ability to interact in French when they are in university or college.

In other words, we are not giving young people enough opportunities to continue to use French during their adult life. Imagine the impact on the rate of bilingualism among Canadians if the 325,000 students currently enrolled in immersion schools had the opportunity to pursue their post-secondary education in bilingual programs!

The second problem, I believe, is the number of hours devoted to teaching French in schools. While we may see some variations from provinces to province, few people would disagree that to learn a second language, you have to make the time!

So we will be working closely with our provincial and territorial partners to fund projects the most likely to give new momentum to learning French throughout the country.

The notion of partnership, as I see it, is no longer limited to relations between governments. It brings government action back to the very heart of a community, by reflecting, through relevant policies, its needs and aspirations. In that regard, I believe in the value of a flexible approach that will help us, while fully respecting provincial jurisdiction, to respond to the needs of local communities.

To attain the objectives we have set for ourselves, it is important to listen to the regions. That process, which began during the run-up to the Action Plan, is continuing today, and today’s meeting serves that objective well.

In this context, I am pleased to announce that we are also planning national French second language (FSL) stakeholder consultations in cooperation with Canadian Parents for French. The FSL stakeholder consultations will include provincial/territorial consultations with stakeholder groups in order to identify needs and develop recommendations appropriate to each province and territory. Thereafter, a national consultation forum will bring together representatives of governments and school boards, national educational and professional associations and researchers to develop national strategies based on those recommendations.

Often we think of bilingualism in purely Canadian terms – building a cohesive and united Canada. There is also a bigger picture. We need to build a confident society capable of competing globally.

Official Languages: an important asset for the future of Canada

Learning a second language involves much more than learning to communicate in another language. It is a process of personal enrichment that goes far beyond any classroom or work setting. It instills an ability to appreciate another culture, another way of life, another set of values and another way of thinking. In essence, it allows for a more open minded approach to the world around us. As they say – minds, like parachutes, work better when they are open.

These are precisely the attributes young Canadians will need to successfully compete in the global market. Canada is at the leading edge of the 21st century economy and it recognizes the value of languages.

In today’s global world where the importance of communications is increasingly acknowledged in all areas, being able to speak both English and French is an important advantage. Learning Canada’s two official languages enhances young Canadians’ competitiveness in today’s job markets, at home and internationally.

Having dual language skills improves access to markets and opportunities facilitate the mobility of Canadians. Parents may not know what the future holds for their children, but they want them to have the tools they will need to deal with future challenges. Language skills are one of the tools we can equip our children with.

Language learning will give our children the skills to live and prosper within the global village.

By speaking English and French we have access to the markets of Anglophone and Francophone countries and these languages are widely spoken as second languages in other countries.

A recent study on international trade confirmed that: “Sharing a common language has a large and significant effect on trade intensity.”² According to the study, trade is 70% higher between two countries with a common language that between two countries of different languages.³

Canada is far from alone in wanting to strengthen the learning of second languages. In most of the world, learning a second language is viewed as an essential component of a quality education.

In Europe, learning second languages has long been a priority. As a survey conducted in the context of the European Year of Languages found that 53% of Europeans can speak at least one language in addition to their mother tongue.

In fact, multilingualism has been an integral part of Ireland’s economic transformation. They challenge Canada now for French-language translation!

The world increasingly gets it. Our competitors certainly get it. But, do Canadians get it?

I know some Canadians say, okay language learning is important – but why French?

First let me say, just about nobody in Canada asks why learn English. As a Francophone from Quebec who has studied at Oxford and worked for NATO – I could easily answer that question. Polls show that nearly every parent in Quebec wants their child to learn English. Indeed, almost everywhere in the world, if English is not your mother tongue, it is the logical second language of choice.

But if you are an Anglophone in Toronto or elsewhere in Canada, you might ask – why French rather than another language?

Most Canadians understand the importance of knowing both our official languages. A December 2003 poll done by Environics indicates that 77% of Anglophones outside Quebec say that it is important for their children to learn to speak a language other than English, and 74% say that the most important second language for their children to learn is French.

According to the survey, 88% of Canadians agree that in today's global economy, people who speak more than one language will be more successful, and 82% agree that in Canada, if you speak French as well as English, you have a better chance of finding a good job.⁴

There is, of course, no reason to limit ourselves to two languages and even less to limit ourselves to one. Too often, the argument that other languages are more useful than French is used as a reason not to learn any second language at all. All languages are a form of human capital and open doors and opportunities we would not have access to otherwise.

Secondly, it’s a false choice. Increasingly Canadians speak three and four languages. Between 1996 and 2001 the percentage of Canadians who speak three or more languages jumped by 31%.

Public opinion surveys confirm that Canadians who support multiculturalism also tend to support our official language policy, suggesting that the policies are viewed as complementary. In fact, more than 85% of those who support multiculturalism are also in favour of official bilingualism.

Like many Canadians, I view language duality as an integral component of Canada's commitment to diversity.⁵ As I stated in my book The New Politics of Confidence”⁶, our country has refused from the very beginning to build itself around one single language, one single religion, one single culture. That openness has yielded such core values as respect for everyone’s individuality, a common quest for justice and a sense of moderation in the use of power. Those values have imbued our development over time and are still at the heart of our national identity, because they are shared by all regions of the country.

Canadians can be rightly proud of having espoused the mosaic model. It is in large part through their linguistic duality that they have received a heritage of openness and tolerance that has continued from generation to generation. A heritage that has won Canada an enviable reputation and widespread respect among the nations of the world.

Third, French is a very useful language. The Census offers some useful insights into the utility of languages. In 2001, the Census asked for the first time about the use of languages at work. The results reveal that among Anglophones, French was the second most used language at work not only across Canada but in every province. The same is true in major urban areas. For instance:

• in Toronto, French was used six times more often than the next most frequently used second language – Italian;
• in Vancouver, French was used four times more often than the next most frequently used second language – Spanish; and,
• in Winnipeg, French was used fourteen times more often than the next most frequently used second language – German.

Conclusion

There are many reasons to learn languages:

• to participate in the global economy;
• to enhance job opportunities;
• to access different cultures;
• to foster inter-cultural sensitivity;
• to increase mutual understanding;
• to express our concept of citizenship; and
• many others.

Canadians do get it. Canadian parents know that languages open doors and provide opportunities. They want to give their children every opportunity to succeed. Our challenge, yours and mine, is to ensure that these good intentions translate into success. Working together we can build the necessary conditions for success and ensure that every Canadian child has the opportunity to learn their second official language.

Thank you.

1. Speech from the Throne to open the Third Session of the Thirty-Seventh Parliament ofCanada, February 2, 2004, p.13
2. John F. Helliwell, "Language and Trade", in Albert Breton, ed., Exploring theEconomics of Language, New Canadian Perspectives. Canadian Heritage, 1999.
3.  “Two countries sharing a common language are estimated to have two-way trade flowsmore than 1.7 times as large.” Helliwell, Language.
4. Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) poll conducted by EnvironicsResearch Group in December 2003.
5.  “Public Opinion and Bilingualism: Highlights”, Centre for Research and Information onCanada.
6. Pierre S. Pettigrew, The New Politics of Confidence. Toronto, Stoddart, 1999, p. 67.