Press Room

MINISTER DION SAYS THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WILL PROVIDE MORE ASSISTANCE TO CANADIANS TO HAVE ACCESS TO LEARNING BOTH OUR OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, October 18, 2002 – Speaking to members of Canadian Parents for French (CPF), the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, said today that people who have a second and even a third language have a significant advantage in a world that is increasingly competitive and open to different cultures.

Noting that bilingual students are better trained and prepared for the challenges they face, Mr. Dion drew a parallel with the prospects for the country’s future, asserting that mastery of our two official languages is a key factor in the country’s success.

Mr. Dion stated that French as a second language is a logical choice for Canadian Anglophones. Not only is it the language of one quarter of their fellow citizens, but it is also an international language: the second most frequently taught language in the world, the second most prevalent language on the Internet, and a language that has official status within a large number of international organizations, including the United Nations.

"There are many arguments for French as a second language for English-speaking Canadians. Since French is one of Canada's official languages, we have the know-how, the experience and teaching skills to promote use of this language. Learning French under these conditions is a solid first step to learning other languages. It is why, practically speaking, French is for English-speaking Canadians, by far the most frequent second language of choice," said the Minister. He added that Canadian language immersion programs are used as models in a number of countries in the international community.

Looking at the evolution observed in recent decades in second-language teaching, promotion and use, the Minister noted that remarkable progress has been made. He pointed out that 2.6 million children are currently learning English or French as a second language. Twenty-four per cent of young Canadian high school graduates know both official languages. The current generation of young Canadians is the most bilingual in our history.

"In my own province of Quebec, Francophones and Anglophones alike, parents and their children, are challenging the myth of the two solitudes." (...) "In one generation, English-speaking Canadians became impressively bilingual. What an example for other Canadians!" said Mr. Dion.

Among the challenges stakeholders face in making further progress, Mr. Dion highlighted the lack of resources allocated to second-language teaching. The Minister promised that the action plan the Prime Minister has asked him to prepare to revitalize the official languages policy will spare no effort to achieve the objective set out in the Speech from the Throne on September 30 of "doubling within ten years the number of high school graduates with a working knowledge of both English and French."

To do so, the Minister stressed the need to strengthen partnerships, both with the provinces and with such vital partners as Canadian Parents for French.

He pointed out that this is what Canadians want: "Eight out of ten – including no fewer than seven out of ten in every province – support Canada’s official languages policy. Among the youth – 18 to 24 year old – 91% favour the policy and support bilingualism. This generation and the one of your children has the right to full access to its double linguistic heritage. We do not have the right to stand in their way," Minister Dion concluded.

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