Securing the Future of the French Language in Canada

Official language minority communities continue to need the support of the federal government in order to maintain, develop, and flourish. The reform document we presented, English and French: Towards a substantive equality of official languages in Canada, and Bill C-32 go further than any federal government since the Official Languages Act was adopted in 1969. Contrary to what the Bloc Québécois thinks, we know that protection of Canada’s French language and francophone communities does not stop at Quebec’s borders.

A re-elected Liberal government will:

  • Fully implement the legislative and administrative measures outlined in the reform document. Work with official language communities, both French and English, to introduce, within the first 100 days, the proposed An Act for the Substantive Equality of French and English and the Strengthening of the Official Languages Act.
  • Counter the lost demographic weight of francophones in Canada through an ambitious national strategy to support Francophone immigration outside of Quebec.
  • Support the maintenance and vitality of official language minority communities by helping build,renovate, and develop educational and community spaces that serve official language minority communities.
  • Permanently increase funding for post-secondary institutions in official language minority communities to $80 million per year. This new commitment of $240 million over 4 years could be used to strengthen the Université de l’Ontario français, Campus Saint-Jean at the University of Alberta, and post-secondary institutions in Northern Ontario and New Brunswick and counter cuts made by Conservative governments.
  • Continue to contribute to the funding of Saint-Jean Baptiste Day celebrations in Quebec and across the country.
  • Protect the institutions of Quebec’s English-speaking community and support the creation of new organizations in support of this community through initiatives such as the Leadership Institute.
  • Continue to offer federal services in both official languages in every province.
  • Continue to support the French-language knowledge of immigrants in Quebec.
  • Create a strategy to support entrepreneurs in official language minority communities to ensure their vitality through the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).