Report on Government of Canada Online Consultations on Linguistic Duality and Official Languages
In the context of globalization and the increasing diversity in our country and given that the Action Plan for Official Languages will soon be concluding, the Government of Canada held these consultations to gather the views of Canadians on issues relating to linguistic duality and the development of official-language minority communities. These consultations are only one of the sources of information that will be used to develop a strategy for the next phase of the Action Plan. The results of these consultations will build on the work carried out by the parliamentary committees on official languages, the Commissioner of Official Languages, official‑language minority communities (e.g., the 2007 Sommet des communautés francophones et acadiennes), intergovernmental discussion forums (e.g., Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie), and the ongoing dialogue between federal, provincial and territorial departments and the official-language communities that they support.
The Government of Canada consultations on linguistic duality and official languages discussed such themes as demographic changes, the economy and new technologies, and government modernization. This report outlines the essential elements of the answers given in response to questions asked in online consultations. Education, immigration and government support for official‑language communities (notably in the areas of culture, arts and media) were the issues most often raised.
Demographic Changes
If the observed trends continue, tomorrow’s Canada will be very different from the Canada of yesterday or today. The population will be more elderly, the Aboriginal population will continue to grow faster than the general population, and visible minorities will become majorities in major cities. The tendency of young people and newcomers to settle primarily in major urban centres will contribute to the stagnation or weakening of regional economies. In addition to these phenomena, there will be a larger linguistic and religious diversity, combined with an aging population, urbanization, and rural depopulation. These new realities will be the new context for identity creation.
Official-language minority communities are facing the same challenges as Canadian society as a whole: an aging population, the impact of rural out‑migration, urbanization, and the integration of newcomers. There are some disconcerting factors among Francophone youth: cultural consumption trends appear to favour English; French-language school attendance targets do not appear to be achieved; the retention rate for public Francophone school systems does not appear to meet expectations, etc.
How could the government strategy on official languages take advantage of and meet the challenges of demographic changes?
Among the issues arising from the numerous factors of demographic change, what is the phenomenon on which governmental intervention can have the most impact?
According to the participants in the online consultations, demographic changes are transforming traditional definitions as well as minority Anglophone and Francophone spaces. Given this fast-changing context it was identified that minority communities need to continue to emphasize solidarity and openness and look toward the future.
For the participants, education is a key factor in dealing with the challenges posed by demographic changes. As such, education should feature in the Government’s new official-languages strategy. The conviction that all Canadians should have the opportunity to learn both official languages clearly emerged during the online consultations. Learning both official languages makes Canadians more employable and better able to contribute to Canadian society. A number of participants felt that immersion programs (English and French) are the most effective way to achieve a greater degree of bilingualism in Canada. However, they complained about difficulty in gaining access to immersion programs and qualified Francophone teachers, in both urban and rural areas. To meet this challenge, some suggested that the Government ensure that a new strategy includes initiatives to recruit more Francophone teachers. According to the participants, Government intervention may have a significant impact by increasing funding to education in both official languages, both to help newcomers learn their first official language and to encourage all Canadians to learn their second official language. A number of them even said that they were open to learning a third language.
In addition to requests for additional investment to consolidate and enhance community networks and institutions, participants raised the need to support the presentation of community and cultural programming by including arts and culture in a Government strategy. In their opinion, such Government support would help consolidate the arts infrastructure and enable artists and arts organizations to play a more dynamic role in the development of their community, by cooperating with organizations and institutions of other sectors. For example, the Government could provide increased support to publishers, thereby becoming a partner in disseminating new realities and participating in the mutual understanding of communities.
The participants in the online consultations also raised the fact that the communities are looking to immigration to help them face challenges posed by demographic changes. They asked the Government to promote and preserve Canada’s official languages by giving newcomers the opportunity to learn English and/or French. According to the participants, immigrants could therefore fully contribute to Canadian society. The members of official-language minority communities, specifically Francophone communities, also raised the importance of attracting newcomers from Francophone countries to their communities. This could help them integrate into Canada and local vitality, particularly if these new Canadians settle outside major urban centres such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Another suggestion was that the Government ensure interprovincial mobility of Francophones by integration services, such as education and access to justice services.
However, some believe that demographic changes show that the Government should only take action in places where numbers warrant, with targeted expenditure in regions with a high proportion of Francophones outside Quebec and Anglophones in Quebec. The remaining funds could therefore be redirected to improve services delivered to all Canadians.
The Economy and New Technologies
Since the end of the last century, we have been witness to a transformation of our economy, which marks a new era as a knowledge-based economy. In fact, a number of changes have been associated with this new economy, particularly the marked development of the tertiary sector. Canada launched itself into this new phase of our economy’s evolution through its solid gains in research, cutting-edge technological infrastructure and the creation of a qualified workforce.
Canada has one of the most educated populations in the world, which gives it a significant advantage in the development, dissemination and use of knowledge. As a result, Canadian innovation, in addition to driving our economy, has led to worldwide recognition of Canadian know-how. The emergence and dissemination of new technologies have significantly changed industry’s traditional practices. The population is adapting as well: Canadians are well informed citizens able take advantage of the reams of information made available through information technology and communications.
How can the government strategy on official languages contribute to the growth and competitiveness of the Canadian economy?
How can new technologies contribute to the development of official‑language minority communities and linguistic duality?
The participants indicated that education is a key factor for Canada’s economic growth. For them, language education of comparable quality needs to be made available across the country. In order for the Government’s official-languages strategy to be able to contribute to the growth and competitiveness of the Canadian economy, the participants believe that the Government should give priority to second-language instruction programs of high quality. Participants identified an immediate need for support for access to good-quality official-language education for all Canadians, including a special need for rural and remote regions. In the opinion of participants, training, recruitment and retention of second-language teachers remain challenges in every region of Canada. Some call for national standards governing teachers’ linguistic, cultural and methodological skills. For most participants, learning several languages improves Canadian economic growth and competitiveness, ensuring that Canadians have the necessary tools to more easily communicate with individuals and businesses in other countries.
The participants raised the importance of improving basic skills and supporting community small businesses that have significant economic spin-offs for official-language minority communities. These businesses work most often in the arts and cultural industries and in the media.
In order to benefit from youth enthusiasm, a number of participants suggested that measures be taken to provide them with opportunities to come into contact with the other official language as part of innovative education programs that combine technology and travel-study programs in Francophone regions for young Anglophones and vice versa. Promoting the advantages of bilingualism, not only in the Canadian context but also around the world, was also identified as appropriate.
As for new technologies, the participants pointed out that new technologies, including satellite TV/radio and the Internet, provide members of official-language minority communities with greater access to information in their language. These technologies also facilitate communications between communities that are sometimes far apart geographically, promoting co-operation and enhancing the sense of belonging. They also make it possible to break the isolation affecting a number of official-language minority communities and make it easier to create networks between creators and Canadians. Furthermore, new technologies help produce works and reduce production costs, thereby democratizing the arts. The attraction of these new production methods to young people is undeniable and gives young Canadians across the country the opportunity to develop their creative talents. The participants recommended that a new strategy support the development and use of state-of-the-art software and hardware in French, the creation of online Canadian content in French, and the growth of the Canadian publishing industry. This support will serve not only the official-language minority communities, but would also provide additional support to students in immersion.
Government Modernization
Since Canadians are widely informed about the affairs of State, they have high expectations. They seek high-quality services: widely accessible; free of administrative, organizational and linguistic barriers; and adapted to their needs. They also expect ever-increasing accountability and transparency from Government.
For its part, the Government of Canada has engaged in a continuous process of governmental modernization and has adopted specific measures, notably the Federal Accountability Act, as well as related strategic and non-legislative measures to increase accountability, transparency and oversight of Government activities. To meet this need, the public service must respect the principles of good governance and accountability. Measuring, monitoring and reporting performance results are therefore essential to demonstrating the progress made through Government action.
Lastly, the public service will, in the near future, face challenges regarding workforce renewal. Government modernization will have to take this reality into account to ensure that services continue to be provided to Canadians.
How can the government strategy on official languages support the government in its modernization efforts?
What opportunities to improve our practices can we seize as part of government modernization?
The participants in the online consultations raised the fact that the new official‑languages strategy should support the supply of services of comparable quality for everyone and the availability of Government services across Canada. For example, greater access to Government services could be made available to remote communities through single-window services. The Government should continue to support second-language instruction as part of the professional‑development activities provided to federal public servants. It should also provide young people with opportunities to learn the other language in order to prepare the next generation.
The participants also mentioned the importance of increasing funding to organizations and institutions to allow them to deliver services in all industries involved in daily life. It was also recommended that the Government systematically include an “official languages” component in each of its support programs (e.g., the Publications Assistance Program and the Canada Magazine Fund).
A number of participants felt that the federal and provincial governments should work together with minority communities to promote linguistic duality in Canada. The governments should use all the means necessary to ensure that students successfully learn their second official language, according to submissions received. As well, participants identified that strong co-operation between the government and organizations would result in an effective partnership that would serve to improve the quality of life of Canadians, particularly those belonging to linguistic minorities.