The reality and experience of Francophones outside Quebec: a constant struggle to live and study in their language.
When I'm not representing you in Ottawa in the House of Commons, I'm here in the riding where I meet with constituents, participate in events in our communities, and listen to your concerns to share with my caucus colleagues in Ottawa when the House is in session.
Instead of being in the riding this week, Conservative and Bloc Québécois members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, decided to request a special meeting to extend debates stemming from comments made by MP Francis Drouin — a Franco-Ontarian MP (‘‘You’re full of s--t’: How a Liberal MP’s outburst reignited tensions between francophones”, The National Post, May 10). They want to ignore the fact that the MP apologized, and they want to question the place of a proud Franco-Ontarian.
Some view Drouin's actions with a critical eye, while others recognize the frustrations of Franco-Ontarians struggling for their rights. Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury residents understand this particularly well. Residents have fought fiercely to see the creation of French cultural, educational, and historical spaces, by and for Francophones, for future generations. In fact, the Franco-Ontarian flag was first raised in front of the University of Sudbury on Sept. 25, 1975.
As a Member of Parliament and as a Parliamentary Secretary of Official Languages, I have continued to meet with community organizations and leaders who express their concerns about the decline of the Francophone population and the importance of federal government efforts to mitigate it.
That's why, based on my mandate letter, I continue to advocate for our communities so that our government continues to invest in and support projects that protect and revitalize the French language across Canada, especially in minority language communities like Northern Ontario.
The successful overhaul of the Official Languages Act (Bill C-13), led by our government, protects, and revitalizes the French language, particularly in minority language settings. These efforts may go unnoticed outside the region. It's frustrating when the opposition distorts our reality. MP Drouin acted passionately to defend his constituents and all Francophones in minority settings.
Every Franco-Ontarian is aware that there is a decline of French in Canada, not only in Quebec as separatists dare to claim, but across the country. This ideology that separatists continually share harms the vitality of the French language in Canada.
I firmly believe that Quebec should play a prominent role in supporting Francophones across the country in their efforts to assert and have their rights recognized. We need to strengthen the ties between the country's communities. Safeguarding the French language remains a constant struggle in Quebec, but it is much more difficult in other Canadian provinces, where there is a phenomenon of assimilation of Francophones in some areas.
It is a sad reality strongly influenced by history and demography. Many efforts and advocacy initiatives are being put forward by Francophone communities and partners, even today, to promote French. Francophones work with passion and rigor to ensure that future generations take more interest in it. It is a daily struggle, and we must not give up.
It's regrettable that the issue of the Francophone population outside Quebec is frequently politicized, continually resurfacing, and sometimes belittled by certain politicians. Some even seem pleased at the prospect of the decline of the French language outside Quebec, viewing it as advantageous to their agenda.
I reiterate that Francophones outside Quebec do not live in French in the same way as in Quebec; they must constantly fight to obtain quality services and education.
Ultimately, it's crucial to enhance the circumstances of Francophones outside Quebec while also fostering a revitalized connection between this genuinely vulnerable minority and the people of Quebec.
It is with a heartfelt plea that I urge some of my colleagues to think more deeply about this important issue so that we can move forward rather than continue to create obstacles. As we keep repeating, the federal government's responsibility is to defend official languages across the country, to defend French in Quebec, but also to defend all people in minority situations across Canada.
Marc Serré is the Liberal MP for Nickel Belt.
