Canada’s official language commissioner has expressed concern over Quebec’s decision to cap the number of students who can enroll at English language colleges in the province.
Raymond Theberge said in a report released Wednesday that he is also concerned about the state’s decision to increase tuition for out-of-state students at the college level.
“Quebec’s English-language higher education institutions have serious concerns about the impact these measures will have on student enrollment and financial sustainability, and I share those concerns,” he said. It added that the two universities are challenging the move in court.
The cap on enrollment at junior colleges and universities (CEGEP) is part of Quebec’s 2022 language reform, which also requires students to take additional French classes.
Théberge wrote that Quebec’s English-language secondary schools play a valuable role by exposing students to a French environment, even if they are studying in English.
“Quebec’s English universities, CEGEPs and colleges are part of the solution, not part of the problem,” he wrote.
“These institutions can play a leading role in social efforts to protect and promote the French language.Given their national and international prominence, these institutions can Can be a valuable resource for students seeking a higher education experience in English’ French and French Culture. ”
The Language Act states that the percentage of students enrolled in English CEGEP must not exceed 17.5 percent of the state’s total student population.
Théberge said the perception that Quebec’s English speakers do not value French as the province’s lingua franca is a myth, and that 71 per cent of Quebec’s English-speaking people are bilingual, most of whom are bilingual in their daily lives. I pointed out that he spoke French.
At a press conference Wednesday, Théberge urged the Quebec government to think through how its policies would impact English-speaking communities.
“I think Quebec should take steps to keep the French population alive within its territory, and in doing so ensure the survival of the French population throughout the country,” he said in Winnipeg. “But we must always consider the impact of our decisions on the vitality of minority communities.”
Elsewhere in the report, he said the state was “very concerned” about a controversial directive that raised concerns that it was restricting access to English-language health care, saying last month He said he was encouraged by the new edition, which clearly reaffirms the right to health care. English care.
“Providing health care to all Canadians in the official language of their choice is a matter of fundamental safety and respect, and all governments should strive to do just that,” he wrote. .
The report also examined the challenges faced by French speakers outside Quebec when accessing services such as day care in their native language. He writes that while there is a shortage across the childcare industry, it is particularly acute for French-speaking staff.
“While widespread educator shortages are already making headlines across the country, French-speaking minority communities also have to contend with the fact that they have fewer staff to hire,” he wrote.
He said a lack of French-language childcare spaces “forces many parents to send their children to nearby English-language childcare centers, making it easier for future generations to assimilate.”
Theberge said he will pay particular attention to how the language provisions in the federal-provincial $10-a-day child care agreement are implemented, and will ensure there is a process in place to evaluate and monitor its results. encouraged by the federal government.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.
