CHAPTER III - PART 2: THE DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGE COMMUNITIES
Page 15 of 25
“Community development” suggests a transition from a given situation to a better one, one with an enhanced vitality. This vitality is multi-dimensional and expresses itself in numerous areas of human activity, such as the economy, early childhood, health, the arts and culture, and post-secondary education. Official language communities often mobilize to demand public services in their language or to establish institutions, because they want to create public spaces where individual and collective identities can express themselves and flourish.
Numerous determining factors must be identified in order to have an impact on community vitality. To understand the complexity of community reality, research must be carried out that focuses on various areas or facets of life in official language minority communities, and the findings must be interpreted. This past year was especially productive in this respect.
2006 CENSUS
The demographic weight of Anglophones and Francophones
Data from the 2006 census12 revealed that Canada is undergoing a profound transformation. A total of 18,056,000 Canadians now have English as their mother tongue (Anglophones) and 6,892,000 have French as their mother tongue (Francophones), up 3.0% and 1.6% respectively from 2001. It is also important to note that, despite a small increase in absolute numbers, the demographic weight of Anglophones and Francophones in the Canadian population has decreased slightly. Although Anglophones are still the majority, their demographic weight dropped from 59.1% to 57.8% between 2001 and 2006, whereas the Francophone population remained relatively stable, falling slightly from 22.9% to 22.1% during the same period. The rest of Canada’s population is allophone, in other words, consisting of people whose mother tongue is neither English nor French.
The allophone immigrant population
Fluctuations in the demographic weight of official language communities are due to the rapid growth of the allophone immigrant population since the mid-1980s. Currently, 20% of Canadians (or 6,293,000 people) have neither English nor French as their mother tongue, an increase of 7% since 1986. Similarly, of the 1.1 million immigrants who entered Canada in the last five years, 81% are allophones.
Some people are concerned about the fact that the demographic weight of Anglophones and Francophones is decreasing in the population. Yet, this phenomenon is not exclusive to Canada. All countries that welcome immigrants have to deal not only with greater linguistic diversity, but also with cultural and religious pluralism. This situation is becoming more and more widespread around the world, and this increasingly complex linguistic portrait requires greater attention to the use of official languages in the public and private spheres. Immigrants have much to contribute to Canadian society and official language communities. Governments must therefore put the necessary structures in place to facilitate their integration into these communities. Allophones use one (or both) of Canada’s official languages in public, and 46% of them speak English or French most of the time at home. This figure jumps to 68% when those who regularly use one of the two official languages are taken into account. As the data show, Canada’s official languages are compatible with diversity, and enable Canadians to forge closer ties with one another.
Bilingualism
The census data raise concerns about the demographic weight of Anglophones and Francophones over the last half-century, but also reveal some achievements, such as the increase in bilingualism. The proportion of Canadians who say they can carry on a conversation in English and French increased during the same period. Between 1951 and 2006, the number of bilingual Canadians increased from 1.7 million, or 12% of the population, to 5.5 million, or 17.4% of the population.
More specifically, between 2001 and 2006, the bilingualism rate increased from 9% to 9.4% among Anglophones, and from 11.8% to 12.1% among allophones. Nevertheless, Quebec is still home to the largest number of bilingual Anglophones, with 68.9% in 2006, compared with 66.1% in 2001. According to the Commissioner, these figures are evidence of this community’s willingness to continue participating fully in Quebec society. However, if Quebec is excluded, only 7.4% of Anglophones say they are able to carry on a conversation in both official languages.
Official language communities
In Canada, close to seven million people have French as their mother tongue, including approximately 975,000 who live outside Quebec (5,000 fewer than in 2001). Francophones who live outside Quebec currently account for 4.1% of Canada’s population. In terms of Quebec’s Anglophone population, it is interesting to note that it is rising for the first time since 1950. A total of 607,000 people in Quebec have English as their mother tongue, and this number increases to 995,000 if those who have English as their first official language spoken are taken into account.13
Data from the 2006 census highlight the importance of reviewing the traditional definitions of the terms “Anglophone” and “Francophone” to adapt them to the changing realities of Canadian society. For example, as mentioned previously, allophones use official languages in the public sphere, nearly half of them speak either English or French most often at home and approximately two thirds of them use one of the official languages on a regular basis. Furthermore, the number of exogamous English-French households14 is growing, as are households in which at least one of the members is allophone. Demographic changes in recent decades clearly show that the concept of mother tongue is no longer a sufficient indicator to account for the complexity of linguistic identity and language use in both the public and private spheres.
The census data provide a glimpse of the linguistic situation in Canada. Although the data are useful, they do not provide a complete portrait of the vitality of official language communities. A post-censal survey of the vitality of official language minority communities conducted by Statistics Canada addressed this shortcoming and expanded on the information gathered during the census.
Post-censal survey of the vitality of official language communities
In December 2007, Statistics Canada released the findings of the first-ever survey on the vitality of official language communities.15 The survey was conducted in the fall of 2006 and was based on a sample of 53,156 official language speakers (30,794 adults and 22,362 children) living in a minority situation, in other words, in Frenchspeaking communities outside Quebec and in English-speaking communities in Quebec.
The purpose of the survey was to identify trends by providing data on the various aspects of community life. The data make it possible for communities to be more aware of the factors of their vitality, to base their strategic decisions on facts and to set objectives. For government officials, the data are an unprecedented tool for developing public policy. It will now be easier to develop performance indicators, evaluate the impact of interventions and adjust programs or initiatives designed to promote the development of official language communities. Data from the survey will allow researchers the opportunity to develop new areas of study that will be useful not only for communities, but also for government interventions.
| Main themes of the survey on the vitality of official-language minorities:16
|
This survey represents a major step forward for the Official Languages Program. The Commissioner views the survey as a positive measure in itself. He wishes to point out that the initiative stems from the Action Plan 2003–2008 and that Statistics Canada carried out the project jointly with the Official Languages Secretariat and a number of federal departments and institutions, including the Office of the Commissioner.
Overview of the communities
The survey provides data on the actual and perceived reality of members of official language communities. The aspects of community vitality that the survey looks at include the use of language in daily activities, health care services, school attendance, the sense of belonging and the perceptions members of official language communities have of their own vitality.
After analyzing the data from the post-censal survey, the Commissioner has identified the following key messages:
- Members of official language communities identify with both language groups. In Quebec, nearly 40% of adult Anglophones identify with both language groups, while 78% of adult Francophones in minority situations indicate that it is important or very important for them to be able to use French in their daily activities.
- The environment influences the language behaviours of individuals in official language communities. In French-language communities, the higher the relative demographic weight of Francophones in the area in which they live, the more comfortable people feel using French in the public and private spheres. In the context of community development, this observation highlights the importance of creating spaces and infrastructure that foster the use of the minority language. The survey also shows that adults in Quebec’s Anglophone community use English a great deal in their daily activities. The use of English appears to be less dependent on the relative demographic weight of Anglophones in the area in which they live.
- Hearing and speaking their second official language does not have the same effect on French-speaking adults as it has on Englishspeaking adults in a minority situation. The data show that, outside Quebec, the pervasiveness of English shapes language behaviours in the public and private spheres. However, in Quebec, even though young Anglophone adults are exposed to French from a young age, the effect of French on maintaining their maternal language appears to be minimal since these young people are nonetheless more comfortable in English. This phenomenon is referred to as additive bilingualism: Anglophones maintain their language while becoming increasingly bilingual.
- In some cases, perceptions do not reflect language behaviours. For example, outside Quebec, French is seldom used in daily activities, with the exception of some areas of New Brunswick and Ontario, and many people declare English as their principal language. Yet, these same people still identify with the Francophone community. In addition, many people consider respect for language rights in their province and access to government services and health care in the minority language important or very important. Responses from respondents in the Anglophone communities of Quebec are similar, but the proportions are higher.
- Adult Anglophones in Quebec are more pessimistic than adult Francophones outside Quebec about the progress of their language in the past 10 years and in the next 10 years. Among Francophone respondents, the level of optimism is directly proportionate to their demographic weight in the community. The same is not true in the English-speaking communities of Quebec: Anglophones in Quebec are less likely to perceive a connection between the demographic weight of their community and the community’s vitality. These observations raise questions that are worth examining more closely.
- Education in the minority language is considered critical, as it plays a key role in future language behaviours.
- Parents believe it is important that their children speak French. More specifically, when they are in a minority situation, Francophones feel it is important for their children to speak their mother tongue, and Anglophones in Quebec want their children to learn French as a second-language. Given the clear importance being placed on French, the necessary structures should be put in place to better meet this need.
- When at least one of the two parents is Francophone, it is often desirable to enrol their children in a French school, but access to French schools is frequently a problem in minority setting. In fact, many parents who enrol their children in French immersion programs or in regular English programs would have preferred to send their children to a French school. These parents state that their children do not attend a French school because of the long distances that must be travelled, the absence of such schools close to their home or because they question the quality of education at these schools.
| Community revitalization: Trends and opportunities for the English-speaking communities of Quebec As a means to increase awareness of issues facing the English-speaking communities of Quebec and to mobilize its leaders, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) convened a national conference from February 29 to March 2, 2008, at the Université de Montréal. Over 200 community leaders and government partners attended the event. The opening ceremonies were attended by both federal and provincial ministers as well as by Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser and former Commissioner Victor C. Goldbloom. Participants took stock of recent challenges and accomplishments. They were presented with an evidenced-based account of the demographic and institutional vitality of Englishspeaking communities. The QCGN provided an opportunity for community leaders to suggest courses of action for the future in key vitality sectors such as demography, health, education, justice and leadership. The QCGN reaffirmed its place as a common policy forum for the anglophone community, capable of mobilizing key partners and debating issues. It also stressed the importance of more citizen participation in the decision making process, of building capacity within organizations and of fostering a common approach to issues facing the English-speaking communities. The QCGN intends to follow through, with all of its partners, on the key courses of action proposed during this conference. Suggested courses of action will be brought before community leaders in the near future.17 The conference proceedings were published with the assistance of the Centre d’études ethniques des universités montréalaises, a key partner of the event.18 The publication of the final report of the Greater Montréal Community Development Initiative in September 2007 is also worth noting. This report identifies the priorities and issues the English-speaking communities in Greater Montréal all have in common and recommends a more collaborative community leadership strategy be put in place. A conference is planned for late April 2008 to continue and expand the dialogue on this subject. |
The Commissioner also notices that there are significant differences not only from one province to another, but also among regions in a given province. This situation is particularly true in Quebec, where most of the Anglophone community is concentrated in Greater Montréal. Each community is unique and faces its own challenges. It would therefore be worthwhile to take into account these many realities to support the Anglophone minority and build a stronger Canadian francophonie.
In summary, the survey on the vitality of the official-language minorities shows that the vitality of communities is more than just the language spoken in the home or the mother tongue. As highlighted in the Office of the Commissioner’s 2005–2006 Annual Report, many factors contribute to ensuring that a community is healthy, strong and capable of addressing the challenges it faces.19 It also shows that the government and community stakeholders must examine the many issues related to vitality, including education in the minority language, access to government services, health care, the sense of belonging and subjective vitality. Together with the census data, the data from the survey also make it possible to identify the sectors that require investments: early childhood, the arts and culture, renewal in aging minority communities, economic development and welcoming newcomers in official language communities.
| The Francophone and Acadian Community Summit In June 2007, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) organized the Francophone and Acadian Community Summit, which brought together approximately 750 people from all of the communities to reflect on community development and better align efforts being made by the organizations.20 Before the Summit took place, the Fédération organized open consultations in communities to develop an overview of their recent evolution and discuss the future. It was therefore able to identify the key issues and set courses of action. The Summit provided the Francophone and Acadian communities with the opportunity to develop a common vision for development, discuss the possibilities and validate strategic objectives. In a way, it reflected the common desire to promote a joint approach to development that aligns both national and local plans. The final declaration of the Summit, which was signed by 33 organizations, is a collective commitment to take firm action toward a better future. Francophone and Acadian communities all aspire to be able to live in French at all times. The Fédération hopes to maintain this momentum and the commitment made at the Summit in the coming years. The leaders’ forum, which brings together 40 organizations, is working on the community strategic plan and hopes the governments will play an active role. |
In a report published in May 2006 titled A Sharper View,21 the Office of the Commissioner invited all participants—communities, governments and researchers—to take ownership of the results of the post-censal survey and take measures to foster greater community vitality.
In order to do so, communities and researchers must work together to ensure that the data is understandable and disseminated. If communities are to have more influence over the conditions that have an impact on their vitality, they must first be able to understand the existing situation.
Since an enormous amount of data remains to be analyzed, researchers must take action to develop new avenues for research, better understand vitality and suggest measures to strengthen vitality. The Commissioner hopes that the analysis will shed new light on the issues mentioned and many others, such as the linguistic trajectory of the family and the various aspects related to the ability to live in the minority language, more specifically the intention of young people to pursue post-secondary education, access to health care services and the communities’ consumption of media products in their language. Various comparisons by region, age group, gender and other socio-demographic variables can be made. A better understanding of these issues would be of great use to the communities, as it will allow them to not only better understand themselves, but also assess their successes, identify where improvement is required and solidify their approaches with decision makers.
Governments must also participate in this reflection and collective effort. Federal institutions in particular must use the survey data to critically evaluate their methods of intervention. Institutions may also develop positive measures based on this new knowledge and on community priorities. Finally, the federal government must consider gathering data on official language communities as a permanent exercise. It will be important to renew the survey to gather additional data on official language communities so the progress that is made can be better evaluated.
| Success story: The French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario On August 1, 2007, the Government of Ontario announced the appointment of François Boileau as the first French Language Services Commissioner. The main functions of the Commissioner are to investigate and report on compliance with the French Language Services Act, to monitor the progress of government institutions in the province subject to the Act and to advise the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs on related issues. The Commissioner must also submit an annual report to the Minister for tabling in the Legislative Assembly. The creation of this position is a major step in ensuring that Francophones in Ontario are offered the services to which they are entitled. |
Overview of the communities
The survey provides data on the actual and perceived reality of members of official language communities. The aspects of community vitality that the survey looks at include the use of language in daily activities, health care services, school attendance, the sense of belonging and the perceptions members of official language communities have of their own vitality.
After analyzing the data from the post-censal survey, the Commissioner has identified the following key messages:
- Members of official language communities identify with both language groups. In Quebec, nearly 40% of adult Anglophones identify with both language groups, while 78% of adult Francophones in minority situations indicate that it is important or very important for them to be able to use French in their daily activities.
- The environment influences the language behaviours of individuals in official language communities. In French-language communities, the higher the relative demographic weight of Francophones in the area in which they live, the more comfortable people feel using French in the public and private spheres. In the context of community development, this observation highlights the importance of creating spaces and infrastructure that foster the use of the minority language. The survey also shows that adults in Quebec’s Anglophone community use English a great deal in their daily activities. The use of English appears to be less dependent on the relative demographic weight of Anglophones in the area in which they live.
- Hearing and speaking their second official language does not have the same effect on French-speaking adults as it has on Englishspeaking adults in a minority situation. The data show that, outside Quebec, the pervasiveness of English shapes language behaviours in the public and private spheres. However, in Quebec, even though young Anglophone adults are exposed to French from a young age, the effect of French on maintaining their maternal language appears to be minimal since these young people are nonetheless more comfortable in English. This phenomenon is referred to as additive bilingualism: Anglophones maintain their language while becoming increasingly bilingual.
- In some cases, perceptions do not reflect language behaviours. For example, outside Quebec, French is seldom used in daily activities, with the exception of some areas of New Brunswick and Ontario, and many people declare English as their principal language. Yet, these same people still identify with the Francophone community. In addition, many people consider respect for language rights in their province and access to government services and health care in the minority language important or very important. Responses from respondents in the Anglophone communities of Quebec are similar, but the proportions are higher.
- Adult Anglophones in Quebec are more pessimistic than adult Francophones outside Quebec about the progress of their language in the past 10 years and in the next 10 years. Among Francophone respondents, the level of optimism is directly proportionate to their demographic weight in the community. The same is not true in the English-speaking communities of Quebec: Anglophones in Quebec are less likely to perceive a connection between the demographic weight of their community and the community’s vitality. These observations raise questions that are worth examining more closely.
- Education in the minority language is considered critical, as it plays a key role in future language behaviours.
- Parents believe it is important that their children speak French. More specifically, when they are in a minority situation, Francophones feel it is important for their children to speak their mother tongue, and Anglophones in Quebec want their children to learn French as a second-language. Given the clear importance being placed on French, the necessary structures should be put in place to better meet this need.
- When at least one of the two parents is Francophone, it is often desirable to enrol their children in a French school, but access to French schools is frequently a problem in minority setting. In fact, many parents who enrol their children in French immersion programs or in regular English programs would have preferred to send their children to a French school. These parents state that their children do not attend a French school because of the long distances that must be travelled, the absence of such schools close to their home or because they question the quality of education at these schools.
| Community revitalization: Trends and opportunities for the English-speaking communities of Quebec As a means to increase awareness of issues facing the English-speaking communities of Quebec and to mobilize its leaders, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) convened a national conference from February 29 to March 2, 2008, at the Université de Montréal. Over 200 community leaders and government partners attended the event. The opening ceremonies were attended by both federal and provincial ministers as well as by Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser and former Commissioner Victor C. Goldbloom. Participants took stock of recent challenges and accomplishments. They were presented with an evidenced-based account of the demographic and institutional vitality of Englishspeaking communities. The QCGN provided an opportunity for community leaders to suggest courses of action for the future in key vitality sectors such as demography, health, education, justice and leadership. The QCGN reaffirmed its place as a common policy forum for the anglophone community, capable of mobilizing key partners and debating issues. It also stressed the importance of more citizen participation in the decision making process, of building capacity within organizations and of fostering a common approach to issues facing the English-speaking communities. The QCGN intends to follow through, with all of its partners, on the key courses of action proposed during this conference. Suggested courses of action will be brought before community leaders in the near future.17 The conference proceedings were published with the assistance of the Centre d’études ethniques des universités montréalaises, a key partner of the event.18 The publication of the final report of the Greater Montréal Community Development Initiative in September 2007 is also worth noting. This report identifies the priorities and issues the English-speaking communities in Greater Montréal all have in common and recommends a more collaborative community leadership strategy be put in place. A conference is planned for late April 2008 to continue and expand the dialogue on this subject. |
The Commissioner also notices that there are significant differences not only from one province to another, but also among regions in a given province. This situation is particularly true in Quebec, where most of the Anglophone community is concentrated in Greater Montréal. Each community is unique and faces its own challenges. It would therefore be worthwhile to take into account these many realities to support the Anglophone minority and build a stronger Canadian francophonie.
In summary, the survey on the vitality of the official-language minorities shows that the vitality of communities is more than just the language spoken in the home or the mother tongue. As highlighted in the Office of the Commissioner’s 2005–2006 Annual Report, many factors contribute to ensuring that a community is healthy, strong and capable of addressing the challenges it faces.19 It also shows that the government and community stakeholders must examine the many issues related to vitality, including education in the minority language, access to government services, health care, the sense of belonging and subjective vitality. Together with the census data, the data from the survey also make it possible to identify the sectors that require investments: early childhood, the arts and culture, renewal in aging minority communities, economic development and welcoming newcomers in official language communities.
| The Francophone and Acadian Community Summit In June 2007, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) organized the Francophone and Acadian Community Summit, which brought together approximately 750 people from all of the communities to reflect on community development and better align efforts being made by the organizations.20 Before the Summit took place, the Fédération organized open consultations in communities to develop an overview of their recent evolution and discuss the future. It was therefore able to identify the key issues and set courses of action. The Summit provided the Francophone and Acadian communities with the opportunity to develop a common vision for development, discuss the possibilities and validate strategic objectives. In a way, it reflected the common desire to promote a joint approach to development that aligns both national and local plans. The final declaration of the Summit, which was signed by 33 organizations, is a collective commitment to take firm action toward a better future. Francophone and Acadian communities all aspire to be able to live in French at all times. The Fédération hopes to maintain this momentum and the commitment made at the Summit in the coming years. The leaders’ forum, which brings together 40 organizations, is working on the community strategic plan and hopes the governments will play an active role. |
In a report published in May 2006 titled A Sharper View,21 the Office of the Commissioner invited all participants—communities, governments and researchers—to take ownership of the results of the post-censal survey and take measures to foster greater community vitality.
In order to do so, communities and researchers must work together to ensure that the data is understandable and disseminated. If communities are to have more influence over the conditions that have an impact on their vitality, they must first be able to understand the existing situation.
Since an enormous amount of data remains to be analyzed, researchers must take action to develop new avenues for research, better understand vitality and suggest measures to strengthen vitality. The Commissioner hopes that the analysis will shed new light on the issues mentioned and many others, such as the linguistic trajectory of the family and the various aspects related to the ability to live in the minority language, more specifically the intention of young people to pursue post-secondary education, access to health care services and the communities’ consumption of media products in their language. Various comparisons by region, age group, gender and other socio-demographic variables can be made. A better understanding of these issues would be of great use to the communities, as it will allow them to not only better understand themselves, but also assess their successes, identify where improvement is required and solidify their approaches with decision makers.
Governments must also participate in this reflection and collective effort. Federal institutions in particular must use the survey data to critically evaluate their methods of intervention. Institutions may also develop positive measures based on this new knowledge and on community priorities. Finally, the federal government must consider gathering data on official language communities as a permanent exercise. It will be important to renew the survey to gather additional data on official language communities so the progress that is made can be better evaluated.
| Success story: The French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario On August 1, 2007, the Government of Ontario announced the appointment of François Boileau as the first French Language Services Commissioner. The main functions of the Commissioner are to investigate and report on compliance with the French Language Services Act, to monitor the progress of government institutions in the province subject to the Act and to advise the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs on related issues. The Commissioner must also submit an annual report to the Minister for tabling in the Legislative Assembly. The creation of this position is a major step in ensuring that Francophones in Ontario are offered the services to which they are entitled. |
STUDIES ON COMMUNITY VITALITY: STAKEHOLDERS SPEAK UP
Over the past year, the Commissioner continued his research program on the vitality of official language communities. In the fall of 2007, he published three successive studies on the vitality of Francophone communities in urban settings (Winnipeg, Sudbury and Halifax).22 These studies highlighted the factors that contribute to the success of these communities and identified vitality indicators in four areas of activity: community governance, government services, immigration and health.
The studies took a participatory approach, in which community players were able to establish the main vitality factors for their community themselves. The field work was thus in line with ongoing development efforts at the local level in the areas under study. The studies enabled community stakeholders to further reflect on the challenges related to vitality, how to take part in their development and how to measure progress over time.
The study results are also relevant for public institutions, which often have difficulty understanding or clearly identifying community needs. When community members agree on the challenges and vitality objectives in a given area, dialogue and partnerships with governments become easier and more productive. Considering their obligations, federal institutions should pay special attention to the efforts being made on the local and regional level to mobilize the community.
Several months after being published, the Commissioner’s studies continue to attract interest and fuel discussions in communities in Sudbury, Winnipeg and Halifax. Some community leaders have revised or completely overhauled their community development strategic plans, based on the studies. In Sudbury, for example, leaders are preparing a multi-sectoral development plan for the community. With guidance from the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité de l’Ontario and the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario du Grand Sudbury, intersted groups and individuals are looking at organizing a general assembly in June 2008.
The Commissioner continued his study on vitality in 2007 by beginning a review of the situation in three English-speaking communities in Quebec: the Eastern Townships, Québec City and the Lower North Shore. By taking a participative approach similar to the one adopted in 2006 for Francophone communities, the Commissioner has been able to determine the vitality indicators in various areas of activity.
The study allowed participants from the three English-speaking communities to draw attention to and better understand the realities they face. The three communities under study place a great deal of importance on issues related to young people and health and social services, but the arts and culture, economic development, visibility, leadership and community renewal have also been looked at. In addition, the study showed just how much people care about their community and what they are willing to do to ensure its survival. Leaders are trying to mobilize their community, despite the low demographic weight, the lack of local cultural structures and the exodus of young people. The Office of the Commissioner’s study provided an opportunity for stakeholders from the communities under study to develop tools for intervention and measuring vitality.
Vitality studies of minority Anglophone and Francophone communities are a springboard for dialogue among those involved: the communities, governments and researchers. The Commissioner intends to continue his reflection and promote discussion on this subject.
| Success story: Lower North Shore Anglophone community forums In March 2006, the Lower North Shore Community Economic Development and Employability Committee organized Celebration 2006, a series of community forums in each of the five Lower North Shore municipalities. The objective of Celebration 2006 was to gather ideas and enlist support from community members to enrich the region’s social development plan, which places a priority on long-term development and stability. A first for the Lower North Shore, this activity brought together community members who examined the possibility of leveraging their community’s assets and taking advantage of the opportunities that were available to ensure their development. The main themes discussed were tourism, communications and cooperation among communities. The forums allowed participants to set local development priorities. They also served as a basis for the regional economic forum, which was held in Chevery on February 7 and 8, 2008, by the Lower North Shore Council of Mayors. Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec and public and private organizations contributed financially to this initiative. As a result of this initiative, eight local development plans and a regional development strategy are being created. They aim to promote the implementation of concrete community initiatives and projects that address the unique socio-economic needs of Lower North Shore communities. |
STUDY ON FUNDING AGENCIES
Research is undeniably an important pillar of community vitality. It helps communities to better know and recognize themselves, and helps governments understand the needs and issues of these communities. However, conducting research and disseminating the results are activities that require time and effort. Researchers therefore require financial support structures to do so. In 2007, the Commissioner examined the role of federal research funding agencies in the promotion of official languages.
Federal funding agencies are some of the federal institutions that must review their policies and programs in light of Part VII of the Act to ensure that official language communities receive treatment that is equal to that received by majority communities. The Commissioner closely examined this issue to see whether these agencies are fulfilling their responsibilities in terms of support for researchers in official language minority situations and official languages research.
The study found that researchers in small official language minority universities face many barriers. The researchers who were interviewed emphasized the difficulties inherent to research in small postsecondary institutions in minority situations. At the national level, English still dominates as the language of publication; moreover, peer committees do not always have the skills required to assess grant applications submitted in French, and they are unaware of the specific realities of their colleagues who want to work in French, who work in small official language minority institutions or who study issues related to official languages. Small educational institutions must also deal with the lack of research infrastructure, the physical and intellectual isolation of researchers from the rest of the scientific community and heavier teaching and administrative workloads. In the case of Quebec, the study pointed out the lack of research on the Anglophone community and the lack of a research institute or network dedicated to Anglophone communities. In short, researchers from official language communities must overcome serious challenges.
Nevertheless, the Commissioner sees encouraging signs. First, the study found that funding agencies have adopted several best practices. For example, some have committed to integrating official language communities and linguistic duality into their research plans and placing more importance on them.
In addition, the willingness of the parties involved to work together is palpable. At a November 2006 discussion forum, researchers and funding agencies proposed innovative ideas and practices to encourage research in institutions in minority settings and promote research related to linguistic duality.
In January 2008, after analyzing the challenges and best practices, the Commissioner published a report titled The Role of Canadian Federal Research Funding Agencies in the Promotion of Official Languages.23 He made nine recommendations, eight of which were addressed to federal research funding agencies.
| Example of a measure resulting from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research action plan In June 2008, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in cooperation with the University of Ottawa, will host a summer institute that focuses on health in official language communities in order to increase the number of researchers interested in this field of research. The CIHR will hold a summer institute on research into health issues in official language communities every three years thereafter. |
It did not take long for this report to make an impact. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), an agency with the mandate of supporting health research that improves Canadians’ health, reacted quickly. In February 2008, CIHR proposed an action plan that made a variety of improvements to its Research Initiative on Official Language Minority Communities, which was launched in 2004. The plan consists of five concrete objectives and specific performance indicators to maintain the current best practices and adopt others.
There are other examples of productive partnerships between institutions that benefit communities. Symposium on Official Language Research Issues brought together over 165 community stakeholders, researchers and government decision makers from across the country in January 2008. Its goal was to identify the main challenges faced by those involved and explore courses of action to encourage research on official languages and linguistic duality. The Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee on Official Languages Research is currently studying the results of the Symposium.24
STUDY ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE
Official language communities recognize the vital role the arts and culture play in developing a strong sense of belonging to a community and a language group. Artistic and cultural activities are considered important retention factors in small communities because they improve the quality of life and contribute to the economic vitality of the community. Yet artists and arts and culture groups that work in official language communities face specific challenges, including restricted markets, the difficulty of promoting themselves across Canada, and the lack of cultural resources and infrastructure to name just a few.
The Commissioner examined in this issue over the past year. He wondered if federal programs are sufficiently supporting the arts and culture in official language communities. He therefore commissioned a study of federal programs that give direct support to artists and arts and culture organizations, in particular the support programs provided by Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Film Board, Telefilm Canada, the National Arts Centre and the administrators of the Canada Music Fund, FACTOR and MUSICACTION.
The study found that several measures have been taken in recent years to increase and improve support for artists and organizations that work in official language communities. For example, the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official- Language Communities and the Multipartite Cooperation Agreement on Culture have had a positive impact. Over the past 10 years, a net increase in investment in the arts and culture in official language communities has been evident. However, the Commissioner now observes a certain amount of ground has been lost in a number of programs.
In certain cases, programs have been modified to offer improved support or support that is better adapted to the needs of artists and communities. For example, the Book Publishing Industry Development Program uses a special formula to calculate grants for linguistic minority publishers. However, there are very few of these programs and there is no comprehensive policy or longterm investment plan. As a result, the arts and culture sector in official language communities cannot overcome the obstacles it faces or ensure its sustainability.
The other underlying issues in the arts and culture sector include the following:
- Insufficient cultural infrastructure in small communities;
- The lack of visibility of artists in official language communities within their own language community and the majority community;
- Current funding methods that do not allow organizations to plan for long-term growth;
- Program criteria that are sometimes limiting;
- The lack of representation within certain organizations.
The Commissioner therefore made a series of recommendations to promote the development of a new vision of the arts and culture in official language communities. He was pleased to learn that Bernard Lord recently recommended that the arts and culture be included in the initiative that will replace the Action Plan 2003–2008.
| Success story: Bilingual services in official language communities A number of Francophone municipalities and organizations in a minority context have launched projects in recent years to increase the availability of bilingual services in their communities. The following are two notable examples that are considered best practices by Canadian Heritage:25
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Notes
12 Statistics Canada, The Evolving Linguistic Portrait, 2006 Census, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-555-XIE (Ottawa, 2007), www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/analysis/language/index.cfm
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13 The first official language is a variable obtained based on responses to census questions regarding knowledge of official languages, mother tongue and home language.
14 Used in this context, exogamy is the union of spouses with different mother tongues.
15 Statistics Canada, Minorities Speak Up: Results of the survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 91-548-XIE (Ottawa, December 2007), www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/91-548-XIE/91-548-XIE2007001.pdf.
17 For more information on these specific courses of action, visit the QCGN’s Web site at www.qcgn.com/page.asp?intNodeID=18153
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18 To read the conference proceedings, visit the Web site of the QCGN or Centre d’études ethniques montréalaises at www.ceetum.umontreal.ca/english/home.htm.
19 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, 2005–2006 Annual Report (Ottawa, 2006), p. 35.
20 The proceedings of the Francophone and Acadian Community Summit are available on the Web site of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne at www.fcfa.ca/media_uploads/pdf/698.pdf (in French only).
21 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, A Sharper View: Evaluating the Vitality of Official Language Minority Communities (Ottawa, 2006).
22 Information on these studies can be found on the Office of the Commissioner’s Web site at www.officiallanguages.gc.ca/html/etudes_studies_e.php.
23 Information on these studies can be found on the Office of the Commissioner’s Web site at www.officiallanguages.gc.ca/html/etudes_studies_e.php.
24 The presentation made at the Symposium can be consulted on the Web site of the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities at www.cirlm.ca/index.php?lang=en.
25 For more information on other initiative identified as best practices by Canadian Heritage, see the Department’s Web site at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/lo-ol/sb-bs/bestpract_e.cfm.
