Duclos denounces Quebec’s ‘budgetary restrictions’ towards francization

Posted October 30, 2024 10:46 am.
After French language classes have closed in several regions of Quebec, federal minister Jean-Yves Duclos, says he has “concerns” that newcomers might not have access to French language classes due to the Legault government’s “budgetary restrictions.”
In a letter sent to Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge, Duclos said that Ottawa grants Quebec “significant financial support to advance common and respective priorities in matters of immigration, in particular francization” through the Canada-Quebec Accord.
“For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, this amount represented more than $775 million,” wrote Duclos in his letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press. “In comparison, for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the total budget of the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration was a little more than $478 million.”
“In total, more than $6 billion has been paid under the agreement since the 2014-2015 fiscal year, if we also include the payment of the exceptional financial compensation of $750 million that our governments agreed to.”
Duclos stated on Friday that “these sums are not fully used.”
He later deplored the closure of French-language classes.
Roberge placed the blame for the closures on school service centres, stating that his government had increased the francization budgets. Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville, stated that “the government’s ability to pay is not unlimited.”
However, Quebec is struggling to cope with the rise in demand.
There are currently around 600,000 temporary immigrants in Quebec. The two CAQ ministers also blame the federal government for admitting too many newcomers, making it difficult for Quebec to francize them.
“The closure of French language classes goes against our common objective of protecting French in Quebec and supporting the full integration of newcomers to Quebec,” said Duclos.
Risk of dependency on social programs
Duclos stated that, without these French language courses, “it is more difficult for newcomers to integrate, find a job and flourish in Quebec.”
“In addition, cuts to francization programs increase the risk that new arrivals will remain dependent on the social programs from our governments for longer,” reads his letter.
Pressure is increasing on Quebec over the francization issue. The Quebec Liberal Party called for an investigation on Friday by the French Language Commissioner Benoît Dubreuil, stating that the government is “breaking the moral contract between Quebec and the people who come to settle here.”
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews