French language continues to decline in Quebec: Commissioner report

Downward trends continue when it comes to the French language and they’ve been present in Quebec since the early 2000s, despite numerous policies. 

That’s according to conclusions from a report by the Commissioner of the French Language (CLF) Benoît Dubreuil and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

“The demographic, economic and technological changes of recent decades have caused the use of French to decline in several areas of social life, first and foremost work and culture. Also, the gaps are now visible between younger and older generations, which suggest further declines in the years to come,” said Dubreuil.

Recommendations to strengthen French language

Dubreuil submitted eight recommendations to the Legault government about culture, education, higher education, and the economy.

According to the report, the Montreal and Gatineau regions have the highest decline in the French language. 

Regional planning

1. The Ministry of the French Language should coordinate the development, implementation, and monitoring of regional plans to strengthen French as a common language.

They would target public decisions and interventions in matters of immigration, early childhood, education, higher education, culture, and economic development.

Quebec and Francophone culture

2. The Quebec government should table a bill in the National Assembly about discovering French-language cultural content.

This legislation should require major digital platforms to achieve objectives for promoting original French-language content.

3. The Quebec government should review its cultural support mechanisms with the aim of supporting the production and distribution of Quebec and French-language cultural content.

They should also promote the content digitally among young people and immigrants, as well as in public and commercial spaces.

Quebec schools as a space for cultural discovery

4. The Quebec government should make discovering Quebec and French-speaking cultural content as an objective within the education system.

This objective should be inserted within school service centres and educational projects, to guarantee that all students can discover diverse Quebec and French-language content.

5. The Quebec government should implement twinning activities amongst primary and secondary schools annually, either by school trips or videoconferences to allow young people from different backgrounds to collaborate in activities and discover Quebec and French-speaking cultural content.

Higher education

6. The Quebec government needs to set a target of 85 per cent where French is taught in higher education systems with the aim of gradually increasing its popularity.

The labor market and the economy

7. The Government of Quebec should review its economic development mechanisms.

The CAQ should also question the Canadian government about the effects of its activities on the French language situation in the Gatineau region.

8. Lastly, the Quebec government should work towards the francization of companies who offer services outside of Quebec to facilitate using the language.

Some of the sectors where French seems to be the most difficult includes finance, insurance, and technical services.

According to a press release, the proposed measures have two objectives: to increase the preference for French among young people and newcomers, and to strengthen the networks where French can easily establish itself as a habitual language.

“The measures presented in this report are ambitious. If implemented, they could restore the balance necessary for the sustainability of French and consolidate its use as a common language,” explained Stéphanie Cashman-Pelletier, Deputy Commissioner for the French Language.

There were no recommendations towards immigration, but they’re encouraging more French-speaking immigrants to come to Quebec.