Final Report of the Expert Roundtable: an Important Tool for the Development of a Francophone Immigration Strategy

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TORONTO, October 4, 2012 – French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau welcomes the final report of Ontario’s Expert Roundtable On Immigration, entitled Expanding Our Routes To Success, which was published yesterday by the Government of Ontario.

In the report, the Expert Roundtable emphasizes how important it is for the government to work closely with the Francophone communities, among others, to design immigration policies and provide programs that meet their needs.

With this report, in addition to the recommendations in the Commissioner’s 2011-2012 Annual Report, the government now has a number of important tools to assist in developing a genuine strategy for welcoming Francophone newcomers to Ontario, providing them with language training and integrating them into the labour market.

QUOTES

“It is important that as soon as newcomers arrive in Canada, and particularly in Ontario, they can be referred to the right organizations, in French, and that they understand that they can live and participate fully in the province’s Francophone community,” said the Commissioner.

“The Francophone communities play an active role in Ontario’s economic, social and cultural growth and, in so doing, they strengthen the province’s capacity to build relationships around the world. Now more than ever, Ontario must also strive to attract its fair share of Francophone immigrants, and the government needs to set immigration targets. I am counting on the government to build a strategy that reflects this reality and takes the Francophone communities’ specific needs into account.”

QUICK FACTS

  • The mandate of Ontario’s Expert Roundtable On Immigration was to advise the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on the planning of Ontario’s first Immigration Strategy. The panel was to provide advice on immigrant selection and settlement and on labour market integration issues. The Expert Roundtable’s final report contains 32 recommendations. (AJEFO).
  • In his 2011-2012 Annual Report, the French Language Services Commissioner recommended that the government establish an advisory committee to guide the Ministry’s efforts in the area of Francophone immigration in Ontario.
  • The Commissioner also recommended that, using a consultative and interministerial approach, the government develop a strategy to welcome Francophone newcomers, provide them with language training and integrate them into the labour market.

LEARN MORE

Read the final report of Ontario’s Expert Roundtable On Immigration, entitled Expanding Our Routes to Success, at http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/keyinitiatives/imm_str/roundtable/index.shtml, and Chapter 2 of the 2011-2012 Annual Report of the French Language Services Commissioner, at http://www.flsc.gov.on.ca/csf_report_en.html#the_new_face_of_ontario_francophonie.

The Office of the French Language Services Commissioner works to ensure active, integrated delivery of French-language services in support of the development of the Francophone community and Ontarian society.

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Simon Côté, Public Relations and Communications Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner
Phone: (416) 314-8247 ou 1-866-246-5262 (toll free)
E-mail: communications.flscCSF@ontario.ca