THE COMMISSIONER ACKNOWLEDGES SENATOR GAUTHIER’S
TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION
Toronto, December 11, 2009 – The Office of the French Language Services Commissioner wishes to acknowledge Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier’s tremendous contribution and dedication to the Francophone community. Senator Gauthier died on Thursday, December 10, 2009.
A man of great convictions, Senator Gauthier’s valiant efforts led to the creation and governance of Ontario’s French-language schools. He was also instrumental in the fight to keep Montfort Hospital, in the Ottawa region, open. His actions have benefited Francophones right across Canada. Senator Gauthier’s private member’s bill to amend Part VII of the Official Languages Act is one of his greatest legacies to Canada’s French-language minority communities. According to French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau, this is a day of mourning for French Ontario and for Canada’s entire Francophone community.
QUOTES
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of this great man, who has done so much for Ontario’s Francophones and for Canada’s Francophone community as a whole. He truly was larger than life. We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude,” stated Commissioner François Boileau.
“Personally, I remember a very determined man that no-one wanted to let down. Individuals of the stature of Jean-Robert Gauthier are few and far between,” the Commissioner stated.
The Commissioner joins Francophones across the country in honouring Senator Gauthier whose brilliant career enabled Ontario’s Francophones to make great strides.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Phone: 416 314-8247, Cell.: 416-906-7021
Toll-free line: 1 866 246-5262
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
TOWARD THE DEPOLITICIZATION OF FRENCH-LANGUAGE SERVICES
Toronto, October 21, 2009 – In his second annual report, which is being released today, Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner, François Boileau, wants to see French-language services fully integrated within the Ontario government.
“Integrating and offering French-language services are not some forms of special treatment. It is an obligation under the French Language Services Act. French-language services must be depoliticized and the funding allocated to these services must be protected from political influence and budget fluctuations,” stated Mr. Boileau.
French-language services must be the core of programs and services development. The government must stop seeing them as somehow separate from other services. According to the Commissioner, the minimalist approach to French-language services that has set in over the past 20 years, that is to say, since the enactment of the Act, must end.
Furthermore, the financial and human resources allocated to French-language services are not adequate, yet the need for these services continues to grow and is more urgent than ever. This has a direct impact on the ability of the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner to deal with an ever-increasing number of complaints. In 2008-2009, the Office recorded
304 complaints—seven times the number reported in its first annual report released last year.
“It is becoming impossible to do more with less, and the quality of the services being delivered to the public is suffering as a result. The government must ensure that it offers services that meet the needs of Francophones. The vitality, development, and survival of Ontario’s Francophone communities depend upon these services,” added the Commissioner.
QUICK FACTS
This annual report, entitled One Voice, Many Changes, is the French Language Services Commissioner’s second annual report. It covers the period from April 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009.
• The Commissioner’s four recommendations deal with the translation of provincial regulations, a mandatory policy on human resources for French-language services, increased resources for the Office of Francophone Affairs and the coordination of French-language services for the fiscal year 2010-2011 and subsequent years, and the creation of a committee in the justice sector to review the shortage of bilingual judges in Ontario.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Phone: 416 314-8247, Cell.: 416-906-7021
Toll-free line: 1 866 246-5262
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON THE FLU SEASON: THE GOVERNMENT HAS COME UP SHORT, SAYS THE COMMISSIONER
Toronto, September 17, 2009 – François Boileau, Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner, has launched an investigation into what he considers a direct violation of the French Language Services Act, following the province-wide release of an English-only brochure on the flu season.
According to the Commissioner, it is inconceivable that, in 2009, a brochure being sent to every household in Ontario is not bilingual. The provincial government has missed an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that it is committed to offering high-quality French-language services to its French-speaking citizens.
The brochure, currently being distributed in English by the government, is available in French—but only on request. And it is very difficult for the province’s French-speaking citizens to obtain a copy of it.
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“Clearly this brochure should have been bilingual. Was it decided, at some point, that Francophones in Ontario didn’t need to be informed about the flu because they were somehow immune to it?”, stated François Boileau.
“There is a bilingual website on the H1N1 flu, but there are still discrepancies between the English version and the French version. I plan to investigate on the whole matter more fully in the coming weeks. Given the importance of this situation, this is an embarrassing state of affairs,” added the Commissioner.
QUICK FACTS
Created in 2007, the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner has a mandate, under the French Language Services Act, to conduct independent
investigations either in response to a complaint or on its own initiative. It also monitors government agencies on their progress on the delivery of French-language services in Ontario.
In May 2009, the French Language Services Commissioner released a Special Report on French Language Health Services Planning in Ontario.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Phone: 416 314-8247
Toll-free: 1 866 246-5262
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
COMMISSIONER PLEASED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF HIS RECOMMENDATION
Toronto, June 4, 2009 – Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner, François Boileau, is pleased that the Ontario government will be implementing one of the recommendations that he made in his first annual report, which was made public in June 2008. In it, he recommended a review of the definition of the Francophone population of Ontario to make it more inclusive and to ensure that it reflects the diversity of this population.
“Ontario is demonstrating leadership by adopting a new definition that is more inclusive and representative of the population. The Ontarian Francophonie is a rich and diverse community that can be proud of this recognition. I am very pleased,” stated François Boileau.
According to the Commissioner, this is also an excellent opportunity for the government to more adequately plan the offer of French language services. “This is a way of recognizing Francophones who are likely to request services in French from the Ontario government, for example, exogamous families and newcomers. The government must be able to meet their needs,” Mr. Boileau added.
The Commissioner hopes that Ontario’s Francophone community will be proud to make this new definition its own.
QUICK FACTS
In June 2008, the French Language Services Commissioner made the following recommendation in his first annual report entitled Paving the Way: “The Commissioner recommends to the Minister that she review the definition of the Francophone population of Ontario in order to ensure that it adequately reflects the new reality of this population.”
Created in 2007, the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner has a mandate, under the French Language Services Act, to conduct independent investigations in response to complaints or on its own initiative, and to monitor the progress made by government agencies in the delivery of French language services in Ontario.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Phone: 416 314-8247
Toll-free: 1 866 246-5262
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
GLENDON AND THE OFFICE OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
SERVICES COMMISSIONER CONCLUDE
A FIRST PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Toronto, May 11, 2009– The Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario and the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs signed a partnership agreement for the first time earlier today in Toronto. This agreement will allow a graduate student enrolled in the bilingual Master’s in Public and International Affairs to complete a four-month placement with the Office of the Commissioner during this summer.
This partnership is a concrete example of the possibilities to study at the master’s level in French in Toronto while also completing an internship within a public institution that works primarily in French. “We are able to offer our bilingual students this excellent opportunity to apply their knowledge gained throughout the year and acquire skills in a Francophone work environment that is directly linked to their field of studies,” declared Principal Kenneth McRoberts.
“This agreement introduces bilingual students to the possibilities of having a career in the provincial public service and to have access to the Government of Ontario, an employer of choice,” emphasized Commissioner François Boileau.
Thanks to this partnership, the graduate student in public and international affairs, Bethan Dinning, will complete her placement with the French Language Services Commissioner’s Office as a Policy Analyst from May 11 to August 28, 2009. “This Office plays a central role in the delivery of French language services and I hope to contribute to it by putting into effect my acquired knowledge in the field of official language policies in the Franco-Ontarian context,” mentioned Ms. Dinning.
The Principal of Glendon College and the French Language Services Commissioner see this agreement as the first in a series over the coming years.
QUICK FACTS
The Masters Program in Public and International Affairs, offered within the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs created in 2006, has 18 bilingual graduate students among its inaugural cohort. It seeks to welcome approximately 20 bilingual graduate students per year. Being bilingual is an admission criteria to the program. The Masters Program is the only one in Canada to offer a truly bilingual education, in French and English. Glendon College, the bilingual Faculty of York University, is located on its own bilingual campus in mid-town Toronto.
The Office of the French Language Services Commissioner is a government agency that monitors the implementation of the French Language Services Act. It was created further to amendments made to the Act in May 2007. The Commissioner’s mandate is, among other things, to conduct investigation either in response to complaints or on its own initiative, and to monitor the progress made by government agencies in delivering French language services in Ontario.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario, 416 314-8247
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
Brian Desrosiers-Tam, Executive Assistant – Special Projects
Glendon School of Public and International Affairs, 416-736-2100 ext 88565 bdesrosierstam@gl.yorku.ca
ACTION ON FRENCH LANGUAGE HEALTH SERVICES URGENTLY REQUIRED, ACCORDING TO THE COMMISSIONER
Toronto, May 7, 2009 – François Boileau, Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner, is urging the government to take action on French language health services. In his Special Report on French Language Health Services Planning in Ontario, made public today, the Commissioner made eight recommendations, including a recommendation that the proposed regulation on Francophone community engagement be amended without delay.
The Commissioner wants the government to equip the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) with planning entities, as provided in the Local Health System Integration Act, 2006. “An advisory committee is not a planning entity. Clearly, the proposed regulation needs to be amended to create planning entities, as provided for in the Act. These planning entities will enable the LHINs to understand the needs of the Francophone communities they serve, once and for all,” stated Mr. Boileau.
The Commissioner also recommended the creation of a French Language Services Coordinator position within each LHIN. “This position must be added to each of the LHINs so that they are accountable for their decisions to the government and to the Francophone community. They must be able to justify the actions they take on French language health services. Having a coordinator position filled by a senior official will put an end to inadequate French language
health service planning,” added Mr. Boileau.
For the Commissioner, failure to take action will have serious consequences for the Francophone community. Action is urgently needed because access to French language health services is an issue in quality of service. For this reason, Mr. Boileau is insisting that the Francophone community be involved in the planning of its health services. He is calling on the government, service providers, and the community to work together as never before to improve
the health of Francophone citizens.
“The Francophone community must no longer be put on a waiting list. It has specific needs. It has an aging population. Hence the urgent need for action. We cannot ask a vulnerable, eightyyear-old patient to fight to receive medical services in French. For this reason, it is vital that French language services be developed and offered on the basis of the specific needs of Ontario’s Francophones. It is up to the ministries and the LHINs to more adequately plan and adapt the health services that are offered to Francophones,” emphasized Mr. Boileau.
The Commissioner expects that the government will respond positively to his report and follow up on his recommendations.
“The government has demonstrated that it has good intentions and it has listened in recent months, particularly during the controversy over the proposed regulation. Consequently, I expect to see the same openness when it comes time for the government to respond to my special report,” concluded the Commissioner.
QUICK FACTS
This special report is the first of its kind since the French Language Services Commissioner was appointed in August 2007.
The French Language Services Act enables the French Language Services Commissioner to present to the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs special reports on any matter relating to the Act.
The Office of the French Language Services Commissioner was created in 2007. It has a mandate, under the French Language Services Act, to conduct independent investigations in response to complaints or on its own initiative; to prepare reports on its investigations; and to monitor the progress made by government agencies in the delivery of French language services in Ontario.
Marie-Eve Pépin, Communications and Public Relations Officer
Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Phone: 416 314-8247
Toll-free: 1 866 246-5262
E-mail: marie-eve.pepin@ontario.ca
