Conservatives still get an F in official languages

Once again the Commissioner of Official Languages’ latest report gives the Conservatives a failing grade when it comes to official languages. Immigration is the cornerstone of today’s report and he urges the government to take action.

“It’s no secret that the vitality of minority francophone and anglophone communities increasingly depends on the contribution of newcomers. Unfortunately, neither immigration nor the protection of official languages are among this government’s priorities,” said NDP Official Languages critic Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt).

The Commissioner’s report shows that despite the Conservatives’ objective to ensure that at least 4% of immigrants outside Quebec are Francophone, the numbers show that amount is barely 2%.

The Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages was also accompanied by the closure of regional offices and funding cuts to immigration services for francophone communities, making the government’s objective even more impossible to achieve.

“Once again the Conservatives are talking the talk but not walking the walk. The 4% objective was a minimum to ensure the future of minority communities, but the government won’t provide the necessary resources to ensure this is achieved,” said deputy critic Jamie Nicholls (Vaudreuil—Soulanges).