Statement by the Official Opposition on the International Day of la Francophonie

Francophonie critic Pierre Dionne Labelle (Rivière-du-Nord) made the following statement on the International Day of La Francophonie:

“Today we are celebrating francophonie in Canada and around the world.

All those who choose to live in French and assert their right to be served in their language help to keep our francophonie alive.

On this International Day of La Francophonie we recognize the importance of claiming our place to expand and reinforce the francophone space. We must celebrate our francophone culture and heritage so that future generations can continue to live in French.

New Democrats are committed to protecting the French language and the equality of status of both official languages in the federal government. We are proud to have passed a bill to ensure the bilingualism of officers of Parliament as well as our bill that seeks to make bilingualism an essential criterion for the appointment of Supreme Court judges.

The NDP will continue to ensure that francophone communities from Caraquet to Victoria continue to thrive.”