Minister of Official Languages Ginette Petitpas Taylor speaks to reporters in the Foyer of the House of Commons, in Ottawa, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Ministers have wrapped up a meeting in Vancouver with the hope of increasing Francophone immigration and addressing the decline of French across Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
VANCOUVER – Ministers have wrapped up a meeting in Vancouver with the hope of increasing francophone immigration and addressing the decline of French across Canada.
The Ministers’ Council on the Canadian Francophonie representing francophone and Acadian communities had been meeting for the past two days, involving representatives of all three levels of government.
Federal Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor says the ministers discussed immigration, supporting the vitality of francophone communities and opportunities connected to the recently modernized Official Languages Act and the Action Plan for Official Languages.
The council says in a statement that it’s pleased the 4.4 per cent target for francophone immigration outside Quebec was achieved in 2022.
Adrian Dix, B.C.’s minister responsible for francophone affairs, says many federal-provincial-territorial meetings are often combative, but the Francophonie gathering was highly co-operative.
Next year’s ministers’ council is set for Halifax.
“The themes of these meetings we had this week were really themes of collaboration,” Petitpas Taylor said at a news conference.
“Provinces and territories and the federal government work together with common goals and priorities to protect and promote our francophone language.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2023.
