Meeting Thursday and Friday in Yellowknife, the ministers responsible for the Francophonie in the Canadian provinces chose a new watchword: “La Francophonie Economique”. A way to enhance French through trade.
The term “economic Francophonie”, the use of French as a engine of commercial development, is increasingly common. Ontario used it in the annual report of the Minister of Francophone Affairs no later than last month. It is also in this line that the new Minister responsible for official languages, Steven Guilbeault, wishes to advance. For the first time, he participated in this annual interprotrovincial meeting.
“What was very clear in our discussions is that bilingualism opens the doors between the provinces, the territories and the whole community in Canada,” said Steven Guilbeault at the press conference intended to conclude the two days of meeting. “But it is also an international economic opportunity since French is spoken in more than 100 countries in the world. »»
French-speaking communities and the rest of Canada must “remain united” to build a strong Canadian economy, he said.
“We recall that the French language is a strategic asset for Canada’s prosperity,” also added Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment of the Northwest Territories.
According to ministers on site, almost 20 % of world goods trade is in French. It would therefore be advantageous, especially in the current context of tensions with the United States, to get more involved in French-speaking economic partners, they believe.
In this sense, the ministers met French -speaking entrepreneurs on Thursday in order to establish links and understand the challenges “on the ground”. “Canada can use its Francophonie as a generator of wealth,” added Minister Guilbeault.
Different realities
If La Francophonie is presented as a lever for economic growth, ministers have also insisted on the need to adapt policies to the realities specific to each region.
“What works for a province in the south will not necessarily work for a territory,” said Steven Guilbeault, while calling for a “united” Canada.
Access to French services, the isolation of communities and the rarity of bilingual labor pose special challenges in the territories.
The Minister recalled that, within the framework of the French services, Ottawa assumes all of the costs caused in the territories. As for the provinces, expenses are equally shared between provincial and federal governments. A way, according to him, to take into account the additional challenges posed by the distance and the lack of resources in the north of the country.
Caitlin Cleveland has also praised the intergovernmental collaboration: “What I remember in recent days is our ability to work together to go in the same direction,” she summed up.
New regulations quickly
Before being suddenly interrupted by a power failure in Yellowknife, Steven Guilbeault assured that the regulations to modernize the official languages law were provided for the fall.
“On the return from Parliament! He said. These regulations are long overdue since the law obtained the royal sanction, just over two years ago.
This report benefits from the support of the local journalism initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.
