In the general opinion, effective francization is an essential vector for the survival of French in Quebec.
As front-line experts in the reception and francization process of newcomers, the some 600 francization teachers attached to the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI) are able to operate findings, sometimes worrying about the future of French, but coming directly from the field. They propose concrete and realistic solutions that will make French the true language of integration in Quebec.
In their brief presented as part of the hearings on Bill 96, these specialist professors, affiliated with the Syndicat des Professeurs de l’Est du Québec (SPEQ), call for more consistency in the francization offer, currently shared between three departments, each often working in silos, in an atmosphere of competition and duplication.
As such, the professors welcome the creation of Francisation-Québec, a structure which, in addition to serving as a single point of access to French learning services, will finally be able to disentangle, regroup and harmonize the service offering. , while ensuring the achievement of the integration objectives for immigrants set out in Bill 96.
Avoid dispersal of teaching sites
Currently, this offer of services is disseminated through more than 70 partner teaching places of the MIFI. As none of these places is specifically identified as an official place for francization, this leads to a feeling of scattering and lack of seriousness on the ground.
While it grants millions in allowances to newcomers so that they can become French, a company that assumes its francization must go beyond the subcontracting stage and establish Francization and Integration Centers, specially dedicated to these mandates. , having a storefront, and bringing together all the services related to the integration and francization of immigrants.
In addition to increased efficiency, this would create among faculty and students a sense of pride and belonging to a well-established institution.
French and not English as a language of integration
Francization teachers are also in a good position to note the invasive place, especially in metropolitan France, of English as the language of use among many francization students.
We must all be alarmed at the risk that French will find itself only as an auxiliary or complementary language and that the preponderance of English in the North American environment will mean that in fact, English becomes in in many cases the true language of integration and use.
In order to thwart this dangerous trend, it is necessary that Francisation-Québec give itself the mandate to increase the skill requirements required to achieve the level of success of francization, both in writing and orally.
Does the government crave high-level jobs for immigrants? It therefore becomes imperative that francization students know how to read and write French more than adequately at the end of their learning process.
Francisation-Québec will also have to seriously oversee the mission of MIFI’s partner community organizations.
Let us mention one of them which gives francization courses subsidized by the MIFI, but which at the same time offers English courses in partnership with the English Montreal School Board. An advertisement from the organization even encourages its customers to take courses in French, the official language of Quebec, but also in English, indicating that in Montreal, it is necessary to master English to access jobs in many sectors of activity.
Is this simultaneous anglicization-francization consistent with the goals of Bill 96, which stresses the importance of making French the language of work and integration in Quebec?
All in all, there is an urgent need to act so that the legislator gives Francisation-Québec the means to concretize on the ground the fundamental objectives of Bill 96.
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