A bill to modernize the French Language Services Act (FLSA) could rekindle the hope of Francophones in Ottawa, who are still seeking complete bilingualism for their city, four years after Queen’s recognition Park of its bilingual status. What was at the time a small victory for the community could gain momentum with Bill 20 introduced by Liberal MP Amanda Simard.
Despite its 140,000 Francophones, the bilingual character of the city – which has the most Francophones in Ontario – was only recognized by the Ontario legislature for the first time in 2017, under an omnibus bill from the Ontario Liberal Party, which progressives opposed -conservatives and New Democrats. Bill 177 enshrined the city’s language policy in its constituting act, thus confirming the authority of the French Language Services Commissioner to investigate complaints about the city’s language policy.
But the advance was small, according to some. The law “in no way prevents the City from modifying its by-law on bilingualism or gradually erasing French”, analyzes Me Mark Power, lawyer specializing in language law. A year after the law was implemented, in 2018, the newly elected Progressive Conservative government of Doug Ford eliminated the post of François Boileau, French Language Services Commissioner, Franco-Ontarians’ watchdog and a staunch critic of the linguistic policy of the City.
The bill introduced by Amanda Simard, MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on October 18, could make it more difficult to amend a municipal by-law on bilingualism and restore the independence of the post of French language services commissioner, incorporated to the Office of the Ombudsman in 2019. On October 28, NDP MP Guy Bourgouin also proposed a modernization of the bill.
The task promises to be difficult for the Ontario Liberal Party, seven months before the provincial elections, because the Minister of Francophone Affairs, Caroline Mulroney, also promises to deliver a new version of the French Language Services Act. ‘By the end of his term, and the Progressive Conservatives are in the majority in Queen’s Park.
Greater protection
Bill 20 “aimed at promoting the maintenance and development of the Ontario Francophonie” by Amanda Simard complicates the process of amending a by-law which would “have the effect of reducing the offer of municipal services in French”.
If Bill 20 is adopted, no by-law may be amended to reduce the offer of municipal services in French without a notice being published and consultations being carried out with the public. “The prescribed level of bilingualism could not go back without the City jumping in a series of hoops”, explains Me Mark Power.
Before even thinking of a potential decline, city councilor Mathieu Fleury wants to see language policy progress. Current policy “has few teeth,” he said; the responsibility for reform rests with the members of the council.
“The City still has significant leeway,” confirms François Larocque, holder of the Research Chair on the Canadian Francophonie in Linguistic Rights and Issues. The 2017 law requires Ottawa to be a bilingual city and to adopt a bilingualism policy, but the province has no say in the content of the policy.
The policy, for example, does not apply to certain sectors, such as the Police Services Board, which is responsible for recruiting the Ottawa Police Chief, a loophole that former Commissioner François Boileau criticized when he was still in that position. . However, the latter has not been in office since 2019.
Desired return
The relationship between former commissioner François Boileau and the City of Ottawa was not the kindest. In his last report, published before his departure, the commissioner admitted that the City was even struggling to collaborate with him in handling complaints.
Soukaina Boutiyeb, president of the Association of Francophone communities in Ottawa, wishes “a return of the police station”. The latter, she said, had a proactive approach. An opinion shared by councilor Mathieu Fleury. “Often, François Boileau would intervene and make recommendations without having received a complaint,” he points out.
In an email, Michèle Rochette, manager of French language services at the City of Ottawa, said she was unable to “comment on the personal opinions of the former French language services commissioner”. Since January 2020, only one meeting has taken place between Kelly Burke, the new commissioner – who now reports to the Office of the Ombudsman – and the mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, the office confirms in an email.
No formal investigation involving the City of Ottawa is underway. Complaints against the city on the bilingualism policy – whether it be the lack of signage or the offer of bilingual services – were, however, sent to the French-language services unit of the Office of the Ombudsman, before proceeding. be resolved. The relationship between the City and the unit is “positive”, according to the latter.