The Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez, described Monday as a “real problem” the high rate of rejection of applications from French-speaking students from African countries who want to study in Quebec.
“I think there are things to change,” he said, on the sidelines of a press conference organized by the school of creativity sciences, La Factry, to launch a new program aimed at facilitate the integration of professional and Francophone newcomers.
Minister Rodriguez believes that one of the main reasons given by his government’s immigration officers to justify these refusals must be reviewed, which is the risk that the foreign student will not return to his country at the end of his his studies.
This is completely the opposite of what we want, he said. If we take someone who comes from another country, who understands at least one of the two official languages, who integrates into society, who is able to succeed in his studies […] and that afterwards, we say to him: go away! I don’t think that makes sense.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez
The acceptance rate for French-speaking African students increased last year in Canada, from 27% in 2021 to 41% in 2022. Minister Rodriguez believes that “this is a step in the right direction”, but that it is “still too low”. Its objective is to admit “as many as possible”. Discussions are taking place with his colleague Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration.
“The Future of Quebec”
Mr. Rodriguez also insisted on the importance of speaking French in Quebec.
“What I see here is the future of Quebec, it is the future of Canada, he said, speaking of the La Factry program. What I don’t see is a threat to Quebec, and what I don’t see is a threat to Canada. I make a point of saying it because there are parts of speech on immigration, pushed by certain media and by certain political parties, which I do not like at all. »
“We have to stop talking between ‘we’ and ‘you’”, he added, recalling his own story. “Me, I arrived here, I was 8 years old, I didn’t speak a word of French. […] No one in my family spoke French. Am I a threat to Quebec or Canadian society? I do not think so. Both of my parents arrived here without speaking French. Both went to school, my father did his doctorate at age 50, and both were professors at the University of Sherbrooke. »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Classroom of the School of Creativity Sciences, La Factry
La Factry’s training program aims to facilitate the integration of more than 375 French-speaking newcomers to the country by March 2024.
Its main objective is to help immigrants promote their professional skills to employers. The 60-hour training is made up of practical workshops, expert conferences, coaching and networking activities. The federal government granted $5.6 million in financial support to this program.