In Quebec, there are approximately 8% of citizens with English mother tongue, 75% with French mother tongue and 17% with another or multiple mother tongue. As there are only two school networks, either French or English, we can say that a fair distribution would be 90% and 10% respectively of staff, teachers and funding. In primary and secondary schools, because of Law 101, it is exactly this distribution.
At college, where we collectively allow free choice, we finance the studies in English of 19% of college students, and this proportion rises to 25% for those studying in English in the pre-university sector. We are talking about double to triple the demographic weight of native English speakers. At university, 25% of the student body is in English-language establishments and these receive 30% of all funding. This is the greatest systemic inequality in Quebec. Imagine, 30% of funding for 8% of English speakers, and no one is scandalized!
In his 2012 study titled The Anglicizing effect of the imbalance in university funding, former MP Pierre Curzi had imagined what a world would be like where the French-speaking university network would receive a fair share of funding. If English-speaking university establishments had the same proportion of staff and professors as in primary and secondary education, $1 billion per year would be redistributed to French-speaking universities. What could 1 billion dollars mean in terms of language of work? Imagine all the workers who contributed to the construction of the Olympic Stadium and those in the mines and factories that provided the materials necessary for its construction, and you will have a good idea of what 1 billion represents. Now, imagine all these workers and indirect jobs around universities that would be in French rather than English. Montreal would be refrancised in time to say so! Imagine the prestige that French-speaking universities would gain. Imagine all the foreign students around the world who would like to come and study here to obtain a diploma of real value in this global university system where all establishments are fighting to have prestige and attract funding linked to the number and quality of foreign students. !
How the financing system works
The funding of Quebec universities is to a very large extent determined by student numbers. If English-speaking universities manage to obtain such a considerable share, it is first and foremost because they manage to recruit a significant proportion of students. There are three types of clients for universities:
Residents of Quebec who pay basic tuition fees;
Canadians who are not residents of Quebec, that is to say students who come from other Canadian provinces and who, for the most part, pay a lump sum in addition to basic tuition fees;
Foreign students who also pay a flat fee in addition to the basic tuition fees.
Instead of criticizing the funding system which disadvantages their establishments, representatives of French-speaking universities are asking for more. They should have been seen in the parliamentary committee a month ago, during the consultation on immigration thresholds. They all requested that there be no cap on the entry of temporary students. More, more, more, what do the consequences for housing matter!
Legault’s hands tied
Unions, professors and CEGEP and university administrations refuse the application of Bill 101 to colleges, even if it had a direct impact on one of the three sources of staff and funding for the universities of French language. Thus, to compensate for a small part of the imbalance, the Legault government will double the tuition fee ceilings for foreign and Canadian students who attend English-speaking universities. English-speaking universities will not be affected in terms of foreign students since they already bill the latter in full. As for students from Canada, they are less likely to come to study in Quebec, because they will now pay the right price for their training. If they continue to come and study in English-speaking universities, the government will give back the additional sums to French-language establishments. We are talking about 100 million dollars. We are far from the billion that would close the gap.
Our elites like to be satisfied with crumbs for their establishments!