[lg policy] Canada: Alberta government holding French language policy consultations with francophone community

[Harold Schiffman]

Alberta government holding French language policy consultations with
francophone community
[image: 6910-G-1624] <http://globalnews.ca/author/karen-bartko/> By Karen
Bartko <http://globalnews.ca/author/karen-bartko/> Online Journalist  Global
News

*WATCH ABOVE: Mon, Sep 12 - Edmonton MP Randy Boissonnault discusses the
federal government's cross country official languages consultations.*
A A

More and more Albertans are speaking French these days, and now the
province is taking the first steps in developing a policy on
French-language services.

Starting later this month, the province will hold nine targeted sessions in
French for a broad cross-section of the francophone community, with the
goal of improving access to government services in French.

“Alberta’s rich and vibrant French-speaking community is an integral part
of our cultural fabric,” Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda said.
Related

   - [image: Katherine d'Entremont released her first annual report Tuesday
   calling for improvements in the delivery of government services in both
   English and French.] More work needed to comply with Official Languages
   Act in New Brunswick: report
   <http://globalnews.ca/news/2776408/more-work-needed-to-comply-with-official-languages-act-in-new-brunswick-report/>
   - Official languages cost taxpayers $2.4B: report
   <http://globalnews.ca/news/200072/official-languages-cost-taxpayers-2-4b-report/>
   - [image: franco] Precedent-setting verdict on French-language education
   in B.C
   <http://globalnews.ca/news/2965628/verdict-on-french-education-in-b-c-schools/>
   - [image: The French- language school board says program cuts are needed
   to make up a $4.4-million dollar budget shortfall.] Placing blame on
   cuts to French-language schools
   <http://globalnews.ca/news/1377499/placing-blame-on-cuts-to-french-language-schools/>

“This will enhance Alberta’s competitive advantage, strengthen our
relationship with the francophone community, and leverage Alberta’s fair
share of francophone funding from the federal government.”

*READ MORE: Ministers must tweet in both official languages says language
czar
<http://globalnews.ca/news/1827858/ministers-must-tweet-in-both-official-languages-says-language-czar/>*

The province said it won’t cost anything extra to develop a French-language
services policy because any policy implementation would be covered by
federal funding. Alberta is one of only two provinces to have neither a
policy nor legislation on services in French.

Alberta has the fastest-growing francophone population outside of Quebec,
increasing 40 per cent in the past 20 years. French is the second-most
spoken language in Alberta, after English. According to 2011 census data
<https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/98-314-x/2011003/tbl/tbl3_1-6-eng.cfm>,
there were 81,085 Francophones in Alberta, or 2.1 per cent of the
population. Edmonton has the largest francophone population of any centre
in the province.

The consultation process will be carried out by the Culture and Tourism
ministry’s Francophone Secretariat
<http://culture.alberta.ca/francophone-secretariat/>: a liaison between the
Alberta government and Alberta’s Francophone community. The process will
also include other government ministries and representatives from select
agencies.

Albertans who do not participate in the consultations can fill out an
online survey <http://culture.alberta.ca/francophone-secretariat/>.

While French and English are Canada’s official languages, only 17.5 per
cent of Canadians say they can carry on a conversation in both
<https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/98-314-x/98-314-x2011001-eng.cfm>
.

New Brunswick is the only official bilingual province
<https://slmc.uottawa.ca/?q=english_french_legal>. All three federal
territories are also officially bilingual.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3007789/alberta-government-holding-french-language-policy-consultations-with-francophone-community/
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