The True Status French in Canada

Informer   Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:32 pm GMT
French: A Truly Official Language

This brochure provides a brief overview of French in Canada. Our country has two official languages: English and French. More than 9 million
Canadians, spread over a territory covering more than 9 million square kilometres, speak French. French is part of Canadians’ everyday lives. As one of Canada’s two official languages, French can be heard in all regions of the country.

In order to grow, the French language must, and does, co-exist with English, the language spoken by 300 million North Americans. Although this challenge may seem daunting, native-born Canadians and new Canadians from around the world, as well as leaders and governments, nevertheless take it up every day.

A number of events will be held in 2004 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first French settlement in the Americas. Acadia will be marking this historic event, which celebrates 400 years of French culture thriving on this continent (1604-2004).

In terms of its land mass, Canada is the second largest country in the world. Its territory encompasses six time zones and touches on three oceans. French is spoken throughout this land, from the temperate climes of its southernmost tip to the far north. How is this possible, you might ask? French is the native language of nearly one-quarter of Canadians. In addition, close to 3 million other Canadians speak French as their second language.

In Canada, French is spoken mostly in Quebec. Three times the size of France, Quebec is the largest of Canada’s provinces in terms of land mass. With a population of 7.5 million, including 6.7 million Francophones, it comes second among Canadian provinces in terms of population and economy. A vibrant society, Quebec is unquestionably the heart of the Francophonie in the Americas.

In Ontario, which is ranked first among Canada’s provinces in population and economy, 1.3 million people speak French.

In Atlantic Canada, which includes New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province, more than 400,000 people speak French.

In Western Canada, which includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, more than 600,000 people are French-speaking.

In Canada’s three territories, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, slightly more than 7,000 people have knowledge of French.
Canada’s French-speaking population at a glance: provinces and territories
Newfoundland and Labrador 21,040
Prince Edward Island 16,085
Nova Scotia 91,055
New Brunswick 312,280
Quebec 6,739,050
Ontario 1,362,025
Manitoba 104,085
Saskatchewan 49,355
Alberta 204,795
British Columbia 271,175
Yukon Territory 2,940
Northwest Territories 3,165
Nunavut 1,040
TOTAL 9,178,100
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001.
Safeguarding this legacy for future generations

French has been spoken in this part of the world since the 16th century. This makes Canada the “senior statesman” among Francophone states outside Europe. Canada’s history under the British and the French has conferred a rich cultural heritage upon our country. Today, Canadians stand solidly behind this heritage and have taken steps to ensure that it continues to thrive, by allowing their two official languages, which are spoken across the country, to co-exist peacefully.

French is also commonly used as a language of business in Canada. The Mouvement Desjardins in Quebec, the Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes, the Fédération des caisses populaires de l’Ontario, the Fédération des caisses populaires du Manitoba, the Conseil canadien de la coopération, the Société l’Assomption and the National Bank of Canada, as well as multinational corporations such as Quebecor and Bombardier, attest to the economic clout and dynamism of French-speaking Canadians.

French is thus the means of expression of a multifaceted people who are attached to their history, yet live in the modern world, their heritage strengthened by the support of their country.
Passing on our French heritage

In Canada, the English and French cultures live together in harmony. Ours is a country where two of the largest linguistic communities in the world meet. The French language occupies important cultural space in Canada and in the world.

Anglophones, who constitute the majority in Canada, are taking a growing interest in our country’s second official language, the language of the fathers of contemporary Quebec song, the language of Félix Leclerc, Gilles Vigneault and many other artists.

The number of Canadians with knowledge of both English and French has almost doubled in the last forty years.

Canada is known throughout the world for its expertise in teaching English and French as second languages. One association of English-speaking parents, Canadian Parents for French, encourages Canadians to learn French as a second language. These programs are gaining in popularity, and half of young English-speaking Canadians are learning French in school.
Government and the law

French is recognized through both Canada’s Constitution and its democratic system. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Official Languages Act guarantee the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society.

The Government of Quebec, through its Charter of the French Language, is a French-speaking government for all intents and purposes. The Government of New Brunswick supports bilingualism in that province through its own Official Languages Act, while several provinces have enacted legislation to ensure access to public services and justice by Francophones.

Through this legislation, governments have enshrined an openness that is naturally expressed through the democratic process. In the last century, Canadians have elected Anglophone and Francophone prime ministers as their leaders.

With 308 members of Parliament, of whom one quarter are French-speaking, the federal government is representative of the Canadian population. It was with this in mind that the Government of Canada made French one of the two languages of service and of work in the federal public service. Twenty-seven percent of federal public servants are French-speaking, and they hold positions at all levels.

That being said, a language must be used for purposes other than the business of state to be considered a true means of cultural and popular expression. This is precisely the objective that the Canadian government is pursuing. To this end, the provinces and the federal government itself have, together, implemented a number of measures that aim for a significant sociocultural impact. For example, by providing funding to various cultural organizations, the Government of Canada works to enhance the vitality of Canada’s cultures from sea to sea to sea.

Government action at the provincial level also extends to Frenchlanguage instruction, whereby Francophone communities in each province and territory oversee a network of publicly funded Frenchlanguage schools. Young people can attend French-language colleges and universities, as well as gain access to the justice system and the development of health care for French-speaking minorities.

Moreover, the Government of Canada instituted the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages to monitor the performance of its institutions. The Commissioner of Official Languages serves as an ombudsman to whom Canadians may turn to obtain information or file complaints if they believe that any federal institution is disregarding their language rights.

These are but a few examples of practices that are now an integral part of the socio-political landscape of Canada. Such practices give Canada a distinct "personality" on the international stage, something of which our country is proud and which it seeks to protect.

Canada has been a member of the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie since the agency’s inception. Two provincial governments are also members – Quebec and New Brunswick.
Promoting the French language internationally

Under the language policy adhered to by the federal government, the state and its citizens combine their resources and ideas and work together, not only for the betterment of society, but also to make Canada’s contribution to international Francophonie as generous and as creative as possible.

The results achieved speak for themselves. Canada is the birthplace of artists such as Daniel Lavoie, who hails from Manitoba, and Céline Dion, whose roots are in Quebec, both of whom have sung on some of the most famous stages in the world, as well as writers such as Acadian Antonine Maillet, recipient of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, and playwright and novelist Michel Tremblay, who has brought Quebec to the world. To this lengthy list can be added the internationally acclaimed Cirque du Soleil, which was created by Quebeckers, the world-renowned painter Jean-Paul Riopelle, as well as theatre producer Robert Lepage and filmmaker Denys Arcand, to name but a few of the many ambassadors of Canadian culture.

The large television networks are partners in TV5, the international French-language network. As well, Canada is a world leader in the area of short-wave radio broadcasting: Radio-Canada International has been broadcasting in French in many regions of the world since 1945.

A few facts about our French media:
* There are more than 150 national, regional and community radio stations broadcasting in French in Canada.
* In addition to the national public broadcaster, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada, there are more than 50 private, community and public French-language television stations in operation in Canada.
* There are eleven French-language dailies in Canada.
* Canada has a French-language press agency.
* Canada publishes hundreds of general-interest magazines and trade journals in French.

Reaching out to the world through trade and exchanges

French-speaking Canadians are also active players in international trade. Many businesses are known for their significant capacity for innovation.

International assistance is another field of endeavour where French-Canadians have made their mark. Cooperative projects between the Acadia region of New Brunswick and Haiti in fishing and agriculture, and the involvement of the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada in the introduction of radio broadcasting in Senegal, attest to the important role played by French-speaking Canada in this regard.

Francophones in Ontario have been able to bring together business people from French-speaking countries around the world. As a result of the efforts of the Mondial de l’entreprenariat, it has been possible to create a truly international business community for French speakers. This has been accomplished by holding regular meetings of French-speaking entrepreneurs from around the world.

As well, the Office franco-québécois de la jeunesse has helped to expand commercial and cultural exchanges with France. Another body, the Société Nationale de l’Acadie, also maintains ties with France.

This same spirit is reflected in Canada’s large educational institutions. Most French-language or bilingual colleges and universities in Canada have an international component, which takes the form of training or cooperation programs.

Université Laval, the oldest French-language university in North America, has adopted an international-cooperation policy, which defines its relations with foreign institutions. Other educational institutions, such as the Université de Montréal and the University of Ottawa, have taken a similar approach.

The Centre international de la common law en français, at the Université de Moncton Faculty of Law, has translated the texts of one of the oldest legal systems in the world.

The University of Ottawa teaches, in French, both common law and civil law, two of the most widespread legal systems in the world.

These examples provide an overview of the post-secondary educational system.
Embracing the world

Canada has:
# More than 3, 000 French-language schools
# More than 120 French-language community colleges
# More than 20 French-language or bilingual universities across the country
# More than 100 French-language university research centres

Our French-language educational institutions host students from throughout the Francophonie. In short, they open their doors to citizens of the world who wish to study in French.

It is said that music is an international language. For Francophones in Canada, music is also a wonderful excuse to celebrate their language and culture and to share it with others.

Artists from around the world meet at international performing arts events such as the International Summer Festival, held in Québec City, the Montréal International Jazz Festival, and the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival, Lamèque being a town in the Acadia region of New Brunswick.

In the Atlantic provinces, the Franco-Fest, held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, celebrates Francophone culture in the Avalon Peninsula. The provincial Week of the Francophonie, in Prince Edward Island, boasts a theatre festival. The solid reputation of Nova Scotia handicrafts rests in part on DACADIE rugs, which are made by Francophone artists in that province.

The Festival franco-ontarien has been celebrating French culture since 1976. Held in Ottawa, this festival has featured performances by French-speaking singers and musicians as well as a lively program of cultural activities.

Since 1983, the Société franco-manitobaine has been organizing an annual Soirée Gala du Prix Riel, a gala evening honouring Francophones who have contributed to the development of their community by helping to keep French culture strong in the province.

Every year, the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise, in Saskatchewan, holds the Fête fransaskoise, while, in Alberta, le Parlement franco-canadien du Nord et de l’Ouest, created by the Francophonie jeunesse, works to raise awareness about the parliamentary system among Canadian youth.

The Théâtre la Seizième, the only French-language professional theatre company in British Columbia, puts on contemporary plays for theatregoers of all ages.

In the Northwest Territories, the Fédération Franco-TéNOise invited Quebec sculptor Armand Vaillancourt to work with Aboriginal artists to create a monumental sculpture, which has been christened Carrefour culturel de Yellowknife.

Thanks to the support of the Association des francophones du Nunavut, the French-language community radio station in Iqaluit broadcasts in French 24 hours a day.
Canada has become a powerful force

within the Francophonie, as it strives to advance the French language around the world and to ensure its survival and vibrancy in the Americas.

http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/fr_canada_e.php
Möchter   Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:38 pm GMT
Montreal is practically bilingual, much more than Ottawa which is English speaking.
Yeshua   Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:17 pm GMT
Say an Anglo-Canadian goes to Quebec. The Anglo has intermediate high school level French. Will the Quebecers speak French to him? Basically, are the Quebecers helpful for people learning French or are they snobs like the Parisians for example?
Brigitte   Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:29 pm GMT
Quebecers are rednecks, they lack any sense of sophistication like the Parisians.
Rebecca   Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:48 am GMT
Quebeckers are so zealous about French, but French people put subtitles on Quebec sitcoms.
Blanc   Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:32 am GMT
<< Montreal is practically bilingual, much more than Ottawa which is English speaking. >>

But, Ottawa is practically bilingual.
eastlander   Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:53 am GMT
Garou,C.Dion etc. sing fluent in English.Canada is trully polilingual (German,Polish etc.).Young people of Canadian French and other origin more and more are using English. Maybe,it is USA influence.
Westlander   Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:00 am GMT
Shania Twain, Brian Mulroney, and Stephen Harper all speak French. Many English speaking Canadians are turning to French and lot's of them send theor children to immersion schools where the medium of instruction is in French.
Informer   Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:12 am GMT
French Immersion - A Parent's Primer

(Re-printed with permission of Canadian Parents for French)

French immersion programs have mushroomed across Canada over the past several decades. Bilingual education is an increasingly popular option for parents. The benefits and opportunities - in Canada and across an increasingly interconnected world - are appreciated as never before. This discussion has been prepared as an overview of French immersion programs.

What is meant by "French immersion"?
Immersion is a program of intensive instruction of French as a second language for non-francophone children. Ideally, all activities and learning are in French, with the exception of English language arts classes. Where possible, the learning experience extends into the community.

How do I find out if French immersion programs are offered in my community?
You can call your local school board. You may want a copy of the CPF Guide - a listing of immersion and extended core programs offered in every province and territory - or check it out in the Member's Corner of the CPF website. CPF National Web Site

What benefits will French immersion provide my child?
French immersion provides children with many benefits, both tangible and intangible:

- A deeper understanding of their own and other cultures.
- A greater number of career options.
- A lifelong ability to communicate with French-speakers, in Canada and around the globe.
- Enriched travel experiences, especially to the 30 countries where French is spoken.
- Superior creativity and problem-solving ability.
- A facility for learning other languages.

What does academic research have to say about the advantages of immersion programs?
Learning a second language at an early age has been shown to have a positive impact on intellectual growth. Mental development is enriched and enhanced. Immersion children develop learning skills they then apply to their mother tongue, other academic subjects and life experiences. Academic studies have shown immersion students to be more flexible thinkers with superior listening skills. Many such studies, collected in the CPF Research Centre, can be accessed by members on the CPF website.

I've heard it said that French immersion is only for "gifted" children. Is this true?
French immersion was controversial in some quarters when it took hold a quarter-century ago. Some critics at that time portrayed immersion as a program only for privileged children of upper-income families. Today, the numbers prove that the belief in the value of second-language education has no boundaries. The hundreds of thousands of young Canadians enrolled in French immersion programs come from all social and economic backgrounds.

Just how widespread are French immersion programs in Canada?
French immersion education has exploded in popularity across Canada. More than 300,000 children are enrolled - a fourfold increase in a generation. Programs are offered in more than 200 communities, in every province and territory. Canada is an internationally-recognized expert in immersion, a program widely studied and often imitated by other countries.
Informer   Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:16 am GMT
French Immersion - A Parent's Primer

(Re-printed with permission of Canadian Parents for French)

French immersion programs have mushroomed across Canada over the past several decades. Bilingual education is an increasingly popular option for parents. The benefits and opportunities - in Canada and across an increasingly interconnected world - are appreciated as never before. This discussion has been prepared as an overview of French immersion programs.

What is meant by "French immersion"?
Immersion is a program of intensive instruction of French as a second language for non-francophone children. Ideally, all activities and learning are in French, with the exception of English language arts classes. Where possible, the learning experience extends into the community.

How do I find out if French immersion programs are offered in my community?
You can call your local school board. You may want a copy of the CPF Guide - a listing of immersion and extended core programs offered in every province and territory - or check it out in the Member's Corner of the CPF website. CPF National Web Site

What benefits will French immersion provide my child?
French immersion provides children with many benefits, both tangible and intangible:

- A deeper understanding of their own and other cultures.
- A greater number of career options.
- A lifelong ability to communicate with French-speakers, in Canada and around the globe.
- Enriched travel experiences, especially to the 30 countries where French is spoken.
- Superior creativity and problem-solving ability.
- A facility for learning other languages.

What does academic research have to say about the advantages of immersion programs?
Learning a second language at an early age has been shown to have a positive impact on intellectual growth. Mental development is enriched and enhanced. Immersion children develop learning skills they then apply to their mother tongue, other academic subjects and life experiences. Academic studies have shown immersion students to be more flexible thinkers with superior listening skills. Many such studies, collected in the CPF Research Centre, can be accessed by members on the CPF website.

I've heard it said that French immersion is only for "gifted" children. Is this true?
French immersion was controversial in some quarters when it took hold a quarter-century ago. Some critics at that time portrayed immersion as a program only for privileged children of upper-income families. Today, the numbers prove that the belief in the value of second-language education has no boundaries. The hundreds of thousands of young Canadians enrolled in French immersion programs come from all social and economic backgrounds.

Just how widespread are French immersion programs in Canada?
French immersion education has exploded in popularity across Canada. More than 300,000 children are enrolled - a fourfold increase in a generation. Programs are offered in more than 200 communities, in every province and territory. Canada is an internationally-recognized expert in immersion, a program widely studied and often imitated by other countries.

http://www.hwcn.org/link/hwcpf/aboutimmersion.html


FRENCH IMMERSION IN CANADA

What Has the Research Shown?

The research on French Immersion in Canada has overwhelmingly found positive results. This program is often recognized as one of the most successful language-teaching programs. The majority of the research done looks at French acquisition, English skills, and reading performance. There are, however, some issues with the research that exists that force us to be cautious when drawing conclusions from the findings.

As far as French acquisition, research has found French Immersion to be far more effective than core French (French taught as a foreign language.) Comprehension and receptive skills tend to exceed oral and written skills. Although students reach a level of proficiency where they can comfortably communicate in French, there are marked differences between their language use and that of native French speakers (Mougeon, Rehner, & Nadasdi, 2004).

French Immersion has been shown to have no long-term negative effects on English proficiency. Early Immersion students tend to show a slight lag in developing English skills at first, but this lag is only temporary and the difference quickly disappears (Obadia, 1996).

French Immersion students have been shown to outperform non-immersion students in the area of reading. This trend is still evident when possible confounding variables are taken into account (PISA, 2000).

Many issues exist with the research that lead any conclusions made to be somewhat questionable. There is an extreme lack of experimental research and many confounding variables are often ignored.

In the following sections I will explain the research findings on French acquisition and reading performance in more depth, as well as discuss the issues related to the research methods. In sum, French Immersion has been shown to have positive results, but we must be careful in interpreting the data.

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.hess/research_on_french-immersion_programs
Lavinge   Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:38 pm GMT
Avril Lavigne , the Canadian singer, who is the French descendant ,never sings French songs!

What an ironic thing!
Butler   Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:36 pm GMT
<< Avril Lavigne , the Canadian singer, who is the French descendant ,never sings French songs!

What an ironic thing! >>

But Edith Butler sings mostly in French. Ironic.

Alanis Morisette speaks French especially during when she was in Vatican in front of French cardinals which they thought that she wouldn't understand them because at their mind she doesn't speak French but to their surprise Alanis spoke to them in French on how she was treated.
Aguilera&Lopez   Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:39 pm GMT
Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez sings in Spanish but couldn't understand what the songs were all about.

Christina admitted that she does not understand a single Spanish word but she could express herself in simple French.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Celine Dione likes Englis   Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:32 am GMT
French is the language of posh streetwalkers.
J. Lopez likes English   Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:09 am GMT
Spanish is the language of filthy street begars.