None of the leaders of the main parties speak French well enough to take part in a debate.
The debate organized by Radio-Canada and TFO therefore brought together four candidates:
- Caroline Mulroney, outgoing Minister of Francophone Affairs and Progressive Conservative Party candidate
- France Gélinas, outgoing member of the New Democratic Party (NDP)
- Amanda Simard, outgoing Liberal Party MP
- Cara Des Granges, Green Party candidate
Only Madame Des Granges is a newcomer.
Bonjour
et merci
Three of the four party leaders made the effort to record a welcome speech in French. New Democrat Andrea Horwath and Liberal Steven Del Duca took the opportunity to reiterate their party’s promises to Francophones.
The leader of the Green Party, Mike Schreiner, began in incomprehensible French before explaining in English that his intervention demonstrated the need for better funding for education in French.
Only the Progressive Conservative Doug Ford contented himself with a hello and a thank you and recalled in English his government’s measures and promises, including the overhaul of the French Language Services Act, before adding that French speakers were one of the best assets
of l’Ontario.
A francophone university in the North?
The loss of French programs in the North due to financial difficulties at Laurentian University brought a similar response from the three opposition parties: they support the creation of a French-speaking university, a project led by the University of Sudbury.
Amanda Simard, Liberal candidate
Photo : Radio-Canada
Liberal Amanda Simard said the Ford government knew of Laurentian’s problems long before the institution place under the protection of the law about arrangements with the companies’ creditors, but did nothing.
“You knew that French programs were going to be cut, that the French Language Services Act was not going to be respected,” she said. And we waited for the commissioner’s report [aux services en français] for the knowledge. It should have been a signal. »
For us, what happened at Laurentian is a disaster
launched New Democrat France Gélinas, who represents a riding in the north of the province.
Caroline Mulroney, Progressive Conservative candidate, says the Ford government is taking action.
Photo : Radio-Canada
Caroline Mulroney explained that the government had referred the University of Sudbury’s file to the Post-Secondary Education Quality Assessment Commission, to determine if it can be autonomous.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"MmeMulroney tells us the process is moving forward”,”text”:”Mrs. Mulroney tells us the process is moving forward”}}”>Ms. Mulroney tells us that the process is movingreplied Ms. Gélinas,2021 and did not receive a penny from the provincial government”,”text”:”but the University of Sudbury applied for funding in due form in October 2021 and did not receive a penny from the provincial government” }}”>but the University of Sudbury applied for funding in due form in October 2021 and did not receive a penny from the provincial government.
The independence of the auditor
The three opposition parties also pledge to restore the autonomy of the French Language Services Commissioner if they form the government.
The Progressive Conservatives placed it under the responsibility of the Office of the Ombudsman. Ms. Mulroney argued that with all the investigative powers it previously had”,”text”:”the Office had been successfully integrated into the Office of the Ombudsman with all the investigative powers it previously had”}}”>the office had been successfully integrated into the Office of the Ombudsman with all the investigative powers it had before. She feels that the current commissioner is doing her job with integrity
et mordant
.
France Gélinas, NDP candidate
Photo : Radio-Canada
The big difference between an Office of the Ombudsman and an independent French Language Services Commissioner, who is an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly, are the powers
argued Ms. Gélinas, explaining that an independent commissioner can undertake an investigation without having to wait for a complaint on the subject.
Cara Des Granges, Green Party candidate
Photo : Radio-Canada
Cara Des Granges of the Green Party, also insisted on the importance of the independence of the commissioner.
What we have seen with the Ford government is that it is really afraid of the experts
she said, noting that the environment commissioner was abolished by the Ford government [Dianne Saxe, ancienne commissaire, est chef adjointe et candidate du Parti vert, NDLR].
An appointment that takes hold
The Francophone debate is becoming a tradition. That’s a good thing
rejoices Carol Jolin, president of the Assembly of the Francophonie of Ontario.
It allows us to have a francophone lens; I think it’s essential
believes for his part Michel Tremblay, director of the Federation of Francophone seniors and retirees.
Candidates Caroline Mulroney, France Gélinas, Cara Des Granges and Amanda Simard.
Photo : Radio-Canada
However, he deplores the absence of a policy on aging in party platforms. Remember that not everyone is sick.
, he points out. He would also have liked the candidates to make firm commitments regarding services in French.
According to Carol Jolin, the issues discussed during the debate were relevant, including post-secondary education, immigration, staffing shortages and inflation, and allowed Francophones to hear what the parties are proposing and to prepare for make a choice.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"Une élection, c’est toujours une belle occasion pour faire avancer des dossiers francophones, constate également M.Jolin, because the parties must take a position, make commitments and, once the result is there, we will go to see the party that won, and we will remind them of the commitments that have been made.”,”text “:”An election is always a great opportunity to advance Francophone issues, also notes Mr. Jolin, because the parties must take a position, make commitments and, once the result is there, we, we go see the party that won, and we’ll remind them of the commitments that were made.”}}”>An election is always a great opportunity to advance Francophone issues, Mr. Jolin also notes, because the parties must take a position, make commitments and, once the result is in, we will go see the party that won, and we will remind them of the commitments that were made.
With information from Camille Gris-Roy