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The Vitality of Quebec's English-Speaking Communities: from Myth to Reality

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The Vitality of Quebec's English-Speaking Communities: from Myth to Reality SENATE SÉNAT CANADA THE VITALITY OF QUEBEC’S ENGLISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES: FROM MYTH TO REALITY Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages The Honourable Maria Chaput, Chair The Honourable Andrée Champagne, P.C., Deputy Chair October 2011 (first published in March 2011) For more information please contact us by email: [email protected] by phone: (613) 990-0088 toll-free: 1 800 267-7362 by mail: Senate Committee on Official Languages The Senate of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0A4 This report can be downloaded at: http://senate-senat.ca/ol-lo-e.asp Ce rapport est également disponible en français. Top photo on cover: courtesy of Morrin Centre CONTENTS Page MEMBERS ORDER OF REFERENCE PREFACE INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 QUEBEC‘S ENGLISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES: A SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE ........................................................... 4 QUEBEC‘S ENGLISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES: CHALLENGES AND SUCCESS STORIES ...................................................... 11 A. Community life ............................................................................. 11 1. Vitality: identity, inclusion and sense of belonging ......................... 11 2. Relationship with the Francophone majority ................................. 12 3. Regional diversity ..................................................................... 14 4. Government support for community organizations and delivery of services to the communities ................................. 15 5. Community Learning Centres and new technologies ....................... 19 B. Education .................................................................................... 21 1. Access to English-language schools and fluency in French .............. 21 2. English-language arts and culture at school .................................. 24 3. Challenges: dropout rates, school transportation and qualified staff ..................................................................... 25 4. Access to postsecondary education in English ............................... 29 5. Government support: federal-provincial education agreement ....................................... 32 C. Health and social services .............................................................. 35 1. Delivery of services: access and promotion .................................. 36 2. Government support: networks and training ................................. 39 3. Remote health services ............................................................. 43 CONTENTS Page D. Arts, culture and heritage .............................................................. 44 1. Culture unique to the English-speaking communities ..................... 44 2. Access to resources .................................................................. 46 3. Government support for arts and culture ..................................... 47 E. Media .......................................................................................... 48 1. Underrepresentation of the English-speaking communities in the English-language media.................................................... 48 2. Role of community media .......................................................... 49 3. Role of the public broadcaster .................................................... 51 4. Challenges: criteria that better reflect needs and support for new technologies ............................................... 53 F. Economic development .................................................................. 54 1. Economic vitality: supply of jobs, entrepreneurship and skills development ..................................... 54 2. Government support: coordination and networking ...................................................... 57 3. Underrepresentation of Anglophones in the public service .................................................................. 60 4. New technologies ..................................................................... 62 G. Early childhood development .......................................................... 62 1. Limited government support ...................................................... 62 H. Youth .......................................................................................... 63 1. Key to the present and the future ............................................... 63 2. Challenges: fluency in French and access to training and networks ............................................ 64 3. Government support for youth initiatives ..................................... 66 I. Immigrants and newcomers ............................................................ 67 1. Attraction and retention............................................................. 67 2. Government support: research ................................................... 68 3. Challenges: networks, jobs and language training ......................... 69 4. Renewing the English-speaking population outside major urban centres ...................................................... 70 CONTENTS Page J. Women ........................................................................................ 71 1. Limited access to services .......................................................... 71 K. Seniors ........................................................................................ 72 1. Aging of the population and access to services .............................. 72 2. Special needs of English-speaking seniors .................................... 73 L. Research ...................................................................................... 75 1. Better understanding the needs of the English-speaking communities ........................................... 75 2. Statistics ................................................................................. 76 TAKING ACTION: FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................... 79 A. Federal government support ........................................................... 79 1. The vitality of Quebec‘s English-speaking communities................... 79 2. Transparency ........................................................................... 80 3. A government strategy based on the needs of Quebec‘s English-speaking communities ...................................... 81 4. Positive measures and consultation ............................................. 83 5. Interdepartmental cooperation ................................................... 90 6. Services of equal quality ............................................................ 91 7. Equitable participation in the public service .................................. 92 8. Research ................................................................................. 94 B. Federal-provincial relations ............................................................. 94 1. Respecting the province‘s areas of jurisdiction: partnerships and language clauses .............................................. 94 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................ 99 APPENDICES : A. List of recommendations ............................................................... i B. List of acronyms and abbreviations ................................................. vi C. List of witnesses .......................................................................... vii D. List of briefs, studies and other documents ...................................... xvi E. Breakdown of funds allocated to Quebec‘s English-speaking communities as part of the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality ......................................... xix MEMBERS THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Senators who have participated in this study: The Honourable Maria Chaput, Chair The Honourable Andrée Champagne, P.C., Deputy Chair and The Honourable Senators: Pierre De Bané, P.C. Nicole Eaton Suzanne Fortin-Duplessis Rose-Marie Losier-Cool Percy Mockler Rose-May Poirier Claudette Tardif Ex officio members of the Committee: The Honourable Senators James Cowan (or Claudette Tardif) and Marjory LeBreton, P.C. (or Claude Carignan). Other Senators who have participated from time to time in this study: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Brazeau, Comeau, Dawson, Fraser, Goldstein (retired), Greene, Jaffer, Munson, Neufeld, Nolin, Pépin (retired), Rivard, Robichaud, P.C. Seidman and Wallace. THE STAFF MEMBERS Analyst from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament: Marie-Ève Hudon Committee Clerks: Danielle Labonté Josée Thérien Committee Assistant: Louise Archambeault Communications Officer from the Communications Directorate of the Senate: Francine Pressault ORDER OF REFERENCE Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Wednesday, June 22, 2011: The Honourable Senator Chaput moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mahovlich: That the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to study and to report on the application of the Official Languages Act and of the regulations and directives made under it, within those institutions subject to the Act; That the committee also be authorized to study the reports and documents published by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the President of the Treasury Board, and the Commissioner of Official Languages, and any other subject concerning official languages; That the documents received, evidence heard and business accomplished
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