Canada/Recommendations to address bilingualism gaps in Sudbury

On Monday, the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario (ACFO) of Greater Sudbury presented a survey report entitled Progress, Resistance and Opportunities: Municipal Bilingualism in Greater Sudbury (1973-2023), which highlights certain shortcomings, especially since the municipal amalgamation of 2021.

Joanne Gervais, Executive Director of ACFO Greater Sudbury, says the report shows that, over the decades, French-language services have suffered a setback.

People in general have been patting themselves on the back for decades, [saying] we're a bilingual community, but in reality, the community is taking a step back in the services it receives," she adds.

Many Francophones, including myself, didn't know how far we'd stepped back.

A quote from Joanne Gervais, Executive Director of the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario du grand Sudbury

The report's author, historian Serge Dupuis, describes the municipal amalgamation imposed in 2001 by the Progressive Conservative government of the day as a tragedy for Greater Sudbury's francophones.

At that time, the bilingualism by-law adopted by the newly-formed City of Greater Sudbury was implemented only for those sectors that had such a policy prior to amalgamation, i.e. the former towns of Sudbury, Rayside-Balfour and Vallée Est," he recalls in his report.

There were no guarantees for residents of the former towns of Capreol, Nickel Centre, Onaping Falls and Walden, even though they had previously received French-language services from the Regional Municipality of Sudbury.

He points out that several practices put in place in the 1970s, such as making French the unofficial language of work in the town halls of Val Caron (Valley East) and Chelmsford (Rayside-Balfour), were lost in 2001.

He says that successful bilingual municipal governments, such as Moncton, New Brunswick, have language training services for their staff.

Our goal was not to point fingers, but to paint a true picture," notes Joanne Gervais.

Greater Sudbury's mayor, Paul Lefebvre, admits that setbacks in French-language services are worrisome.

I think [we can have] a good discussion at Council [to see] what public policy we need to put forward to make sure [we correct] the gaps that exist, the setbacks we've taken.

A quote from Paul Lefebvre, Mayor of Greater Sudbury

He adds, however, that he wants the city to grow, while ensuring dynamic bilingualism.

Recommendations for moving forward

The report lists seven opportunities for the city to seize, while the review of the French-language services policy called for before the last election by Joscelyne Landry is still underway.Joscelyne Landry-Altmann, Councillor for Ward 12, and René Lapierre, Councillor for Ward 6 , will be debated later this fall.

Joanne Gervais recalls that the 2001 by-law was seen as a first draft. Here we are 22 years later, and it hasn't been touched since.

The ACFO report will be officially presented at Tuesday night's City Council meeting, and a report from the municipal administration is expected in late October or early November.

I think we need a municipal council with the courage to come up with a stronger bylaw that is respected," says Joanne Gervais.

For his part, Paul Lefebvre assures us that he doesn't want to see the Greater Sudbury ACFO report end up on the shelf. I think it will be a good start to an obligatory conversation.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/