Federal MP denounces Quebec's francization budget cuts

Canada's Quebec lieutenant Jean-Yves Duclos is criticizing the Legault government for closing French-language courses. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press)

With francization classes closing in several regions of the province, Justin Trudeau's political lieutenant in Quebec, Jean-Yves Duclos, says he has “concerns” that new arrivals may not have access to francization courses because of the government's “budget cuts.”

In a letter sent to Quebec's Minister of Immigration and Francization, Jean-François Roberge, Duclos points out that Ottawa provides Quebec with “significant financial support to advance shared and respective immigration priorities, including francization” through the Canada-Quebec Accord.

“For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, this amounted to more than $775 million. In comparison, for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the total budget of the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) was just over $478 million,” Duclos wrote in his letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.

• WATCH: French teachers dealing with cuts

“In total, more than $6 billion has been paid out under the agreement since the 2014-2015 fiscal year, if we also include the payment of the exceptional financial compensation of $750 million on which our governments agreed,” the letter continues.

Duclos said on Friday that “these sums are not fully used.”

At the time, he deplored the closure of French classes.

For his part, Roberge blamed the closures on the school service centres, saying that his government actually increased its francization budget.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville added that “the government's ability to pay is not unlimited," and Quebec is struggling to cope with a meteoric rise in demand.

There are currently around 600,000 temporary immigrants in Quebec.

The two Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) ministers also blamed the federal government for admitting too many newcomers, which the province says makes it difficult to keep up.

“Closing francization classes runs counter to our common objective of protecting French in Quebec and supporting the full integration of newcomers to Quebec,” Duclos wrote.

Risk of dependence on social programs

The federal minister said that without these francization courses, “it is more difficult for newcomers to integrate, find a job and thrive in Quebec.”

“What's more, cuts to francization programs increase the risk that newcomers will remain dependent on the social programs of our respective governments for longer,” he continued in his letter.

Since then, pressure has mounted on Quebec.

On Friday, the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) called for an investigation by French Language Commissioner Benoît Dubreuil, arguing that the government is “breaking the moral contract between Quebec and the people who come to settle here.”

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 30, 2024.