Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee members, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am here to present the crucial issues related to French-language education in francophone minority communities in Canada, more specifically in the Northwest Territories. My presentation will be divided into three parts: kindergarten to grade 12, early childhood, and finally, post-secondary, if I have enough time.

Access to French-language schools in minority communities is essential to preserving the French language and culture. In the Northwest Territories, two French-language schools serve the community: École Allain St-Cyr in Yellowknife, which is currently at its full capacity of 200 students, and École Boréale in Hay River, whose student numbers are steadily declining. This imbalance is mainly due to a lack of adequate infrastructure, which directly affects the ability of schools to attract and retain students.

Funding, particularly from the Official Languages in Education Program, the OLEP, continues to pose a serious challenge. Although the last Action Plan for Official Languages announced an increase in funding, we see a decrease in the amount allocated per student. This situation is worrisome as the needs in francophone minority schools continue to grow. To meet those growing challenges, it is imperative that per student funding from the OLEP be not only restored to its previous levels, but also increased to better support francophone communities.

Moreover, reliable data on the number of rights holders is essential if we are to request infrastructure equivalent to that of English-language schools and meet the growing needs of the community. Statistics Canada's census regarding rights holders plays a key role in that process. Recent census data have already led to negotiations for the creation of new educational infrastructure.

However, it will be crucial for Statistics Canada to continue estimating the number of rights holders in future censuses. This process makes it possible to track demographic trends and adapt services to the changing needs of francophone minority communities. The lack of adequate infrastructure and funding undermines the ability of French-language schools to offer an education equivalent to that of English-language schools. That is why it is necessary to strengthen infrastructure investments and guarantee equitable funding to ensure the real equality and vitality of francophone education in Canada.

Access to French-language day care services is fundamental to establishing a solid educational continuum and fighting assimilation. Unfortunately, there is a lack of French-language day care centres in many regions, including the Northwest Territories. For example, a 38-space day care in Yellowknife serves the francophone population, but there is still a list of 50 children waiting for a space. There are no French-language day care facilities in places like Hay River, Fort Smith or Inuvik. This situation seriously compromises the continuity of French-language education.

In the absence of French-language day care, many children are forced to use English-language services, reducing the likelihood that they will continue their education in French. It is therefore crucial to increase funding for the creation of new francophone day care centres in those underserved regions. At the same time, there is a need to promote the training of early childhood educators to meet the growing demand.

With regard to post-secondary education, the lack of post-secondary French-language institutions and programs in western Canada poses a major problem for student retention in the francophone education system. Knowing that their post-secondary education will probably be in English, many students drop out of French-language education before they even finish high school. This phenomenon undermines the continuity of francophone education and student loyalty to francophone schools. It is essential to recognize that the lack of post-secondary options in French has a direct impact on the vitality of francophone communities because it limits their economic and cultural development.

Finally, from early childhood to adulthood, every francophone child must have the opportunity to receive quality education in his or her mother tongue. This is a necessary condition for ensuring the sustainability and vitality of our communities.

Thank you.

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