the NDP published these promises a few hours before the debate in French.
Franco-Ontarians are often treated with disrespect and face barriers to accessing services in their own language
we read in the introduction of a six-page document (New window) published on Tuesday and intended to woo the French-speaking electorate in the run-up to the June 2 election.
The first proposal concerns the elimination of the 26 designated regions in Ontario.
The New Democratic Party would like to extend the French Language Services Act to the entire province and no longer apply it only to this area. designated
where 80% of the territory’s Francophones live.
Provincial services should serve Francophones across Ontario
argues Guy Bourgouin, who is running for re-election in Mushkegowuk-Baie James.
” It is an injustice to the rest of the province’s francophones. When they go to an office in Ontario, they don’t get services in French. »
If elected, the NDP also promises to require government agencies and public institutions to comply with bilingual signage and offer services in both official languages.
The NDP wants to make it mandatory to offer services in English and French to all provincial agencies and institutions.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Too often, it is said that we are going to hire Francophones, but today, in certain regions, we still do not have the services
laments Mr. Bourgouin. We are committed to being aggressive on the file.
the NDP also promises to restore the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner (CSF) as an independent entity.
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party first abolished the post, before reversing its decision. The Office of the Commissioner now reports to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Ever since Doug Ford [l’]abolished, it has become more difficult than ever before to hold the government accountable when Franco-Ontarians lose access to the services in French to which they are entitled under the law
can we read in a press release published by the party led by Andrea Horwath.
Our commissioner was our watchdog and we [nous l’a enlevé] in the first cuts that the Ford government made
laments Mr. Bourgouin, who was also spokesperson for Francophone Affairs for the NDP until the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. The francophone community is still asking for its independent commissioner.
Furthermore, the NDP assures that it will amend the Ombudsman Act to ensure that the designated person is perfectly bilingual
.
” We are more than 600,000 Franco-Ontarians, we have the right to be able to express ourselves in our language, that is why it is essential that the ombudsman be bilingual as well. »
Health first
The pandemic will have had the merit of serving as an indicator of all the shortcomings relating to health, in particular with regard to accessibility to services, continues Mr. Bourgouin.
Hospitals still have no obligation to provide services in French – not even in places designated to provide government services in French
raise it NDP in his program.
Francophones who come to a health office must be able to obtain services in French
adds Mr. Bourgouin.
Another hot topic, the NDP commits to invest in the University of Sudbury by Francophones, with Francophones and for Francophones
the statement added.
Contacted by Radio-Canada, the Assembly of the Francophonie of Ontario (AFO) did not want to comment on the platform of the NDPindicating that he prefers to wait for the various parties to answer his questions on the issues facing Ontario’s Francophonie.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca