QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Francophone Minority Communities
June 11, 2026
Government representative, Minister Fraser and Minister Valdez recently announced additional funding to support victims and survivors of crime. However, according to a Francopresse article, 6 of the 12 francophone victim support organizations listed by Justice Canada said they hadn’t been told about the announcement.
Furthermore, the director of a francophone support centre in Ottawa said that funding applications submitted in French are evaluated by an anglophone committee, which may not fully understand the linguistic and cultural realities of the communities served.
Can the government explain how it ensures that francophone organizations in minority communities are adequately informed about federal programs and that their applications are evaluated fairly by individuals with the necessary language skills?
Senator Aucoin, I was not made aware of the Francopresse report. However, I have had the opportunity to answer some of your questions regarding francophone minority groups. The federal government has clear obligations and responsibilities with respect to official languages. These include providing services in French to francophones in Canada when requested or required, as well as ensuring equity in service delivery and adequate dissemination of information related to these programs, if the aim is to inform francophone communities about available federal programs.
I am confident that applications submitted by francophone communities are assessed fairly. I will certainly bring your question to the attention of the minister responsible for official languages. Please do let me know if you become aware of any similar situations where francophone communities are not receiving adequate information from the government. I will be sure to bring this to the government’s attention.
Thank you, Senator Moreau.
That being the case, would the government consider setting aside a clearly identified budget for francophone organizations that provide services directly to victims, the better to guarantee equitable access to funding and ensure the longevity of these essential services in French?
I cannot make that financial commitment on the government’s behalf, but I will certainly convey your comment to the minister in charge.
Again, the government’s position, which is also my own, is that services to francophone communities must be available and accessible across the country, and information must be available to members of these communities just as it is to any other Canadian.
