Statement from Guy Bourgouin, Francophone Affairs critic, on Ford axing the French Language Services Commissioner and the Université de l’Ontario français

Guy Bourgouin, NDP critic for Francophone Affairs, released the following statement regarding the Fall Economic Statement, and the Ford government’s decision to cut the French Language Services Commissioner and to cancel the Francophone University in Ontario.

“I am shocked, disappointed and disgusted by the Ford government’s decision to scrap the French Language Services Commissioner and to cancel the Francophone University in Ontario.

Ever since the beginning of his term, Ford has shown his disdain for francophone affairs in the province, with an English-only Throne Speech and by watering down the Ministry of Francophone Affairs. Today’s announcements were tiny mentions, hiding in Vic Fedeli’s 174-page long economic statement. Treating francophone Ontarians like an afterthought, yet again, demonstrates that Ford Conservatives have consciously and purposefully turned their backs on over 600,000 Franco-Ontarians, who day after day, fight to uphold their rights to access services and education in their language.

With the cancellation of the Université de l’Ontario Français, Mr. Ford breaks yet-another campaign promise made to Franco-Ontarians. Much like with the three university campuses to be built in the GTA that Mr. Ford callously scrapped, the Conservatives continue to show that they have little interest in the advancement of higher education in the province. Transferring the powers of the French Language Services Commissioner to the Office of the Ombudsman means that the constitutional rights of Franco-Ontarians are seriously at risk. Fedeli’s report and the decision to scrap two fundamental institutions are another slap in the face of Franco-Ontarians.

Caroline Mulroney, the minister for Francophone Affairs, and Merrilee Fullerton, the minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, owe the Franco-Ontarian people an explanation. Cutting Ontarians’ constitutional rights as a part of the Conservatives’ ongoing attack on our province’s social and education systems is a brutal failure.”