The Halifax regional municipality is carrying out a series of public consultations to assess its French services strategy and thus determine whether it meets the needs of its French -speaking residents.
Five community consultation sessions are organized until February 3 and an online survey is accessible to the population.
A process started several years ago
This strategy was adopted by the municipal council, in 2021, following consultations organized between 2017 and 2019. The neo-Scottish capital offered French services at the time, but no formal framework was associated.
Open in full screen
Halifax wants to ensure that the strategy always reflects the needs and expectations of the current French -speaking community.
Photo: - / Stéphanie Blanchet
Now we believe that it is relevant to have new consultations to ensure that this strategy, which serves as a guide, always reflects the needs and expectations of the current community
explains Ziyan Yang, French services advisor at the Halifax diversity and inclusion office.
Open in full screen
Ziyan Yang is a French services advisor at the Halifax diversity and inclusion office.
Photo: - / Stéphanie Blanchet
We would like to use these comments, suggestions and feedback, to inform us in the revision and update of this strategy of services in French
she adds.
A third of the French-speaking population in Nova Scotia lives in the regional municipality of Halifax.
The adoption of this strategy was the result of a long process that began in 2003, when a committed citizen, Lucien Comeau, filed a complaint before the Committee on Human Rights in Nova Scotia. The objective at the time was to obtain fair property tax royalties for French -language schools in Halifax.
Today, Lucien Comeau says he is satisfied with the implementation of this strategy, which allows in particular to strengthen the feeling of belonging to a community in Halifax.
Open in full screen
-Lucien Comeau, resident of Halifax, says he is satisfied with the implementation of this strategy.
Photo: - / Stéphanie Blanchet
It is definitely better than before, there is progress, I think that we have a lot aware of the municipality of Halifax to our needs and our expectations in the end
Lucien Comeau analysis.
A lack of communication in French
Several, however, believe that the French services strategy deserves to be strengthened, in particular with regard to official communications from the municipality.
Open in full screen
Five community consultation sessions are organized until February 3.
Photo: - / Stéphanie Blanchet
In recent days two alerts, a notice to boil the water and a chemical spill which forced the closure of the Mackay bridge, have been broadcast only in English.
It can be problematic, especially since these are alerts and it wants that there is clearly a state of emergency
underlines is Jehan, a resident who participated Thursday in one of the organized public consultations.
There was one of the two which was very specific, with an English vocabulary which is not necessarily what we learn, and therefore it took me to read it three times to know what we can do or do not not
she says.
Other residents have also underlined the lack of recreational activities in French, which, according to them, would make it possible to group the French -speaking community of Halifax more strongly.
The online survey, which aims to collect more comments, is available until February 16.
With information from Stéphanie Blanchet
