On April 4, 2024, a heavy snowfall fell on Montreal, the kind that reminds us that we can never take spring for granted in our beautiful province. My colleague and I park the car as best we can in front of the William-Hingston francization center, of the Montreal School Services Center. We have an appointment with level 8 students, the most advanced level in the French class. We are expected there to do some improvisation. The students have written the themes that will inspire our skits and they can join us, if they feel like it.
As I climb the stairs towards the room where our demonstration workshop will take place, I hear other students speaking French among themselves with their accents from the other side of the world. Everyone discusses this unexpected snowstorm. A diligent student uses the term “drift” and a friendly teacher teaches her the expression “snow bank”. She laughs. Mimicking the height of the snow, she asks, uncertainly: “Do we say a bench because we can sit on it? » The professor agrees, laughing in turn.
Once in the classroom, I watch the students arrive, smiling and of all ages, from all over the world. We get started without further delay and improvise in front of them with complete ease. The themes they composed are funny, relevant and above all inspiring. Some will even come and play with us. Their mastery of French is impressive. They have nice witticisms. Making people laugh in a foreign language demonstrates a good knowledge of it, but also several skills in terms of cultural references. I leave there amazed by their intelligence, their vocabulary and their humor.
I appreciate all the efforts they have made to successfully integrate into their host society and the confidence with which they speak our language. I also admire the work of the teachers. We can see their commitment to the progress of their learners and their pride in their success.
If I tell you about this morning in a francization center, it is because the future of these essential places of learning seems threatened by the budgetary priorities of the CAQ government. However, this government has placed French at the heart of its concerns. It even strengthened its protection by adopting Law 96 in 2022. This update of the Charter of the French Language specifies that all public services must be provided in French for all new arrivals and refugees (with exceptions) who are in Quebec for six months. However, six months, even if you study full time, is very little to master a language, especially if you close nearby French classes.
Of course, the number of students has increased with the migratory flow, but, precisely, I think it is urgent to increase funding for francization and integration. Unfortunately, there are arbitrary cuts or reshuffles, which, according to estimates, leaves more than 10 000 students with nothing. It is estimated that around 113 teachers lost their jobs. It’s a disaster from many angles.
I know very well that the state purse is not a magic bag from which millions of dollars can appear. On the other hand, when a government constantly reminds us of the fragility of French, when it commissions reports on the evolution of the linguistic situation from the Office québécois de la langue française or even when it requests studies on the situation of languages spoken in Quebec at the Institute of Statistics, I expect him to intervene upstream to counter the decline of our common language.
By testing the waters with friends who work in the world of francization and integration, and who observe with skepticism, even with concern, the choices of the ministry, I learn that this branch of education is being mistreated. for several years, and not only under this government. I realized that a multitude of activities included in the program have disappeared over the years. Experiences that helped students integrate into our culture, such as a visit to Quebec City, corn roasts, apple picking, etc.
In addition, the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration seems to be seeking to reduce the number of physical classes to increase the virtual offering. But learning in a group in the same place is so much more lively! We can reflect on what the teacher has just said, exchange spontaneously, participate in corridor discussions. We learn better in class than isolated in front of an impersonal screen. This is also what my friend, who is himself a professor, confirms to me. He notices that his students progress much more quickly when they are in person rather than online.
It’s a safe bet that I will no longer be invited to do improv in a French class. Of course, this makes me a little sad, but what makes me most angry is to think that these wonderful adults full of good will and courage, who could contribute to our society to their full potential, will be deprived of the services of competent and motivated teachers. Instead of seeing a tremendous investment in French classes, the government now seems to see it as a vulgar expense. I see a huge waste there.
