OLLO – Opening Remarks for the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to the Senate Standing Committee on Official Languages – May 16, 2022

Francophone Immigration to Minority Communities

May 16, 2022

Thank you, Chair, and members of the Committee.

I’d like to begin by acknowledging that I join today’s meeting from the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people (if in Ottawa: … the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people).

Picking up on what acting Deputy Minister Xavier said earlier, my department is also pursuing year-round, targeted promotional activities in Canada and abroad, to expand the pool of potential, qualified French-speaking and bilingual candidates.

In 2021, over 450 in-Canada promotional activities took place where Francophone Immigration was discussed, with audiences such as employers, community and economic development agencies, and Designated Learning Institutions.

Meanwhile, IRCC offices abroad organized 277 events to promote Francophone immigration. IRCC will continue these by supporting events like the Tournée de liaison, as well as other outreach activities.

With the shift to more virtual, promotional activities, a broader pool of French-speaking and bilingual talent can now be reached more easily in Canada and abroad.

The 17th edition of the Destination Canada Mobility Forum was held virtually in November 2021. The highest recorded number of requests for participation were received, with more than 178,000 requests in more than 180 countries and over 4,000 advertised employment opportunities.

Through this online engagement, we can be sure our message that Francophone newcomers are welcome in all parts of Canada is reaching the people who need to hear it.

Attracting people is just one part of the equation, however. Once they arrive, they need to feel supported and confident as they settle into their new lives.

In 2019, we introduced the Francophone Integration Pathway, which offers tailored support to French-speaking newcomers from pre-arrival to citizenship. It also ensures that newcomers, of all linguistic backgrounds are aware of these services and the possibilities to settle in French communities outside Quebec.

The Pathway is implemented by Francophone organizations in alignment with the “by and for Francophones” approach, which supports the vitality of Francophone Minority Communities across Canada.

IRCC’s Welcoming Francophone Communities Initiative is another positive factor in our settlement programming. This initiative gives Francophone Minority Communities the opportunity to grow their capacity through new Resettlement Assistance Program centres, Community Partnership Settlement Plans and guidance on the private sponsorship of refugees.

Additionally, under our Action Plan for Official Languages – 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future, IRCC is investing $40.8 million over 5 years.

This includes:

$36.6 million for initiatives supporting the consolidation of the Francophone Integration Pathway; and,

$4.2 million for the development of horizontal policies on Francophone immigration, official languages governance and federal–provincial/territorial collaboration.

Conclusion

In closing, Chair, I’d like to emphasize that making a new life in a new community is challenging. To do it in a place where few people speak your language is especially daunting.

IRCC is committed to making settlement in Francophone minority communities a positive experience for newcomers.

With that, I would be pleased to answer the Committee’s questions.