Challenges Faced by Francophones in Canada: Access to Justice, Employment, and Education

This article sheds light on the challenges faced by Francophones in Canada, including access to justice, employment, and education. It discusses the issues encountered by French-speaking newcomers in the Canadian job market and the difficulties they face in accessing legal services in French. It also highlights the marginalization of the French-speaking population in Ontario and Quebec and the need for greater provisions to ensure their continued success.

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Article Summaries
Part A
The article titled “Why francophones are fighting for access to justice in Ontario” by
Daniel Kitts has stated the way a major proportion of Ontarians have valued French as their first
language and one of the official language of Canada. However, the author simultaneously has
stated the areas of challenges and issues in obtaining adequate accessibility of legal services in
French for the French speaking populace in the Canadian province1. Furthermore, the Kitts in his
article has explicitly casted light on the critical areas of concern which the French speaking
populace encounters during any judicial proceedings which has become a fundamental concern
for the Ontario governance body in 2009. The article further emphasized on the rights and
privileges which the Francophones residing in the areas of Newfoundland and Cape Breton
Island possess but undergoes critical areas of challenges and issues while exercising these rights
and authorities in order to access integrity and justice in Ontario.
On the other hand, the article titled “Francophone immigrants face greater challenges
outside Quebec” by Nicholas Keung published in ‘The Star’ news publication evidently shed
light on challenges and obscurity which a French speaking newcomer had encountered while
aiming to establish his business in the Canadian trade market2. The article exposes the
development of areas of avenues for Francophones in the workforce domain of certain regions in
Ontario specifically in domains related to finance and insurance sector along with other spheres
1 Kitts, Daniel. 2018. "Why Francophones Are Fighting For Access To Justice In Ontario". TVO.
https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-francophones-are-fighting-for-access-to-justice-in-ontario.
2 Keung, Nicholas. 2017. "Francophone Immigrants Face Greater Challenges Outside Quebec | The Star".
Thestar.Com. https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/05/30/francophone-immigrants-face-greater-
challenges-outside-quebec.html.

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of health care, technical services and networking. Furthermore, the article has emphasized on the
evident increase of marginalization towards the French speaking immigrants which further has
been creating greater degree of intricacy and obscurity for this section to settle in the Canadian
province.
The news article published in the Washington Post by J.J. McCullough on September,
2017 has explicitly shed light on the recognition and acknowledgement Canada has recently
attained as being recognized as an integrated Western nation that has efficiently been capable of
eradicating any forms of discriminatory or prejudiced populism. However, the increasing rates of
complexities emerging recently in the certain areas of Quebec have shed light on the existing
areas of difficulties and intricacies related to multiculturalism which the Canadian province and
administration are incompetent to resolute3. The article further provides an explicit
understanding of the way Francophones have been considering themselves as an offended or
mistreated section and once used to attain justifiable notable justification. Despite of the
increasing level of biasness and challenges, Quebec’s French speaking community has been able
to establish themselves as strong, decisive and vibrant population thus the marginalized language
speaking section must be given adequate rate of provisions in order to ascertain continued
achievements and success. It fundamentally suggests sincere consideration towards the critical
areas of challenges, pretences and paradoxes pertaining to the immigrant communities of les
Québécois, which further has been identified as a distinctively critical matter for the Canadian
province.
Article discussion
3 McCullough, J.J. 2017. "For Multicultural Canada, Monocultural Quebec Remains A Tough Challenge".
Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/09/21/for-multicultural-canada-
monocultural-quebec-remains-a-tough-challenge/?utm_term=.7622f9ee0f48.

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Part B
It is significant to observe the way several Francophone newcomers have been
experiencing continual challenges and intricacies in demonstrating their skills and competence
level in the Canadian job market. Several newcomer immigrants like Cheikh Diagne has claimed
the way a major section of the Canadian employment sector has disregarded his sincere level of
aptitude to be employed in the banking or financial sector of Canada but on the other hand
exhibited utmost inclination in incorporating his skills in sectors dealing with customer services
and call centres4. Drawing similarities to this observation, several other studies have also shed
light on the limitations which Canadian employment sector undergoes which further results for
any new Francophone newcomers to find employment in French-language speaking workplaces.
Furthermore it has been observed the criticality and challenges any new Francophone immigrant
experiences during the initial phase of the arrival5. However this leads the recently arrived
Francophones to efficiently demonstrate and evaluate their competence level in order to
successfully integrate in new surroundings which is primarily being dominated by English
speaking populaces. These events of complexities and increasing rate of challenges have
developed a sense of discontent within the Francophone immigrants who eventually develop the
notion of Canada being a prejudiced and sectarian nation.
4 Keung, Nicholas. 2017. "Francophone Immigrants Face Greater Challenges Outside Quebec | The Star".
Thestar.Com. https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/05/30/francophone-immigrants-face-greater-
challenges-outside-quebec.html.
5 Gagnon, Anita J., Geoffrey Dougherty, Olive Wahoush, Jean-François Saucier, Cindy-Lee Dennis,
Elizabeth Stanger, Becky Palmer, Lisa Merry, and Donna E. Stewart. "International migration to Canada: the post-
birth health of mothers and infants by immigration class." Social science & medicine 76 (2013): 197-207.

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Francophones inhabiting certain regions of Ontario and Quebec
Source: (Masinda et al. 2014)
Issues Francophones encounter while accessing any legal services have explicitly been
revealed in the article published by Daniel Kitts in January, 2018. Most of the French speaking
people in Canada face immense level of challenges while going through any legal proceedings in
French and tend to spend huge expenditures or costs in accessing appropriate legal services6.
Furthermore, often many Francophones tend to encounter harmful consequences who ask for
additional funding or concern if they are highly incapable in accessing suitable legal services at a
rapid rate resulting to higher level of issues and complexities7. As a consequence, Francophones
unwillingly have to adhere to English speaking legal proceedings, even if that has not been their
6 Kitts, Daniel. 2018. "Why Francophones Are Fighting For Access To Justice In Ontario". TVO.
https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-francophones-are-fighting-for-access-to-justice-in-ontario.
7 Masinda, Mambo Tabu, Marianne Jacquet, and Danièle Moore. "An Integrated Framework for Immigrant
Children and Youth’s School Integration: A Focus on African Francophone Students in British Columbia–
Canada." International Journal of Education 6, no. 1 (2014): 90-107.

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initial preference. It has further been observed that the Francophone identity has been assumed to
be a highly threatened section with a deteriorating sense of feeling of integration and belonging.
The French language in certain areas of Quebec, Ontario in Canada has been considered to be
highly insolvent and undermined by several critical factors. Furthermore, it has been noted that a
major section of Francophones tend to face higher level of complexities and issues while
accessing any legal proceedings whereas the same Canadian justice system provides a highly
predominant position to the English language speakers8. Certain reports further observe the
increasing rate of multiculturalism policy and values which results the Francophones to lose their
value and significance within the Canadian province. Several studies further illustrate the
insensitive reality which sheds light on the severe lack of benefits and privileges which
Francophones encounter that further results to higher level of discontentment, exhaustion and
resentment towards the nation9. Thus there must be significant needs to shed light on these areas
of concern through certain achievable approaches of succession plans within the associative
organizations of the Francophones.
Analysis of the issue experienced by Francophones in Canada
Part C
Francophones immigrants are considered to be an invisible marginalized section within the
majority segment of population. Their requirements are often been overlooked or disregarded by
8 Gagnon, Anita J., Geoffrey Dougherty, Olive Wahoush, Jean-François Saucier, Cindy-Lee Dennis,
Elizabeth Stanger, Becky Palmer, Lisa Merry, and Donna E. Stewart. "International migration to Canada: the post-
birth health of mothers and infants by immigration class." Social science & medicine 76 (2013): 197-207.
9 Khanlou, Nazilla, Nasim Haque, Sinead Sheehan, and Gail Jones. "“It is an issue of not knowing where to
go”: Service providers’ perspectives on challenges in accessing social support and services by immigrant mothers of
children with disabilities." Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 17, no. 6 (2015): 1840-1847.

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the significant population of Canada. However, studies revealed by Nicholas Keung claim that
the shifting global migration patterns have significantly aided Canada to develop its migration
profile comprising Francophone colonizers to integrate an increasing rate of French-speaking
newcomers. It has been noted that Canada in recent times have been experiencing a wide pool of
Francophones newcomers arriving from countries like Africa and other parts of Caribbean in
comparison to the European regions10. However, it has been observed that though these
developing demographics enhance diversity factors they further tend to elevate certain key areas
of concerns and challenges primarily because of ethno cultural divergences and factors
associated to racial discrimination and ethnicity. Thus this has led the Francophone communities
to experience an unemployment rate twice than the rate observed among the French speakers
average in Ontario11.
French language Programs provided by Ontario
10 Flynn, Emma, and Harald Bauder. "The private sector, institutions of higher education, and immigrant
settlement in Canada." Journal of International Migration and Integration 16, no. 3 (2015): 539-556.
11 Khanlou, Nazilla, Nasim Haque, Sinead Sheehan, and Gail Jones. "“It is an issue of not knowing where to
go”: Service providers’ perspectives on challenges in accessing social support and services by immigrant mothers of
children with disabilities." Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 17, no. 6 (2015): 1840-1847.

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Source: (Zanchetta et al. 2013)
Furthermore, the understanding of the perspective of Francophones in Ontario and other
regions of Canada such as Montreal, Alberta and Laval have revealed that the French speaking
immigrants and French Canadians reveal a higher degree of propensity to acquire a certification
or degree course from trade educational institutions in comparison to the overall populace
residing in Ontario. However, it has been noted that though this section of French speakers attain
certification from certain apprenticeship but a very insignificant proportion are able to
successfully acquire university degree or recognition. However, Gilbert et al. (2014) emphasized
certain exceptions to this tendency whereby more than one third of the Francophones have
managed to attain Bachelor’s or University degree12. Furthermore, the 2012 census statistics have
revealed that members of few Francophones communities have greater degree of tendency to
obtain university degree or recognition. It is further to note that around 34% of Francophone
ethnic marginalized sections have claimed to undergo university diploma course in comparison
to 15.8% of the overall French speakers inhabiting in regions of Ontario13.
Francophones in Canada experiencing life from a minority perspective
Though, several Francophone newcomers have shared their experiences of challenges and
intricacies in representing their true competencies in order to get employed in the Canadian job
sector, it has further been revealed of receiving average employment income which has been
estimated to be higher in comparison to the other generalized population of Canada. However, it
12 Gilbert, Anne, Nicole Gallant, and Huhua Cao. "MOBILITY AND MINORITIES." Life in an Official
Minority Language in Canada (2014): 228.
13 Khanlou, Nazilla, Nasim Haque, Sinead Sheehan, and Gail Jones. "“It is an issue of not knowing where to
go”: Service providers’ perspectives on challenges in accessing social support and services by immigrant mothers of
children with disabilities." Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 17, no. 6 (2015): 1840-1847.

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has been observed that the French speaking communities of South as well as Northern Ontario
have claimed to earn less in comparison to Francophones of Central and Eastern regions of
Ontario14. Though the rate of occupational level among the French speakers has found similar
aspects to the other generalized population of Canada, there can be witnessed wide gaps and
issues between regions in Ontario which reveals the highest level of lack of employment chances
in Northern Ontario and the lowest rate of unemployment in the Eastern region. Certain
statistical data revealed by Flynn, Emma, and Harald Bauder (2015) signify that the French
speaking population in Ontario have undergone a significant level of evolution over the past few
years15. The visible minority section of Francophones is observed to attain high level of
education, recognition along with significant decline in the level of unemployment. However,
regardless to these factors, the Francophone community residing in Ontario is recognized as a
linguistic marginalized and insignificant community within the broader societal sphere of
Ontario as well as Canada. Furthermore, this marginal situation tends to serve a decisive role in
the way these community distinguishes aspects of life along with its linguistic behavioural
patterns and explanations16.
The dual minority identity of Francophone immigrants in Canada
Certain data signify that while Francophones in Ontario are usually positioned in the
marginalized situation within their society, certain recent French speaking immigrants and
14 Masinda, Mambo Tabu, Marianne Jacquet, and Danièle Moore. "An Integrated Framework for Immigrant
Children and Youth’s School Integration: A Focus on African Francophone Students in British Columbia–
Canada." International Journal of Education 6, no. 1 (2014): 90-107.
15 Flynn, Emma, and Harald Bauder. "The private sector, institutions of higher education, and immigrant
settlement in Canada." Journal of International Migration and Integration 16, no. 3 (2015): 539-556.
16 McCullough, J.J. 2017. "For Multicultural Canada, Monocultural Quebec Remains A Tough Challenge".
Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/09/21/for-multicultural-canada-
monocultural-quebec-remains-a-tough-challenge/?utm_term=.7622f9ee0f48.

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members of marginalized communities have developed greater degree of intensity in this
marginal situation17. It has further been noted that Francophones belonging to evident marginal
sections tend to possess dual minority identity and are considered to be a significant part of the
linguistic minority section within the wide ranging domain of Anglophone Ontario, thus have
developed an identification of being an evident minority among mainly white Franco-Ontarians.
Though the article published in The Washington Post by McCullough have evaluated the
way Canada focuses on marginal communities of Francophones comprising both old and new
population, there lies certain degree of ambiguity whether the state can address all marginal
Francophone communities with utmost value, respect and justice while offering overall cultural
as well political protection18. However it has been observed that a considerable degree of concern
in Quebec has emerged in recent times when figures evaluated from the 2016 Canada census
emerge to exhibit a vital relationship with the elevating levels of immigration along with the
abating use of French language in the domain of French-speaking province. Thus Katawazi
(2017) in his report has signified the way Ontario has been effectively progressing in establishing
certain French-speaking language university19. These French-speaking linguistic university
which has been recognized as an important approach that has been exercised by the state in order
to provide the rising rate of Francophone youths to attain their education in a comprehensive
French dominated environment by further offering provisions which vary from those offered in
17 Bevelander, Pieter, and Ravi Pendakur. "The labour market integration of refugee and family reunion
immigrants: A comparison of outcomes in Canada and Sweden." Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 40, no. 5
(2014): 689-709.
18 McCullough, J.J. 2017. "For Multicultural Canada, Monocultural Quebec Remains A Tough Challenge".
Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/09/21/for-multicultural-canada-
monocultural-quebec-remains-a-tough-challenge/?utm_term=.7622f9ee0f48.
19 Katawazi, Miriam. 2017. "Ontario Proposes French-Language University In Toronto". The Globe And
Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-proposes-french-language-university-in-toronto/
article36110367/.

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other conventional universities. Furthermore, the provincial government of Canada reportedly
has been planning to introduce important legislation within a next few months for the projected
post-secondary institutions which further will tend to cater to a major proportion of the young
Francophones which is recognized as the prevalent inhabitant section in Canada outside of
Quebec20. It has further been observed that the Ontarian state has been aiming to create a new as
well as improved French linguistic university in the Toronto region and further enhance their
commitment and dedication to create an impartial and standalone educational institution with
proficient governance and administration by and purposed for the francophone students.
20 Ontario.ca. 2017. "Group Of Experts On Francophone Immigration 2015-2016". Ontario.Ca.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/group-experts-francophone-immigration-2015-2016.

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Bibliography
Bevelander, Pieter, and Ravi Pendakur. "The labour market integration of refugee and family
reunion immigrants: A comparison of outcomes in Canada and Sweden." Journal of Ethnic and
Migration Studies 40, no. 5 (2014): 689-709.
Flynn, Emma, and Harald Bauder. "The private sector, institutions of higher education, and
immigrant settlement in Canada." Journal of International Migration and Integration 16, no. 3
(2015): 539-556.
Gagnon, Anita J., Geoffrey Dougherty, Olive Wahoush, Jean-François Saucier, Cindy-Lee
Dennis, Elizabeth Stanger, Becky Palmer, Lisa Merry, and Donna E. Stewart. "International
migration to Canada: the post-birth health of mothers and infants by immigration class." Social
science & medicine 76 (2013): 197-207.
Gilbert, Anne, Nicole Gallant, and Huhua Cao. "MOBILITY AND MINORITIES." Life in an
Official Minority Language in Canada (2014): 228.
Katawazi, Miriam. 2017. "Ontario Proposes French-Language University In Toronto". The
Globe And Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-proposes-french-
language-university-in-toronto/article36110367/.
Keung, Nicholas. 2017. "Francophone Immigrants Face Greater Challenges Outside Quebec |
The Star". Thestar.Com. https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/05/30/francophone-
immigrants-face-greater-challenges-outside-quebec.html.

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Khanlou, Nazilla, Nasim Haque, Sinead Sheehan, and Gail Jones. "“It is an issue of not knowing
where to go”: Service providers’ perspectives on challenges in accessing social support and
services by immigrant mothers of children with disabilities." Journal of Immigrant and Minority
Health 17, no. 6 (2015): 1840-1847.
Kitts, Daniel. 2018. "Why Francophones Are Fighting For Access To Justice In Ontario". TVO.
https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-francophones-are-fighting-for-access-to-justice-in-
ontario.
Masinda, Mambo Tabu, Marianne Jacquet, and Danièle Moore. "An Integrated Framework for
Immigrant Children and Youth’s School Integration: A Focus on African Francophone Students
in British Columbia–Canada." International Journal of Education 6, no. 1 (2014): 90-107.
McCullough, J.J. 2017. "For Multicultural Canada, Monocultural Quebec Remains A Tough
Challenge". Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/09/21/for-multicultural-
canada-monocultural-quebec-remains-a-tough-challenge/?utm_term=.7622f9ee0f48.
Ontario.ca. 2017. "Group Of Experts On Francophone Immigration 2015-2016". Ontario.Ca.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/group-experts-francophone-immigration-2015-2016.
Zanchetta, Margareth Santos, Margot Kaszap, Mohamed Mohamed, Louise Racine, Christine
Maheu, Diana Masny, Ines Cèsar et al. "Construction of Francophone families’ health literacy in
a linguistic-minority situation." Alterstice-Revue Internationale de la Recherche
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