Published plans and annual reports 2019-2020: Ministry of Francophone Affairs

Ministry overview

Purpose

The Ministry of Francophone Affairs’ mandate is to work with ministries and agencies to ensure that the needs and interests of the Franco-Ontarian community are taken into account in public policies and programs and to facilitate the participation of the Franco-Ontarian community in government-related initiatives.

As steward of the French Language Services Act (FLSA) and main advisor of the government on Francophone affairs and French language services, the Ministry of Francophone Affairs:

• Oversees the application of the FLSA and works with ministries and agencies to ensure that French language services FLSA are available to the public in designated areas of the province.

• Coordinates the implementation of French language services in newly designated areas and makes recommendations with respect to the designation of new areas and agencies under the FLSA.

• Provides expert strategic and operational advice to ministries and agencies and develops resources to support their efforts to deliver accessible, high-quality FLS.

• Promotes Francophone affairs inside government and partners with key ministries on policy and program initiatives to contribute to a stronger Francophone community.

• Reaches out to the Francophone community and supports government initiatives that improve the lives of Ontario’s Francophone population.

• Works with other jurisdictions to promote Ontario’s Francophonie and enhances the Province’s profile at both the national and international levels.

Ministry contribution to priority outcomes

The following strategies outline the key activities of the Ministry of Francophone Affairs (the Ministry) in 2019-20:

Key strategy 1: strengthening French language services

Building capacity of French language services

• Develop and share new resources to support the implementation of French language services by ministries and agencies of the Government of Ontario (i.e. the integration of French language services in policies, practices and directives strengthening the “active offer” of French language services).

• Promote the use of the Francophone Lens tool to ensure that French language services are considered by ministries and government agencies from the early stages of policy and program development.

• Work with Francophone community stakeholders to facilitate the process leading to potential designation of areas under the French Language Services Act.

• Coordinate the funding of projects under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on French Language Services.
• Maintain the statistical profiles on the Province’s Franco-Ontarian population using the Inclusive Definition of Francophone.

Accountability for results

• Oversee the application of the FLSA and continue to work with ministries to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach to the planning and delivery of quality French language services on an “active offer” basis.

• Explore ways to modernize the French Language Services Act so its provisions may better reflect today’s reality and needs while reducing red tape and increasing access to French language services in Ontario.

• Continue to work with central agencies to ensure that new and revised directives and policies take into account the needs of the Franco-Ontarian community and are in compliance with the FLSA.

• Support the work of the Minister’s Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs.

• Work with the French Language Services Clusters to modernize the FLS Reporting to ensure better monitoring of the provision of French language services.

Community of practice for excellence in French language services

• Support the growth of a community of practice for excellence in French language services through the OPS French Language Services Awards of Excellence and through professional development opportunities for bilingual professionals.

Key strategy 2: Promoting Ontario’s visibility in Francophone affairs

• Continue to strengthen Ontario’s leadership role on Francophone affairs at the federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) level through active participation in the activities leading up to the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie, hosted by the Government of Canada and Nunavut in June 2019.

• Continue to support Ontario’s strong partnership with Québec and to work with government ministries to coordinate and implement the Ontario-Quebec Cooperation and Exchange Agreement on the Canadian Francophonie.

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)

• Support Ontario’s role as an Observer member in the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie OIF including Ontario’s participation in the OIF governing bodies and events.

• Support partnerships with member jurisdictions and organizations from Franco-Ontarian civil society with a focus on economic development.

Key Strategy 3: contributing to a stronger Franco-Ontarian community

Leverage key government initiatives

Work with ministries and other government agencies on the development of French language services for the Franco-Ontarian community with a primary focus on areas such as health care, community and children services, economic development, immigration, education and justice:

• Ministry of Health and Long-term Care (MOHLTC) – Monitor the progress and implementation of:
  • The Connecting Care Act which contains provisions specifically with respect to the French Language Services Act.
  • The OZi data collection project, being implemented in fiscal year 2019-20, will collect an additional year’s worth of French language health services data to support improved planning for French language health services for Ontario’s Francophone population.
• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) – Work with MTCU to ensure access to high-quality postsecondary programming in French across the province.
• Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) – Work collaboratively with MCCSS to increase Francophone immigration in the province.
• Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT) – Work with the MEDJCT to leverage the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program to meet the 5% objective of Francophone economic immigrants.  Lay the groundwork for establishing collaborative work with MEDJCT to identify opportunities to enhance Francophone economic development.
• Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS) – Work with MTCS on the development and promotion of the provincial Champlain tourism route.
• Justice – Support Ontario’s initiative to enhance access to justice in French.
• Support the Ministry of the Attorney General to implement its partnership with the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice to identify more opportunities to deliver enhanced access to court services and court proceedings heard in French.

Ministry programs and activities

Francophone Affairs Coordination Program

The Ministry provides advice to the Ontario government on matters concerning Francophone affairs and the provision of French language services.

The Ministry’s primary program consists of:

• Partnering on cross-ministry initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness and ensure the integration of French language services in those initiatives.
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of French language services by reporting on ministries’ achievements and corporate performance measures on an annual basis.
• Making recommendations with respect to the designation of new areas and agencies under the FLSA and coordinating the implementation of services in newly designated areas.
• Coordinating the transfer of federal funding to other ministries and agencies for projects and initiatives funded under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on French Language Services.
• Overseeing Ontario’s participation in national and international governing bodies including the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).

Francophone Community Grants Program

• Administering the current Francophone Community Grants Program to provide the community with funding to support initiatives that raise the profile of Ontario’s Francophonie.
• Ensuring the Francophone Community Grants Program also supports economic development for Francophones and businesses serving Francophones.

Legislation

Legislation administered by the Ministry:

French Language Services Act, 1990

The French Language Services Act protects the rights of Franco-Ontarians to have access to French language services provided by or on behalf of the provincial government, notably in designated areas of the province.

Franco-Ontarian Day Act, 2010

The Franco-Ontarian Day Act proclaims September 25 of each calendar year as Franco-Ontarian Day. The Act officially recognizes the contributions of the Francophone community in Ontario to the social, economic and political life of the Province and the community’s importance in Ontario.

Ministry organization chart

• Minister of Francophones Affairs – Honourable Caroline Mulroney
  • Gila Martow - Parliamentary Assistant
  • Deputy Minister of Francophones Affairs – Marie-Lison Fougère
    • Assistant Deputy Minister of Francophones Affairs / Chief Administrative Officer – Jean-Claude Camus
      • Policy Research and Services - Carl Bouchard, Director
      • Strategic Communications Branch - Charles Jean Sucsan, Director

Agencies, Boards and Commissions (ABCs)

Advisory and Adjudicative ABC make communities safer by providing independent oversight and adjudicative services that protect the interest of the public.

Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs

Provides advice to the Minister of Francophone Affairs on the development of strategies, priorities and programs which affect Ontario’s Francophone community and on the planning and delivery of French language services across the Government of Ontario.

Detailed financial information

The Ministry oversees the application of the French Language Services Act, works with ministries and agencies to ensure that the needs and interests of the Franco-Ontarian community are taken into account in public policies and programs, and facilitates the participation of the Franco-Ontarian community in government-related initiatives.

*Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2019 Ontario Budget.

*Estimates and Actuals for prior fiscal years are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure

The Ministry of Francophone Affairs has maintained relatively consistent spending on its base operations. The year over year fluctuation is attributed to one-time or new initiatives such as:

• The Francophone Community Grant Program (commenced 2017-18)
• Queens Park Francophone Monument (completed 2018-19)

Appendix: 2018-19 annual report

The following outlines the Ministry’s major accomplishments in delivering on key priorities:

Key strategy 1: strengthening French language services

• The following designations were approved in 2018-19:
  • Canadian Mental Health Association, Nipissing Regional Branch (New partial designation)
  • Centre de santé communautaire Chigamik Community Health Centre (New partial designation)
  • Le Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l’Ontario (New full designation)
  • Saint Paul University (New partial designation)
• Successfully led the implementation of the City of Markham’s designation under the French Language Services Act through the support of the Markham Implementation Committee and other ministries. The designation came into effect on July 1, 2018.
• Promoted the use of the Francophone Lens tool to ensure that French language services are considered by ministries and government agencies from the early stages of policy and program development. The Ministry also shared this best practice nationally through the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie.
• Received and reviewed the French Language Services Commissioner’s 11^th annual report and provided information to the Commissioner related to FLS best practices across the Ontario government.
• Negotiated the Canada-Ontario Agreement on FLS on behalf of the government of Ontario.

Key strategy 2: Promoting Ontario’s visibility in Francophone affairs

• Continued to manage the Ontario/Québec Agreement on the Canadian Francophonie to successfully support seven joint projects.
• Supported Ontario’s participation at the 24^th Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie held in Whitehorse (Yukon) in July 2018 and raised Ontario’s profile as a lead on key initiatives including Francophone tourism and access to justice in French.
• Coordinated deliverables leading to the first provincial monument at Queen’s Park dedicated to the Franco-Ontarian community, in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Infrastructure Ontario. The monument, unveiled in September 2018, represents a permanent legacy of the Province’s official commemoration of 400 years of French presence in Ontario.
• As an Observer member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Ministry worked on two priority areas for its voluntary contribution:
  • the OIF’s Francophonie Institute for Education and Training to support education and training in developing Francophone countries.
  • the OIF’s Gender Equality Program which aims to improve the status of women.
• The sixth edition of Ontario’s Francophonie Awards was held and three new recipients were recognized for their social, economic, political or cultural contributions and for making a difference in the Francophone community and to Ontario as a whole.

Key strategy 3: contributing to a stronger Franco-Ontarian community

• Worked closely with ministries in support of key initiatives in postsecondary education, health, immigration, children and youth services, justice and the prevention of violence against women:
  • Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU): Continued to work with MTCU to support the offer of post-secondary programming in Ontario.
  • Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC): Worked with MOHLTC to provide advice on the provision of health French language services in key sectors.
  • Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) – Continued to work with MCCSS on the provincial Immigration Strategy as it relates to Francophones including the provision of advice to support Ontario’s efforts toward its 5% Francophone immigration target and the Province’s implementation of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Action Plan for Francophone Immigration outside of Québec.
  • Justice – The Ministry worked with its federal partners (Heritage Canada and Justice Canada) to support the development of pratiquO’s programming. In partnership with Québec, the Ministry also funded a joint project to allow the University of Ottawa and the University of Montreal to enhance pratiquO’s programming to include Quebec’s digital expertise in key areas of family law.
  • Francophone Community Grants Program (FCGP) – The Ministry has managed and funded 56 annual and multiyear projects since the program was launched in 2017.
  • Tourism, Culture and Sports (MTCS) – Worked with MTCS to establish and promote the Route Champlain, a provincial tourism route.

Key strategy 4: 400^th anniversary of Francophone presence in Ontario

• In 2018-19, the Ministry continued to lead the legacy phase of the Province’s three-year strategic plan to commemorate more than 400 years of French presence in Ontario. This included:
  • Oversaw the completion of the construction of a provincial monument dedicated to Franco-Ontarians at Queen’s Park. This Monument was officially unveiled on September 25 in the presence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, the Minister and stakeholders from the Francophone Community and Ontario.

*Ontario Public Service Full-Time Equivalent positions
Note: Interim Actual Expenditures reflect the numbers presented in the 2019 Ontario Budget.