The funding, accessed through a joint initiative by the province and the federal government, is allowing Manitoba Justice to hire bilingual intake workers and social workers to improve francophones’ access to the province’s Compensation of Victims of Crime program and a “new intimate partner violence protection program” currently being developed.
A request sent to the Manitoba government cabinet communications for additional comment and information was not returned.
The overall initiative involves Manitoba and Ottawa continuing to invest $1 million per year, over the next three years, through the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on French-Language Services, according to a Sept. 25 news release.
The funding will go toward “special projects” aimed at “enhancing the presence of French in Manitoba.”
This, despite recent statistics suggesting that the speaking of French as a first language among Manitobans has been declining.
According to Statistics Canada, 2.7 per cent of Manitoba’s population had French as their only first official language spoken in 2021. But it notes that from 1991 to 2021, the number of residents who had French as their first language “fell steadily, as did their demographic weight” from 4.3 per cent to 2.7 per cent.
“In 2021, both the number and proportion were the lowest ever recorded in a census in Manitoba,” states StatsCan in an information document.
However, bilingualism seems to be on the rise: the number of Manitobans with both French and English as their first official languages increased somewhat from 1991 to 2021.
As part of the news release, Manitoba Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard, who is responsible for francophone affairs, said the Canada-Manitoba investment “reaffirms” a commitment to “supporting the vitality of Manitoba’s francophone communities.”
“By expanding access to programs and services in French, we are ensuring that francophones across the province can fully participate in and benefit from public services in the official language of their choice,” said Simard.
Canadian Identity and Cultural Minister Steven Guilbeault said the country’s two official languages lay “at the heart of who we are as Canadians.”
“By working with the Manitoba government, we are expanding access to French-language services that directly support the vitality of francophone communities across the province,” said Guilbeault. “These investments ensure that francophones in Manitoba can live, work and thrive in the language of their choice, while strengthening Canada’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity.”
The initiative will also support the bolstering of bilingual signage on municipal buildings, roads, public spaces and infrastructure, and create “French-language services liaison officers to support bilingual municipalities in delivering services, governance and training in both official languages.”
If you have any information, story ideas or news tips for Law 360 Canada, please contact Terry Davidson at t.davidson@lexisnexis.ca or 905-415-5899.