After a backlash, Premier Doug Ford's government announced Friday afternoon it will take a number of steps to bolster the French langua...
After a backlash, Premier Doug Ford's government announced Friday afternoon it will take a number of steps to bolster the French language in Ontario.
In its fall economic statement, the Progressive Conservative government announced plans to eliminate the position of the French language services commissioner and scrap plans to build a French language university as part of a plan to balance the budget.
The decision prompted immediate backlash from Ontarians, the federal government and Quebec's new premier, who asked Ford to reverse the cuts at their first face-to-face meeting this week.
On Friday, the government announced it was changing its plans, vowing to:
- Re-create the position of French language services commissioner, that will be attached to the ombudsman's office.
- Name Caroline Mulroney as the minister of Francophone affairs.
- Hire a senior policy advisor responsible for Francophone affairs in Ford's office.
However, Ontario's government is not restoring funding for a planned French-language university in the province.
It's unclear how much the changes will cost to implement.
by John Rieti via CBC | Top Stories News
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