Ministry of Francophone Affairs explained

Agency Name:Ministry of Francophone Affairs
Type:Ministry
Formed:1986[1]
Preceding1:Office of Francophone Affairs
Jurisdiction:Government of Ontario
Minister1 Name:Caroline Mulroney
Minister1 Pfo:Minister of Francophone Affairs
Minister2 Name:Natalia Kusendova
Minister2 Pfo:Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs

The Ministry of Francophone Affairs (French: Ministère des Affaires francophones) in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for the provision of government services to Franco-Ontarian citizens and communities.[2]

It was originally founded as the Office of Francophone Affairs (French: Office des affaires francophones) in 1986 by the government of David Peterson,[3] as an expansion of the former Office of the Government Coordinator of French-Language Services.[4] It was upgraded to a full ministry in 2017 by the government of Kathleen Wynne.[5]

Following the 2018 Ontario general election, the new government of Doug Ford announced plans to demote the department from a ministry back down to an office,[6] but was forced to backtrack in the face of community opposition.[7]

Under the province's French Language Services Act, the provincial government provides French language services if a community or region's francophone population exceeds 5,000 or 10 percent of the community's total population. There are 25 areas of the province so designated. The office also has a role in the governance of Ontario's francophone public television network, TFO, as well as francophone school boards and other government offices, and acts as a liaison office between the government and other francophone cultural agencies and social services.

The current Minister of Francophone Affairs is Caroline Mulroney.

Ministry agencies

Source: Public Appointments Secretariat[8]

Ministers

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Franco-Ontarian history. 29 August 2018.
  2. "En francais, s'il vous plait". Windsor Star, October 27, 1989.
  3. "Languages of the law". The Globe and Mail, May 16, 1986.
  4. "Francophones forced to re-defend their rights". Timmins Daily Press, November 24, 2018.
  5. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/reaction-mixed-ministry-francophone-affairs-1.4229896 "Reaction mixed to Ontario Liberals creating francophone affairs ministry"
  6. "Francophones aren't 'just another community'". Montreal Gazette, November 19, 2018.
  7. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-doug-ford-backtracks-after-days-of-backlash-over-cuts-to-institutions/ "Doug Ford backtracks after days of backlash over cuts to francophone institutions"
  8. Web site: Agencies and current appointees - Public Appointments Secretariat.