For anyone convinced that the existence of vibrant French speaking communities from sea to sea is crucial to the future of Canada as a united country and as a beacon of successful diversity, the latest decisions of Doug Ford’s government are extremely disappointing.

Not only will eliminating the position of the French Language Services Commissioner and killing the project of a French language university in Toronto have little impact on the provincial government’s balance sheet; they demonstrate a profound indifference, if not worse, toward the French minority’s rights and needs.

This incident is particularly sad when you consider that these decisions were justified by Ontario’s attorney general, Caroline Mulroney, daughter of Canada’s 18th prime minister, a man who, throughout his career, showed great political courage in defending minority rights.

Unfortunately, neither Ms. Mulroney nor Andrew Scheer, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, have shown anything resembling that kind of courage.

It was 35 years ago. Following a Supreme Court decision, an agreement had been struck between the governments of Canada and of Manitoba aiming to restore Franco-Manitobans’ language rights, taken away from them by the provincial government in 1890. Mulroney had just been elected leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau moved a motion in the House of Commons in support of the federal-provincial agreement. This may have been a ploy to embarrass the new Conservative leader, whose caucus was divided on the matter of bilingualism. Mulroney did not fall into the trap. Quite the contrary, he rose to the occasion. He succeeded in convincing his caucus to unanimously support the Liberal motion. And, before the historic vote, Mulroney delivered a remarkable speech:

“Our collective evolution has determined that two peoples speaking English and French were united in a great national adventure. This unique situation has given birth to our Canadian citizenship. (…) This resolution compels us to remember our overriding commitments in this country of almost limitless space, overflowing with great opportunities for the future. These commitments comprise a respect for our linguistic and other minorities, a long-held desire to encourage their flowering, and the duty to protect the rights of our minorities, wherever they are.”

Mulroney knew that the importance of bilingualism and minority rights is misunderstood by some. Therefore, for these policies to be implemented successfully, governments had to tread carefully and respectfully:

“We are all children of our environments. We bring to given problems the judgment that has been shaped by the realities to which we have been exposed in our lives. In Canada, particularly in the area of language, these differ widely according to individuals and according to regions because of our sense of history. We must seek to understand these differences and consider them not as obstacles but as guides to the elaboration of sensible and realistic policies which will enhance rather than lessen the attractiveness of such policies in the minds of aIl Canadians.”

But, in the end, in Manitoba then as in Ontario today, national leaders should never shirk their sacred duty of protecting minority rights:

“The issue before us today is also one of simple justice. There is no painless way to proceed. There is no blame to be apportioned. There are no motives to be impugned. There is only the sanctity of minority rights. There is no obligation more compelling and no duty more irresistible in Canada than to ensure that our minorities, linguistic and otherwise, live at all times in conditions of fairness and justice.”

These words ring as true and essential today as they did on Oct. 6, 1983. Unfortunately, within today’s Ontario and federal Conservative parties, no one dares speak such words in the face of Ford’s government’s destructive policies. Not Caroline Mulroney, who has defended the anti-French policy of her government. Nor Scheer, who on Sunday dismissed the issue as a provincial matter. Well, no, sir. Even if in the narrow sense, those decisions are within provincial jurisdiction, they also bear a national character that a federal party leader ignores at his peril and at the country’s.

French language minorities outside Québec are bravely fighting to preserve their language and culture. It is an admirable and essential struggle. In order to succeed, they need institutional support, such as the French language services commissioner and a French language university in Toronto. Deprived from such tools, their inevitable long-term destiny is assimilation, an outcome that would leave Canada culturally lessened and politically fragile.

Facing great political risk, Brian Mulroney chose to defend Manitoba’s French Canadians language rights. That decision made it clear to all that he had truly become a national leader. Is there no one in today’s Conservative Party who will walk in Mulroney footsteps?

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André Pratte is an independent Québec senator.

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