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    Portrait of Official Language Minorities in Canada – Francophones in Manitoba

    Section 4 A few sectors essential to the vitality of official-language minority communities

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    The Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013 discusses five key sectors: health, justice, arts and culture, economic development and immigration. The last of these was briefly discussed in the previous section and was dealt with in an analytical report released by Statistics Canada (Houle and Corbeil, 2010). This section will present statistics on the other four key sectors identified in the Roadmap. Also, the Roadmap includes financial support for education in the minority language. This sector was identified as being of great importance for the future of official-language minorities in Canada (Lord, 2008); therefore, a section will be devoted to it.

    Drawing on data from the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities and the census, we will provide general information on the presence of French and the situation of Francophones in each of these sectors.

    4.1 Health

    A common language between patients and health care professionals is a key factor in access to health care services and their effective provision. Language barriers can mean that some members of minority Francophone communities are less well served by health care services. It is therefore important to examine the situation of Manitoba's Francophone communities regarding various aspects of access to health care services.

    In the 2006 Census, 15% of doctors working in Manitoba, or 205 out of a total of 1,370, reported that they were able to conduct a conversation in French, while 3% reported using French at least regularly1 at work.2 For nurses, who numbered 12,025, these proportions were 8% and 4% respectively.

    The proportion of doctors and nurses who are able to conduct a conversation in French is much higher than the proportion of the Manitoba population that is French-speaking. Nevertheless, the results of the SVOLM show that the majority of Manitoba Francophones use English in their contacts with different health care professionals about whom information was collected in that survey: family doctors, nurses, telephone health line or telehealth service professionals and professionals in other places that people go to obtain care. Table 4.1 shows the languages used by francophones with health care professionals.

    According to the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities, 43% of Franco-Manitobans report that it is important or very important for them to obtain health services in French.

    Table 4.1 Proportion of Francophones by languages used with different health professionals, Manitoba and regions, 2006

    Table 4.1 shows the prevalence of English in interactions with nurses (70%), family doctors (77%) and professionals and specialists in other places people go to obtain care (80%). However, English is used slightly less on the telephone health line (63%). A lack of knowledge of French by health professionals, as perceived by respondents, is the main reason given by Francophones to explain why they are not served in that language during their visits/consultations.3 This reason thus greatly influences the main language used to communicate during these consultations.

    Overall, the results of the SVOLM and the census clearly show that three major factors that affect to what extent one language or the other is used with health care professionals: the concentration of Francophones in their municipality of residence, the availability of professionals with knowledge of French and the main language of those requesting services.

    The presence of Francophone professionals as well as professionals able to conduct a conversation in the minority language is likely to increase access to health care services in that language. It may also be conducive to a stronger presence and more widespread use of French in this key sector of the public sphere. However, the gap observed between the proportion of professionals able to conduct a conversation in French and the population of Francophones using French to obtain health services suggests that the active offer of services in the minority language may be an issue that should be examined more closely.

    Another important question is whether Francophones who report having French as their main language are more likely to use French in their interactions with health care professionals than those with English as their main language. The lack of use of the minority official language by Francophones for whom French is the main language—that is, the language in which they feel most at ease—does not depend on the same factors as in the case of Francophones who have made a language shift resulting in their now being more at ease in English.

    The results of the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities reflect the fact that whatever their main language, the majority of Francophones (82%) use English in their contacts with different health professionals. On the other hand, Francophones with French as their main language are proportionally less likely to use English (62%) than those with English as their main language (95%) in their interactions with different health professionals. With their family doctor, 54% of Francophones with French as their main language use English, compared with 92% of those with English as their main language.

    However, information drawn from the SVOLM clearly shows that for Francophones, obtaining health care services in the language of their choice does not necessarily mean obtaining them in French. For the 48% of Manitoba Francophones who have English as their main language, it is not surprising that French is not their "language of choice" for obtaining health care services.

    4.2 Justice

    An examination of results from the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities (SVOLM) in the field of justice sheds light on the extent to which the French language is present among institutions that ensure its use in the public sphere by Manitoba Francophones. By measuring access to justice practitioners who are able to converse in French, one can document a phenomenon that is perceived by Francophones outside Quebec as being very important for the status of that language and the future of French-speaking minority communities. In this regard, the Canadian government undertook in the Roadmap to ensure that Canadians have better access to justice services in the minority official language. With respect to criminal law—as stipulated by the Criminal Code of Canada—Manitobans, like all residents of Canada, are entitled to a trial and a preliminary inquiry in French. With respect to civil law, Francophones have the right to express themselves in the official language of their choice in all provincial courts. Also, under the Constitution, the federal and Manitoba governments must enact, print and publish their Acts and regulations in both English and French.

    In Manitoba, results of the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities reveal that access to justice services in French does not appear to be highly valued by a majority of Francophones: 50% feel that if they had to use the services of a lawyer, it would be either not be very important or not important that the lawyer be able to speak French.

    It should be noted that interactions with the justice system and its representatives, including lawyers and the police, are not widespread among the population. Of Manitoba's approximately 35,270 adult Francophones, 30% reported that they had used a lawyer's services in the two years preceding the survey, while 12% had come into contact with municipal police, 2% with provincial police and 8% with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

    Because the language barrier can hinder access to justice, the Canadian government has made it a priority to train professionals who can provide service in the minority official language. According to the 2006 Census, Manitoba had 315 lawyers able to conduct a conversation in French, which represents 16% of the province's lawyers (see Table 4.2). Among police too, 16% reported that they were able to conduct a conversation in French (see Table 4.3).

    In addition to these statistics on the potential pool of justice system professionals who are able to use French when interacting with Manitoba Francophones, tables 4.2 and 4.3 show the knowledge of French of these professionals and their use of this language at work. According to the 2006 Census, 6% of Manitoba police officers reported using French at least regularly at work (see Table 4.3), compared with 3% of lawyers (see Table 4.2). These proportions are much lower than those for justice professionals able to conduct a conversation in French.4

    Note that according to 2006 Census data, the number of police officers who use French at work in Manitoba is similar to the number of Francophone police officers. Thus, nearly 165 of the provinces' police officers reported using French at least regularly in their work while 175 had this language as their first official language spoken (FOLS) (see Table 4.3). The same is true for lawyers who communicate at least regularly in French in their work: 65 do so, which is practically equivalent to the number of Francophone lawyers. Some non-Francophones may therefore have reported using French as a language of work, which adds to the existing pool of Francophone professionals who are likely or able to provide services in French.

    Table 4.2 Knowledge and use of minority language by lawyers, Manitoba, 2006

    Table 4.3 Knowledge and use of minority language by police officers (excludes senior management), Manitoba, 2006

    The results of the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities indicate that Franco-Manitobans generally interact with municipal police and the RCMP5 in English. Thus, 79% of Francophones used mainly or only English in their interactions with municipal police and 55% did so when interacting with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. When using the services of a lawyer, 61% of Francophones used only English.

    4.3 Education

    4.3.1 Children

    Access to French-language schools and management of Francophone minority education systems have long been burning issues for Francophones outside Quebec. In many provinces, the education of Francophones in their own language was greatly limited by the fact that most French schools received no government funding until the early 1970s (Corbeil, 2003).

    In a minority situation, French schools are accorded special status because of their role as an agent of socialization to French culture, transmission of the French language to children and maintenance of skills in that language. School is a public Francophone environment which, along with the family, can help Francophone community life to develop and flourish.

    In Manitoba, following the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963), the Public Schools Act was amended in 1967. Instruction in French was then authorized in Manitoba; however, it would be limited to a maximum of 50% of the school day. Three years later, Bill 113 recognized both French and English as languages of instruction. "French may be used as the language of instruction up to a maximum of 100% of the school day from kindergarten through grade 3 and up to 75% of the school day from grade 4 through grade 12." (Martel, 1991: 115). In 1982, Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms granted parents in the official-language minority the right to have their children educated in their language. Eight years later, in 1990, the decision of the Supreme Court in Mahé v. Alberta upheld the right of the official-language minority to instruction and management of their educational institutions. Accordingly, in 1994, the first Francophone minority school board was created in Manitoba: the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM), Division No. 49. By 2008, the DSFM was administering 23 schools serving more than 4,400 students, from kindergarten to grade 12. Also, in several regions of Manitoba, there are also Francophone preschools. Moreover, for nearly 200 years, the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface has been providing Francophone postsecondary education programs.

    In light of all this, it is important to measure the extent to which French-language schools are attended by children who are eligible to attend them, and to examine the factors that influence decisions concerning children's language of instruction. Data from the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities can be used to estimate the number of children in Manitoba eligible for education in French who attend a French-language school or who are enrolled in an immersion program. Additionally, the data can be used to examine the link between attending a French-language school and the use of languages, in particular at home and with friends.

    In Manitoba, 10,000 children of Francophone parents were enrolled in preschool, kindergarten, elementary or secondary school at the time of the survey. Of these children, 52% were attending a French school. If including students enrolled in an immersion program in an English-language school, we can estimate that approximately 68% of children of Francophone parents in Manitoba were receiving an education in French.

    These results suggest that a number of factors may be inter-related: on the one hand, the language in which children are educated, and on the other hand, the proportion of exogamous couples; the existence of English language transfer for many Francophones under 21 years of age; and the fact that a sizeable proportion of Francophones feel more at ease in English than in French. For example, of the 8,850 children with at least one Francophone parent, the majority (60%) were from French-English exogamous families. Of these, 42% were attending a French school and 34% the regular program of an English-language school.

    The Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities also shows that a more popular choice for parents of the youngest children seems to be having them attend a French-language school or a French immersion program in an English school. The results suggest that some children may abandon French school in favour of English school during the transition between elementary and secondary school. Thus, 57% of children with Francophone parents were enrolled in a French-language school at the elementary level, which is higher than the proportion of children enrolled in the same type of school at the secondary level (41%).

    Apart from the environmental characteristics mentioned above, other factors influence the parents' choice of the language of their child's school. In particular, the language that was used by parents for their own educational pathway appears to have a major influence on their choice of language of instruction or school system for their children. Thus, of the 6,350 children with at least one parent who had been educated in French at the elementary and secondary levels, approximately 84% were attending a French-language school or a French immersion program and approximately 61% spoke French at home. Also, among children of endogamous couples where both parents had French as their mother tongue, 86% attended a French-language school, compared with 42% of children of French-English exogamous couples.

    The SVOLM results point to a strong correlation between children's school attendance in French and their various language behaviours. Thus, 54% of children who attend a French-language school have French as their main language at home (and 72% speak French and English at home in equal measure), while 94% of children in immersion programs speak mainly English at home. Also, children who attend a French school are much more likely to use French6 with their friends (75%), while the great majority of children in immersion programs use English with friends (92%). Regarding the ability to conduct a conversation in French, the differences are smaller: 98% of children enrolled in a French school are able to conduct a conversation in French, compared with 90% of those in immersion programs.

    4.3.2 Adults

    4.3.2.1 Highest level of educational attainment

    In the 1960s, the Dunton–Laurendeau Royal Commission used statistics from the 1961 Census to describe the very large disparities between Francophones and Anglophones in Canada with respect to education as well as to labour market status and various spheres of economic activity. Notably because of compulsory education until age 16 and the growing importance that governments, employers and the general public assign to education, the disparities between Francophones and Anglophones in Canada have greatly diminished over time. An important indicator of progress made since the Dunton-Laurendeau Royal Commission is the highest level of schooling reported by Manitoba Francophones in the 2006 Census, compared with the 1971 Census.

    To illustrate the phenomenon, we will first examine the results concerning the situation in 2006, shown in Chart 4.1. As may be seen, 25% of Anglophones had no certificate, diploma or degree, compared with 27% of Francophones. Also, Francophones were just as likely to have a university degree at or above the bachelor level (17%) as Anglophones (17%). In all categories, the statistics show that gaps between these two language groups are now very small. The existing gaps are in favour of Francophones in all categories of postsecondary diplomas, indicating that there has been considerable catching up.

    Chart 4.1 Highest certificate, diploma or degree obtained by first official language spoken, persons aged 25 years or over, Manitoba, 2006

    As the above chart includes the overall population aged 25 and over, it therefore reflects both the present and past situation of Manitoba's language groups with regards to educational attainment.

    Chart 4.2 clearly illustrates this point with a look at selected sub-populations defined according to their age group. When we focus on the 65 and over group, we can see that Anglophones are less likely than Francophones to have no certificate, diploma or degree. By the same token, Anglophones are slightly more likely than Francophones to have a college or university diploma.

    It is a sign of evolving trends in education that an opposite picture appears for persons aged 25 to 34 and 35 to 54: Francophones in these age groups are more likely to have a college or university diploma, while Anglophones are more likely to have no certificate, diploma or degree. The difference is especially striking for the 25 to 34 age group, where the proportion of Anglophones who have no certificate, diploma or degree (16.6%) is three times greater than the proportion of Francophones (5.6%). Moreover, 31% of Francophones in this age group have a diploma or degree at the bachelor's level or above, compared with 23% of Anglophones.

    Chart 4.2 Highest certificate, diploma or degree obtained, by first official language spoken and age group, Manitoba, 2006

    An examination of the educational status of young adults must take into account an important factor: the place of birth. For example, among both Anglophones and Francophones, immigrants are generally more likely to have a university degree, partly because the selection criteria for immigrants to Canada include their education level. In 2006, among Francophones aged 25 to 34, 46% of those born outside Canada had a university diploma, compared with 28% of those born in Manitoba and 35% born in another province (see Chart 4.3). At the lowest education levels, one can observe the corollary to this situation, with Francophones born outside Canada being less likely than other Franco-Manitobans to have a high school diploma as their highest level of schooling or to have no certificate, diploma or degree.

    Chart 4.3 Highest certificate, diploma or degree obtained by Francophones aged 25 to 34 years, by place of birth, Manitoba, 2006

    One of the greatest changes resulting from the profound social transformations and educational reforms of the 1960s is the entry of large numbers of women into postsecondary educational institutions, especially universities. In 1971, the proportion of women holding a university degree was two to three times smaller than that of men, depending on the age group (Corbeil, 2003). In 2006, among Manitoba Francophones, the data show that for persons aged 65 and over—those who were at least 30 years of age in 1971—the proportion of women holding a university degree was 6%, compared with 7% for men (see Table 4.4). By contrast, among 20- to 24-year-olds, the situation is reversed: the proportion holding a university degree is 8% for men and 15% for women. Also, in this age group, 8% of men have no certificate, diploma or degree compared with 5% of women. In short, women under 55 years of age are more likely to have a university diploma or degree than their male counterparts, whereas the latter are more likely to have no certificate, diploma or degree or to have a vocational or trade school diploma.

    Table 4.4 Highest certificate, diploma or degree obtained by Francophones, by age group and sex, Manitoba, 2006

    4.3.2.2 Adults' language of instruction

    As was seen above, in Manitoba as a whole, nearly 7 in 10 children with at least one French-speaking parent are enrolled in the regular program of a French-language elementary school or in a French immersion program. At the secondary level, this proportion is lower than at the elementary level. What about the language of instruction of adults who responded to the Survey on the Vitality of Language Minorities? According to respondents' answers to various questions concerning the language in which they pursued part or all of their education, the presence of French varies from one age group to the next and from one education level to the next.

    Table 4.5 shows that a large proportion (74%) of Francophones pursued all or part of their education in French at the elementary level. This proportion declines in the later stages of their educational pathway. Thus, 62% of Francophones pursued their secondary education entirely or partially in French, and the same proportion completed a university education.

    Table 4.5 Proportion of Francophones who did all or part of their studies in French by age group and level of schooling, Manitoba, 2006

    4.4 Media, arts and culture

    Support for the arts and culture is one of the key elements targeted by the Roadmap, which recognizes the essential role played by arts and culture in the development of minority official-language communities.

    The Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities measures access to cultural products in the minority language in six media: television; the Internet; radio; newspapers; books; and live performances and arts events. These days, the Internet and cable television facilitate access to these media in various languages and from many countries, thereby increasing the availability of these various French-language cultural products throughout Canada.

    The SVOLM results reveal that Franco-Manitobans, like their Anglophone counterparts, are big consumers of media, of which the most popular is television (98%) followed by newspapers (87%) (see Table 4.6).

    Table 4.6 Proportion of Francophones by use of certain media (all languages included), Manitoba, 2006

    A majority of Manitoba Francophones are likely to report that they read newspapers (84%), watch television (80%), access the Internet (78%), listen to the radio (76%) and read books (75%) mainly or only in English. Access to French-language media is therefore not the only factor that influences consumption in the minority language: the SVOLM results reveal that despite technological advances facilitating access to various French-language media, English predominates in media use.

    4.5 Community life

    It is generally recognized that people's civic engagement and participation in community activities are dimensions of civic life that contribute to creating and maintaining social support networks. Also, "social capital (broadly defined as participation in social networks) is increasingly being understood as a key component of community development or a key aspect of the 'capacity' of a community to develop." (Rothwell and Turcotte, 2006, p. 1)

    Data from the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities lend themselves to measuring several dimensions of Francophones' participation in community life. Statistics on participation in volunteer activities, membership in community organizations and informal caregiving can be used to examine the extent to which Francophones are collectively engaged in the life of their community.7

    Thirty percent (30%) of Francophone adults reported that they had been a member of an organization, network or association in the 12 months preceding the survey, while 42% reported doing volunteer work and 30% had provided unpaid assistance with everyday activities to someone not living in their household.

    When Franco-Manitobans engage in community activities, their language of interaction varies depending on the type of activity. When volunteering, 59% of Francophones use mainly or only English, while 22% of them use mainly or only French. As to the language used by Francophones when they provide assistance with everyday activities to someone not living in their household or participate in organizations, networks or associations, the differences between French and English are very small.8

    Note that Francophones more often provide assistance with day-to-day activities to children and other family members (51%) and to friends (24%). Consequently, family and friends seem to be very important members of Francophones' networks in Manitoba. For example, in case of illness, 48% report that they would turn to other members of their family for support, while 30% would turn to their children and 9% to their friends. The use of French in social support activities thus seems to be mainly associated with the private sphere.

    According to the SVOLM, nearly three-quarters of Manitoba Francophones report that it is important or very important to them that individuals or organizations work to develop the Francophone community. Also, 32% of those who join organizations, networks or associations do so in order to promote the Francophone community.

    4.6 Employment and income characteristics

    Data from both the census and the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities (SVOLM) can be used to examine the extent to which Manitoba Francophones work in different industry sectors than Anglophones. It is possible to identify similarities and differences in how language groups are distributed among the various industry sectors.

    A brief analysis of 2006 Census data reveals that Manitoba Francophones are more likely than their Anglophone counterparts to work in particular sectors such as education services and public administration. These two sectors employ respectively 12% and 10% of the province's Francophones, compared with 8% and 7% of Anglophones (see Chart 4.4). For their part, Anglophones are more likely to have jobs in retail trade (11%), manufacturing (10%) and accommodation and food services (7%). These three industrial sectors employ respectively 7%, 7% and 4% of Franco-Manitoban workers. In the other major industrial sectors, there are few differences between the two groups.

    Chart 4.4 Proportion of workers by industry sector and first official language spoken, Manitoba, 2006

    Table 4.7 Distribution of Francophone workers by industry sector, Manitoba, 2006

    4.6.1 Use of French at work by industry sector

    Of all Manitoba workers aged 15 and over, 4% use French most often or on a regular basis in their work. Among those with French as their first official language spoken, this proportion is 53%—with 25% using French most often and 28% using it regularly (that is, less often than the predominant language).

    Francophones who work in the sectors of health care and social assistance, education and public administration account for more than one-third (35%) of the province's Francophones (see Chart 4.5). What about the use of French by Francophones working in these sectors? Among those in the health care and social assistance sector, 59% use French at work (31% most often and 28% regularly) as do 67% of those in the public administration sector (18% most often and 49% regularly). It is hardly surprising that Francophones in the education sector are more likely to have French as their main language of work; 66% use it most often while 10% report using it on a regular basis. Francophones in the information and cultural industries and those in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector—who account respectively for 2% and 6% of the province's Francophone workers—share second place in the use of French most often at work (40%).

    Chart 4.5 Use of French most often and regularly at work by Francophones, by industry sector, Manitoba, 2006

    4.6.2 Income differentials

    Historically, Canada's Francophones have been economically disadvantaged: Franco-Manitobans were no exception. Since individuals' income levels are highly dependent on their education level, their occupation and the industry sector in which they work (to name only these factors), it would appear that the substantial changes within Manitoba's Francophone communities over the past 40 years have had major effects on income levels.

    It is beyond the purpose and scope of this report to analyze the factors that have influenced the evolution of income differentials between the language groups. However, statistics from the 2006 Census suggest that the status of Franco-Manitobans has greatly improved over time.

    The 2006 statistics reveal that the mean and median incomes of persons with French as their first official language spoken are higher than those of Anglophones. The mean income of men with French as their only first official language spoken (FOLS) is $2,600 higher than that of men with English as their only FOLS. The gap is larger for median income, with Francophone men earning $3,200 more than their Anglophone counterparts. Among women, the mean and median incomes of Francophones are respectively $2,100 and $1,800 higher than those of Anglophones (see Table 4.8). As for the mean and median incomes of persons with French and English as first official languages spoken, they are much lower than those of both Francophones and Anglophones. This would seem to be explained by the fact that people with a dual first official language spoken are mainly immigrants. A number of studies have shown that despite a higher education level, immigrant have a higher unemployment rate and lower income levels than their Canadian-born counterparts (Frenette and Morissette, 2003; Picot and Hou, 2003; Zietsma, 2010)

    Table 4.8 Average and median income for males and females by first official language spoken, Manitoba, 2006

    In light of the historical context described above, it is clear that the median income of the two language groups is age-related, with older Francophones having a lower median income than their Anglophone counterparts. The statistics shown in charts 4.6-a and 4.6-b reflect the fact that among persons aged 65 and over, the median income of Anglophones is higher than that of Francophones. This applies to both men and women, although the income gaps are smaller for women. On the other hand, among 25- to 44-year-olds, the median incomes of both women and men who speak French are higher than those of their Anglophone counterparts, by $6,400 and $7,200 respectively.

    Chart 4.6-a Median income of women, by age group and first official language spoken, Manitoba, 2006

    Chart 4.6-b Median income of men, by age group and first official language spoken, Manitoba, 2006

    Several factors may explain the income differential between Francophones and Anglophones. Although the results on the general population reveal that for both men and women, Francophones' mean incomes exceed those of Anglophones, these differences are due in part to a number of characteristics that distinguish these two populations. For example, as previously noted, the Franco-Manitoban population under 65 years of age is more educated than the Anglophone population in the same age group. The age structure of the Francophone population is also a factor affecting the mean and median incomes of this population.

    An in-depth analysis of census results, specifically using a multivariate analytical technique reveals that age, education, type of place of residence, industry sector and immigrant status are instrumental and help to explain these differences. If Francophones and Anglophones had exactly the same profile with respect to these characteristics—which is not the case—we would find that there is no statistically significant difference between their incomes, both among men and women.

    Notes

    1. In other words, most often or on a regular basis.
    2. On this subject, see Table 2.1 of Health Care Professionals and Official-Language Minorities in Canada: 2001 and 2006 (Blaser, 2009: p. 20).
    3. Except for contacts with telephone health line (telehealth) professionals. In this case, the data (not shown) on reasons given by Francophones to explain the lack of service in French are not statistically significant.
    4. As in the case of health professionals, the use of French by lawyers and police officers depends on a number of factors, including the proportion of Francophones in a given community. However, an analysis of these factors is beyond the scope of this statistical portrait.
    5. Because of the very small number of members of the official-language minority who had contact with the provincial police, no conclusions regarding them can be drawn from the data obtained in the Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities.
    6. Alone or with English.
    7. A number of sociodemographic and economic factors influence community participation, including age, education level, residential environment and socioeconomic status. However, an analysis of these factors goes beyond the objective of this report.
    8. For each of these two variables, the difference between the proportion of Francophones who use mainly or only French and the proportion who use mainly or only English is not statistically significant.
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