Office of Francophone Affairs
Encyclopedia
The Office of Francophone Affairs in the Canadian
province of Ontario
is responsible for the provision of government services to Franco-Ontarian
citizens and communities.
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 responsible for Francophone Affairs in the Executive Council of Ontario
(or provincial cabinet
) is the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur
. Past ministers included Bernard Grandmaître
, Charles Beer
, Gilles Pouliot
, Noble Villeneuve
and John Baird
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
is responsible for the provision of government services to Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
citizens and communities.
Under the province's French Language Services Act
French Language Services Act
The French Language Services Act is a law in the province of Ontario, Canada which is intended to protect the rights of Franco-Ontarians, or French-speaking people, in the province....
, the provincial government provides French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
services if a community or region's francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
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
TFO
TFO is a Canadian French language educational public television network in the province of Ontario. It is the only French-language television network in Canada whose operations are based entirely outside of Quebec....
, 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 responsible for Francophone Affairs in the Executive Council of Ontario
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
(or provincial cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
) is the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur
Madeleine Meilleur
Madeleine Meilleur is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Background:...
. Past ministers included Bernard Grandmaître
Bernard Grandmaître
Bernard "Ben" C. Grandmaitre is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1984 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.Grandmaitre was educated as Ottawa schools, and owned a small business in...
, Charles Beer
Charles Beer
John Charles McWaters Beer is a former Canadian politician...
, Gilles Pouliot
Gilles Pouliot
Gilles Pouliot is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a member of the Ontario legislature from 1985 to 1999, representing the Northern Ontario riding of Lake Nipigon for the New Democratic Party....
, Noble Villeneuve
Noble Villeneuve
Noble Villeneuve is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1983 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Frank Miller and Mike Harris.Villeneuve did not attend university, and worked as a...
and John Baird
John Baird (Canadian politician)
John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
.