A government that reacts, not protects: Francophones left behind

QUEEN’S PARK – Following the release of the 2025 French Commissioner’s report, NDP critic for Francophone Affairs MPP France Gélinas (nickel Belt) and MPP Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk – James Bay) released the following statement:

“The complaints outlined in the French Language Services Commissioner’s report points to serious failures that are directly impacting the quality of life of Franco-Ontarians.” Said MPP Gélinas “People who turn to the Ombudsman are already in vulnerable situations, which is only aggravated by being met with a unilingual process, unequal service standards, and unacceptable delays for seeking services in french. This has significant consequences for access to justice, social services, life-saving health care, and tenant rights.

“This report confirms what Francophone communities have long felt: this government simply does not care enough. The Ford government is not being proactive—it is reacting only after harm is done, while abusing Bill 8 exemptions that should be rare and fully justified. Francophones deserve better than a governement that only shows up after the damage is done.”

“In the North, where services are already scarce, these failures hit even harder.” Said MPP Bourgouin. “When Francophones face unilingual complaint processes and unequal service standards, it directly limits access to services already strained in the North. This government’s inaction is isolating Northern Francophone communities and putting their rights at risk.”