Released: September 4, 2009

As the school year begins, all across the country French Immersion students will be returning to classes on a somber note. Wallace “Wally” Lambert passed away on August 23, 2009. A former professor at McGill University, Lambert was a world-renowned researcher in the field of social psychology and bilingualism. Lambert is best known for his pioneering work on early French Immersion programs and studying the cognitive and social aspects of bilingualism. It was Lambert’s work that laid the foundation for today’s French Immersion model, and as we work through this recessionary period, it is important that we protect French Second Language programming for the sake of our children.

Since its beginnings in the 1960’s, French Immersion has grown to become Canada’s most popular program of choice. Due to its successes, the Canadian model for French Immersion has been exported and used the world over.

In British Columbia, French Immersion continues to thrive. French Immersion students represent 7.3% of the student population, with over 42,000 students enrolled in the 2008-09 school year. French Immersion, when offered, is one of the most accessible programs of choice available. There is no entrance exam, no requirements and no extra fees.

With budget cuts looming for many school boards, French Immersion students are already starting to feel the effects. Families in Parksville and on Denman Island are faced with a drastic cut to school bus services. Parents of children in French Immersion and other programs of choice are scrambling to find ways to get their children to school safely.

French Immersion and other programs of choice seem to consistently find themselves in jeopardy, especially in periods when school districts are being told to economize. The truth is, French Immersion programs are an asset to school districts in tough times, not a burden. Once critical mass is reached, French Immersion actually brings extra revenue to a school district though targeted federal funding. Beyond the per-student funding each child is allocated through the Ministry of Education, French Immersion students are granted extra funding through the Federal Government in the form of Library Grants, Learning Assistance Grants, Supply Grants and more. In addition to this, French Immersion programs can act as a magnet for out of district students who bring with them the entirety of their provincial per-student funding.

"Parents, including myself, with children enrolled in French Immersion are concerned about the possible implications that the recent budget cuts may have on programs of choice in British Columbia. In times of economic uncertainty, School Districts should resist the temptation to shift funding reserved for French Second Language programs to other areas of need. French Immersion should be viewed as an asset to our communities, not a burden" urges Debra Pool, President of Canadian Parents for French - BC & Yukon Branch. Pool went on to say that "With French being one of Canada's two Official languages, immersion instruction in that language should not be a mere question of choice like other elective courses offered in our schools, but provided as a right."

Parents in Canadian Parents for French (CPF) Chapters across British Columbia and the Yukon will continue to fight for legislated guaranteed access to French Immersion, where numbers warrant.

Canadian Parents for French-BC & Yukon Branch is a parent-led, non-profit organization that has worked for more than 30 years to promote, support, and advocate for accessible and quality French Second Language programming.

For additional information, please contact: Robert Rothon,
Executive Director - Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon, 778.329.9115 ext. 316