Students protest loss of university
Francophone students in Welland show their displeasure with province’s decision
Dozens of students from Welland’s French-speaking public high school took to the streets Tuesday to protest the provincial government’s decision to scrap plans for a southern Ontario francophone university.
Part of an Ontario-wide walkout spearheaded by the Fédération de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne, also known as the Federation of Franco-Ontarian High School Students, the group walked downtown before some eventually spoke with Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch about their concerns.
“We weren’t alone in this,” said Olivia Cyr, a Grade 12 student who speaks French at home with her family.
“We have the right to study in French and we have the right to French services,” she added, also saying that as French populations decrease over time, it is more important than ever for young people to get involved in protecting their identity.
In an economic review that the Ontario government released in mid-November, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives also said that French language services commissioner Francois Boileau’s position would be eliminated and his responsibilities transferred to the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman.
Looking forward to the possi-
bility of applying to the longawaited all-francophone postsecondary facility, Cyr said it would play a crucial role in younger generations keeping their culture alive.
“The point is to have a place where we can relate, where we can say this is our university that’s fully French,” said Cyr — also hoping that more government resources that serve francophone communities aren’t going to eventually end up on the chopping block.
For Grade 12 student Liberasse Diallo, her aspirations to attend the anticipated French university
‘‘ “We’ve been expecting this for so many years. That dream is gone now.” LIBERASSE DIALLO Grade 12 student
have been crushed.
“We’ve been expecting this for so many years. That dream is gone now,” said Diallo, who lives in St. Catharines but attends Confederation because of how important her language is to her family, who immigrated to Canada from a French-speaking region of West Africa a few years ago.
“It’s given me the opportunity to be who I am,” she said.
The francophone public school, which will move to a new $16-million building in September in a merger with Champlain elementary, currently has about 110 high school students under its roof.
Taeya Carl, a Grade 11 student who speaks English at home but has attended French school her whole life, said she was proud to be a part of Tuesday’s walkout.
“It’s really good to show everyone what we believe in and that these cuts aren’t right,” she said.
The university approved by the Kathleen Wynne Liberal government was expected to be built in the Greater Toronto Area.