(CNW) Maintaining the Canadian ideal of a bilingual society is challenged by many factors. According to 2006 Statistics Canada census data, only 13 per cent of French second language students outside Quebec aged 15-19 said they were bilingual, compared to 16.3 per cent in 1996.
Even more alarming than this decline is that many of these students lose the ability to speak French after they leave high school.
"Our education systems do well in developing a core group of bilingual kids, but most graduate without a sense of how they can continue to hone their French skills throughout their lives," says Anne Kothawala, President of French for the Future.
 Francophone students outside Quebec face an even more daunting challenge of maintaining not only their language, but also their culture while living in predominantly English-speaking provinces. An exploration of these issues and ways to remedy the situation will form the basis for discussion among fluently bilingual French second language students and their Francophone counterparts, who will converge upon York University's bilingual Glendon College for this National Forum from February 9-12, 2008.
During their four-day Toronto visit, the ambassadors will be mentored on their role in shaping future policies on bilingualism, be briefed on the reality of changing cultural and linguistic demographics, and brainstorm new ways of promoting linguistic duality. The students will also discover the advantages and incentives available in French-speaking colleges and universities, the job market, and have their eyes opened to the life skill they possess to discover the rest of the world. The Forum will also feature internationally renowned author John Ralston Saul as keynote speaker at the opening plenary on February 9th. Saul is one of the founders of French for the Future.
"We organize events like this so that our Ambassadors return home to their communities invigorated as advocates for bilingualism. They write letters to their local newspaper editors, make presentations to various organizations and spread the word to their friends," added Ms. Kothawala, who is also President and CEO of the Canadian Newspaper Association.
French for the Future was created after the Quebec
referendum in 1995 in order to promote linguistic duality in
Canada. A major goal of French for the Future is to highlight
the positive social and career benefits and to forge linguistic
and cultural links among secondary school students who are
enrolled
in French first and second language courses.
French for the Future, in partnership with Apathy is Boring
and the University of Ottawa have also organized a national
essay contest for Canada's high school students to explore
why they probably won't vote. Winners in the two categories
will be awarded $20,000 scholarships to the University of
Ottawa. The deadline for essay submissions is March 18th.
Essays must be written in French only and students attending
French first language and French second language schools are
encouraged to participate.
