“We were allowed to work with the minister’s office, and this is what we did. We immediately contacted the minister’s office. We had discussions with Minister Jolie’s office, and we shared our findings after reading this white paper,” confirms Francois Cotet.
Francis Saunier makes the same note: “We have already started discussions with Secretary Jolie’s office and what we have discovered is that there is good listening, on the one hand. There seems to be an openness.”
Any place for the media?
In the document on the reform of the official languages, Radio Canada is granted the power to protect, promote and enhance the learning of both official languages, as well as contribute to the influence of the French language and be a vector of Francophone culture.
“We recognize the importance of Radio Canada, but the 105 community media in English-speaking and Francophone minority communities across the country are doing tremendous work in this area to get people to consume information and enjoy French,” explains Frances Saunier.
For Francois Cotet, community media “is of course a service of public interest, and it is often one of the first in their community as well. Radio Canada does not operate locally, Radio Canada is more at the national and regional level, when we are really local media, community media.” .
