Francophone parents in British Columbia have always tirelessly strived to achieve the implementation of their constitutional right to an education in French that is substantively equivalent to that offered to students in English-language schools, a right that has been guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms since 1982.

As a result of their advocacy since 1982, parents finally obtained a Francophone school board, responsible for the management of Francophone education in a part of the province.

Despite being a landmark turning point for Francophone parents in British Columbia, the establishment of a Francophone school board in 1995 did not put an end to parents’ claims for quality French education.

The lawsuit about equivalency between French language schools andd English language schools started in December 2013 and ended on February 29, 2016; the decision by Judge Loryl Russell was pronounced on September 26, 2016.

On October 26, 2016, the CSF, the Fédération des parents and parents appealed certain aspects of the decision. The hearing took place from January 29 to February 2, 2018, and the Court of Appeal handed down its decision on July 29, 2018.

On October 1, 2018 the co-appellants requested the authorization of the Supreme Court of Canada to hear their case.

On April 11, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear the appeal of the decision handed down by the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

On September 26, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada heard why the appellants maintain that the Supreme Court of British Columbia committed fundamental errors in law in its ruling: we currently await the decision from the highest court in the country.

On June 8, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada announces that its ruling in this appeal will be handed down on June 12, 2020.

 

For more information, including updated documents related to the court case for each school targeted by the proceedings, please visit the microsite

causejuridique.csf.bc.ca

 

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Campagne #MonéducationNotredroit

La campagne #MonéducationNotredroit a été lancée en 2019 afin d'informer le grand public canadien des enjeux autour de l’éducation en langue française. Son but est d’améliorer la sensibilisation aux droits à l’éducation francophone en milieu minoritaire, tant en Colombie-Britannique qu’à travers le Canada. Dans le cadre de cette campagne, le groupe franco-ontarien Improtéine a réalisé une vidéo qui donne un aperçu humoristique des raisons ayant motivé les parents de la province à mener la poursuite actuelle.