Ministry of Francophone Affairs
Department of the Government of Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ministry of Francophone Affairs (French: Ministère des Affaires francophones) in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for the provision of government services to Franco-Ontarian citizens and communities.[2]
- Office of Francophone Affairs
- Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs
- Natalia Kusendova, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs
| Ministère des Affaires francophones (French) | |
 Arms of the Government of Ontario | |
| Ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1986[1] |
Preceding Ministry |
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| Jurisdiction | Government of Ontario |
Ministers responsible |
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| Website | www |
It was originally founded as the Office of Francophone Affairs (French: Office des affaires francophones) in 1986 by the government of David Peterson,[3] as an expansion of the former Office of the Government Coordinator of French-Language Services.[4] It was upgraded to a full ministry in 2017 by the government of Kathleen Wynne.[5]
Following the 2018 Ontario general election, the new government of Doug Ford announced plans to demote the department from a ministry back down to an office,[6] but was forced to backtrack in the face of community opposition.[7]
Under the province's French Language Services Act, the provincial government provides French language services if a community or region's francophone population exceeds 5,000 or 10 percent of the community's total population. There are 25 areas of the province so designated. The office also has a role in the governance of Ontario's francophone public television network, TFO, as well as francophone school boards and other government offices, and acts as a liaison office between the government and other francophone cultural agencies and social services.
The current Minister of Francophone Affairs is Caroline Mulroney.
Ministry agencies
- Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs
- Special Advisor on Francophone Affairs
- Special Advisor on Francophone Economic Development
Source: Public Appointments Secretariat[8][full citation needed]
Minister Responsible for French Language Service
- Alan Pope (May 17, 1985 — June 26, 1985)
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
- Bernard Grandmaître (June 26, 1985 — August 2, 1989)
- Charles Beer (August 2, 1989 — October 1, 1990)
- Gilles Pouliot (October 1, 1990 — June 26, 1995)
- Noble Villeneuve (June 26, 1995 — June 17, 1999)
- John Baird (June 17, 1999 — April 14, 2002)
Associate Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
- John Baird (April 15, 2002 — August 22, 2002)
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
- John Baird (April 22, 2002 — October 23, 2003)
- Madeleine Meilleur (October 23, 2003 — June 13, 2016)
- Marie-France Lalonde (June 13, 2016 — July 31, 2017)
Ministers of Francophone Affairs
- Marie-France Lalonde (July 31, 2017 — June 29, 2018)
- Caroline Mulroney (June 29, 2018 — June 5, 2026)
- Natalia Kusendova-Bashta (June 5, 2026 — present)