Letter to the Minister of Education: The "By and For" Principle Must Guide Government Investments

French-language education in Ontario is much more than a simple translation of the provincial curriculum. It plays an essential role in passing on Franco-Ontarian language, culture, history, and identity.

It is in this spirit that I wrote to the Minister of Education, Paul Calandra, to share my concerns about the government's decision to invest $60 million in Nelson Education's Edwin platform as the provincial provider of digital learning resources for Ontario schools.

I recognize the importance of providing teachers and students with modern, high quality tools. However, offering content in French does not necessarily mean offering content that is designed to reflect the realities, needs, and aspirations of students in Ontario's French-language education system.

Our French-language schools have a unique mandate. They contribute to the vitality of our community and must be able to rely on resources developed according to the principle of "by and for" Francophones. Franco-Ontarian students deserve to see themselves reflected in the materials they use in the classroom, whether through their history, institutions, culture, or lived experiences.

In my letter, I call on the government to work collaboratively with French-language school boards, educators, and Francophone organizations to ensure that investments in education strengthen the French-language expertise that already exists in Ontario rather than bypassing it.

I encourage the government to place the needs of the Francophone community at the centre of this initiative and to ensure that the resources intended for our schools are truly developed by and for Ontario Francophones.

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