French advocacy group wants more referendum meetings — in French
As P.E.I.'s referendum commissioner hosts information sessions about the upcoming electoral reform referendum, a French advocacy group says it would like to see more chances for French speakers to get information in their own language.
When Islanders go to the polls in the next provincial election, they'll also vote in a referendum on whether P.E.I. should change its voting system. The election is scheduled for the fall, but could be sooner.
Last week Referendum Commissioner Gerard Mitchell began hosting a series of 15 information sessions in communities across the province, where he provides information about the two voting systems Islanders will choose between — the current system of first-past-the-post or mixed-member proportional representation.
The 15 sessions will all be held in English, and only one — at École Évangéline on Feb. 28 — will include French translation.
'Not an easy topic for any language'
Isabelle Dasylva-Gill is the executive director of the Société Saint-Thomas d'Aquin, an organization that represents Acadians and Francophones in the province.
She says she's glad there's an opportunity for people to get information in French, but she'd prefer to see a fully French session, as she believes it could be difficult to understand complex information through translation.
"It's not an easy topic for any language that you may be speaking on the Island," said Dasylva-Gill.
"Having that referendum is a big topic, and it's also how Islanders, whatever the first language, are going to be able to express their right to contribute to the democracy here on P.E.I."
According to the 2016 census, there are 4,550 people in the province with French as their first language, and 115 who only speak French.
The office of the referendum commissioner says for the time being, it is only able to offer interpretation, not fully French sessions.
"Although we only have one session scheduled with interpretation services on-site, Referendum PEI is making all its current information resources available in both French and English," said Mitchell in a written statement.
More sessions could be offered
Referendum PEI says the decision to offer French translation at just one of the 15 meetings was based on the percentage of French speakers in the province.
While the French speaking community on P.E.I. may be fairly small, Dasylva-Gill says French speakers live throughout the province — with many in Charlottetown and Summerside, so it would make sense to offer sessions in French in more than just one location.
"If the goal is to have a community that is well aware of what we're trying to do, the more things in place to be able to ensure that the community has the knowledge, has the right information and is able to ask the questions in the language that is most comfortable, I think that is something in the benefit of the government to do."
While there are 15 sessions scheduled so far, organizers say they hope to be able to offer more sessions after the first round. The commissioner's officer says it would like to include more sessions with French translation, especially if it receives feedback requesting it.
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