Franois Legault urges Doug Ford to reconsider cuts to francophone services

Quebec Premier Franois Legaultsays he's "disappointed" by Doug Ford'sdecisionto cut services toOntario's French-speaking population.

Ford's government announced last week itwould abolishOntario's Office of the French Language Services Commissioner and scrap plans for a newfrancophoneuniversity in a bid to cut costs.

"I have asked him to reconsider the decisions,"Legaultsaid Monday following the meeting.

At a separate news conference later in the afternoon, Ford indicated he has no plansto back down, saying the previous Liberal government left Ontario saddled with a deficit that made such moves unavoidable.

He stressed, as well,thatthe province's existinguniversities offer programs in French.

The two premiers met Monday at Queen's Park in Toronto. Interprovincial tradeand Legault's hopes to sell hydroelectric powerto Ontario were on the agenda, but those issues wereovershadowed by the growing controversy over French-language rights.

The cuts have been criticized by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a number of politicians in Quebec, where the preservation of the French language remains a hot-buttonissue.

Trudeau said Sunday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Papua New Guinea, that he was "deeply disappointed."

"The protection of official language minorities, the French language, French communities across our country is something that is extremely important to me and to my government," Trudeau said.

Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante took to Twitter a day earlier to voice her own concerns.

"When I studied in North Bay in Northern Ontario many years ago, I discovered a strong and vibrant Franco-Ontarian community," Plante wrote.

"Services in French are essential to ensure respect and dignity for all Ontarians."

Conservative Leader AndrewScheer, meanwhile, said he has "expressed his concerns" to Ford.

Cost-cutting measure

Plans for the newuniversitywere announced in July 2017 by the province's previous provincial government.

The language office designed to serve as a watchdog and ensureOntario's more than 600,000francophonesare able to access services and support in French. The language office's work willbe folded into the Ontario ombudsman's office, Ford's government said.

Ronald Caza, an Ottawa lawyer and advocate forfrancophonerights in the province, said prior to the meeting he is hopefulLegault will be able to show Ford "how linguistic minorities need their institutions to survive."

Cazasaidcancelling the planneduniversity sends the wrong message to young francophone Ontarianshoping to preserve their language.

"We already had high school kids from across the province getting ready to go there and then boom, the decision is made," he told CBCMontreal's Daybreak.

Geoffrey Chambers, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents English-language groupsin the province, said there are importantparallels between the struggles of Quebec anglophones and those of francophones in Ontario.

Both require institutionalsupport to ensure their communities can thrive, he said. Chambers had a simple message for Ford's government: "reverse these cuts."