This policy statement is based on the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) Policy on language and discrimination. The statement explains the relationship between the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code), language-based discrimination and French-language minority rights under other laws. In keeping with the Preamble of the Code, this statement aims to promote respect for the inherent dignity of Franco-Ontarians and their full participation in society without discrimination based on Code grounds related to language.

The statement reflects concerns raised by Francophone groups about differential treatment. Francophones, whether racialized or not, say they sometimes experience harassment because they are Francophone when shopping in retail stores or when trying to access government services under Ontario’s French Language Services Act. Racialized Francophone youth report being adversely targeted by school discipline practices and racially profiled by police. Some say they are streamed into special education or less “professional” areas of study because they are perceived to have a developmental disability, or because of assumptions rooted in racism about their country of origin. Racialized Francophones report their French accent and written proficiency, tied to their country of origin and recent immigrant status, compounds the forms of differential treatment they experience in society and even within the Francophone community.