A Georgian Bay mayor believes his community is the perfect spot for a recommended French-language university.
Mayor Gerry Marshall laid out his case in an open letter to Premiere Kathleen Wynne after learning the province was moving ahead with plans to create the university in south central Ontario.
“We are the right spot in Ontario for our francophone roots and our history and we are the right spot for a French-language university,” Marshall says.
Marshall points to the high school, a large modern building soon to be vacated by the Simcoe County District School Board, and existing bilingual services.
French-language schools are already part of the thriving francophone community.
“We absolutely have everything the province needs in terms of creating a hub for our francophone elements. You name it, we got it.”
The minister of francophone affairs says the province will soon move ahead with legislation to create the new university and a committee will make recommendations on where the school should go.
Business owners say French-language students would be comfortable here and welcome the idea of locating the school here.
“We offer French and English services. Our signs are bilingual, and we are able to hire French speaking students,” Diane Bald, of La Fleuriste.
An initial report to the province recommends that the new school be located somewhere in the GTA, but Marshall says he will do everything in his power to convince the province to see things his way.
