Concluding Opinion
The Manitoba Schools Question was an example of a social injustice imposed on every Franco-Manitoban when their right to be educated in French was abolished in 1890. In addition to this injustice, the Government went even further to abolish the use of the French language in the legislature and courts, thereby removing French as an official language in Manitoba. This was a travesty of justice that went against the Canadian Constitution and the Manitoba Act. Although the Federal Government under Wilfred Laurier negotiated a deal with Manitoba in 1896 called the Laurier-Greenway 'Sunny Ways' compromise, the deal barely restored any rights to the Franco-Manitobans and the result was completely insufficient. In 1916, Manitoba worsened the initial injustice by eliminating the 'Sunny Ways' compromise and abolishing French language education entirely in Manitoba in response to immigration fears during WWI. It was not until 1966 and 1970 when changes were made in the Manitoba Public School Act that allowed French language instruction to once again be recognized as an official language. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Section 23) introduced in 1982 and modified in 1988 led to the re-introduction of a separate school board (La Division Scolaire Franco-Manitoban) created in 1994 and paid by the Government in Manitoba and the offering of French language education to students throughout the Province. Although the social injustice that was imposed on the Franco-Manitobans in 1890 may have been partially resolved with much determination by the Franco-Manitobans to stand up for their rights over the past 120 years, it can be said that minority French language education rights in Manitoba is still in transition. Today Manitoba has about 110,000 Franco-Manitobans, and now with their official language recognition they can thrive as a community.
A similar social problem like The Manitoba Schools Question could be prevented from occurring by:
1. Having a system of laws in place, like our current Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
2. Ensuring the laws of the Country and the Province uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
3. Ensuring that the Provincial Government abides by the Charter and the laws supporting the rights of every individual;
4. Ensuring the appropriate spokes groups are in place to speak loudly in support of the rights of the Franco-Manitobans, like what currently exists in the Societe Franco-Manitobain (SFM);
5. Educating the public to understand what constitutes true equality of rights;
6. Continually lobbying for public support for minority rights;
7. Ensuring the topic of French language rights is always in the forefront of the public's mind and on the minds of their elected Government representatives
A similar social problem like The Manitoba Schools Question could be prevented from occurring by:
1. Having a system of laws in place, like our current Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
2. Ensuring the laws of the Country and the Province uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
3. Ensuring that the Provincial Government abides by the Charter and the laws supporting the rights of every individual;
4. Ensuring the appropriate spokes groups are in place to speak loudly in support of the rights of the Franco-Manitobans, like what currently exists in the Societe Franco-Manitobain (SFM);
5. Educating the public to understand what constitutes true equality of rights;
6. Continually lobbying for public support for minority rights;
7. Ensuring the topic of French language rights is always in the forefront of the public's mind and on the minds of their elected Government representatives