This week, the francophone newcomer centre called in French, Centre d’accueil et d’établissement du nord de l’Alberta, or in short, CAE, got a letter from Immigration Canada to wind down its activities as Immigration Canada has lost trust in the organization and will be ending its contract early in 2019 instead of 2020, its due date. This is based on sexual harassment allegations brought on by CBC on former Executive Director.

After pressure from CBC, the Executive Director was led go but that has not stopped Immigration Canada from putting an end to the contract prematurely. The Francophone Secretariat is already looking for another service provider and Alberta Labour is not going to renew its funding. One of the options from Immigration Canada to move forward is to change the board of CAE. Really? Yes really, the government is now in the business of selecting board members. Well someone told me that it is fair, that the government can do what ever it likes because it is the funder and the organization is a beggar. Well, where does the government get the money to support organizations like CAE? Of course a major source is from our taxes. So it means the community who pay these taxes on a daily basis through GST, income tax, soon to come Carbon Tax, and many more, should have a say in who run the organizations that support them.

The big question is, why will the government get involved in the running of a community organization? Someone told me because they are the funders. Fair enough! If the people running the organization and the board who are on the ground says everything is fine after letting go the Executive Director, can the government ignore their position and ask them to step aside because it provides funding to the organization? I think only after a credible investigation. In this case no investigation has been carried out but a decision has been made to halt the contract. A decision that will jeopardize the smooth transitioning of 2,000 francophone newcomers coming to Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Grande Prairie, as well as 30 jobs in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Grande Prairie.

90% of the francophone newcomers to Alberta are from the African countries as Congo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, and Guinea- Conakry. There have been worst scenarios with other organizations tainted with embezzlement but there was no government interference. Why this one? Is it that this organization is  supporting these predominantly African immigrant communities and should have no right to govern themselves or is it that it is soon election time and the government panics at any little thing that can give the increasingly popular conservatives a platform to strike?

When a journalist writes a story, they stand by it in any condition. What form of bad blood exist between CBC and CAE that makes CAE a prime target for their stream of negative stories?

While waiting for a return call from Immigration Canada, Alberta Labour, and The Francophone Secretariat, I wish they will carry out their own investigation before putting at the point of extinction; 30 jobs and the smooth settlement of 2,000 future francophone brothers, sisters, neighbours, family, colleagues, and friends who will be calling Alberta home.

Background

Development Agent, Georges Bahaya has grown the francophone welcome centre for newcomers from a one man show to 30 staff today after leading the start as a one man project to Executive Director today. Georges came to Edmonton in 2000 from Lyon, France, for a university conference.

Since then he has made Edmonton home and built one of the largest francophone organizations in Alberta. Georges worked as Health Educator for immigrants with Plan Parenthood, as Settlement Councilor for Catholic Social Services from 2001 – 2003. In October 2003, he was hired as Development Agent to start a new project that has become present day Centre d’accueil et d’établissement du Nord de l’Alberta – CAE. CAE boast of branches in Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, and its headquarters in Edmonton and Edmonton North in partnership with Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers.

The centre  has grown from a $40,000 initial budget to a current budget of over a million Dollars today with 30 active staff and 50 passionate volunteers. The centre focuses on the integration of newcomer francophone into Edmonton communities, and in the workplace where many of them are surprised to realize that although Canada is bilingual, their French is irrelevant in Edmonton, and they need to learn English to integrate.