Senator Moncion expresses her support for Collège Nordique following major budget cuts

While in Ottawa, the Executive Director of Collège Nordique, Patrick Arsenault, met with Senator Lucie Moncion, a long-time ally of the institution and of French-language postsecondary education in minority contexts. Together, they discussed current challenges, potential solutions and opportunities for collaboration to support access to education in French across the North.

A dedicated ally who closely follows the realities of the North

This meeting builds on Senator Moncion’s ongoing actions, including her initiative to write an open letter in support of Collège Nordique in October 2025. In that letter, she expressed her “deep concern” regarding federal budget cuts, emphasizing that “Collège nordique francophone is essential to the development, vitality and necessary catch-up of the postsecondary sector in the French-language minority context” (Public Open Letter from Senator Lucie Moncion, October 20, 2025).

Well informed and deeply engaged, she reiterated her understanding of Collège Nordique’s unique value as the only accredited Francophone postsecondary institution north of the 60th parallel in the world, and highlighted its importance in ensuring access to training, linguistic vitality and equity for Francophone communities in the North.

Patrick noted the senator’s attentive listening, her in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by minority institutions in remote regions, and her exceptional availability to support the Collège through concrete actions.

Shared challenges and a common desire to move forward

The discussion addressed several realities shared by the Northwest Territories and French-speaking regions of Ontario, including the difficulty of maintaining:

• a robust postsecondary network in minority settings;
• a registrar’s office adapted to the unique needs of small cohorts;
• administrative support structures essential to long-term institutional stability.

These issues were already highlighted in Senator Moncion’s letter, where she warned that federal cuts jeopardize “the existence of several programs, the institution’s ability to cover operational expenses and the stability of an already fragile staff” (Public Open Letter from Senator Lucie Moncion, October 20, 2025).

She also noted that such challenges mirror those faced in her own region, where several Francophone institutions have worked for years to strengthen their presence in a minority linguistic environment.

Their conversation also touched on existing collaborations between Francophone postsecondary institutions, particularly in Ontario, where institutions such as Collège Boréal, Université de Hearst and others pool certain areas of expertise. Without entering technical details, the senator welcomed Collège Nordique’s pan-territorial approach and expressed interest in strengthening similar models of collaboration.

A shared interest in the future of Collège Nordique

Patrick Arsenault also presented the main directions of the 2025–2028 Business Plan, which reflects the Collège’s ambitions in postsecondary education, continuing education, language revitalization and community development.

The senator expressed genuine interest in these priorities, particularly in relation to the Collège’s unique role in:

• providing professional training in French;
• supporting reconciliation through the teaching of Indigenous languages;
• leading pan-territorial collaboration between Yukon, the NWT and Nunavut.

A public message of support

Following the meeting, Senator Moncion shared a message on her social media channels:

“It was a pleasure to meet with Patrick Arsenault, Executive Director of Collège Nordique, the only accredited Francophone postsecondary institution north of the 60th parallel.

Thank you, Mr. Arsenault, for this enriching discussion and for your work in promoting and contributing to the vitality and flourishing of the French language and the cultures that characterize the Northwest Territories.”

Collège Nordique warmly thanks Senator Moncion for her availability, her continued engagement, her understanding of the northern context and her concrete actions in support of French-language education across the country.

Download Senator Lucie Moncion’s Open Letter

(Letter dated October 20, 2025 – Public document)

Published on December 10th 2025