Quebec as a nation with its official and common language being French

  

The Quebec government has tabled a bill to tighten the province's language laws, seeking to change the Canadian Constitution to add clauses defining Quebec as a nation with its official and common language being French. 

That's one part of a sweeping new bill that, if passed, would become the most stringent law to bolster the status of the French language in Quebec since Bill 101 passed in 1977.

Much of the 100-page bill is aimed at increasing the use of French in public and workplaces after a series of studies indicated French is on the decline, particularly in Montreal. 

"French will always be vulnerable because of Quebec's situation in North America,'' Premier François Legault told reporters Thursday, alongside Simon Jolin-Barrette, the province's minister responsible for the French language.

"In that sense, each generation that passes has a responsibility for the survival of our language, and now it's our turn."

The bill, called Bill 96, includes the following proposed measures:

  • Adding clauses to the Canadian Constitution, saying Quebec is a nation and that its official and common language is French.

  • Applying Bill 101 to businesses with 25-49 employees and federal workplaces.

  • Forcing all commercial signage that includes non-French-language trademarks to include a "predominant" amount of French on all sign.

  • Capping the number of students in English CEGEPs at 17.5 per cent of the student population. Quebec's Minister Responsible for the French Language Simon Jolin-Barrette says anglophones will be given admission priority for English CEGEPs.

  • Giving access to French language training for those who aren't obligated by law to go to school in French.

  • Removing a municipality's bilingual status if census data shows that English is the first language for less than 50 per cent of its population, unless the municipality decides to maintain its status by passing a resolution to keep it.

  • Creating a French Language Ministry and the position of French-language commissioner, as well as bolstering the role of the French-language watchdog, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). 

  • Provincially appointed judges will not be required to be bilingual.

  • Requiring that all provincial communication with immigrants is in French, starting six months after they arrive in Quebec. Read more here/. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments siding with Quebec and saying its request is “perfectly legitimate” sparked even more controversy.

“I understand that maybe some people, some anglophones disagree with that (increasing the use of French),” Legault said. “But it’s clear since a long time that the only official language in Quebec is French. Read on here/.

 

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