“When you’re sick, you’re not bilingual.” Senate committee calls on Ottawa to strengthen health-care access for English and French minorities across Canada. A committee has called on Ottawa to strengthen health-care access for English and French minorities across Canada. … In a report released last month, the Senate committee recommended that Ottawa include language clauses in … Read more
Businesses across several Quebec cities will soon receive anonymous visits from observers evaluating whether customers can receive service in French. The initiative, led by Quebec’s language watchdog, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), is part of a research study designed to measure the availability of French as a language of service in everyday … Read more
Quebec’s so-called constitution bill “should be relegated to the dustbin of history,” according to the head of Quebec’s most prominent anglophone advocacy group. Sylvia Martin-Laforge is the director-general of the organization Talking. Advocating. Living in Quebec (TALQ), an advocacy group that promotes the status of English-speaking Quebecers. Martin-Laforge recently told the Low Down that TALQ rejects … Read more
The OQLF is sending undercover inspectors into thousands of businesses across Quebec to evaluate whether customers are greeted and served in French, as required under the Charter of the French Language. The visits are part of a province-wide study, not an enforcement operation, and businesses will not be fined or publicly identified; instead, the findings … Read more
Des députés et des sénateurs attendent des réponses plus substantielles du Conseil du Trésor sur l’application de la Loi sur les langues officielles. L’étude d’un projet de règlement prend des allures de casse-tête administratif qui «insécurise» davantage les communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire, estiment-ils. Des questions ont été soulevées au cours des trois … Read more
In House of Commons testimony, Kelly Burke wouldn’t say whether she would support Quebec anglophones’ legal challenge to the CAQ’s plan to abolish English school boards. The new federal official languages commissioner, set to take office next month, is well-positioned to safeguard Canadian bilingualism and “build a stronger, more inclusive Canada,” Prime Minister Mark … Read more
“The concept of collective rights doesn’t make sense to me when a constitution or charter of rights is supposed to protect the minority against the power of the majority,” Robert Libman says. This week, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said anglophones are “invaluable”, helped build the province and are full-fledged Quebecers, amid tensions over language and constitutional … Read more
“The Quebec state recognizes all of its citizens, and in particular the anglophone minority in Quebec, who have participated in, contributed to and helped develop Quebec.” Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette on Tuesday said the Coalition Avenir Québec government recognizes the anglophone community’s “invaluable contribution” to the province, amid tensions over language and constitutional issues. … Read more
Bill 1 ”represents the culmination of the current government’s now well-known and deeply divisive legislative agenda.” An anglophone rights group says it’s not surprised the Coalition Avenir Québec’s proposed constitution would cast the province as “a monolith, where diversity is a detriment and a threat to one culture and one language.” TALQ says the plan, … Read more
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather says the anglophone community seeks reassurance from the prospective Official Languages Commissioner. The nominee to become Canada’s next Official Languages Commissioner declined Tuesday to say whether she would support the Quebec anglophone community in its legal challenge against the Legault government’s bid to abolish English school boards. Last fall, outgoing … Read more
The provinces’ largest English-language rights advocacy group is raising concerns that the likely future commissioner of official languages comes from outside Quebec’s English-speaking community…. Since the early 1990s, the position has been filled alternately by and anglophone Quebecers and francophones from outside Quebec. The nomination of burke, a Franco-Ontarian, to succeed the Franco-Manitoban Théberge breaks … Read more
As the federal government moves forward with the nomination of Kelly Burke to become Canada’s next commissioner of Official Languages, the head of a Quebec-based minority language advocacy group says English-speaking Quebecers are watching closely and hoping to be understood and respected within Canadas’s evolving language framework. Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director General of TALQ, said her … Read more
“We want to be reassured that the new commissioner truly understands the situation that Canada’s largest official language minority community is going through here in Quebec.” A Quebec anglophone-rights group says it’s disappointed Ottawa has nominated a francophone to be Canada’s next language watchdog. Since the 1980s, the role of Official Languages Commissioner has alternated … Read more
As part of TALQ’s 30th anniversary celebration, the organization has recognized 30 individuals who have been an integral part of keeping the vitality of the English-speaking community strong. These laureates, chosen from 70+ nominations, are from every corner of the province, every generation, and every walk of life and they reflect the energy, creativity, and … Read more
TALQ, a federation of groups representing the English-speaking community (formerly the Quebec Community Groups Network), released a brief, conciliatory statement recognizing Legault’s career in public service, but the group’s president acknowledged in a later interview that Legault had a complicated and often disappointing relationship with English speakers. “At the beginning, the CAQ made a pitch … Read more
The resignation of Legault caught many off guard. Political pundits have speculated that the Premier would step down but no one thought it would be so soon. And now, as Tim Sargent reports, a wave of reaction is coming in from almost everyone affected – including the English-speaking community – by the policies of his … Read more
As part of TALQ’s 30th anniversary celebration, the organization has recognized 30 individuals who have been an integral part of keeping the vitality of the English-speaking community strong. These laureates, chosen from 70+ nominations, are from every corner of the province, every generation, and every walk of life and they reflect the energy, creativity, and … Read more
Official Languages Minister Marc Miller joined this week’s episode to talk about reaction to his comments on protecting the French language. Marc Miller hasn’t been the minister of Official Languages for long, but he’s already made some noise. The former Justin Trudeau cabinet minister joined Mark Carney’s cabinet in the most recent shuffle, after being … Read more
At the 11:00-minute-mark in the broadcast, TALQ director general Sylvia Martin-Laforge joined CJAD’s Andrew Carter to discuss the lack of English on Santé Quebec’s website. Martin-Laforge says all government bodies have a duty to make English services easy to find through an active offer, instead of forcing users to search through multiple pages. Santé Québec … Read more
While political and business leaders had many kind words to share, unions and community groups had a much different reaction. François Legault’s resignation as premier Wednesday brought an immediate swath of reactions inside the province and across the rest of Canada, including praise from business leaders and political opponents. But there was also a sense of relief … Read more
Vision Gaspé-Percé Now, representing about 10,000 eastern Quebec anglophones and Indigenous people, presents a brief on the third day of public consultations into the government’s Bill 1. QUEBEC — The Coalition Avenir Québec government’s proposed new constitution fails to offer proper recognition and guarantees for the rights of the English-speaking and Indigenous communities, a group … Read more
The proposed Quebec constitution barely acknowledges the English-speaking community and “fails to acknowledge any historic rights,” TALQ says. Premier François Legault’s proposed constitution marks a step toward “dismantling democracy” and should alarm minorities because it would erase historic protections, an anglophone rights group warns. Fundamental rights are the foundation of democracy, and are “integral … Read more
In a two part interview, President Eva Ludvig reacts to the appointment of Mark Miller as minister of Official Languages, Canadian Identity and Culture. Also, Ludvig is asked about TALQ’s opinion on Quebec’s proposed constitution, known as Bill 1. This interview is at the 13:51 mark within the news cast.
Quebec calls its proposed constitution the “law of laws.” Lawyer Marion Sandilands says there are concerns for individual rights and freedoms. Listen to this 5 minute and 42 second video clip from CTV news Montreal.
Hudson arts leader, Clint Ward, says “stay busy or you die”. At 93, he’s not stopping Twenty years ago, Clint Ward co-founded the Hudson Film Society. And for the last decade thanks to a collaboration with Toronto International Film Festival, he’s at the helm of the Hudson Film Festival. He says he’s always loved films. … Read more