The Committee on Culture and Education continued its clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec yesterday, discussing clause 15 of the proposed legislation. This portion of the Bill deals with exceptions to the requirement that agencies of the civil administration (i.e. government institutions) communicate in the … Read more
The Committee on Culture and Education continued its clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec on Wednesday. The Committee began by continuing its consideration of article 12, which would require agencies of the civil administration to file an annual report shall stating the number of positions … Read more
The Committee on Culture and Education reconvened yesterday for its ongoing clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec. Members began with article 6 of the legislation, that requires the civil administration to use the French language, promote the languages’ quality, protect it, and ensure its development, … Read more
As opposition and concern grows over Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, the QCGN continues its series of webinars helping Quebecers understand the implications of language legislation. In this webinar, former senator and journalist André Pratte and independent journalist Christopher Curtis will review the Bill’s progress through the … Read more
Join us for a Zoom Webinar to hear from the Honourable André Pratte and Christopher Curtis as they discuss the progress of Quebec’s Bill 96, An Act respecting French, and provide their insights on some of the legislation’s more controversial elements. Register here
On Tuesday, September 28, QCGN President Marlene Jennings, QCGN legal counsel Marion Sandilands, former Minister Clifford Lincoln, and human rights lawyer Pearl Eliadis appeared before the Committee on Culture and Education to present their brief on Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Quebec. Read our brief Consult our opening … Read more
Once upon a time in the West, the law was determined by, enforced, and adjudicated by the ruler. But the ruler was not subject to the law. He or she was placed above the law. The ruler was sovereign and considered immune, with a divine source of power… Two things happened. The nobility – which … Read more
Kevin Shaar, vice-President of the QCGN, delivers the closing remarks on the final day of the QCGN’s Public Hearings on Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec. Read more
Quebec’s Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec would add the following paragraph to the preamble of the Charter of the French Language: “Whereas, in accordance with parliamentary sovereignty, it is incumbent on the Parliament of Québec to confirm the status of French as the official language and the … Read more
QCGN President Marlene Jennings delivers her opening remarks to kick off the first of the QCGN’s four days of Public Hearings on Bill 96, An Act respecting the French language, the official and common language of Quebec. Read full speech
Join us on Sept. 2 at noon for a webinar on Bill 96. Learn about the impacts of Bill 96 and have your questions answered! Register today by following this link – https://forms.gle/uDYG6EbwcGbU4Qnx5 Registrations close September 1 at 5pm. For further information or questions, please email events@talq.ca
It has become accepted wisdom in many circles that French is in decline in Quebec. In fact, for many politicians and commentators, the question is no longer whether French is in decline but rather just how steep the drop is. Not so fast, says respected Quebec researcher Jack Jedwab, head of the Association for Canadian Studies … Read more
Quebec recently unveiled plans to make substantial changes to the Charter of the French Language through Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec. The purpose of Bill 96 is “to affirm that the only official language of Quebec is French.” It also affirms that French is the common language of the Quebec nation. … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is deeply disappointed that the Government of Quebec is severely limiting participation in public hearings on Bill 96 and that it did not issue a wider invitation to Quebecers. Instead, government officials pre-selected participants with a strong bias in favour of the legislation. The Committee on Culture and Education … Read more
The members of the elected Board of Directors of the Regional Association of West Quebecers (RAWQ) issue the following statement on the official languages of Québec and Canada. Canada is a country constituted of ten provinces and three territories. We support an Official Languages Act of Canada that recognizes two official languages, English and French, … Read more
Results from a survey done by Léger Marketing for the Quebec Community Groups Network and the Association for Canadian Studies reveal that attachment to one’s language community is equally important to Quebec’s English and French speakers. Beyond that, differences persist in the degree to which French and English speakers are attached to Quebec relative to … Read more
In reaction to the tabling of Bill C-32, Townshippers’ Association issued a press release recognizing that while the legislation goes a long way in terms of increasing the recognition and support of Canada’s French-speaking communities inside and outside of Quebec, Quebec’s English-speaking minority community has cause to remain deeply concerned. “How will this piece of … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network recognizes the federal bill tabled this morning in the House of Commons to amend the Official Languages Act for what it is – a clear attack on the equality of Canada’s official languages. Traditionally, the Official Languages Act has given life to constitutional official language rights. These rights define much … Read more
Bill 96 is a wide-ranging and complex piece of legislation. It represents a significant overhaul of Quebec’s legal system. It amends the Charter of the French Language (“CFL”), 24 other provincial statutes, one regulation, and the Constitution Act, 1867. Go to the QCGN’s analysis of Bill 96
The Townshippers’ Association hosted its 41st Annual General Meeting this Friday June 4th, 2021, with 34 members, guests, and stakeholders in attendance. For a second year in a row, the Association provided a summary of the last year’s activities via videoconference and the business meeting was followed by the unveiling of the winners of this year’s Young … Read more
Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages Raymond Théberge is advising the federal government to maintain the equal status of French and English in its coming changes to the Official Languages Act. The Quebec Community Groups Network enthusiastically endorses this advice. In his annual report tabled in the House of Commons today, Commissioner Théberge said he is … Read more
(Audio) Quebec’s Bill 96, which comes with generous use of the notwithstanding clause, would entrench the French language as the only official language of the province and open up the Constitution to recognize the province as a nation. That brings up a number of questions: What about Quebec anglophones and their rights? Can a province … Read more
The results of the poll were collected via a web panel conducted by Léger for the Quebec Community Groups Network and the Association for Canadian Studies among a sample of 1623 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from May 21 to May 23, 2021. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of 1623 respondents would … Read more
The results of the poll were collected via a web panel conducted by Léger for the Quebec Community Groups Network and the Association for Canadian Studies among a sample of 1501 Quebecers, 18 years of age or older from May 14 to 19, 2021. The survey included a sample of 573 Quebecers with languages other … Read more
The first census in North America was conducted in 1666 by the Intendant of New France, Jean Talon. Going door to door, he recorded the names, ages, genders, and occupations of members of the population. This was the beginning of the national census that would eventually serve as a great contributor to our social development … Read more