An advertising campaign to combat racism unites representatives of the English-speaking community and nationalist groups against it. The government advertisements drop the word “Quebecois” in their English version. After having invoked the “editorial choice”, Quebec changed its mind. The message we are sending is that we are not Quebecers [in our own right] protests Eva … Read more
Quebec French speakers know how unfair it feels not to be served in their preferred language when they move out of Quebec, so why is the province doing the same to English speakers within its borders? Neither situation is right. Canada is a bilingual country. People – whether they prefer speaking French or English – … Read more
Many Quebec Anglophones are upset at something relatively novel: the support of their traditional allies, the federal and provincial Liberals, for Bill 96, which many English-speakers see as a violation of their rights. In a blistering statement, Marlene Jennings, a former Liberal MP from Montreal and now president of Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), blamed … Read more
Eva Ludvig of the QCGN says Air Canada has had a poor record of respecting the Official Languages Act and that it’s “not surprising the problem goes all the way to the top.” During a lengthy interview with the cross-Canada CTV News Channel, she says that Michael Rousseau’s comments and lack of sensitivity, along with … Read more
Eva Ludvig of the QCGN’s Executive Committee tells Noovo during an in-depth video news report that Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau’s comments damage the reputation of Quebec’s English-speaking community and have reinforced persistent myths and long-outdated stereotypes. Lesley Chesterman says she was mortified by Rousseau’s comments. Chesterman describes Rousseau as a dinosaur. Read more
“We could possibly have a mayor who doesn’t get that,” says Marlene Jennings, President of QCGN, on her belief that Montreal’s mayoral candidates aren’t doing enough to support English-speakers’ rights. Alyssia Rubertucci reports. Watch here
Politicians, including Liberal Federal MP Emmanuella Lambropoulos and Borough Mayor Sue Montgomery, signed an open letter denouncing Bill 96. The letter, written by the Quebec Community Groups Network and addressed to Prime Minister François Legault, denounces the reform which would deprive Anglophones of services in French. Read more
As soon as it was announced that Mike Rousseau, the new CEO of Air Canada, would be making his maiden speech to a Montreal business audience in English, he put himself on a collision course with Quebec language hawks. Even the Quebec Community Groups Network, the defenders of English-speakers’ rights, issued a caustic statement denouncing … Read more
For the Quebec Community Groups Network, no official apology can erase the “damage” caused by the CEO of Air Canada to the English-speaking community of Quebec. The president of the group, Marlene Jennings, believes that Mr. Rousseau’s words feed the “myth” that English-speaking Quebecers are a privileged minority indifferent to the French fact. Read more
There is widespread outrage across the country over comments made by Air Canada’s CEO that he doesn’t need to speak French. This, despite leading a company head-quartered in Montreal where he has lived for the past 14 years. As Raquel Fletcher reports, other leaders are now calling for Michael Rousseau’s resignation. Watch here
A public apology from the president and CEO of Air Canada Michael Rousseau Thursday over his inability to speak French has done little to calm the language tempest he sparked this week. “His attitude simply does not reflect the values of our community,” QCGN president Marlene Jennings said, noting Rousseau’s “tone deaf” comments provide ammunition … Read more
“Mr. Rousseau’s narrow-minded comment that he does not feel the need to learn French feeds the myth that English-speaking Quebecers are a privileged minority indifferent to French,” said Marlene Jennings, the president of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), an umbrella group made up of English-speaking community organizations. Read more
The head of the Quebec Community Groups Network, a network that brings together English-speaking communities, also deplored Michael Rousseau’s unilingualism. “The CEO of Air Canada is a disgrace to his company, to Quebec’s English-speaking minority community, and to all Quebecers,” chirped Marlene Jennings. Read more
The QCGN has been overwhelmed with emails from English-speaking Quebecers who wish to sign the open letter to Premier François Legault telling him that English-speaking Quebecers are full and contributing members of Quebec society, QCGN President Marlene Jennings tells Aaron Rand and Natasha Hall in an interview on Montreal Now on CJAD news. Listen here
Protecting the French language does not require limiting services to English-speaking Quebecers, says QCGN President Marlene Jennings in an interview with Todd van der Heyden on CTV News. Watch here
Marlene Jennings, President of the Quebec Community Groups Network, tells CJAD’s Elias Makos that Premier François Legault needs to scrap Bill 96 and go back to the drawing board. Listen here
Heading into a new legislative session, after Tuesday’s “reboot,” Premier François Legault and his Coalition Avenir Québec government should rethink the profoundly flawed approach they have charted with Bill 96. A common theme emerged during a well-attended parallel consultation organized by the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) and subsequent National Assembly committee hearings: There is … Read more
Quebec Premier Francois Legault came under fire this week for claiming “no minority in Canada is better served than English-speaking Quebecers” during his Tuesday inaugural speech. The premier made the comment after listing off institutions servicing the English-speaking community, from Dawson College to the MUHC. “English-speaking Quebecers worked hard to give ourselves those institutions,” said … Read more
Quebec Premier François Legault’s use and definition of the term “historic English-speaking community” is cause for concern, according to some in the province’s anglophone community. “The reaction that I’m hearing from English-speaking Quebecers is that it was a self-serving few seconds,” said QCGN director general Sylvia Martin-Laforge, “speaking to us and telling us we were … Read more
Premier François Legault has defined the historic English-speaking community as people who are eligible for English schooling in Quebec. The QCGN says the definition would mean between 300,000 and 500,000 English-speaking Quebecers would be dropped from the list of those entitled to services. The QCGN also challenged Legault’s statement that anglophones are the best treated minority in … Read more
Premier François Legault said Tuesday that despite his rocky relationship with Quebec’s English-speaking community, it is nevertheless the best served minority in Canada and he is proud of that. Legault’s use of the term “historic English-speaking community” will raise some hackles. The English community has complained such language potentially narrows the list of people eligible for services … Read more
With Quebec now officially into an election year, Premier François Legault is set to deliver a new inaugural message Tuesday to the National Assembly, which he hopes will signal a fresh start for his government. Launching a fresh session is useful for Legault. Any bills remaining on the order paper in the previous session automatically … Read more
A bilingual roundtable sponsored by the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada addresses some of the constitutional, legal, and political issues raised by Bill 96. It is moderated by Dean Robert Leckey of McGill University’s Faculty of Law. Panelists include Yves Boisvert of La Presse; lawyers Pierre Foucher (Université d’Ottawa), Julius Grey (Grey Casgrain), … Read more
(Video) “Language is a reflection of one’s culture and identity. No language should be suppressed,” QCGN Board member Eva Ludvig tell City News. Ludvig and Marion Delaronde, artistic director at the Kanien’kehà:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Centre, reflect on Bill 96, Quebec’s proposed language legislation that would curb the use of languages other than … Read more
Public hearings on the reform of Bill 101 ended on Thursday, after some 50 groups were heard over a three-week period. The testimony provided a portrait of fundamental legislative changes, in addition to raising some important fears, but Bill 96 did not raise the debates of yesteryear. “Like Bill 21, it reshapes Quebec law and society … Read more