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
Public hearings in Quebec City on Bill 96 have wrapped up. Thirty-nine presentations were made over a nine-day period starting Sept. 23. Many people support the proposed legislation that will upgrade Quebec’s language law, Bill 101, but some Anglophone groups have major concerns fearing the bill will weaken English services in health care, the judiciary … Read more
With an opportunity to speak at the Bill 96 hearings on Wednesday, the Townshippers’ Association reiterated its support for strengthening and protecting the French language, but not through the Quebec government’s proposed new language law. Gerald Cutting, president of the association, told the legislative committee in attendance that the bill is challenging the basic rights … Read more
Gerald Cutting’s words were blunt and, as he said, reflect the thoughts of many English-speaking Quebecers staring down the prospect of a tough new language law. “Can we work together to find solutions that give us the impression this bill doesn’t target us,” the soft-spoken 73-year-old president of the Townshippers’ Association told the legislative committee … Read more
LEARN (Leading English Education and Resource Network) has organized and launched the Quebec Online Alliance (QOA), marking the first time seven English school boards have come together to offer a unified online service to students who have been granted a medical exemption for the 2021-22 school year. Read more
In a memorandum presented last week to the National Assembly committee working on the provincial government’s Bill 96 to strengthen Quebec’s language rules, the Quebec Community Groups Network said that even though the French language in Quebec “can and should be protected,” Bill 96 is not the way to go about it. “Bill 96 is … Read more
Quebec’s political theatre continues its three week-run at the National Assembly on Grande-Allée, which aptly can be translated as “Broadway.” The public hearings into the government’s language legislation, Bill 96, heard from the Quebec Community Groups Network on Tuesday, one of just a handful of organizations representing the English-speaking community. Read more
The National Assembly committee hearings on the bill, now two-thirds of the way through, have been anything but reassuring. The QCGN is also right to ask that, concerning health care, it should be made explicit in the bill that its English eligibility restrictions will not apply. It has become an article of faith that French … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) tabled a brief on Tuesday afternoon at the National Assembly’s special hearings on Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec. One of four groups representing English speakers invited to the hearings, President Marlene Jennings presented QCGN’s position, saying the bill should be withdrawn … Read more
Marlene Jennings, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network, says she walked away from a presentation of her group’s views on Bill 96 overhauling the Charter of the French Language dissatisfied. She doesn’t like the way the Coalition Avenir Québec government is trying to redefine who is a Quebec anglophone and thus eligible for English services … Read more
By Marlene Jennings, president, Quebec Community Groups Network Sept. 21 marked the start of hearings of the National Assembly committee on culture and education on Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec. This represents a critical part of our democratic process, even though regrettably only a very limited number … Read more
Bill 96, officially titled An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, is now working its way through the legislative process, destined for passage and assent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, likely before the end of the year. Whether the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government accepts some or any of the … Read more
Advocates for access to English-language health and social services are concerned by planned regulatory changes that will affect the structure of the provincial access committee (PAC), the review body which oversees programs developed by regional health authorities to ensure access to English-language health services. Read more