Two Quebec agencies have provided opposing guidance on the bilingual status of Santa Cabrini Hospital, an institution founded in 1960 to better serve Montreal’s Italian community. The OQLF has once again caused another “pasta-gate” when it visited Hospital Santa Cabrini earlier this week to check whether some of the U.S.-made medical equipment and instruction manuals … Read more
A list of directives outlining the “exceptional” circumstances in which health care professionals may use a language other than French with their patients can have potentially dangerous consequences, says Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network. “No one — no one — should have to stop to think in any medical situation: … Read more
New directives are in place in Quebec hospitals and long-term care homes that outline when a language other than French can be used by healthcare workers in emergency situations. “We thought former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard had had the last word on language and health care,” said QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge in a press … Read more
The recent study by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages challenges some of the persistent myths about Quebec’s English-speaking community and its relationship with the French language. The study indicates that a majority of Quebec Anglophones are bilingual, and that a vast majority believe it is important that youth across Canada be functionally … Read more
Katherine Korakakis is entering the race to become the next chair of the English Montreal School Board. Among her many roles, Korakakis serves as vice-president of the Quebec Community Groups Network. Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is pleased with two Court of Appeal rulings last month which allows English-language school boards to continue communicating in English. “We agree with the (English Montreal School Board) that it makes no sense to require English-language school boards to communicate with each other or with the English Parents’ Committee … Read more
The Quebec government is proceeding with its new rules for French predominance on commercial signage, with a deadline for businesses to meet this new requirement by June 2025. However, the new rules concerning French on appliances have been stayed due to manufacturing issues. “As government agencies and a host of media studies have shown in … Read more
The Quebec government is stepping up its efforts to contain the decline of French in the province, but the English-speaking community is concerned about the impact legislative action will have on its own language rights. ONFR TFO’s 4 minute piece on English-speaking “Quebec activists” are featured, including QCGN President Eva Ludvig and board member Chad … Read more
As Concordia University faces a $36-million deficit, the school announced major cuts in spending. It comes as the result of a historic drop in enrolment, which the academic institution blames on the Quebec government’s tuition hike targeting students from outside of Quebec. QCGN President Eva Ludvig comments on the situation. Read more
A new 152-page report published by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) illustrates that adults aged 18 to 34 are major contributors to the decline of the use of the French language, especially online and in social settings. QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge says that the government cannot dictate what language young people … Read more
“English-speaking Quebecers are not the enemy,” reads the open letter from QCGN President Eva Ludvig, calling for the English-speaking community to have a seat at the table in the provincial government’s action plan to protect and promote the French language. “Regardless of where we agree or disagree, the English-speaking community should be part of the … Read more
The English-speaking community should be included in the Coalition Avenir Québec’s action plan for the revitalization of the French language, writes QCGN President Eva Ludvig in an open letter to French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. “The English-speaking community of Quebec has a role to play in the promotion and protection of the French language,” writes … Read more
The revamp of the Official Languages Act last summer “gives us an opportunity to turn the page in an effort to fully realize Canada’s language policy,” says Official Languages Commissioner Raymond Théberge in the Official Languages annual report. The Gazette makes note of the QCGN’s opposition to the inclusion of references to Quebec’s Bill 101 … Read more
The English-speaking community should be included in the Quebec government’s plan to bolster the French language, writes QCGN President Eva Ludvig in an open letter to French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. “We can make reasonable and constructive suggestions to further this objective,” Ludvig explains. “We are part of the solution, not the problem.” Read more
“People don’t react well to coercive measures and fear-mongering,” says QCGN Director-General Sylvia Martin-Laforge, reacting to the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s $600-million action plan to protect the French language. She adds that the QCGN disagrees with the CAQ’s apparent focus on the proportion of French spoken in households. Read more
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government has not defined the “yardsticks” that would be used to measure if its $600-million action plan to protect the French language is achieving its objectives, writes former politician Tom Mulcair. Mentioning a recent QCGN press release, Mulcair points out that there are indications that the CAQ will consider data … Read more
The Quebec government isn’t using objective or appropriate statistical criteria as it argues that the French language in Quebec is declining, says Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN). Data which the government consistently cites – and presents to the public – should be interpreted with more nuance, she adds. Read … Read more
“The draconian measures contained in Bill 96 haven’t changed anything, weren’t necessary, and missed the target,” Eva Ludvig, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), writes in a commentary published by The Suburban: “It was heartening to see the degree to which the speakers (at a recent multi-partner conference) shared the QCGN view that … Read more
English-speaking Quebecers have a vested interest in the preservation of Quebec’s identity – something that cannot be achieved through coercive measures, writes QCGN President Eva Ludvig in an op-ed in the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Read more
Another follow-up to the recent Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) study suggesting the use of French in public spaces remains stable. La Presse editorial writer Stéphanie Grammond not only acknowledges the QCGN’s language event, but writes that false claims by the Quebec government that French is in decline only hurts the cause of … Read more
Researcher Mario Polèse speaks about his suggestion that English-speaking Quebecers ought to make a conscious effort to use French as the primary language in the public sphere. He speaks with CBC Radio Noon’s Shawn Appel. Quebec Community Groups Network Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge joins the call at minute 14 of the show. Listen here
Professor Jean-Pierre Corbeil speaks with CJAD 800’s Elias Makos about a recent report about the use of French in public, as well as about last week’s conference about the vitality of French in Quebec, which was co-sponsored by the Quebec Community Groups Network. Listen here
The CTV News Montreal late-night newscast covers Thursday evening’s panel discussion on the place of French in Quebec society, co-sponsored by the Quebec Community Groups Network. CTV’s report begins at the 5:50 mark, with a brief summary of the latest Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) survey results. Watch more
It appears the rationale for Bill 96 as framed by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government was based on something other than facts, Eva Ludvig, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), suggests to Global News. This follows the release of a report by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) concluding French … Read more
Ideas and opinions about the status and future of the French language in Quebec were exchanged during yesterday’s bilingual panel. The discussion, which was co-hosted by the Quebec Community Groups Network, the Montreal Gazette and the Notre Home Foundation, featured panelists Mario Polèse, Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Jean-Pierre Corbeil. Montreal Gazette columnist Allison Hanes acted as … Read more