News¹⁴

“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