With Canadians scheduled to go to the polls September 20, the Quebec Community Groups Network calls on all federal parties and candidates to commit to support the language rights of English-speaking Quebecers. “We are opposed to the Government of Quebec’s pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause to suspend the fundamental freedoms, legal, and equality rights … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network is holding a public consultation for groups and individuals in the second week of September on Bill 96, prior to the Quebec government’s own hearings on the proposed expansion of the province’s language law, which begin Sept. 21. “Despite the far-reaching impact of the Bill, the government has invited only … Read more
The Legault government this week decided to go ahead with the English school board elections after postponing them several times. The elections will be held Sept. 26. Reaction was swift, with the boards expressing disappointment the vote is not being held at the same time as the municipal elections across Quebec, which are set for … 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
Prior to the federal government tabling Bill C-32, an Act for the Substantive Equality of French and English and the Strengthening of the Official Languages Act, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages studied the original proposed reform document. Although they were unable to meet in the senate, the committee managed to hold two meetings … Read more
Quebec anglophone groups say they will be dramatically under-represented at this fall’s Bill 96 hearings. Out of 50 speakers invited to take part in the hearings for the government’s proposed overhaul of language legislation, Sept. 21 to Oct. 7, there are just three groups representing the anglophone community. “We’re calling for broader participation in those hearings,” … Read more
Bill C-32, which amends the Official Languages Act, has been welcomed by groups representing francophone communities outside Quebec. For Quebec Anglophones, the reception has been much more mixed, although most of their concerns are focused on the Quebec government’s Bill 96 (the reform of Bill 101). Francopresse spoke – in French – with Marlene Jennings, … Read more
Federal minister of official languages Mélanie Joly and MNA Christopher Skeete, parliamentary assistant to Premier François Legault for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, are trying to reassure members of the English-speaking community concerned about recently tabled language legislation. Skeete and Joly spoke on June 22 during a conference organized by the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) … Read more
Panelists suggest Trudeau’s support is motivated by ‘political calculation’ After more than a half-century of rising and falling tensions between Quebecers over the use of English and French, concerns are rising among stakeholders that some rights and protections Quebec anglophones fought for since the introduction of Bill 101 more than 40 years ago are threatened … Read more
During a panel discussion moderated by former Alliance Quebec president and radio host Royal Orr at the Quebec Community Groups Network Zoom Conference themed “Our Place in Quebec and Canada,” former MNA and MP Clifford Lincoln says he believes the CAQ government’s long-term plan is to “make Quebec an independent state with French as the … 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