Statistics are used to paint a picture — to tell a story. What statistics are presented, and how they are utilized and to what ends, is another matter. They are instruments used at the discretion of the storyteller. Canadians have a special interest in statistics that tell our linguistic story. We pay special attention to … Read more
With new measures to protect French imminent from both the Quebec and federal governments, English-speaking Quebecers should be forgiven for wondering, ‘what about us?’ writes the Montreal Gazette’s editorial board. Quebec’s English-speaking communities also require protection, even if English — as the majority language in Canada and the world’s lingua franca of commerce, technology and … Read more
For English-speaking Quebecers, being a minority within a minority can be both a burden and a blessing, writes retired senator and former editor in chief of the Montreal Gazette, Joan Fraser. While linguistic division is one of our defining features, Quebecers also have much in common, writes Fraser who sits on the board of the … Read more
Quebec competes in an open North American market where businesses have choices. Legislating against minorities isn’t a great calling card. Recently, Premier François Legault criticized Montreal for hiring Bochra Manaï as an anti-discrimination officer, because she opposed a discriminatory law, Bill 21. Someone tasked with fighting discrimination, who fights discrimination? Unacceptable! It’s been a couple of … Read more
(Ottawa) Oui, on a entendu « vous êtes en sourdine » une multitude de fois dans les délibérations du Parlement virtuel à Ottawa. Mais ce qui a aussi trop souvent été mis en sourdine, c’est le français, conclut-on dans un rapport qui brosse le portrait des premiers mois de l’expérience, et que l’on rend public le jour … Read more
“It looks as if we are being drawn into another intense language battle in 2021,” says former Equality Party leader Robert Libman, “and we’re being drawn into this alone and unarmed.” QUEBEC — The sense of concern, even alarm, is clear in Robert Libman’s voice when asked about the mood of Quebec’s English-speaking community these … Read more
The city of Montreal and two boroughs are the latest municipal bodies to be certified as conforming to Quebec’s French language charter. The city of Montreal and two boroughs are the latest municipal bodies on the island to be certified as conforming to Quebec’s French language charter, the Office québécois de la langue française announced … Read more
Il y a une grande différence entre bilinguisme et perfectionnisme. Pour être bilingue, il ne faut pas nécessairement maîtriser parfaitement les deux langues. Il faut être capable de bien se débrouiller dans la langue seconde. C’est ce qu’Andromache Karakatsanis, juge à la Cour suprême du Canada, a appris jadis de sa professeure de français. Read more … Read more
La session de francisation se termine et la directrice du Centre d’éducation populaire (CEP), Mylène Rioux, constate un taux d’abandon et d’échecs record. Depuis le début de la pandémie, la francisation s’est transformée en véritable parcours du combattant pour l’organisme. Celui-ci doit aussi composer avec le ralentissement important de l’immigration, ce qui a des impacts … Read more
It’s time for francophones and anglophones to work more closely together on linguistic issues. Here’s how. If the government of Quebec wants to strengthen the French language, it should do so in partnership with English-speaking Quebecers, not treat them as an opponent. Anglophones know that French requires some form of protection and promotion by the … Read more
Director of non-profit organization says ‘French is crucial’ to feel a sense of belonging in Quebec. A Montreal-based organization that offers government-sanctioned French lessons to immigrants has moved online because of the pandemic, but the group’s executive director says that’s forcing some people to drop out of class. Up to 20 per cent of students … Read more
MONTREAL — When Peter Doonan recently scrolled through the Longueuil municipal website, he said he was surprised to see all of the English-language pages were missing. The borough councillor for Greenfield Park and some of his colleagues had been calling for improvements to the site because he said the new version of the website contained … Read more