Perspectives on the future of the French language

In April 2024, the Coalition Avenir Québec government unveiled its 17-page $603 million Plan d’Action on the preservation of the French language.

The plan describes the state of the French language in Quebec as being irrefutably in decline, adding that there is “a sense of urgency on the part of the government that requires immediate and far-reaching action to preserve its vitality.” The plan also details 21 measures purporting to protect and promote the language. A large portion of the measures aim to increase language acquisition among newcomers. Some measures, such as increased French-language content in English-language schools and enrolment caps on English-language CEGEPs, had previously been implemented.

While the QCGN strongly supports the protection and promotion of the French language, the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s political rhetoric on this issue has left many in the English-speaking community feeling targeted. “[T]he government’s modus operandi on language has been simple, consistent and divisive,” said QCGN President Eva Ludvig in a press release: “find statistics to show French is imperilled, identify appropriate scapegoats (English-speaking university students, asylum-seekers, merchants trying to be courteous to customers) and then bravely bring in punitive legislation and rules against groups who often enjoy little political power.”