The CAQ has been using language policy for eight years ‘to stir up trouble,’ Milliard charges

“I don’t believe a moment of what you’re telling me (about the protection of French),” Quebec Liberal leader tells Christine Fréchette during TV debate.

Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard accused the Coalition Avenir Québec government led by Christine Fréchette of creating a French-language policy that has no other objective than “to stir up trouble.”

“I don’t believe a moment of what you’re telling me (about the protection of French),” Milliard told Fréchette on Tuesday. “These are just words that are written for you to try to cause trouble. It’s been eight years that the Coalition Avenir Québec has been causing trouble (over the issue) … of French.”

The exchange occurred during the Face-à-Face leaders debate aired on the TVA television network. Asked by moderator Paul Larocque what steps she would take to better protect the French language should her party form the government, Fréchette said she would extend Bill 101 to cover vocational and adult education classes and use the notwithstanding clause to protect the provisions of the province’s French-language charter.

“And I would like to know whether Mr. Milliard would renew the notwithstanding clause to protect French,” Fréchette added, arguing that in the past the Quebec Liberals had been less committed to protecting the language.