« Une boîte de Pandore » La communauté anglophone va se battre contre les propositions de Pauline Marois, selon Robert Libman

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Jean-Virgile Tassé-Themens, Journal de Montréal

Le défenseur des droits des anglophones et ancien député du Parti égalité Robert Libman croit qu’une nouvelle loi 101 serait ouvrir une «boîte de Pandore».

Il réagissait ainsi à l’annonce de la première ministre Pauline Marois qui a confirmé, dimanche dernier, sa ferme intention de proposer des changements à la Charte de la langue française.

Durant la campagne électorale, Mme Marois a indiqué qu’elle voulait empêcher les francophones d’aller étudier dans un cégep anglophone, parmi d’autres mesures.

[…]

Jusqu’où faut-il aller ?

Selon le Quebec Community Group Network (QCGN), un organisme voué à la défense des intérêts des anglophones, il faut se questionner comme société sur les choix à faire.

Read more… 

Vues et Voix – “Expression anglaise” Series: Segment #3

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The Quebec Community Groups Network is working with Vues & Voix, formerly la Magnétothèque, on a series of reports on Quebec’s English-speaking community. The idea behind the weekly conversations with our community is to talk about our preoccupations, our successes, and our challenges. Listen to the third segment introducing Guy Rodgers, Excutive Director of the English Language Arts Network (ELAN).

Publication: The Decline of the English School System in Quebec

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The Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities released a study by Professors Richard Y. Bourhis (UQAM) and Pierre Foucher (UofO) that deals with the declining demographic vitality of the English-speaking communities of Quebec (ESCQ) and documents the 50% decline of the English school system suffered since Bill 101. The report highlights the debate surrounding Bill 104 and Bill 103 further limiting access to    English schools in the province. Based on the Canadian Charter, our legal analysis shows that Bill 103 undermines both the individual and collective rights of the ESCQ. Two paradigm shifts are proposed: Francophones are a secure dominant majority in Quebec while minority Anglophones need collective rights to protect their vitality development in the Province.

To read the report, click on the thumbnail on your left or go to: http://icrml.ca/en/component/content/article/1002-the-decline-of-the-english-school-system-in-quebec 

Vues et Voix – “Expression anglaise” Series: Segment #2

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The Quebec Community Groups Network is working with Vues & Voix, formerly la Magnétothèque, on a series of reports on Quebec’s English-speaking community. The idea behind the weekly conversations with our community is to talk about our preoccupations, our successes, and our challenges. Listen to the second segment below with Dr. Victor Goldbloom and Father John Walsh, one of the three winners of the 2012 Goldbloom Awards.

QCGN is looking for a Junior Project Officer/Administrative Assistant

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The Quebec Community Groups Network is seeking candidates for a Junior Project Officer/Administrative Assistant position.

The Junior Project Officer/Administrative Assistant has a support role among the QCGN staff around coordinating internal work tools such as databases, distribution lists and calendars to help the organization be more efficient in its daily activities, prepare/send all documentation to members/ volunteers who sit on Board of Directors and various committees and to assist the Director General with his/her daily duties. To manage specific financial matters, to organize events, meetings, and assist with special projects.

To download the job description, click here.

Vues et Voix – “Expression anglaise” Series: Segment #1

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The Quebec Community Groups Network is working with Vues & Voix, formerly la Magnétothèque, on a series of reports on Quebec’s English-speaking community. The idea behind the weekly conversations with our community is to talk about our preoccupations, our successes, and our challenges. Listen to the first segment introducing Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director General of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN).

Quebec’s ‘Angloman’ wants to talk about language

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The Globe and Mail, Antonia Maioni

This week in Quebec, Pauline Marois formally opened the fall legislative session with a firm tone on two priorities: the fight against corruption, and drafting a budget in the context of a difficult economic situation.

But, with a PQ government, identity and culture can’t be far behind. It’s also expected that before the year is out, a new Charter of the French Language will be unveiled, which will include major reforms to Bill 101 “while respecting the anglophone community” – although Ms. Marois seems to have backtracked on the more controversial of her electoral

In fact, something interesting is happening on the language front. The first signal was the appointment of Jean-François Lisée as minister with a hat trick of new responsibilities: international affairs, the Montreal region, and relations with anglophones.

Mr. Lisée, a former adviser to Jacques Parizeau and architect of Lucien Bouchard’s famous Centaur Theatre address to the English-speaking community in the wake of the 1995 referendum, is a well-known journalist and author. Shedding his former image as an intrepid “Tintin,” ready to solve any backroom problem, he emerged as a star candidate for the PQ this year with his heated rhetoric about the fate of the French language on the island of Montreal.

While Ms. Marois’s forays in la Francophonie, and the inquiry into corruption in Montreal’s construction industry have been keeping the multitasking minister busy, Mr. Lisée – with a new nickname of “Angloman” – is popping up all over the place in the anglophone community. He made a surprise visit to the English Montreal School Board – to the shock of its members, who rarely get such attention. He has sought out the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents English-language minorities across the province. And, for the past few weeks, he has been holding informal, in camera sessions with English-speaking leaders from a wide swathe of sectors and institutions.

Read more…

Marois lacks transparency on Charter intentions says QCGN

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Montreal, October 31, 2012 – Setting out the legislative program of her Parti Québécois government, Pauline Marois announced Wednesday that she intends to strengthen Bill 101, but failed to give any details about how she plans to do achieve that goal.

“Throughout her inaugural address Mme Marois gave plenty of details about wooden houses but she gave no level of detail surrounding an issue as important and as divisive as reinforcing the Charter of the French language,” said QCGN President Dan Lamoureux. “Our community needs to know what our government is going to propose.” 

Read the full version here…

Census 2011: Most English-speakers in Quebec homes in decades

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The Gazette, Lynn Moore

MONTREAL – Slice them, dice them or drill down into Statistics Canada census figures and the bottom line remains encouraging for English-speaking Quebecers.

There are even “good news” numbers, say those who follow the evolving demographics of the province.

The 2011 census “shows continued growth in real terms” in Quebec’s English-speaking communities, said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies.

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The stability in the number of English-speaking Quebecers, as shown in the census figures, may reflect “the social capital” of its community, said Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director of the Quebec Community Groups Network.

“Our institutions are still here to service the English community, so people feel that there is more to gain in staying than in leaving,” she said.

Read full article…

QCGN Board member and school commissioner James Shea optimist about Census results on language

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James Shea, School commissioner in the Outaouais and QCGN Board member is confident towards Census 2011 results on language. “New comers know that there are two official languages in Canada and want to learn them”.

See the clip here: http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=791333&playlistId=1.1008583&binId=1.810401