QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge speaks to The Montrealer about the QCGN’s work in advocating for Quebec’s English-speaking community on the provincial and federal levels, and how the organization has evolved in recent years as linguistic issues have returned to the spotlight.
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is profoundly disappointed that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages has allowed references to Quebec’s Charter of the French Language to remain in proposed new federal language legislation to amend Canada’s Official Languages Act.
Non-profit organizations serving English-speaking Quebecers are seriously underfunded compared with francophone groups and thus often unable to provide important and sometimes essential services. That is among the messages the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) and other community stakeholders brought to Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard during a pre-budget consultation this afternoon in Quebec City.
Thanks to the concerted action of organizations representing the interests and needs of Francophone and Anglophone official language minority communities, especially in the field of broadcasting, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will be adopting improved public consultation processes.
Quebecers, both French and English, agree that English-speaking Quebecers should have equal access to government services in their own language. This is one of the conclusions of polling conducted for the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN).
English-speaking Quebecers strongly believe the federal government must do more to support and safeguard their rights. This is underscored by recent polling conducted for the Quebec Community Groups Network. It is further supported by more than 1,600 signatures on an open letter opposed to proposed sweeping changes to the Official Languages Act that would severely erode the rights of English-speaking Quebecers.
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is pleased that members of the Senate Standing Committee on Official Languages have heard the concerns raised by English-speaking Quebec about the government of Canada’s Bill C-13. This important bill is designed to update the Official Languages Act.
Leaders of English-speaking Quebec told Parliamentarians in Ottawa this
evening that proposed amendments to the Official Languages Act constitute a clear threat to the language rights of English-speaking Quebecers and the vitality of their communities.
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is delighted that Finance Minister Éric Girard, a powerful voice in Cabinet, has been named Minister Responsible for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers.
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) emerged from its 27th Annual General meeting Thursday evening equipped with a strengthened advocacy mandate, as members pledged to continue battling provincial and federal legislation that erodes the rights of English- speaking Quebecers.
The QCGN is funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
