QCGN Reacts to An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act

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Today, Minister Petitpas Taylor’s Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts, was tabled in the House of Commons. Like its predecessor C-32, an Act for the Substantive Equality of French and English and the Strengthening of the Official Languages Act, that died on the order paper before the last election, the new legislation contains some positive measures. However, it must also be acknowledged that in several areas the federal government has abandoned 50 years of commitment to the national vision of linguistic duality and equality in federal law between our official languages from sea to sea to sea.

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More English-speaking Quebecers Reject Divisive ‘Historic Anglo’ Approach

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More members of Quebec’s English-language community have in recent days added their voices to reject the plan by Premier François Legault to limit government services in English to his restrictive definition of “historic anglophones” – only persons eligible to attend primary and secondary school in English in Quebec.

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Legault Government Must Backtrack on Dawson Decision: QCGN

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The Quebec Community Groups Network is utterly dismayed with the Quebec government’s decision to cancel funding for construction a new pavilion at Dawson College.

The long-planned and long-delayed proposal to build a new facility to house Dawson College’s seven health-care training programs on the college’s campus was quashed on Friday when administrators received an unexpected call from Danielle McCann, minister of Higher Education. She urged Dawson to explore other options, including leasing. McCann also remarked that the government aims to “prioritize the needs of Francophone students.”

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Quietly Adopted Regulation Could Hurt Quality of Health Care for English-speaking Quebecers

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Despite strong objections from the English-speaking community that included a 4,500-name petition tabled in the National Assembly, the Quebec government has eviscerated the Provincial Committee for the Provision of Health Services and Social Services in the English Language. The government is now recruiting replacement members.

“Two days before the petition was tabled in the National Assembly on Dec. 10 – in the middle of a public health emergency during which the population is fully fixated on COVID-19 – the government stealthily enacted a new regulation governing the provincial committee,” says Marlene Jennings, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network.

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Opposition Grows to Restrictive Definition of English-speaking Community

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MONTREAL, December 16, 2021 – More than three dozen organizations are telling Premier François Legault that his restrictive definition of an historic English-language community is unfair and unacceptable.

These groups, from across Quebec and from multiple sectors including arts and culture, education and health and social services have endorsed a resolution opposing the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s plan to limit government services in English to what the premier defines as “historic anglophones” – only individuals eligible to attend school in English in Quebec.

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QCGN Eager to Work on Modernization of Official Languages Act

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As the 44th Canadian Parliament of the House of Commons gets under way, the Quebec Community Groups Network welcomes the opportunity to work with the new Minister of Official Languages, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, and Francophone minority communities from across Canada to modernize the Official Languages Act, legislation that is critical to the vitality of our minority language communities.

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Opposition Grows to Premier’s Pigeonholing of ‘Historic Anglos’

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Community leaders from many regions and political leaders from all levels of government continue to endorse an open letter from English-speaking Quebecers to Premier François Legault that rejects his plan to limit government services in English to his restrictive definition of “historic anglophones” – that is those eligible to attend school in English in Quebec.

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QCGN to Air Canada: Apology Alone Cannot Undo Damage to English-speaking Quebec

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No apology can undo the lasting damage that the CEO of Air Canada has inflicted on Quebec’s English-speaking community and the core national value of linguistic duality.

“Air Canada employs many Francophones and is obliged to communicate with the public in both official languages,” says Marlene Jennings, President of the Quebec Community Groups Network. “However, the attitude this week displayed by CEO Micheal Rousseau toward the French language was breathtakingly insensitive and arrogant.”

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Dear Mr. Premier: English-speaking Quebecers are full-fledged, contributing members of Quebec society

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English-speaking Quebecers are proud Quebecers who reject the Coalition Avenir Québec’s decision to label our community as “historic anglophones” and its plan to limit government services in our own language to citizens who are eligible to attend English schools.

That is the message 96 English-speaking Quebecers signed in an open letter to Premier François Legault.

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QCGN Eager to Collaborate with New Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor

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The Quebec Community Groups Network today congratulated Ginette Petitpas Taylor on her appointment as Canada’s new Minister of Official Languages and offered our keen assistance in her new portfolio. We also congratulated her predecessor, Mélanie Joly, on her promotion to Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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