The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) congratulates François Legault on his re-election as Premier of Quebec and looks forward to a fresh start in relations between the English-speaking community of Quebec and the Quebec government. We also reiterate our recommendation for the appointment of a dedicated Minister Responsible for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers.
Premier François Legault’s alarmist attitude and actions when it comes to the protection of French has caused bridges to be burned between the Quebec government and the English-speaking community, says QCGN Director-General Sylvia Martin-Laforge. She explains that many Anglophones view various measures by the Quebec government, such as Bill 96, as a direct attack on the vitality of their communities. “We don’t want that to cause an exodus,” Martin-Laforge adds: “We must rediscover a spirit of social cohesion.”
D’Arcy-McGee Liberal MNA David Birnbaum, the party’s point person for the English-speaking community, reported hearing Legault make remarks about citizens in the West Island in the legislature during the question period.
The premier received a strong rebuke from the Quebec Community Groups Network, the umbrella group for English-language organizations.
Reacting to Legault’s comments, Quebec Community Groups Network president Marlene Jennings turned the tables, saying the government is also spreading false information.
The Daily Telegraph reports: “[Quebec’s] ruling nationalist party, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) says tough measures are ‘urgently required’ for the survival of the French language… but critics say it will penalise bilingualism.”
“It’s nothing against English Quebecers,” says Premier François Legault: “It’s about protecting French.”
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.
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.
Following months of repeated assurances to the contrary, Quebec Premier François Legault this morning confirmed that under Bill 96, he intends to restrict access to Quebec government services in English to members of the English-speaking community eligible to receive English education under Bill 101.
Among the effects, this would remove the existing right to access health care and social services in English from between 300,000 and 500,000 members of Quebec’s English-speaking community.
Quebec Premier François Legault’s use and definition of the term “historic English-speaking community” is cause for concern, according to some in the province’s anglophone community.
“The reaction that I’m hearing from English-speaking Quebecers is that it was a self-serving few seconds,” said QCGN director general Sylvia Martin-Laforge, “speaking to us and telling us we were the best treated minority in Canada.”
Premier François Legault has defined the historic English-speaking community as people who are eligible for English schooling in Quebec.
The QCGN says the definition would mean between 300,000 and 500,000 English-speaking Quebecers would be dropped from the list of those entitled to services.
The QCGN also challenged Legault’s statement that anglophones are the best treated minority in Canada, noting that many of the institutions that provide services in English were built and supported by generations of anglophones.
The QCGN is funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
