Political reporter Philip Authier reflects on key moments that have marked the Coalition Avenir Québec’s first year in power. There have been a series of initiatives, most notably the plan to abolish school boards and the implementation of Bill 21, have concerned the community at large explained QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers.
From its plan to rehaul school boards to Bill 21, The Journal de Montréal analyzes the rising tensions between the Coalition Avenir Québec and minority groups, including the English-speaking community. Despite the tension, the government is willing to listen to community concerns, said QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers.
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Supreme Court judges will hear from minority languages communities today in the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique v. British Columbia case. While the case is about language education rights for French speakers in British Columbia, the QCGN is showing solidarity with Francophone minority organizations in calling for a broad and generous interpretation of Section 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. QCGN will be participating in the hearings, with President Geoffrey Chambers explaining that the goal “is to remind the court that this article concerns English-speaking and French-language minorities and explains why the management and control of minority language instruction is equally important in the context of Quebec.”
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New Léger poll finds that majority of English-speaking Quebecers, 78 per cent, said they have greater faith in their community organizations to provide services in their mother tongue. When it comes to education, 81 per cent of people said they trust English-language school boards, according to the five community groups that commissioned the survey. The results do not come as a surprise to QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers who says the results “demonstrate very clearly that English-speaking Quebecers feel Premier François Legault and his party do not understand English-speaking Quebecers and are not committed to defending our rights and institutions.”
Poll showing that majority of Quebecers do not trust the Coalition Avenir Québec does not come as a surprise to QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers, who says that “I think this government has given a number of soft signals that it’s not really listening to the community,” said Chambers. “(They’re) continuing to talk about school boards, what they did with Bill 21 and even some harder signals taking away our schools.”
The majority of English-speaking Quebecers feel the Coalition Avenir Québec does not understand their concerns, shows a Léger poll commissioned by the QCGN, the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), the Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) and the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS). QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers says the results do not come as a surprise and further shows that “there have been a series of government initiatives that are very worrying to the community.”
Montreal, Sept. 20, 2019 – A recent poll concludes that a strong majority of English-speaking Quebecers have far greater trust in their own institutions than in the Quebec government to address the concerns of Quebec’s English-speaking communities.
When asked who they trust more to ensure English-language services are provided to the public, including services in health, education, and employment, only eight per cent responded that they trust the Quebec government. A total of 78 per cent responded that they place their trust in community organizations to provide them with services in their first language.
English-community leaders question timing of release of scathing report on the English-Montreal School Board. QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers reiterated his stance on the English-speaking community having the right to control and manage constitutionally protected institutions.
English-speaking community leaders, including QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers, joined forces requesting a meeting with Education Minister Jean-François Roberge ahead of his decision on the future of the English-Montreal School Board.
A group of longtime community representatives have written to Education Minister Jean-François Roberge following his message in The Montreal Gazette this weekend. They are seeking an urgent meeting with the minister to discuss the situation at the English Montreal School Board.
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The QCGN is funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
