Tag Archive for: language laws

Minorities risk being excluded by Quebec’s proposed language law, Anglo-rights group says

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Wording by the Quebec government in its proposed amendment of the Canadian Constitution could exclude many from being defined as a Quebecer, according to an analysis of Bill 96 by the Quebec Community Groups Network.

The QCGN is an umbrella group made up of English-speaking community organizations. It says the proposed new language law would effectively make the province a “charter-free zone” because of its sweeping use of the notwithstanding clause.

Bill 96 was tabled by the Coalition Avenir Québec government May 13. Premier François Legault said he expects his majority government to pass it during the next session at the National Assembly.

QCGN president Marlene Jennings expressed concerns about the bill’s use of the notwithstanding clause when it was tabled.

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Language reforms loom, are we ready?

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Did you know that Bill 101, Quebec’s French-first language law, is set to be overhauled in 2021, and promises to be even more restrictive of minority languages in the province? Probably not — there are bigger things dominating the news and people’s personal lives these days. But in the midst of the biggest health crisis of a century, the CAQ government decided in September to take $5 million from its budget and spend it on beefing up the OQLF, also known as the language police.

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Commentary: Spelling out a true threat to the French language in Quebec

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The Quebec government wants to ring in 2021 by tightening language laws to shore up the perceived erosion of French usage. Instead of auld lang syne it will be, with apologies for flippancy, an old language whine, so to speak.

While precise details are lacking on what aspects of Bill 101 and its offspring the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government plans to toughen, we know one of the traditional gripes of language hard-liners – such as language minister Simon Jolin-Barrette – is not a target. Premier François Legault has made it clear he will not seek to apply Bill 101 restrictions to English CEGEPs.

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Richmond, B.C., considers banning Chinese-only signs amid uproar over city’s ‘un-Canadian’ advertisements

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Last year, two activists appeared in front of Richmond City Council with a 1,000-signature petition and a plea to force local businesses to advertise in one of Canada’s official languages.

“We, the new visible minorities, are experiencing exclusion,” said resident Ann Merdinyan, in front of a slideshow of the city’s Chinese-only signs. “WHY?” read the caption below a photo of a Chinese-only bus ad. “Is this INCLUSIVE TO ALL?” read another.

Richmond’s mayor and councillors — most of them English-speaking white people — told the activists to take a hike.

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