Tag Archive for: Official Languages

Surprise : English is an official language of Quebec

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Quebec’s quiet certitudes were troubled on the morning of August 23 when the Québec Solidaire party published on its website the following sentence: “English is an official language of Quebec and Canada.” Horrors!

The consternation was compounded when the party’s co-spokesperson, Manon Massé, repeated the heresy, in English, in a tweet, and then, after launching the party’s election campaign that afternoon before the press, she replied, in French, to a reporter’s question: “Currently, because we are still in Canada, English is an official language in Quebec. What I’m saying is that Québec Solidaire is a sovereignist party, pro-independence, which, in its first mandate, will launch the process of Quebec’s independence and, in that Quebec, for Québec Solidaire, French is the official language.”

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Cabinet Shuffle Blurs Roles and Could Delay Implementation of Action Plan for Official Languages

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Montreal – July 18, 2018 – The Quebec Community Groups Network congratulates Minister Mélanie Joly, who moves to Tourism, maintains the Official Languages file, and was assigned responsibility for La Francophonie. We also commend Pablo Rodriguez, the new Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism. However, the QCGN is concerned that the cabinet shuffle blurs roles and may create confusion about who is responsible and accountable for Official Languages.

“The Government of Canada has just made a major commitment to Official Languages through its Action Plan for Official Languages – 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future, so we are rightfully concerned about ensuring clear lines of accountability related to the coordination of its implementation,” said QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers. He noted that official language organizations are worried the shuffle will impede the rollout of additional resources allocated for Official Languages through Canadian Heritage.

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QCGN Set to Champion English-speaking Quebecers

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Montreal – June 16, 2018 – Galvanized following an upbeat two-day meeting, members of the Quebec Community Groups Network emerged energized and ready to defend Quebec’s English-speaking community on both the federal and provincial fronts.

On the federal front, the hot topic was the new Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future – Ottawa’s multi-million-dollar investment strategy to support official language minority communities, including English-speaking Quebec. The plan will provide an additional $57.37 million over five years to Canadian Heritage to boost core funding for official language minority organizations as well as a new dedicated fund of $5.3 million over five years for Quebec’s English-speaking communities.

Click here to read full press release

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages 2017-2018 Annual Report

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Click here to read the official 2017-2018 Annual Report from the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

Official languages, “yes sir”

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“Il en faut, de l’acharnement, pour occuper le siège de commissaire aux langues officielles dans ce pays : la défense des droits linguistiques des minorités, en particulier les francophones hors Québec, exige une volonté à toute épreuve.”

As Graham Fraser leaves office, Marco Fortier reviews the ten-year legacy of the exiting Commissioner of Official Languages. On the subject, QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge mentions that linguistic rights are something that need to be used, to be kept alive. She thanks Graham for his last 10 years of service.

Read the article in Le Devoir

Quebec raises ire of francophones in the rest of Canada

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By Sue Montgomery, The Gazette

Francophones in the rest of the country are angry that Quebec failed to back them in their bid before the Supreme Court of Canada to win greater control over who can attend their schools.

The province, normally an obvious supporter both morally and financially for francophones outside its borders, disagreed with giving school boards greater leeway to admit students to French schools other than those allowed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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Quebec angers francophones in the rest of Canada by opposing bid to gain more control over school enrolment

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By Sue Montgomery, National Post

Francophones in the rest of the country are angry that Quebec failed to back them in their bid before the Supreme Court of Canada to win greater control over who can attend their schools.

The province, normally an obvious supporter both morally and financially for francophones outside its borders, disagreed with giving school boards greater leeway to admit students to French schools other than those allowed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Although Quebec’s justice department declined to comment while the case is before the courts, it appears the province was concerned that if access to French-language schools was broadened in the rest of the country, Quebec would have to broaden access to English-language schools on its turf.

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QCGN supports intent of Chaput Bill

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Montreal – November 3, 2014 – 

The Quebec Community Groups Network is pleased to support Bill S-205 which would enhance constitutional language rights contained in section 20 of the Official Languages Act. That is the message the QCGN is bringing today to the Senate Standing Committee on Official Languages which is currently studying Bill S-205, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act.

This private member’s bill, introduced by Senator Maria Chaput, would introduce the concept of equal quality of communications and services offered by federal institutions in each official language, and modify the criteria used to determine if there is a significant demand for communications and services in either official language. The proposed legislation would also expand the number of locations where federal institutions have a duty to provide communications and services in both official languages.

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Language rights should not be sacrificed

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Editorial, The Gazette

Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser’s annual report is a barometer gauging the state of official bilingualism in Canada, and the latest edition indicates the situation got a little worse last year for French- and English-speaking minorities across the country.

Released this week, the report revealed that complaints rose slightly, with 476 filed in 2013-14 compared to 415 the previous year; the majority — 59 per cent — were related to the delivery of public services in both official languages; and 82 per cent came from francophones.

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Commissioner’s Report: QCGN encourages complaints to ensure compliance

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Press release

Montreal – October 7, 2014 – Complaints get results.  That is one of the main messages the Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, delivered in his 2013-2014 Annual Report released earlier today. Fraser noted that part of his duties is to examine cases in which federal authorities have failed to respect the rights and privileges of individuals or groups of Canadians.

How Commissioner Fraser gets federal institutions to comply with the Official Languages Act – from a facilitated resolution process to intervening before the courts – is the theme of his report his year.

To read more…