Tag Archive for: Quebec elections 2018

Opinion: An election agenda for English-speaking Quebecers

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By Geoffrey Chambers
QCGN President

Monday’s first-ever English-language televised leader’s debate was a watershed moment and evidence of a heightened willingness across Quebec’s political class to reach out to English-speaking Quebecers in their own language. It also signalled acknowledgement by all parties that none can afford to ignore our community of more than one million.

The Parti Québécois promise of no referendum in a first mandate is openly linked to a policy agenda geared to achieving sovereignty within the decade. There is also a progressive but unrestrainedly sovereigntist Québec solidaire electoral pitch. The Coalition Avenir Québec platform has core education and immigration planks that are not tuned to the needs of our community.

Over the second half of his mandate, Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard began to respond to long-held demands of many English-speaking organizations, including the Quebec Community Groups Network. Last November, his government launched a Secretariat for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers, an entity we are pleased to note the leaders of all four main parties have pledged to maintain.

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QCGN President Comments Provincial Electoral Debate

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QCGN’s president, Geoffrey Chambers, comments the first-ever English-language provincial electoral debate.

With the fear of a referendum on Quebec’s independence off the table, the first-ever televised English-language debate among political leaders created interesting discussions on other policies that concern voters.

Concordia University students watching Monday’s debate said that gave anglophones more choices — although they noted that many students at Montreal’s English universities are francophones.

“I think the fact that there’s an English debate this year shows a lot about wanting to bring anglophones into the group of more democratically active people,” said one student.

The president of the Quebec Community Groups Network said the fact that the leaders debated in English is a great sign for the anglophone community.

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Anglo groups say English debate offered ‘clear options’ on issues affecting voters

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Leaders of English-language lobby groups across Quebec breathed a collective sign of relief when all four party leaders committed to keeping the province’s Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers.

“It’s a useful tool, especially for some of the communities that are really at a distance,” said Gerald Cutting, president of the Townshippers’ Association, which represents anglophones in the province’s Eastern Townships.

The leaders of the four major parties were asked point-blank if they’d keep the secretariat, created in 2017 under Philippe Couillard’s Liberal government, and all said yes.

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Dans Jacques-Cartier, on parle anglais: D-Tour électoral dans Jacques-Cartier

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In the first of a series of pre-election articles, Le Devoir focuses on the predominantly English-speaking riding of Jacques-Cartier. QCGN President Geoffrey Chamber said all parties should support the Secretariat for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers.

En prévision des élections, Le Devoir effectue une tournée qui le mène dans des circonscriptions aux prises avec des enjeux qui préoccupent tous les Québécois. Cinquième D-Tour électoral, cette fois dans Jacques-Cartier, dans l’Ouest-de-l’Île de Montréal, où se trouve la plus grande proportion d’anglophones au Québec.

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