BILL 96 RETAINS ATTENTION OF QCGN AS ENGLISH-SPEAKING QUEBECERS WORRY ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND THE VITALITY OF THEIR COMMUNITIES

A little more than a year ago, I became President of the Quebec Community Groups Network. And what a year it’s been! The last few months have been particularly hectic with our campaign against Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec which would have serious negative impacts on our community. Matters came to a head two weeks ago as Premier François Legault’s inaugural speech pledged to make identity and language central to his remaining time in office as well as his subsequent remarks on his definition of “historic anglos”. Clocking in at one hour and 14 minutes, the Premier spoke 58 words in English where he described Quebec’s English-speaking community as “the best served minority in Canada” and noted he is “proud” of that.