French is in sharp decline in Quebec. To preserve its vitality, we must put all the chances on our side, starting by ensuring the widespread use of this language in public services, with well-defined exceptions.
With the tabling of Bill 96, the CAQ announced that it was taking a big step to finally establish the exemplarity of the State and the exclusive use of French. While it contains commendable measures such as the appointment of a commissioner and the creation of a French language ministry, as well as a state language policy, the bill nevertheless provides a loophole that could maintain the he essence of the anglicization of services: an acquired right clause.
By this clause, a citizen who had corresponded in English with an administrative body before May 13, 2021 could now demand that this body communicate with him in this language for as long as he wished. A young adult who is neither Aboriginal, nor from the historic English-speaking community, nor even a newcomer could therefore demand government services in English all his life.
Even though French has been our official language since 1974, the Quebec state nevertheless practices institutional bilingualism, and the use of government services in English is commonplace. No one questions the right of access of non-French-speaking people to health and social services. Apart from these services, if only 8% of the population has English as their mother tongue, why are more than 15% of citizens (including more than 30% in Montreal) allowed to communicate in this language with certain government departments and agencies?
Unfortunately, for many years and for lack of clear linguistic instructions, a mess has been created in government departments and agencies. Thousands of public sector workers have thus become arbiters of the language in spite of themselves, while decision-makers remain silent. Little by little, the Government of Quebec has become an important vehicle for the Anglicization of newcomers.
The rules on the language of State services have concrete effects for the entire population. The CAQ government had the opportunity to correct the situation, but it chose to cement the linguistic mess and the anglicization of public services for decades. Instead of amending his bill by proposing solutions such as interpretation services, an exception for the elderly, terms of power of attorney, the end of such an acquired right in a few years, etc., he formalizes the de facto bilingualism of the Quebec state.
In the same spirit of closure, the six-month grace period granted to new arrivals has not been extended, although it had been denounced by the large majority of speakers in the parliamentary committee as being too short to allow real learning. French.
Clearly, one can wonder whether this bill is not just a smokescreen that the CAQ is using to say that it is looking after French, when essentially it is maintaining the status quo of this slow decline. The next few years will be decisive for French in Quebec, and we must not cling to past errors in public sector practices. Opportunities for reforming Bill 101 are extremely rare. This acquired rights clause absolutely must be reviewed so that public services can finally embody the true spearhead of the French fact in Quebec.
* This letter is signed by a dozen organizations:
Christian Daigle, President of the Quebec Public and Parapublic Service Union (SFPQ)
Line Lamarre, President of the Union of Professionals of the Government of Quebec (SPGQ)
Caroline Senneville, President of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN)
Éric Gingras, President of the Central Trade Unions of Quebec (CSQ)
Sylvain Malette, President of the Autonomous Federation of Teachers (FAE)
Maxime Laporte, President of the French Quebec Movement (MQF)
Marie-Anne Alepin, General President of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal (SSJB)
Jacques Girard, President of the Lionel-Groulx Foundation (FLG)
Thérèse David, President of the National Movement of Quebecers (MNQ)