Quebec’s English-speaking universities say they will ensure more students from other provinces graduate with knowledge of French if the government does not double their tuition fees.
The directors of McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s universities made this proposal to the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, and to the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, Monday, during a meeting in Montreal.
They were called to the meeting after the government recently announced it would increase minimum tuition fees for students from elsewhere in Canada from about $9,000 to $17,000, in order to protect French.
Concordia University President Graham Carr called Monday’s meeting “constructive,” and said he and his colleagues had been informed the government would respond soon.
In an email sent to university staff, Concordia University said the plan would include a mandatory French course for out-of-province students, as well as mandatory French as a second language activities intended to help them integrate into culture and the Quebec labor market.
Mr. Legault’s office said the meeting was private and declined to comment on it.
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