Since the unveiling of figures on the decline of French in Quebec and across Canada by Statistics Canada a few weeks ago, outcry has been observed everywhere. Some plead for a reinforcement of the legislation on the language (law 96), others for a better selection of immigrants.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
The decline of French depicted by the federal body is also dependent on another headwind which takes the form of a veritable cultural tornado: new technologies and GAFAM. The duty we learned last Thursday that, according to NETendances, “only 64% of Quebec Internet users use mainly the language of Tremblay, a decrease of 12% compared to 2020”.
Such a precipitous fall of French on the web is quite astounding. It adds to that observed in the cultural sphere in general where the place of cinema and television in French continues to decrease in favor of American platforms such as Netflix, Disney and Amazon, especially among young people. As for Quebec music, it is simply under artificial respiration.
According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, only 9% of the music listened to by Quebecers on the web came from artists in the province in 2021.
It is therefore now on all fronts that the French must fight. As a language of use and language of work over an increasingly large portion of the territory (Montreal and Gatineau in particular), as a language of integration for immigrants, but also as a language of communication and even as a language of leisure and entertainment. The situation is such that the question must be asked: what is the future of a people who, in all aspects of their existence, are moving away from their fiber identity, French, and from their specific culture, people who imagine and dream less and less in their own language?
A forgotten idea
Failing to achieve a political sovereignty rejected by the majority of Quebecers, we should at least return to this old idea now fallen into oblivion, which even the federalists once defended: cultural sovereignty. This is based on a number of initiatives such as the strengthening of language laws, better selection of immigrants, but also a real cultural policy with real means for the promotion of French and Quebec culture. But such a policy will fail without the contribution of the federal government.
This is where the problem lies. Because without the framework of GAFAM expected from the Canadian government (taxation, taxation, contribution to the creation of French-language products, etc.), and without initiatives such as the review of the CRTC’s mandate (expected soon in Ottawa) and perhaps even that of Radio-Canada, Quebec’s efforts will be a blow in the water. And that’s not to mention that the Supreme Court of Canada may soon butcher Bill 96 intended to better protect this language that we say we cherish, but that we are increasingly neglecting.
See yourself. Aside from the PQ and a few milk shots from the Prime Minister, who is talking about cultural sovereignty during this Quebec campaign when the attention of the parties is monopolized by inflation and tax cuts? Because, of course, the survival of the only French-speaking society in America has absolutely nothing to do with the proverbial “real business”…