(Quebec) In response to the legal challenge initiated by the First Nations, Minister Ian Lafrenière revealed Thursday that he will soon present “administrative solutions” to prevent Aboriginal students from being penalized by the new law 96 on the protection of the French.
“I am open to hearing people and we will find a solution. For this year […]we have found administrative solutions that we will be able to announce soon,” the Minister responsible for First Nations and Inuit said in a scrum.
Ian Lafrenière reacted to the filing by the Assembly of First Nations and Labrador (AFNQL) and the First Nations Education Council (FNEC) of an application for judicial review before the Superior Court of Quebec to challenge the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec (Law 96).
The “administrative solutions” mentioned by Mr. Lafrenière will affect the obligation for students in English-speaking CEGEPs to take three courses taught in French or in French during their college studies. According to the First Nations, this provision of Bill 96 adds a “barrier” for Aboriginal students in communities where English is spoken.
They “are already making an almost superhuman effort to find the ancestral languages”, explained chef Ghislain Picard, in an interview with The Press Wednesday.
“I understand the issue that they highlighted, among other things, for young Aboriginal people’s access to higher education, we are in solution mode, we have something that will be presented soon,” said the Minister.
What we have already said is that we want to find solutions that are adapted to First Nations. We are talking about a small number [d’élèves], but a number that is extremely important to me. A child who does not have access to higher education is too much.
Ian Lafrenière, Minister Responsible for First Nations and Inuit
Minister Lafrenière will also consult the communities in anticipation of his bill to come next fall on Aboriginal languages. This approach follows the commitment of Premier François Legault, who promised during the election campaign to introduce “Bill 101” aimed at protecting Aboriginal languages. The AFNQL is also asking Quebec to back down on this commitment.
“I understand the reluctance, I understand the fears because it is not usual to legislate in Aboriginal affairs in Quebec,” said the Minister. On the other hand, he explains that if, as a government, “we don’t give ourselves obligations, there won’t be many changes”.
The application for judicial review concerns a dozen sections of the new Bill 96. According to the Aboriginal leaders, the provisions in question “reinforce, unjustifiably perpetuate and accentuate the disparities that already exist in terms of education, in addition to harming efforts to reappropriation” of languages.
The AFNQL specifies that it does not question the importance of defending French, but explains that “the right to self-determination and self-government in education is the prerogative of the First Nations and not that of the provincial government. “.
120 missing Indigenous children
Minister Ian Lafrenière tabled Thursday the second assessment of the new law 79, which aims to provide answers to indigenous families looking for indigenous children who have disappeared or died after being admitted to a Quebec hospital. As of February 28, the document reveals that Quebec is conducting research to clarify the case of 120 children – requests received by 80 families. This is an increase of 118% compared to the first assessment, presented in March 2022. Of the 80 requests, 92% are active, it was indicated. The Innu are the most represented (36% of requests) followed by the Atikamekw (35%) and the Anicinapes (15%). For the Atikamekw community of Manawan alone, 29 children are wanted. The minister must also travel there on Friday to submit the report.