The new Minister for the French Language, Jean-François Roberge, announced last Friday the creation of an interministerial action group, which will have to be at the bedside of our national language, with his colleagues Christine Fréchette (Immigration, Francisation and Integration ), Bernard Drainville (Education), Pascale Déry (Higher Education), Mathieu Lacombe (Culture and Communications) and Martine Biron (International Relations and Francophonie). The ambitious objective is to curb the decline of French, a titanic task, which cannot rest on the shoulders of a handful of ministers alone.
The Action Group for the Future of the French Language (GAALF) will produce a report by the end of the year, and promises to consult experts and actors in society to feed its reflections. The group has every interest in being generous and inventive in the method of consultation if it wishes to rally the public to this cause of paramount importance and thus lay the foundations of social acceptability for a new series of language law reforms. .
History constantly reminds us that all of Quebec’s efforts to assert itself nationally with regard to the protection of French have come up against virulent criticism in English Canada and within organizations defending the rights of the English-speaking minority in Quebec. They are based on a mixture of real and sincere insecurity, crass bad faith and a profound incomprehension of the particularities of Quebec, even a refusal of its right to linguistic and cultural difference in the Canadian mosaic. Let’s not lose sight of the tact and finesse that will be required of members of GAALF, so that their words are heard instead of being repudiated.
In itself, the very creation of the action group can serve as a pretext for raising awareness and mobilizing, in order to “go on the offensive and regain what we have lost over the past few years”, as the hopes Minister Roberge. The interdepartmental committee cannot afford to think in isolation, within the comfortable perimeter of the CAQ majority in the National Assembly, which is already showing obvious symptoms of an allergy to criticism.
In this respect, the GAALF can draw inspiration from the Estates General on the situation and future of the French language in Quebec, chaired by trade unionist Gérald Larose, in 2000. The commission made up of ten commissioners representing Quebec society had declined its action in consultations, in thematic days, and even in an international symposium. About 300 organizations and citizens had contributed to feed the reflection during public hearings. By the way, the final report (French, a language for everyone) noted the serenity and maturity in which the work had taken place. The Commission noted “a very clear desire to create a French-speaking, welcoming and open nation on this land of Quebec in America”. And the report continues on the importance of not dealing with the language issue in a one-dimensional way, but rather of seeing it as “an inclusive social project” in a plural society.
It is not a question of recreating the Estates General, but of keeping in mind these lessons of wisdom. Linguistic issues are no longer solely the business of politics and the judiciary. It is first and foremost a question of citizenship in a society which, more than twenty years after the work of the Larose commission, is continuing its accelerated march towards pluralism.
The decline of French, as well as the duty of any elected government in Quebec to ensure the growth and vitality of the French language, institutions and culture, should not be questioned. The main challenge for GAALF will be to determine the priorities for action, without getting lost in the excesses of prescriptive approaches.
We will have the opportunity to return to the subject, but, from the outset, the urgency of consolidating the link between language, culture and pride in belonging to a unique nation is obvious. Our first duty is to arouse curiosity and interest in French-speaking artists and cultural content among French speakers. Given that an important part of cultural vitality is expressed on digital platforms, which are mostly foreign and heavily “Americanized”, this aspect of interdepartmental action requires in-depth reflection on cultural sovereignty.
In its well-intentioned reforms to modernize the Broadcasting Act and force platforms to contribute to the creation and dissemination of cultural content, Ottawa cares more about diversity than linguistic duality. There is ground to occupy for Quebec so that French-language content and works are not reduced to permanent invisibility by algorithms insensitive to cultural diversity. The revival of French will not happen by decree, but by our collective ability to stimulate pride and adherence to the richness of the Francophone language and culture. Without levers allowing Quebec to act on digital environments, these hopes will be in vain.