The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) would dismantle “Bill 96” on the French language if elected to government, but would retain the obligation of additional French courses or in French for students attending English CEGEPs.
This is what the Liberal leader, Dominique Anglade, said on Saturday at the entrance to the general council of her party in Montreal. “They would stay [les cours]. That said, we will work with the whole community to make sure everyone feels like they belong,” she said.
According to the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, “rights holders” who attend an English-speaking CEGEP are required to take five French courses during their college career. Those who wish can substitute three courses given “in” French for their French as a second language course.
Francophone and allophone students who go to CEGEP in English have no choice but to add three courses “in” French to their curriculum.
The article of law is originally a proposal of the PLQ. The first amendment, tabled by the elected Liberal Hélène David, was even more restrictive: it did not offer English-speaking students the choice of the path to take. Faced with strong reactions in the community – which occupies a large part of its electoral base – the official opposition urged the government to back down by withdrawing its amendment. It is a middle ground proposal that is found in the law today.
The PLQ opens the door
On Saturday, deputy Carlos Leitão agreed that this parliamentary episode was “not the best moment” experienced by his party in the past year. The MP for Jacques-Cartier, Gregory Kelley, assured that there would be room for the PLQ for discussion. “We are able to come up with a policy that works for everyone. There are students who are worried about their grades. Is there a way to adapt this? he wondered during a press scrum. Removing French lessons from the calculation of the R score is an “option” to consider, he mentioned.
Dominique Anglade is already committed to reopening Law 96 if it is brought to power in October. She wants to remove the provisions derogating from the Charters and eliminate the six-month period imposed on immigrants to communicate in French with the State.
Adopted at the end of May, the Caquiste law reforms the Charter of the French language by capping the growth of CEGEPs in the English-speaking network, by applying “Bill 101” to businesses under federal jurisdiction and by reviewing the process of francization of immigrants , notably.