This text is part of the special Higher Education notebook
Since the entry into force of Law 14 in 2023 (Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French), the total number of students registered in English-speaking CEGEPs must not exceed 17.5% of all places available throughout the province’s college network. The fine is steep if the quota is exceeded: $7,000 per student. This is particularly how the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, wishes to consolidate the status of French in Quebec. Given that Quebecers whose mother tongue is English only represent about 10% of the population, what leads so many non-English speakers to choose to study in the language of Mordecai Richler for their education? superior? Above all, does this choice harm the health of French? Answers.
At first glance, the situation seems rather worrying. According to a Statistics Canada report, published in 2022, “23% of graduates with French mother tongue used English predominantly at work when their last diploma came from an English-speaking establishment, compared to 4% when their last diploma came from a French-speaking establishment.”
But when you dig deeper, the nuances emerge. “We must avoid establishing causal links,” retorts sociology professor at Laval University Jean-Pierre Corbeil. “Those who choose to study in English often already have an orientation towards this language, even if they studied in primary and secondary school in French. » This is particularly the case for students whose mother tongue is neither English nor French, who sometimes live in a neighborhood where English is the common language. “It is not the CEGEP or the university that has an influence on the language, it is often quite the opposite: the preference for English precedes the choice of institution. »
In fact, studying in English does not necessarily mean losing your French. The researcher cites as an example the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who studied law at McGill University. “His French is doing very well! » he says with a touch of mischief.
Meeting the Other
For her doctorate, Karine Vieux-Fort wanted to understand the effect of higher education in English on students whose mother tongue is French. Her main conclusion: “everything does not necessarily rest on the anglophone CEGEP in terms of subsequent linguistic practices,” she writes in the book French in decline? Rethinking the Quebec Francophonie published at the end of 2023 and co-directed by Jean-Pierre Corbeil.
One thing that characterizes his research is the diversity of the paths that his participants have followed. “It is not because someone studied in English that they work in this language,” explains the woman who completed her doctorate in 2019 at Laval University. Sometimes the first job is in English, but the second is not. » Between career opportunities and life choices, French often seems to carve out a place for itself. “I spoke to people who had planned to do their baccalaureate in the United States, but who met a partner and ended up enrolling at university in Montreal to stay with her. » Through all these disparate experiences, one constant: “we do not systematically become Anglicized”.
The researcher was also interested in the identity of the participants: did studying in English change their perception of being Francophones, Quebecers or Canadians? “In the majority of cases, they knew that they were Francophones who were going to acquire a second language. » According to her, this nuance is explained by the fact that these young people had already spent their formative years in French. “If you have spent 16 years of your life in French, the English-speaking CEGEP does not eliminate what came before,” she says.
Ultimately, for many of its participants, studying in English strengthened their Quebec identity. “By being in contact with English speakers, it made it clear to them that they do not have the same heritage, the same references. It’s a bit like when we travel, contact with Others, with a capital A, strengthens our own identity. »
Make French welcoming
What about allophone students, often from immigrant backgrounds, who, despite primary and secondary education in French, decide to switch to English? Sometimes, it is the reputation of the establishments that convinces them. For others, it’s more a question of integration. “These young people feel — and sometimes they are told directly — that they are not really Quebecers because they come from a so-called visible minority group,” notes Jean-Pierre Corbeil. They then choose to turn to schools where they feel more accepted and where they perceive experiencing less discrimination.
How can we slow down this exodus? For the researcher, coercive methods are not the right approach. “We must promote the presence and use of French in public spaces,” he insists. He considers that our current way of promoting French is “not very attractive”. “We are always in defensive mode, we talk about the decline of French.” How can this negative discourse seduce a newcomer?
“To encourage newcomers to adopt French, we must also recognize that Quebec culture is not monolithic, that not everyone is of French-Canadian ancestry,” concludes Jean-Pierre Corbeil. Quebec is made up of people from all over the world. We want them to immerse themselves in Quebec culture, but we also want them to help it evolve. » To prioritize French, therefore, it is not the stick that will have better results. It’s the carrot — which everyone can season in their own way.
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