The Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette concluded an agreement on Wednesday with the Court of Quebec to determine in which judicial districts the bilingualism of judges could be a selection criterion.
This agreement provides that unilingual French-speaking judges may be appointed in the majority of judicial districts, in varying proportions.
For example, 90% of Montreal magistrates will have to master French and English, while this requirement will not be part of the selection criteria in the judicial districts of the Quebec and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.
The agreement announced Wednesday was concluded with the new chief judge of the Court of Quebec, Henri Richard, who succeeded Lucie Rondeau, with whom Mr. Jolin-Barrette has increased litigation.
Ms. Rondeau had also filed a civil suit to contest provisions of the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, added by Mr. Jolin-Barrette in order to prohibit the Court of Quebec from systematically requiring bilingualism from future judges.
The agreement comes as this case was to begin being heard on Monday.
Further details will follow.
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