The Minister of Justice of Quebec, Simon Jolin-Barrette, keeps the possibility of legislating to prohibit the Court of Quebec from requiring the bilingualism of its judges in a systematic way.
“I’m evaluating all options right now. We note that in the National Assembly, there is unanimity on this, ”he launched in the corridors of Parliament on Wednesday. “All options are on the table right now. We are studying everything, ”he also said.
Earlier in the day, the minister took the debate between him and the Court of Quebec to the Blue Room. He tabled a motion stipulating that “the absence of mastery of a language other than the official and common language [le français] should not automatically constitute a barrier to access to the office of judge in Quebec”.
All of the elected officials supported his statement. “All the political parties in the National Assembly, unanimously — including the Quebec Liberal Party — agree with that,” said Mr. Jolin-Barrette in broad strokes.
The minister denied politicizing the subject. “No, not at all,” he replied when asked the question. “You know, the elected representatives of the Quebec nation, the way they express themselves is within the National Assembly of all Quebecers,” he added.
A setback in court
Last week, the Department of Justice lost a round in Superior Court. Judge Christian Immer criticized Minister Jolin-Barrette for having assumed a right of scrutiny in the calls for applications from judges in order to be able to withdraw the requirement to master English.Have
The Chief Judge of the Court of Quebec, Lucie Rondeau, considers that she can impose bilingualism on candidates for the position of judge, for reasons of court efficiency.
“In seven districts [judiciaires] out of ten, it systematically requires judges to be bilingual. So, in Longueuil, in St-Jérôme, do all the judges, all the people who apply to become a judge have to be 100% bilingual? Today, the National Assembly said no. The Liberal Party also said no,” insisted the minister. He still hasn’t said whether he intends to appeal the Superior Court’s decision.
In his opinion, Justice Rondeau’s approach amounts to “discriminating against people because they do not master a language other than the official language”. “And it must stop,” insisted Mr. Jolin-Barrette.
According to the approach advocated by the government, proficiency in English should only be required of aspiring judges when it has been proven that such proficiency is “necessary” and that “every means has been taken to avoid ‘impose such a requirement’.