By proposing to recognize Montreal as a bilingual city, mayoral candidate Balarama Holness undermines the status of “flagship of the French language” of the Quebec metropolis, says the Minister responsible for the French language, Simon Jolin-Barrette.
Leader of the Mouvement Montréal party, Mr. Holness is planning to launch a referendum on the city’s linguistic status if he is brought to power in the municipal elections on November 7. Called to react on Thursday, Mr. Jolin-Barrette criticized the candidate for his lack of “sensitivity”.
“All candidates for elective positions must be aware of the fragility of French in Quebec, and particularly on the island of Montreal,” said the Minister.
In Quebec, a handful of municipalities and boroughs enjoy bilingual status. Under “Bill 101”, they can use “both the official language and another language” in their internal communications and in their name.
However, Montreal is not. The City Charter, which was adopted at the turn of the century, establishes that “Montreal is a French-speaking city”.
“So the city of Montreal is the metropolis of Quebec, it is French-speaking and it will remain French-speaking,” said Mr. Jolin-Barrette on Thursday. And above all, I believe that all elected officials in Montreal and all candidates for elected office should have this sensitivity and this understanding that the French language is what sets us apart and that is what must unite us. “
A consultation
Balarama Holness wishes to go through the Office de consultation publique de Montréal to ask Montrealers whether or not they wish to give the metropolis a new linguistic status.
In an unprecedented turn of events, the head of Mouvement Montreal won and then lost the support of another mayoral candidate, Marc-Antoine Desjardins, after disagreements over French. To this day, Mr. Holness maintains his position.
Asked whether he asked the Montreal candidate to withdraw his proposal on Thursday, Simon Jolin-Barrette preferred not to answer. “I believe that Montrealers will have the opportunity to judge his proposal in the elections,” he simply said.
According to the minister, there are “significant advances that have been made in recent months by the administration [de la mairesse Valérie] Plante in relation to the awareness of the importance of French ”.
According to a CROP-Radio-Canada poll published Thursday morning, the former mayor Denis Coderre leads the way, with 26% of the voting intentions, just ahead of Ms. Plante (25%). Balarama Holness comes in third, with 5% of the support.