(Quebec) Shunned by French speakers in Quebec, the interim leader of the Liberal Party (PLQ), Marc Tanguay, is making an ambitious proposal for those who speak the language of Molière in the country: he wants them to represent 50% of the Canadian population in 25 years. To do this, he wants Quebec to become the “flagship of the Canadian Francophonie” and for the federal government to double its targets for French-speaking immigrants.
The Liberal leader estimates the number of Francophones in Canada currently at 29% (this includes Quebec). “What we want to have as an objective is that Canada, by 2050, can have at least half of its population able to speak French,” says Marc Tanguay in an interview with La Presse Canadienne (PC).
In a letter of which the PC obtained a copy, signed by the Liberal leader, the latter asserts that to “improve the fate of French in Canada, Quebec must notably put pressure on the federal government to increase French-speaking immigration targets.”
Marc Tanguay affirms that these targets must increase from 6% in 2024 to 12%. “If Quebec, as we see today with the CAQ, remains disengaged, it is French in Canada that is in decline and that necessarily has negative impacts on the weight of Quebec within the Canadian federation” , he says.
To increase the number of Francophones, we also propose increasing the number of beneficiaries of the Canada Experiences and French immersion programs, hosting a forum of French-speaking Canadian cities and promoting the networking of French-speaking entrepreneurs with those from the rest of Canada to access global French-speaking markets.
“What is good for Quebec is good for the rest of Canada and for French-speakers outside Quebec and vice versa,” says Marc Tanguay.
The Liberal leader also calls for the holding of general meetings on the question of French in Canada which would bring together French-speaking associations, but also economic players such as chambers of commerce “who are committed to developing a strong Canadian Francophonie”, as well as government agencies.
“This is what it means to be liberal in 2024”
To those who say that his proposal may seem surprising, he recalls that the recovery committee had indicated that the PLQ needed to take care of the Francophonie.
Marc Tanguay also maintains that this is a proposal anchored in the “DNA” of his party and that all “Liberal leaders are concerned about the Canadian Francophonie”. “That’s what it means to be liberal in 2024,” he assures.
Remember that the Liberals must choose their next leader in the summer of 2025. Will the one who succeeds Dominique Anglade be bound by Marc Tanguay’s proposal? “It is not an element of DNA that will be called into question, clearly not,” he assures.
The most recent polls show that the PLQ obtains poor scores among French-speaking Quebecers. Léger’s latest survey gives them 6% support among this electorate.