Last fall, during the election campaign, François Legault set the bar high: he pledged to table a bill to protect Indigenous languages “in the same way that French is protected with Bill 101”.
His party has their work cut out for them…
Before the tabling of a possible bill, Quebec has decided to hold public consultations on the protection of Aboriginal languages. They started last Monday… in controversy.
In fact, several representatives of the Aboriginal communities of Quebec were offended by them even before they started.
Including the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Ghislain Picard, the Chief of the Atikamekw Council of Manawan, Sipi Flamand, and the Chief of the First Nation of Gesgapegiag, John Martin.
The three chiefs described the exercise by Minister Ian Lafrenière, responsible for First Nations and Inuit Relations, as ” show of smoke”.
They would have liked their opinion to be sought before proceeding to consultations and affirm that a bill is a “false good idea”. They even believe that this approach “infringes” their “inherent right to self-determination”.
According to them, Quebec should simply provide them with the necessary resources to protect their languages.
In short, trust has disappeared and mistrust has set in. It’s terribly unfortunate. But it’s understandable.
Because on indigenous issues, the CAQ, since it took power, behaves too often like a badly programmed robot. And clumsy.
Including on the issue of language, a fundamental identity issue for Aboriginal people. However, all those who have the defense of French at heart should identify with the fight currently waged by the various Aboriginal communities of Quebec. They seek to protect languages that are squarely facing extinction.
If François Legault ended up promising that he would legislate to protect indigenous languages, it is almost out of spite. He was embarrassed because his government had refused to address the Aboriginal issue in its reform of Bill 101 (Bill 96, now Bill 14).
This omission was regrettable. And, of course, extremely hard for indigenous communities to swallow.
It was high time to make the necessary changes, in the wake of the work of the Viens commission (on relations between Aboriginal peoples and certain public services in Quebec), in particular to eliminate the barriers that penalize Aboriginal students and hinder their access to higher education.
Not only did Quebec do nothing (although the Aboriginals, like the Québec Ombudsman, had sounded the alarm on this subject) to change the situation, but it added obstacles.
This is notably the case of the obligation to take three courses in French – or in French – at CEGEP imposed on English-speaking students, even if they have an Aboriginal language as their mother tongue.
Let’s think about it: if the federal government behaved so cavalierly with regard to Quebec in the French language file, François Legault would empty his wardrobe so much he would tear shirts in the public square.
Quebec’s approach to language is reminiscent of the problematic one adopted a few years ago in the case of youth protection services for Aboriginal people. The Legault government challenged the constitutionality of the federal law that recognizes the jurisdiction of Indigenous peoples in this regard.
The CAQ therefore had a big climb to climb and… it rather sank further.
That said, we must salute the attitude currently displayed by Minister Ian Lafrenière. He seems to have understood the importance of restoring confidence and putting an end to the dialogue of the deaf.
On May 2, during the study of the budgetary appropriations of Aboriginal Affairs, he clearly watered down his wine on the issue of Aboriginal languages. He said he wanted to “hear the people” and clarified that the idea of a bill – which is far from unanimous among the main stakeholders – is not cast in stone.
“In the end, will we (have) a plan for a bill? Maybe not. I am very open, ”he said, when he was questioned on this subject by the solidarity deputy Manon Massé.
It is to be hoped that this opening portends a real change of approach.
The first mandate of the CAQ was distinguished by the number of “missed appointments with the Aboriginals”, had estimated Ghislain Picard. If the same had to be said of the second, it would be embarrassing.