(Quebec) Dominique Anglade asks Quebec to withdraw a subamendment proposed by his party, which proves to be inapplicable, and which would have the effect of requiring all students of English-speaking CEGEPs, including those entitled to take courses taught in French to graduate. This blunder motivates more than ever an English-speaking militant group to found a political party.
Posted at 1:46 p.m.
Bill 96, which reforms the Charter of the French language and Bill 101, is currently at the detailed study stage in a parliamentary committee. A few weeks ago, while elected officials were studying the articles concerning CEGEPs, the Liberal critic for the protection of French, Hélène David, proposed to modify an amendment tabled by Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette so that “all students who will attend an English-speaking CEGEP, whether they are French-speaking, allophone or eligible, that is to say, having studied mainly in English in elementary school [et au] secondary, [suivent] at least three courses in French, and not French”, as part of their college studies.
In the amendment originally proposed by the government, English-speaking students (known as “rights holders”) were excluded from this measure. Liberal MP David Birnbaum welcomed the subamendment proposed by his colleague Hélène David.
“We are talking about institutions that are funded by taxpayers, by the state. We are talking about students who choose to continue their studies here in Quebec. That they have this obligation, which would in most cases be added to their secondary studies, where they would have had to succeed [des cours] in French, the second language, is completely dignified and normal,” he said. The issue has since been hotly debated in the Liberal caucus, leading to the leader’s exit on Tuesday.
It’s up to the government to correct the error
In a scrum on Tuesday, Liberal leader Dominique Anglade said she now realizes “how [cette mesure] does not apply”. She then admitted that her party had not consulted the Anglophone groups before proposing this subamendment. If the situation is not corrected, students could experience failures, she warned.
“The ball is in the CAQ’s court,” she said, asking the government to correct the situation.
PQ MP Pascal Bérubé believes that the study of Bill 96 has become “a carnival”.
“The Liberals are asking the government to withdraw the amendments they tabled themselves, and then they are being fooled. I mean, it’s a carnival. […] It’s unbelievable that liberals are asking to be protected from themselves,” he said.
“This reversal is above all an illustration of the political disorientation of the Quebec Liberal Party. There was the nationalist turn, the progressive turn, the green turn. All these are fine slogans, but I have some news for Dominique Anglade, no poll in life replaces convictions, ”said the parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
“This reversal on French courses for Anglophones is just an illustration of the fact that it is a party that is completely confused politically,” he added.
The Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire, which supported the subamendment proposed by the Liberals, do not intend to support the Liberal Party in its request to the government. The minister responsible for the French language, Simon Jolin-Barrette, did not comment on the subject. When the subamendment was adopted, however, he welcomed the Liberal initiative.
The PLQ “in free fall”
Colin Standish, a jurist in a law firm in Sherbrooke and an activist with the Exploratory Policy Options Committee, believes that the “incoherent” policies proposed by the Liberals give ammunition to those who believe that a new party defending the rights of minorities and Anglophones must be founded in Quebec.
According to Mr. Standish, “the Liberal Party is in freefall”, he said, adding that the official opposition “is going in circles”.
“Our thinking is moving in the right direction,” he then added regarding the creation of a party that would compete with the Liberals in the next election campaign. A decision would be announced in the coming weeks.