The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) is demanding to be exempted from Bill 96, which seeks to reform the Charter of the French language and twenty other laws.
Present Tuesday at the National Assembly, leaders ofAFNQL reiterated their disagreement with this bill. They received the support of Québec solidaire (QS) and the Liberal Party (PLQ).
This law is derived from the nationalist aspiration of Quebec and ignores the linguistic, cultural and educational issues of the Countries that preceded them.the organization wrote in a statement.
” This is undoubtedly a category produced on the part of a colonialist government. “
This law cannot be considered except as a deliberate action by a government that actively perpetuates colonialism.written by Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, the Grand Chief of Kahnawake.
Hundreds of years of colonialism have imposed the English language on us, and this law is now an attempt to impose another foreign language on us, in the name of Quebec nationalism. We will not tolerate ithe added.
It will force the exodus of our students to other schools outside of Quebecpredicted the leader ofAFNQLGhislain Picard, at a press conference.
It is a striking paradox that the first settlers of the territory in Quebec were forced to go and study outside their territory. This is something we think is unacceptablesaid Chief Picard.
Some accommodations are offered
The First Nations suggested accommodations to reconcile the law with their natural rights protected by the constitutionrecollection of the press release.
These proposals are ignored or rejected, can we read in this same statement. Our repeated attempts to meet with Minister Jolin-Barette to discuss solutions remain unanswered.
L ‘AFNQL proposed, among other things, that First Nations students have the right to receive instruction in English when it is their native language or their second language and that the preamble of the Charter be amended to include First Nations and the Inuit.
These provisions would not have the effect of pushing back the French language in Quebec.refers toAFNQL.
Source: Radio-Canada
