Members of the English -speaking community gathered in front of Dawson College in Montreal to protest against Bill 96, the Legault government’s main law aimed at amending the French language Charter, to be enacted soon.
Demonstrators, from a variety of backgrounds, are attacking nature divisive of the bill and hopes that changes will be made to it.
One of the main grievances of the demonstrators related to a provision that would require English-speaking students to take three French courses at the college level.
Although the government has already amended this provision (which initially required three courses in French), it continues to arouse discontent.
It’s not fair that anglophone students have to take French courses if they don’t want to. said a protester.
First Nations representatives also oppose this request.
They demand to be exempted, fearing this will lead to the exodus of native English -speaking students for historical reasons.
Bill 96 is another burden on our community said Kahnawake Mohawk Nation Secretary Kenneth Deer, who took part in the demonstration. Our priority is for our community to learn Mohawk. And because we are an English -speaking community, we speak Mohawk and English.
Dominique Anglade criticized
PLQ leader Dominique Anglade, who appeared at the demonstration accompanied by members of her caucus, for her part denounced the Legault government’s will to permanently freeze the number of places in English-speaking CEGEPs: The reality is we are limiting the future possibilities of young Quebecers. Quebec francophone children were, first of all, the first to be affected by it.
While the PLQ leader recognizes the importance of protecting the French language – recalling his party’s 27 proposals on the matter – he believes it should be done inclusive way a requirement where the bill Don’t answer .
Instead he believes the Legault government has failed to listen and seeks to divide, citing as proof its decision not to participate in an electoral debate in English, a decision that contributed to the cancellation of the debate.
Liberal MP Frantz Benjamin, who hails from Haitian, also expressed his opposition to a provision that would require the government to contact French immigrants if six months have passed since they arrived in Quebec. .
” The idea for me that someone in Quebec, in 2022, may not have access to the services for which they are entitled, because they have not learned French in six months, for me is troubling. “
The demonstrators will end their march at the office of Prime Minister François Legault in the afternoon.
Source: Radio-Canada
