Believing the reform of the French Language Charter poses a threat to the rights of the English-speaking community, the English-Montreal School Board will initiate legal proceedings to challenge the validity of Bill 96.
The council of commissioners of the English-Montreal School Board (EMSB), which met Thursday night, made a decision to order a law firm to begin proceedings on its behalf to challenge Bill 96.
A press release explains that the EMSB is already heavily involved in French protection in Quebec in particular by offering solid French immersion programs aimed at helping its students graduate by becoming fully bilingual Quebecersthe School Board believes that Bill 96 violates certain constitutional rights.
Noticeable the right of Quebecers to enact equal authority in English and French and to use English or French before the courts, under section 133 of the Constitution Act, 1867.
The EMSB believes that section 133 of the Constitution Act, 1867 cannot be amended or restricted unilaterally by the National Assembly, especially by unilaterally amending the Constitution Act, 1867.
Through the voice of the EMSB, the English -speaking Quebec community is attacking some of the annoyances in the new law, particularly the new signage rules that reinforce French dominance.
There are also fears that the English -speaking community will have fewer services in their language because of the new francization standard imposed by Quebec.
The imposition of the francization certificate for companies with 25 to 49 employees was also criticized, as was the placement of places in English -speaking CEGEPs.
According to School Board president Joe Ortona, this new version of Bill 101 is just one example of the erosion of the rights of English speakers in Quebec.
Someone needs to show the government that we will stand up and fight for our rights, Joe Ortona explained at the session. Otherwise, they will continue to diminish our rights. I will fight in every way and at every opportunity to protect our constitutional rights.
The question of costs associated with this new legal challenge has also occupied much space in debates as long as the EMSB, which is to say, an instrument of political protest for the Anglophones of Montreal, has a financial deficit. at $ 10. million.
Note that the EMSB, which has 35,000 students, also objected to Bill 21 – on state secularism – in front of the courts. He has also opposed school network reform as well as several other Quebec government initiatives in recent years.
” I invite other Anglophone institutions and any organization interested in basic human rights to join or support this legal process. “
And it’s not just the English-speaking community that is concerned about the impact of the new law on French protection. Many Aboriginal communities, especially those where the language used is English, also vaguely view Bill 96, which is considered the government’s imposition of another colonial language.
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, in particular, announced this week that it was severing its relationship with the Quebec government following the adoption of Bill 96.
Source: Radio-Canada
