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So I read over the executive summary of Bill 96 and skimmed over a large portion of the bill's body itself. Honestly, I could not find anything extreme in the bill's language. I suppose Bill 96 can be considered a corollary to Bill 101 even though it says it further amends the language charter. So it affirms that French is Quebec's official language and requires businesses with 25+ employees to speak French every day. So what? As an American, I cannot see how different is that with running a business in the US where practically everyone has to know English in order to run a business even if English is not your first language. Bill 96 is more moderate than anything else. There's an article in the Montreal Gazette that even said that the author Jolin-Barrette was blasted by language extremists for not going far enough with the bill. I just don't see English completely disappearing from Montreal nor do I see longstanding Anglophone institutions such as the Montreal Gazette or McGill University switch entirely to French overnight. If there are ever government sponsored extreme language measures, they are happening elsewhere in the world but not in Canada.
I think your reading is quite correct. The intent is mostly to nudge things in the direction of how they happen perhaps more "naturally" in most any other place. Given the forces at play in Montreal, Quebec and Canada that historically have worked against French fully having this role.
What would prevent the language police from making the administration of either of those institutions quite cumbersome? Does the government in the U.S. force businesses to operate in English?
I think you're mistaken if you think that making administration of business more cumbersome is in any way a goal of all of this.
The original language law dates back to 1977 and both Montreal and Quebec are predominantly French-speaking places. If you've operated or opened a business here since that time, and using French in the workplace is "cumbersome" for you in 2021, you've clearly brought that situation upon yourself.
They're walking a very fine line on it. Most of the media coverage gives the impression they are dead-set against it, but they also for political reasons need to still give the impression that they care about the future of French.
Right now if you look at the polls they are in serious danger of becoming a non-factor with francophones, and of being the party of anglophones and allophones who lean towards English.
If that happens given the demographics they'll have zero chance of taking power.
So I read over the executive summary of Bill 96 and skimmed over a large portion of the bill's body itself. Honestly, I could not find anything extreme in the bill's language. I suppose Bill 96 can be considered a corollary to Bill 101 even though it says it further amends the language charter. So it affirms that French is Quebec's official language and requires businesses with 25+ employees to speak French every day. So what? As an American, I cannot see how different is that with running a business in the US where practically everyone has to know English in order to run a business even if English is not your first language. Bill 96 is more moderate than anything else. There's an article in the Montreal Gazette that even said that the author Jolin-Barrette was blasted by language extremists for not going far enough with the bill. I just don't see English completely disappearing from Montreal nor do I see longstanding Anglophone institutions such as the Montreal Gazette or McGill University switch entirely to French overnight. If there are ever government sponsored extreme language measures, they are happening elsewhere in the world but not in Canada.
1. It will curb healthcare access to those who do not speak French, thus impacting immigrants, migrants, indigenous people and limits freedom of expression and language of choice. Also curbing healthcare access under ANY circumstances is a violation of human rights laws.
2. No longer can use English in courts (violation of section 133) and freedom of choice.
3. Capping English Cegep's, which means Francophones who want to learn English or attend an English school will most likely attend elsewhere in the country (limiting access to education is a violation of human rights).
3A. Capping Cegep's also means less funding, which is just cruel to fund higher institutions less all based on language.
4. Basically trying to eradicate bi-lingual status of cities, when this should be a permanent fixture.
5. French for companies 25+ will lead to policing of employees, more red tape, and higher costs. It will also negatively affect the start up scene, which is FINALLY booming here. Plus imagine if you're a company that serves customers outside of Quebec (English speaking) and then you would have to translate all those documents to French = higher operating costs.
So just those five points demonstrate a violation of freedom of expression, violation of free will (people have the right to speak whatever language they choose), it limits access to healthcare and legal services if you do not or cannot speak French, limiting educational choice (again, human rights violation) and will increase red tape = burden on companies.
The fact that the notwithstanding clause is baked into the bill also demonstrates that this bill DOES violate rights and freedoms (please look at s2 and 7-15 for reference). If this bill did not violate any rights, there would be no need for s.33 to be invoked.
BILL 96 IS IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
I could go on, but again, there is absolutely no reason for this divisive bill. Quebec culture is not dying, French is not dying and there`s better ways to protect the language than imposing laws (or wanting to impose laws) that literally violates peoples rights and freedoms. Bill 96 literally started because of some dude in JdeM hearing more English in downtown Montreal and then correlated that with "Oh no, French is declining all over Quebec" and "oh no! I heard bonjour/hi!" the horror! Obviously downtown will be more English, it's where most tourists go... who speak almost exclusively English.
The only good thing about Bill 96 is the free French courses it will offer, which should have been done decades ago. Other than that, there is nothing good about this bill, and if it does pass, there will be severe consequences. I also hope people continue to fight against this bill, even if violence comes out of it, in this case, it is justified in my opinion. If the youth riot (or anyone else who opposes Bill 96), I will have no issues with it, cause that is what you get when you impose laws that restrict freedoms, violate rights and are based in racism and colonialism.
. I also hope people continue to fight against this bill, even if violence comes out of it, in this case, it is justified in my opinion. If the youth riot (or anyone else who opposes Bill 96), I will have no issues with it, cause that is what you get when you impose laws that restrict freedoms, violate rights and are based in racism and colonialism.
Violence?
You just proved that (some) Anglo-Quebecers have completely jumped the shark.
And moved me from 95% in favour of the bill to 100%.
Certainly not intended that way. My own close to direct stake is that the Jewish community is directly impacted, and I made this clear. With the U.S., Canada, Australia and of course Israel being the only place where Jews can live safely and thrive as a community, we are interested if any of them are endangered.
Personally, one set of my great-grandparents lived in Montreal for a time between fleeing from Ukraine (then Czarist Russia) and migrating to Yonkers, New York. For the safety I am particularly grateful since I would not be here today were it not for Montreal.
I am also concerned about these same issues, but endangerment means something altogether different. Here is an article about a hasidic couple who sued the Quebec government but were denied by a judge because he claimed that the situation had been addressed in the interim. There are many children brought up in Christian and other cults denied a proper education. In this case, the government failed to protect generations of children who were taught only yiddish, and were deficient in French and English, both compulsory subjects in schools but obviously to evolve in society, too. Their religious tutors failed them, too, big time.
All this nonsense is because Legault wants to get as many nationalist voters from the Parti Quebecois. CAQ had to come up with a sort of watered down language law to show they are doing something about the French language since they do not even contemplate a new referendum. Of course French is loosing ground in Montreal. This is where most of Quebec immigrants settle while the French Quebecois keep moving farther and farther in the outer suburbs. If you go to any French school in Montreal you will get the idea where the demographics of the city is going. Majority of the teachers are white French Quebecois while the kids are mostly visible minority.
What language do you think an immigrant family from Montreal want for their children? They will want to have their kids bilingual French and English. Nobody cares or is asking these immigrants what they think about law 96 while they are the ones who this law is going to affect. They cannot vote and the ones who vote they will vote Liberal anyway so no reason for Legault to even consider them. He is not going to extend bill 101 to Cegeps. That would create a push back from Legault Quebecois voters who want to send their kids to English Cegep and University so they can improve their English.
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