I grew up in a predominantly anglophone West Island suburb. Although my parents’ eligibility under Quebec’s education regulations allowed me to attend English school, a significant portion of my elementary and high school education was in French. But as each year passed and the curriculum changed, I had less and[Read More…]
Tag: CAQ
Alarmism about the extinction of French is alive and well
On Nov. 13, the Journal de Montreal published a synopsis by journalist Marie-Lise Mormina about her investigation into the language customers were being greeted and served with in retail stores and restaurants. The full report, which was published the next day, brought Montreal’s ever-present language debate back to the forefront of[Read More…]
Bill 21 is guilty as charged
The Quebec Superior Court began hearing testimony on Nov. 2 in a civil case against Bill 21, a 2019 policy that prohibits certain public sector employees from wearing religious symbols in the workplace. Although the plaintiffs contend that the Bill violates certain fundamental rights protected under the Canadian Charter of[Read More…]
PEQ reforms highlight the CAQ’s xenophobia
On Sept. 12, activist group Le Quebec c’est nous aussi held a protest against proposed reforms to the Programme experience Quebecoise (PEQ), a fast-track immigration program for international students who wish to permanently reside in Quebec after graduation. While similar reforms proposed (and later suspended) last November sought to impose[Read More…]
Quebec’s businesses and linguistic minorities need protection during COVID-19
Since gaining a majority government in the 2018 election, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has advanced a nationalistic agenda for the province, with one of their principal initiatives being the reinforcement of the primacy of the French language. Most recently, a report found that 40 per cent of Quebec businesses[Read More…]
Dozens gather at Palais de Justice de Montréal to protest against recent PEQ reform
Approximately 50 people gathered by the steps of the Palais de Justice de Montréal on Sept. 12 to protest the recent reform of the Québec Experience Program (PEQ). The small but vocal crowd cheered speakers on while remaining socially distant. The protest was organized by the activist group Le[Read More…]
CAQ’s proposed reforms to PEQ spark criticism from student organizations across Québec
Quebec’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government announced on May 28 its proposed reforms to the Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience québécoise, or PEQ), a popular immigration program that fast tracks temporary foreign workers and international students to obtain the Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) required to apply for permanent residency[Read More…]
Reinforcing Bill 101 is Discrimination 101
A reinvigorated Bill 101 looms over Quebec, and if it descends, it could impede demographic reconciliation in the province. Enacted in 1977, the bill established French as the official language of Quebec, forcing government agencies, many businesses, and other institutions to conduct operations in French. While the bill is longstanding[Read More…]
The CAQ’s secular mission masks discrimination
The Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) recently announced its intention to abolish the mandatory Ethics and Religious Culture (ERC) course taught in schools around the province. The decision comes less than a year after Bill 21, a law that prohibits certain public servants from wearing religious symbols, passed in the National[Read More…]
Bill 21: Impractical on paper and in practice
Bill 21, a law enacted by the Quebec government that prohibits public sector employees from wearing visible religious symbols, caused public outrage by disproportionately affecting religious minorities such as Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs. Introduced this past May, there was no shortage of speculation concerning how problematic the implementation of this[Read More…]
