Following Lasalle College fine, English groups protest Bill 96

A small crowd called for Bill 96 to be thrown out in a protest held at Dorchester Square downtown Thursday.

A small but determined crowd called for Bill 96 to be thrown out in a protest held at Dorchester Square downtown Thursday. They say the law is a nail in the coffin for the English-speaking community.

“Even though some politicians choose to ignore it and erase it, we do have a history here and we have every right to be here,” said Cynthia Costigan, who attended the protest. “We’re not leaving and we’re going to fight. We’re staying.”

They worry that educational institutions are being unfairly targeted.

“We shouldn’t be the scapegoats because French is in decline. That’s not how to save a language, that’s how to destroy a language,” Dale Webber, from the Task Force on Linguistic Policy, said.

They point to the $30 million fine Lasalle College is facing for enrolling too many students in its English language programs over the past two academic years.

“There are so many Francophone students in LaSalle College that are going to be harmed too, if the school closes because of this $30 million fine,” Costigan said.

Lasalle College is contesting the fine in Quebec Superior Court. In a statement, the office of Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry said proceedings are ongoing.

“Despite support and several warnings, Lasalle is the only subsidized private college to continue defying the Charter of the French Language and failing to comply with it, for the second year running. As the matter is before the courts, we won’t comment further,” it said.

Steve Theberge came from Quebec City to join Thursday’s protest and believes several articles of Bill 96 should be invalidated.

“I think it’s more that the people are waking up and the world is becoming more and more bilingual. That’s where the issue is,” he said.

Even though it was a small crowd, the protesters say they will continue fighting for anglophone rights.