Language hardliners speak in support of Bill 14

Mario Beaulieu, spokesman for the Societe St. Jean Baptiste and the Mouvement Quebec Francais, speaks at a rally supporting Bill 14 on March 11, 2013.

Following in the lines of the Syndicalistes et Progressistes pour un Québec Libre and a provincial government advisory board, Mario Beaulieu and the Mouvement Quebec Francais say revisions to the Charter of the French Language are necessary to eliminate the tacit acceptance of all foreign languages in Quebec.

Flanked by members of Imperatif Francais, the CSN union, and the Union for public and quasi-public employees in Quebec (SFPQ), Beaulieu said French is the common tongue in Quebec and "should be the only official language in the province."

According to Beaulieu, despite French being spoken by the overwhelming majority of the population, it is still fighting a constant, losing battle against English.

"The future of French is in urgent danger," said Beaulieu.

He also denounced English media coverage of Bill 14 and the legislative hearings, saying that the language law is meant to be inclusive -- by forcing everyone in the province to use one, and only one language, for the common good.

Without specifying where, Beaulieu said that most states/countries around the world have similar legislation regarding a single, official language.

Beaulieu also said provisions in Bill 14 permitting the Language Minister to strip cities of bilingual status were entirely appropriate.

When governments communicate with citizens in a language other than French, it gives people the impression they do not need to understand French to participate in Quebec society, and that is incorrect.

"That's why granting bilingual status to municipalities is so harmful," said Beaulieu in a written statement.

Members of Imperatif Francais later said that no English institutions, such as universities or hospitals, should exist at all in the province.

Jean-Paul Perrault, the organization's president, said that in a separate Quebec allophones and francophones would certainly not have the right to attend an English CEGEP.

"Citizens who have chosen to live in Quebec must learn French, and we will never back down from that point of view," said Perrault.

"Being Quebecois means learning French. It does not being having French as a mother tongue. It means learning and using French."

The Quebec civil servants union (SFPQ) already declared its support for Bill 14 in March.

“We want the Charter of the French language modified so that all provincial and municipal services are offered exclusively in French,” said Marie-Claire Baigner at a rally in Montreal.

Multiple controversial measures

Bill 14 has several measures which have proven controversial, including granting the Language Minister the right to strip municipalities of bilingual status if fewer than 50 percent of residents indicated on a federal census that English was their mother tongue.

Under that measure the majority of towns and cities with this status would no longer qualify due to demographic changes caused, in part, by the Parti-Quebecois-imposed mergers during their previous stint in government.

Bill 14 would also force companies with more than 25 employees to conduct all internal business in French (down from the current minimum staffing level of 50) and introduce more French exams in English high schools and CEGEPs.

The bill would also strip francophone military families of the right to have their children educated in English.

In March Language Minister Diane De Courcy denounced the provision, saying hundreds of soldiers were joining the armed forces in order to give their descendants the right to study in English.

However CJAD 800 learned that under the provision, fewer than 30 children a year are actually granted a Certificate of Eligibility for education in English.

Bill 14 would also amend the Charter to replace the term "ethnic minorities" with "cultural communities" -- a term which has no legal definition. "Ethnic minorities" are protected under both Quebec's and Canada's charters of Rights and Freedoms.

A National Assembly petition against Bill 14 has so far garnered 36,000 signatures.

The Liberal Party has said it will not vote in favour of Bill 14.

The Coalition Avenir Quebec said it will not support the Bill unless certain measures are removed.