Legault government will 'probably' use notwithstanding clause for language reform bill

Legault’s plans for language reform Advocates say it’s a bad sign that the CAQ government plans to use the notwithstanding clause to protect its language reform bill.

Montreal — Quebec’s premier says he will not shy away from using the notwithstanding clause to protect Bill 101 to reform the French-language charter.

When asked Thursday at the National Assembly if he would be ashamed to use the clause to shield the bill from legal challenges, Francois Legault told reporters, "To protect our collective rights, no."

He said he didn’t want to scoop language minister Simon Jolin-Barrette’s announcement on the bill, which Legault said is coming “soon.”

"Of course we don’t exclude that. We will probably use the notwithstanding clause," Legault said.

"I think with the judgement we had this week about Bill 21, it’s clear that the interpretation of the Canadian constitution -- that we didn’t sign -- is sometimes giving us some answers that are not representing what the majority of Quebecers want."

Jolin-Barrette is expected to table his bill to reform the Charter of the French Language this spring before the National Assembly adjourns on June 11.

The leading CAQ government was uplifted with Quebec’s Superior Court decision on Tuesday that ruled its controversial Bill 21 was, for the most part, constitutional.

Legault’s remarks come a day after his government announced $17 million in short-term funding for eight projects to promote French.