Trudeau says Ottawa watching Quebec's proposed changes to language law 'carefully'
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is watching “carefully” how Quebec’s Bill 96 is playing out provincially and respects the freedom of members of Parliament to protest it.
Heading into the House of Commons on Wednesday, Trudeau said in French that the Liberal Party will always protect minorities across the country, whether Francophone linguistic minorities outside of Quebec or Anglophone linguistic minorities within the province.
His comments come after members of the Bloc Quebecois argued it was “unacceptable” that a “large contingent” of Liberal MPs went to Montreal over the weekend to demonstrate against Bill 96.
"As a provocation in Quebec's jurisdiction, we can't imagine anything worse than that," said Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien on Monday. "Don't get involved in this.”
Mount Royal’s Anthony Housefather, Vaudreuil—Soulanges’s Peter Schiefke, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel’s Patricia Lattanzio, Vimy’s Annie Koutrakis, Saint-Laurent’s Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Lac-Saint-Louis’ Francis Scarpaleggia, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle’s Anju Dhillon and Pierrefonds—Dollard’s Sameer Zuberi were all in attendance at Saturday’s event.
“I attended in support of my community and electors. We are legitimately concerned about a law that takes away historical rights of English speaking Quebecers and removes the bill from the scope of the Quebec Charter and which preemptively and in an omnibus way uses the notwithstanding clause under the federal charter,” reads a statement to CTVNews.ca from Housefather.
The proposed legislation seeks to affirm that the only official and common language of Quebec is French and to that end would make several amendments to the Charter of the French Language, or Bill 101. The central aim would be to ensure that French is used exclusively in workplaces and municipalities.
But many argue it infringes on the rights of Anglophones and Indigenous Peoples and will make accessing essential services difficult, including health care.
Quebec Premier François Legault sought to address what he called “disinformation” swirling around the bill on Tuesday.
"I want to reassure everybody speaking English, even if their fathers went to an English school or not... [providers] will not refuse to treat a patient in English if it's needed," he said.
"I want to be very clear, there is no change at all in the actual situation of services given to Anglophones and immigrants in English in our health-care system -- that's clear.”
Legal experts argue it’s not so simple and are skeptical of the bill’s overreach.
The dean of McGill’s law school, Robert Leckey wrote on Twitter that while there is a provision allowing the civil administration to use another language in addition to French where “health, public safety, or the principles of natural justice so require,” it doesn’t read as a blanket exemption.
“To me, it looks much more like a narrow, case-by-case exception, perhaps with a high threshold,” he said. “Read alongside the exceptions for public safety and natural justice, the exception for health may be interpreted narrowly – even limited to situations of life and death.”
Several Liberal ministers were also asked about Bill 96 on Wednesday and their colleagues’ decision to attend the Saturday protest.
“MPs have the right to represent whatever the points of view of their constituents there,” Canadian Heritage Minister and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez said in French.
He went on to add that there is a general consensus the French language is under threat across the country but it’s also reasonable to have questions about the proposed legislation.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne echoed a similar sentiment that there must be substantial debate on the issue.
“There are elements of this law which I think do not correspond to the will of many Quebecers and that will be up to the National Assembly to do this work,” he said in French.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News Montreal’s Selena Ross.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
Local Spotlight
Fergus, Ont. man feels nickel-and-dimed for $0.05 property tax bill
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
'I'm committed': Oilers fan won't cut hair until Stanley Cup comes to Edmonton
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
'It's not my father's body!' Wrong man sent home after death on family vacation in Cuba
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
'Once is too many times': Education assistants facing rising violence in classrooms
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
What is capital gains tax? How is it going to affect the economy and the younger generations?
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found at Pearson airport 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.