WATCH: A group of French language defenders come to the aid of Longueuil mayor Caroline St-Hilaire who argued all council meetings should be conducted in French only. Global’s Tim Sargeant reports.
LONGUEUIL – A group of French language defenders come to the aide of Longueuil mayor Caroline St-Hilaire as she argued all council meetings should be conducted in French only.
The coalition of political activists, candidates for the Bloc Québécois and others held a rally in front of Longueuil city hall supporting the mayor’s decision.
“It’s the only condition to include all citizens – and to ensure survival of French in Quebec and North America,” Mario Beaulieu, president of the Bloc Québécois told Global News.
Last May, Longueuil city councillor Robert Myles, who represents the borough of Greenfield Park, addressed council in both French and English.
According to Myles, a couple of councillors felt uncomfortable with English being used and requested the mayor intervene.
St-Hilaire posted on her Facebook page that Longueuil is and always has been a French jurisdiction and that all elected representatives in the city have the the responsibility to respect the French language.
Her comments garned a lot of reaction online – one person going so far as to say “Nazi Germany would be proud of her.”
Myles denounced the hateful comments.
“I condemn it completely,” he told Global News.
“I’m just calling for calm right now.”
He insisted he had not broken any laws and plans to continue conducting his business in both French and English.
“Right now I still have the right to speak in English and I will carry on in English,” Myles said.
St-Hilaire declined Global News’ request for an interview, but her press attachée said St-Hiliare will make a declaration prior Tuesday’s night’s Longueuil council meeting.
Comments