MONTREAL – The government’s plans to restrict access to English CEGEPs is raising concerns.
“I think it’s bad. They should just let people make their choice. Would they not allow anglophones to go to French schools?” says 2nd year Vanier student, Frank Prak. He’s a francophone and under the new law would have to wait to see if there were any spaces left after anglophones are admitted.
The Minister responsible for anglophones Jean-Francois Lisée says giving anglos priority to English CEGEPs is a way of protecting them.
“English speaking institutions should be first and foremost for English Quebecers,” Lisée told reporters Monday morning.
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The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) has concerns about Bill 14 in CEGEPs.
“If this law passes it would reduce the bilingualism of students and the academic levels of our CEGEPs.”
Rights Group CRITIQ is a lot harder on the Parti-Quebecois’ proposed plans.
“You can call it ghettoization but the proper word is segregation…they are trying to make a distinction to access to schooling based on your heritage,” says Richard Yufe from CRITIQ.
They think the issue of Bill 14 and CEGEPs has gone mostly unnoticed and want to see the new language law struck down in its entirety.
So does the QCGN. “When you break down the bill we see more and more things that are detrimental to the English community,” says Dan Lamoureux from the Quebec Community Groups Network
Hearings into bill 14 start back up at the National Assembly Tuesday and Quebec CEGEPs’ Federation will testify April 12th.
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