QUEBEC CITY – The province continues to encourage immigrants to learn French but there are reports the Quebec government may soon offer immigrants “choice.”
New arrivals to the province may soon be able to learn English.
Quebec’s largest public-sector union argues that would contravene the law stipulating sessions can only be offered in French but the government says the move is in the interest of speedy integration.
All immigrants know they need to speak French and Kathleen Weil, Quebec Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, has choice words for those criticizing her government’s employment measures.
“You can’t start discriminating against new immigrants because they’re francophone and you say well I’m afraid if you learn a little English suddenly you’re going to become Anglophone,” she says. “It’s absolutely insane to argue that.”
Language in this province is back in the forefront, with articles published daily Quebec papers showing that English is widespread in Montreal and Francophone patients are allegedly not being cared for in their language and French signage laws are not being respected.
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“They are not ensuring that French the common language of all Quebecers,” says former Parti Quebecois member, Pierre Curzi.
To calm things down, the province’s Culture Minister recently announced 69 new language police.
But this is not enough for PQ MNAs, who argue the Liberals are side-stepping the law to offer immigrants new services in English.
“Upon arriving, immigrants will be able to choose between French and English,” says Parti Quebecois MNA Yves-Francois Blanchet. “That’s a problem.”
However Weil contends that her first priority is the quick integration of new arrivals to Quebec.
Over the years, the province has stepped up efforts to encourage newcomers to learn French.
More than 20 million dollars have been invested in the past five years.
Now, the Culture Minister says she’ll put up $400,000 dollars for English classes to help every Quebecer land a good job.
“Frankly it would be discriminatory to say okay this group here, you’ve arrive in the past five years, but sorry you’re excluded from this measure of employability,” she says. “It’s accessible to all Quebecers.”
Anglophone Cabinet ministers like Yolande James, Minister of Families, say it’s possible to speak English and be fervent defenders of the French language.
“You make sure the French language is the language in Quebec but you don’t do it to the detriment of the very strong English community in Quebec. Thank you very much.”
The PQ says if elected to power, it would strengthen Bill 101.
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