As West Island resident Patricia Enborg attended the Liberal convention over the weekend, Bill C-13 was one of the things on her mind.
“I think it’s right to modernize the Official Languages Act, but not at the expense of one language group over the other,” said Patricia Enborg, a West Island Liberal. “And it seems to be at the expense of English-speaking Quebecers.”
In March 2022, the Trudeau government introduced Bill C-13 to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the use of French in federally regulated private businesses.
The government suggested the amendments were intended to protect French in Quebec and across the country, but critics have voiced concerns that the legislation would further erode the rights of anglophone Quebecers.
Andrew Caddell, president of the Task Force on Linguistic Policy, a citizen group created to oppose language laws in Quebec and Canada, says the main point of contention is the reference within the bill to Quebec’s charter of the French language — which could limit access to English services in federally regulated businesses in the province.
“My greatest problem with Bill C-13 is that it incorporates Bill 96 into it, and that includes the notwithstanding clause, which goes against fundamental human rights, the right to search and seizure for example, and it declares Quebec a nation,” said Caddell.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather has been vocal about his concerns about the references, agreeing that it could possibly prevent English-speaking Quebecers from obtaining certain services in English in Quebec.
“I think a Liberal government will continue to provide services in English to the English-speaking community of Quebec, but I’m afraid in the case of some future government deciding to comply with requests by Quebec to limit services in English,” he said. “These references can be used as a justification in doing so.”
Housefather says he expects the bill to be adopted by the House after the third reading next week.
It’ll then pass through the Senate, where Housefather and others hope it will be amended before it becomes law.
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