'It doesn't feel human': Six Quebecers file legal challenge against Bill 96
One year less a day after Quebec's Bill 96 came into force, a new legal challenge was filed Wednesday at the Montreal courthouse on behalf of six people.
They argue the law to strengthen the French language will make it more difficult to access necessary services in English, adding that they believe it places language rights before human rights.
One of the six named in the lawsuit is Elena Montecalvo. Her son, Giancarlo, has autism and sometimes gets violent, she said.
His psychiatrist recommended an in-patient program at the Rivieres-des-Prairies Hospital that analyzes how he reacts to different medicines. He was denied entry to the program because he attends an English school.
"For my entire family's safety, we needed him to be treated – and to be denied that because of a language issue feels beyond discriminatory. It doesn't feel human," she said.
"I want to be part of this lawsuit because I realize that if they were legally allowed to make this decision before this bill passed, I can only imagine how much worse things will get."
The suit was filed by a group called the Task Force on Linguistic Policy.
"Today, we are obliged to take the Quebec government to court to ensure our rights are respected," said Andrew Caddell, task force president.
"No legislation can abolish individual rights, which is what Bill 96 tries to do by invoking the notwithstanding clause," added lawyer Michael Bergman.
When asked about the court challenge, Eric Girard, the minister responsible for relations with the English-speaking community, reiterated the party line that Bill 96 exists to promote the French language.
"I've had many meetings with members of the English community, and we have been quite clear that Bill 96 does not impact access to services with respect to health care," he said.
The opposition Liberals would not say whether they support the lawsuit, though appeared unsurprised by the latest court challenge.
"By using the blanket notwithstanding clause on these bills in general, the government freely admitted it was bypassing certain rights that are enshrined in our charters," said Liberal MNA Andre Fortin.
The task force warns it will likely take several years before a final ruling is determined in this case.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.