Bill 96: Quebec legislators slam English-speaking kids' French fluency, blame school system
Quebec kids were at the heart of a heated exchange Thursday over language laws -- specifically, English-speaking kids and whether they're really leaving school with functional French.
"English schools are capable of preparing students to live in French, to integrate into French-speaking society," argued Russell Copeman, director of Quebec's English school board association (QESBA) as he testified about proposed language law Bill 96.
That's not what the head of the province's association of colleges says, fired back Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette.
"M. Tremblay said that English CEGEP students aren’t functional in French," he said.
The man he was referring to, Bernard Tremblay, is the president of the Federation of CEGEPs.
The province's English-language CEGEPs, high schools and elementary schools haven't been doing a good enough job of preparing their students to live and work in French, Jolin-Barrette insisted.
That's one reason it's important for the province now to crack down on education with Bill 96, he added.
The proposed legislation is meant to update Bill 101, Quebec's major language law passed in the 1970s.
Some of the new law's most controversial measures involve English-speakers' education rights, particularly the proposal to create a strict cap on spots in English-language CEGEPS.
The topic has dominated the hearings so far. Testimony on Wednesday included an architect of the original Bill 101, Guy Rocher, saying the government of that era had made a "mistake" on CEGEPs.
It should have required immigrants and allophones to attend them in French, rather than having a choice, Rocher said.
Thursday, Copeman was asked to answer for English-speakers' lack of fluency in French after going through the English education system, taking French immersion or French as a second language.
He said he doesn't believe the French deficiencies are serious.
"The government of Quebec recognizes that those students who get a diploma from secondary school in Quebec have a good knowledge of French," he said.
His three children, who went through school at the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), have "not flawless," but still excellent French, he said.
"That is very good," answered Jolin-Barrette, "but fundamentally, there is an issue."
He asked for Copeman's thoughts on a political dust-up earlier this month, when the EMSB included a clause denying the existence of Quebec's nationhood in a motion opposing Bill 96.
The incident inspired Quebec Premier François Legault to call the EMSB a "radical group" and Montreal mayoral candidate Denis Coderre to drop the chair of the EMSB, Joe Ortona, from his slate of candidates in the upcoming election.
Ortona and the EMSB immediately acknowledged that including the clause was a mistake and retracted it.
On Thursday, Jolin-Barrette said the incident was "deplorable" and said he was "curious" to know Copeman's opinion.
"I think the same as [Ortona]," Copeman said. "It was ill-advised."
He said the clause was removed, and "for me, that’s the end of the story."
LISTEN ON CJAD RADIO 800: The Bill 96 hearings continued this week, and it was the Anglo schools that got to have their say. Russell Copeman, executive director of The Quebec English School Boards Association weighs in
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Pastrnak scores winner, Bruins down Leafs 2-1 in overtime in Game 7
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
The American paradox of protest: Celebrated and condemned, welcomed and muzzled
Americans cherish the right to assemble, to speak out, to petition for the redress of grievances. It's enshrined in the first of the constitutional amendments. They laud social actions of the past and recognize the advances toward equality that previous generations made, often at risk of life and limb. But those same activities can produce anger and outright opposition when life's routines are interrupted, and wariness that those speaking out are outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.
King Charles III’s openness about cancer has helped him connect with people in year after coronation
King Charles III's decision to be open about his cancer diagnosis has helped the new monarch connect with the people of Britain and strengthened the monarchy in the year since his dazzling coronation at Westminster Abbey.