'No minority in Canada is better served than English-speaking Quebecers': Legault

Montreal -

Quebec Premier Francois Legault came under fire this week for claiming “no minority in Canada is better served than English-speaking Quebecers” during his Tuesday inaugural speech.

The premier made the comment after listing off institutions servicing the English-speaking community, from Dawson College to the MUHC.

It quickly drew criticism.

“English-speaking Quebecers worked hard to give ourselves those institutions,” said Quebec Community Groups Network general director Sylvia Martin-Laforge.

“We built them, we paid for them, and they're now part of Quebec,” she said.

Legault pushed back on those sentiments, saying he’s “proud” of the provincial government’s contributions to English-language services.

“When we look, for example, at the financing coming from the government for the MUHC, Dawson, McGill, for anglophone institutions, I think we cannot say … all the money came from individuals,” he said. “They came from the government of Quebec and I'm proud of that.”

The Association of Suburban Municipalities also expressed disappointment that the premier made no mention, in his speech which lasted for more than an hour, of bilingual cities and their importance for the English-speaking community.

“This omission comes at a bad time, as the related cities are grappling with a draft ministerial decree that threatens their funding -- all while we plead for bilingual cities to keep their bilingual status in the study of bill 96,” read a statement from the organizations.

READ MORE: Quebec's overhaul of its strict French-language law under microscope at hearings

“Let [Premier Legault] understand here, now, and always, you are Quebecers,” said Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade, in an address to English-speaking Quebecers. “Expect to be so recognized, not only in words, but in actions, in law, today, and every day.”

LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Are Anglos really the best served minority in Canada? What does the leader of the Quebec Liberal party have to say about that?