"We definitely had plans to move [to the United States before Bill 96], but it definitely didn't help," the California native told Noovo Info. "When you see things like language inspectors and search-and-seizure without a warrant and making sure...that English is not being overused... I felt like a criminal."
The controversial Bill 96 was passed in Quebec's National Assembly on Tuesday, causing dissension among Indigenous and English-language rights groups in many sectors, including education, justice and health care.
"We are committed to protecting your access to health care in English," insisted Premier François Legault in response to criticisms.
Nevertheless, Ronnquist admits her level of French remains greatly insufficient.
She says she met her husband, a Quebecer, in Thailand in 2015 and after falling pregnant, decided to move to the province to be near his family.
Ronnquist recalls a time when she was at a doctor's visit and wanted to make sure she fully understood what she was being told.
She asked if she could call her mother-in-law, a francophone, and was met with the response: "I don't have time for that."
"It's hostile enough towards English-speaking people," she lamented. "This [Bill 96], for me, just feels like it's going to take it to this whole other level."
Her husband, Olivier Ratti, points out his family may not be the only one relocating in the near future.
"In a Quebec that's having a labour shortage, we're going to push people away," he said. "They're going to go to western provinces or Ontario because they'll feel more welcome."
The family says they are planning to move at the end of July.
An Ontario community is reeling after a 23-month-old boy died when he was accidentally left in a hot car outside the school where his mother taught, the mayor says.
Group of Seven leaders considered a possible cap on the price of Russian gas exports on Monday as a way to put the squeeze on the funding for Vladimir Putin's war with Ukraine.
City of Ottawa staff and the Ottawa Police Service are ensuring residents that planned protests on Canada Day will not devolve into the kind of occupation that residents endured this past winter.
Russian long-range bombers fired a missile that struck a crowded shopping mall in Ukraine's central city of Kremenchuk on Monday, raising fears of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an 'unimaginable' number of victims in 'one of the most disastrous terrorist attacks in European history.'
Organizers of a central Alberta rodeo and its parade committee are calling for calm after a float in this weekend's parade, which possessed a racist theme, was seen in the procession.
An Ontario community is reeling after a 23-month-old boy died when he was accidentally left in a hot car outside the school where his mother taught, the mayor says.
Nova Scotia is expanding eligibility for second COVID-19 booster doses to include anyone aged 50 and over, however health officials are suggesting people wait to book appointments until the fall.
After a weekend full of rallies and protests across North America, the outrage after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe V. Wade hasn’t died down.
Four London teenagers are facing charges Monday for their alleged involvement after a police officer was assaulted and knives and drugs were seized over the weekend, according to police.
An Ontario community is reeling after a 23-month-old boy died when he was accidentally left in a hot car outside the school where his mother taught, the mayor says.
OPP say an arrest warrant has been issued for a 20-year old Hamilton man after a man was shot late Friday night on Manitoulin Island and later died from his injuries.
The Calgary Stampede announced on Monday that retired CTV News meteorologist David Spence will be serving as the celebrity judge for the 2022 Stampede Parade.
The Sturrock brothers describe their cat Tigger – a two-year-old Bengal – as a "ferocious beast" who stares down and scares off even the largest neighbourhood dogs. But last week, the fearless feline took things to a whole new level.
Three people accused of mischief and break-and-enter in relation to an Abbotsford hog farm pleaded not guilty to all charges at the start of their jury trial on Monday.
A public demand that Alberta stick with the RCMP has been signed by 32 towns, 22 villages, seven organizations, six counties, three summer villages, two other municipalities and The City of Wetaskiwin.
A Sherwood Park masseuse who was charged earlier this year after a girl reported being sexually assaulted during a massage appointment is facing additional charges after 13 more victims came forward.
Staff and volunteers at Divine Mercy Food Bank on Wyandotte Street East are hoping for a miracle after they say they were broken into early Monday morning.
Businesses in the downtown area are excited for their sales to shoot up as the Ford Fireworks return to the Detroit River for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A seven-year-old Regina boy is being treated for serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle at a bus stop in Regina on June 21, according to an online fundraiser.
City of Ottawa staff and the Ottawa Police Service are ensuring residents that planned protests on Canada Day will not devolve into the kind of occupation that residents endured this past winter.
The city's director of rail operations pushed back against claims political pressure led to the LRT being launched before it was ready during the third week of testimony at the public inquiry into the problem-plagued system.
Holiday Park Golf Course turned 60 years old on Monday morning, and just like the day it first opened when Mayor Sid Buckwold took the first swing, Mayor Charlie Clark was on hand to tee off with a couple of shots.
