Quebec's French-language minister to address l'Academie francaise in Paris
Quebec's Minister of the French Language, Simon Jolin-Barrette, has been invited to be a guest speaker at the Académie française in Paris Thursday to speak about the French language and its legal status in Quebec.
Jolin-Barrette is expected to speak under the famous dome at the Quai de Conti before an audience of academics and 150 guests wanting to learn about the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ)'s amendment of the Charter of the French Language, first adopted in 1977.
Jolin-Barrette is slated to share his political and nationalist approach to the law, explaining how Quebec intends to protect the French language and ensure its influence and sustainability by intervening on various levels to slow its decline, particularly in Montreal.
It is exceptional that an elected official who is neither head of government nor head of state be invited to address the members of the assembly that brings together the elite of French-language literature.
The Académie française was founded in 1634 and currently has 40 members, including Haitian-born Quebec writer Dany Laferrière.
Jolin-Barrette describes the invitation as historic and sees it as a unique opportunity to strengthen ties around the shared goal of protecting and promoting the French language.
During his brief visit to France, Jolin-Barrette, who is also minister of justice, says he also plans to meet with several dignitaries.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 23, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.

BREAKING | Anne Heche legally dead, remains on life support for donor evaluation
Anne Heche remains on life support and under evaluation for organ donation after a car crash that led to her brain death, a representative for the actor said Friday.
Author Salman Rushdie attacked on lecture stage in New York
Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.
No plans to declare monkeypox a national public health emergency: officials
Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says there are no plans at the moment to declare monkeypox a public health emergency.
Last month was 6th hottest July on record in 143 years
Last month was the Earth’s sixth-warmest July on record in 143 years, according to the U.S. federal agency that studies oceans, the atmosphere, and coastal areas.
Iqaluit declares state of emergency due to water shortage
The City of Iqaluit has declared a state of emergency due to a water shortage.
300,000 Canadians at 'severe' or 'moderate' risk of gambling problems
While problem gambling affects a minority of the Canadian population, more than 300,000 are at “severe” or “moderate risk” for gambling-related problems, according to a Statistics Canada study of gambling behaviour.
Cabinet heard of potential 'breakthrough' with 'Freedom Convoy' protesters before Emergencies Act was invoked: documents
The night before the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the 'Freedom Convoy' protests, the prime minister’s national security adviser told him there was 'a potential for a breakthrough' in Ottawa, court documents show.
Judge suspends two articles of Quebec's Bill 96 regarding legal translations
A group challenging Quebec's new language law logged a first legal victory against the legislation on Friday, as a judge temporarily suspended a provision requiring English court documents to be translated into French.