Ottawa will propose a copy of Bill 96 for federal companies in Quebec

The Trudeau government bill is due to be introduced this week by Melanie Jolie, the minister in charge of official languages, after months of waiting on behalf of language communities.

This is a recent attempt by the Trudeau government to form an alliance with Quebec on language and identity issues. With this integrity of the Official Languages ​​Act, the federal government wants many employees of companies under federal jurisdiction to be able to work, be supervised, and receive communications in French in Quebec.

We are talking about banks, international and inter-provincial transport companies and telecommunication companies here.

However, the federal proposal does not respond favorably to the request of Simon Jolin-Barrett, the minister responsible for the language file in Quebec, who wants businesses within federal jurisdiction to comply with regional law.

We have always been very clear about our intention to make federal chartered companies subject to Bill 101. This is a measure of consensus in Quebec., Said Elizabeth Gosselin, press secretary of Mr. Jolin-Barrett. Now, since the federal government has not yet taken any drastic action, we will not comment further at this time.

Busy day in the Commons

The federal bill should be introduced on the same day that a motion is proposed in the House of Commons of the Black Cubacois in response to changes in the Canadian Constitution proposed by Quebec.

The motion seeks to establish that the Quebecs will form a nation and that the only official language of Quebec is French.

According to Radio-Canada, the integrity of language laws in Ottawa reflects Bill 96’s major avenues for businesses in federal jurisdiction in Quebec.

Therefore, language rights obligations apply to businesses with more than 25 employees, the same restriction enforced by Quebec. Currently, businesses with more than 50 employees face additional work responsibilities in the province.

The federal government is trying to protect French usage in this way Language of work and service In Quebec. Companies will have three years to meet these new language requirements.

Similar measures apply to businesses with more than 50 employees in some high-density Francophone areas outside Quebec. These organizations will have five years to implement the new language of working methods.

The bill will be introduced in the House of Commons a few days before the summer recess. So it is unlikely to adapt quickly, but this fall could become an issue if there is an early election.

Certificate of Franchise

Under the bill, businesses within federal jurisdiction that agree to voluntarily adhere to the territorial language of work standards can pursue this. It should be noted that approximately 40% of companies with federal jurisdiction in Quebec already comply with the requirements of the French Language Charter (Bill 101).

The new federal rules apply to businesses that do not have a territorial franchise certificate.

If employees in these organizations feel that their rights are not being respected, they can complain to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, whose powers are strengthened by the bill. It is up to the federal body to ensure that language rights are respected in the institutions under its jurisdiction.

Ottawa plans to ask companies to set up committees to promote the French language To coordinate Their actions to protect the working language with those in Act 96.

Political or legal struggle in view

According to Pierre Thibault, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, the question of language in the workplace is currently a political issue, but if Quebec is not satisfied with the federal proposal it can quickly lead to legal controversy. .

Thibault said he risks winning his case in Ottawa court if federal and regional laws come into conflict.

In the interpretation of federalism, when a conflict arises between two laws, it is the importance of the applicable federal laws.

However, he believes it would be less complicated for businesses if the same rule were applied across the province.

It is easy and convenient for the federal government to accept that federal companies in Quebec are subject to Bill 96., Says Thibault.

According to several federal factions, the Trudeau government wants to occupy His Areas under jurisdiction and businesses within federal jurisdiction are not permitted to be governed by regional law on the working language.