Official Languages: Two Solutions

Undoubtedly, something in my Franco-Irish origins pre-determined me to play, rather than, for my part, the “bridge” between the performer’s character and the “two solids”.

I have worked as a lawyer for the French Language Council and Alliance Quebec.

I am the Commissioner of the Language of the Instruction Appeals Commission, and responsible for the preparation of the French version of the laws of Manitoba.

I know the language file in Quebec and Canada.

For this reason, I am curious to see what will be in the “White Paper” on Language Law, which Minister Melanie Jolie will unveil on Monday.

Workers’ rights

When I was a Member of Parliament, I could see that the equality of “two official languages” was sin ideologically.

In fact, there are two languages ​​in Ottawa: English and French-translated-into English. Since I left, I have had to attend many exhibitions from federal organizations in “French”. If it’s not so cruel, I’ll put some online so people will understand … nothing to understand!

In Ottawa, I introduced a private bill that gave federal territories (airports, railways, seaports, etc.) the same rights as other workers in Quebec.

Jolie proposed extending this right to those covered by the Canada Labor Code. This would be a welcome change.

It remains to be seen whether airlines such as Porter and WestJet will finally have to offer their services in French, such as Air Canada.

Older ancestors

During my work in this field, I had to meet and work with intellectual giants like Claude Ryan and Camille Laurin.

They could not be more constitutionally different, but many things in common, including a deep knowledge of their cases and an unparalleled intellectual vision.

This is a must have, for any Affiliate, promoting any program.

The minister in charge of Canadian relations and Canadian francophony Sonia Label recently shared her vision.

There will be relief in the Francophone communities across Canada when Quebec ceases to oppose their rights. This may seem surprising, but Quebec fears that the rights recognized by the Francophone minority will limit its jurisdiction if granted to Anglo-Quebecans.

A case in point: the courts prevented Quebec from interfering with the right given to its linguistic minority to control and maintain its school boards.

If Sonia’s label’s document is subtle, the other half of the CAQ’s linguistic duo, Simon Jolin-Barrett, especially in the foreign students’ file, proved to him that the law can serve as a blunt object. Too bad.

And Francophones outside of Quebec and deserving serious interlocutors who did not attempt to use language as an excuse to divide the English-speaking Quebec community.

It is better to be armed with facts than old biases on both sides.