Dominique Anglade’s opponents have no intention of throwing him a lifeline: all refuse to withdraw a controversial Liberal amendment that will impose three courses in French in English-speaking CEGEPs.
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The measure introduced in the reform of Bill 101 at the request of Liberal MP Hélène David caused an outcry in the English-speaking population, the traditional electoral base of the Liberal Party of Quebec.
Vanier College Director General John McMahon said he was “extremely disappointed” with the party’s decision. The mastery of French by some of his students is sufficient to work in the language of Molière, he believes, but not necessarily to study in a context of higher education.
Faced with the controversy, Liberal leader Dominique Anglade therefore asked the government to withdraw the measure, which was nevertheless part of a formal proposal by the PLQ presented last spring.
“You have to recognize, at some point, when you propose something that is not applicable, that you have to find solutions, commented Ms. Anglade on Tuesday. We sat with them, [et] it is acknowledged that this is not applicable. Now the ball is in the CAQ’s court. The last thing you want is to have people failing their courses and affecting the R score.”
No thanks…
But his adversaries have no intention of making his job easier, six months before the next elections. The withdrawal of an amendment requires the unanimity of the parties represented in the National Assembly.
“It’s a circus. It’s incredible that the Liberals are asking… to protect them from themselves,” said PQ MP Pascal Bérubé.
He added that it was their “problem”. “Deal with it,” he said to the Liberals in an exchange with English-speaking journalists.
The parliamentary leader of Quebec solidaire also took the opportunity to shoot an arrow at Dominique Anglade, while refusing to withdraw the amendment. “There was the nationalist turn, it lasted for some time, there was the progressive turn, the ecological turn, all that, it’s good political marketing, but it’s a party that doesn’t know where it is. going away,” he said.
The minister responsible for the French language, Simon Jolin-Barrette, was no more eager to help his Liberal rival. Questioned in the corridors of the National Assembly to find out if he intended to withdraw the controversial amendment, the minister simply launched while walking: “No! “.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com