EMSB’s Joe Ortona calls on mayoral candidates to speak out against Bill 96

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Joe Ortona said Montréal deserves to know where their mayoral candidates stand on Quebec’s language bill, because the law would affect how city services are delivered to English speakers.

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“Candidates must pronounce for or against bill 96; Montréal’s need to know this before they vote, ”said Ortona, who was fired from mayoral candidate Denis Coderre’s party after the English Montréal School Board he chairs took a stand against the proposed law.

Ortona declared himself an independent candidate for the Loyola district on Tuesday and said he will defend all the interests of his community. Bill 96, A law that respects French, the official and common language of Québec, reinforces the letter of the French language, and would be bad for English speakers in the city, he argues.

The EMSB resolution, passed earlier this month, condemned the bill and said it would “unilaterally rewrite the Constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation where the only language is French.”

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The original motion also questioned Quebec’s nationality, prompting Quebec Prime Minister François Legault to condemn the board as a “radical” group, as Coderre banished Ortona from running under his party’s banner. Since then, the motion has been amended.

Ortona said her stance against the bill has not changed.

“There are more than concerns in Bill 96. It is a discriminatory bill by definition. A bill that violates people’s rights and uses the clause is nevertheless by definition discriminatory, ”he said. “The use of the clause however is an admission by the government that the bill is discriminatory.”

He added that minority groups are interested in knowing what the position of the mayoral candidates is.

“Are you in favor of the total elimination of English services at the municipal level in a district like Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce that does not have bilingual status? Are you in favor of the consultation on major changes in a residential or commercial artery that would be exclusively in French? Are you in favor of city councilors or administrators refusing to serve citizens in English? These are all the things that are in the bill, and absolutely no one is talking about it. “

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In a statement, Projet Montréal spokeswoman Catherine Cadotte said the party supports Bill 96, because it reinforces the tools already implemented by the Plante administration to ensure the continuity of the French language in Montreal.

However, the party believes that there is freedom in law to provide “tailored services” to citizens.

“We are working with key stakeholders to strengthen the use of French while acknowledging the historical aspect of the English community in Montreal,” Cadotte wrote. “Ensemble Montréal has made a mess and engaged in double talk on this issue. We are proud to live in a metropolis that is distinguished in North America for its language ”.

Speaking for Ensemble Montréal, Elizabeth Lemay said that it is possible to protect both English and French.

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“What Ensemble Montréal wants is to expose the importance of respect and coexistence; Montreal is where Molière meets Shakespeare: everyone’s rights must be respected to achieve balance, ”Lemay said. “It is important to protect the rights of English-speaking communities, while ensuring the enhancement and protection of the French language in Quebec.”

Both Courage – Équipe Sue Montgomery and Balarama Holness’ Movement Montreal have taken positions firmly opposed to Bill 96.

Ortona accused Coderre of sending mixed messages about the bill. That allows him to seek the support of cultural communities and minorities, while also appealing to the hawks of the language.

However, he said he is not simply a single-issue candidate. As a Loyola councilor, he would also work to improve governance, better fund the township, and improve services for citizens. Running against Ortona are Paolo Trani for CDN NDG Team, Annalisa Harris from Courage, Gabriel Retta for Together Montreal, Despina Sourias for Montreal project and Joel DeBellefeuille for Montreal Movement.

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