Hanes: It’s not too late for politicians to do the right thing for anglo youth

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Young English-speaking Quebecers are watching their futures flash before their eyes as leaders play political games at their expense.

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The clause-by-clause study of Bill 96, the legislation to strengthen the French language, has presented enticing opportunities to limit the rights of Quebec’s English community even more. Perhaps no amendment is more serious than the suddenly sprung stipulation that English-speaking CEGEP students take three non-language courses in French in order to graduate.

Unanimously endorsed without notice or consultation, this ill-considered change could throw the higher-education hopes of many Anglophone youth into disarray. Some would certainly manage, but others would struggle, undermining their dreams, plans and life prospects.

How it even came into being is a chronicle of a political fiasco. Simon Jolin-Barrette, Quebec’s minister for the French language, initially suggested the clause only apply to francophone and allophone students attending English CEGEPs. But Liberal language critic Hélène David inexplicably said there should be no exemption for Anglophones. Hardly believing his ears from him, Jolin-Barrette gleefully pounced on the opportunity, as did Québec solidaire and the Parti Québécois (which wants to see Bill 101 cover CEGEPs anyway).

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But educators caught off-guard by this back-of-the-napkin curriculum change have denounced it as an unrealistic expectation that will upend the administration of English CEGEPs already reeling from enrollment freezes imposed under Bill 96. They argue it will also doom to failure a proportion of anglophone students who might not be able to pass college-level core courses in French — or at least not with strong enough marks to get them into competitive university programs.

Meanwhile, scores of young Anglophones and their parents fear the fallout from this unfair, unworkable, counterproductive amendment, which could kick in as early as next year.

Much of their anger has been directed at the Quebec Liberal Party over its perceived betrayal. Facing a furious backlash — and plummeting support — the Liberals recognized their mistake and went tail between legs to Premier François Legault to try to rectify matters.

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This climbdown is embarrassing for Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade, who has tried to reposition the party as champions of the French language, but only succeeded in alienating trusty constituents. Still, the Liberals have a duty to try to clean up the mess they helped create. At least in admitting the error of their ways, they are helping open the door to a remedy.

The only solution is unanimous consent among all parties to withdraw the amendment before Bill 96 is voted on in its entirety. But of course the other teams aren’t eager to play ball. In fact, they’re rather enjoying watching their Liberal adversaries squirm like fish on a hook. After all, the Liberals’ self-inflicted misery could be their gain with an election around the corner.

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Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says his party quite likes the amendment, though believes it should be phased in slowly.

PQ language critic Pascal Bérubé would be a tougher sell. There’s no love lost between the PQ and Anglos. And he certainly won’t be losing their votes if he refuses to come around.

Playing good cop, Legault said Wednesday he was open to discussing a retraction. After all, he has a special responsibility to try to untangle this Gordian knot as the self-appointed representative of Anglophones in cabinet. But so much for a show of good faith: bad cop Jolin-Barrette indicated Wednesday there’s no going back.

Sadly, the political enjoyment of humiliating the Liberals is so great, and the prospect of undermining the interests of the English-speaking community so tempting, that it takes precedence over crafting sound policy or respecting expert advice.

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These three additional courses in French (on top of the language courses they’re already required to take) were never supposed to be included in Bill 96. What urgency is there to mandate them now, other than petty partisanship?

Denying students the chance to reach their full potential would come with heavy personal, social and economic consequences. Are elected leaders really so cynical they would sacrifice the futures of young English-speaking Quebecers to score political points?

Ensuring more young English-speaking CEGEP students are able to pass college-level courses in French is a noble objective. But it can’t be reached overnight. And it certainly won’t be achieved through a haphazard amendment hatched during a committee hearing.

The message since Bill 96 was introduced is that anglophones are second-class citizens, that their rights don’t matter. On this one important point, it’s not too late to show English-speaking Quebecers — especially young ones — that they do count.

This is a plea to political leaders to do the right thing and withdraw the amendment.

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