QCGN says May 14 mobilization will include Anglo and Franco Quebecers

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English-speaking groups say they are ready to mobilize to show the CAQ government how many people are alarmed and upset about the impacts of Bill 96.

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The groups plan to protest the proposed law to reinforce the French language charter in front of the Premier’s office on May 14, with marchers leaving Dawson College at 10:30 am Other actions are being planned outside the city on the same day.

In a news conference Tuesday, English-speaking groups said they expect broad support from French community groups as well, because the proposed law would also penalize French speakers by limiting whether they can get education in English in CEGEP.

“Premier (François) Legault has said, ‘I haven’t heard any real opposition,’ well, we’re hoping our community and all Quebecers who are profoundly concerned will raise their voices on May 14,” said Marlene Jennings, the president of the anglophone organization Quebec Community Groups Network. “I think there is serious awareness about how Bill 96 will be bad for the majority of Quebecers, not just a minority.”

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Jennings said the law “completely evacuates the role of the judiciary,” meaning that because of the use of the notwithstanding clause, those who feel their rights have been infringed upon can’t challenge the law in court.

“Any charter of rights and freedoms is precisely to ensure that the majority doesn’t run roughshod over fundamental human rights of the minority,” she said.

While the groups are calling the law problematic and are asking the province to walk it back, she holds out hope that the government will at least amend its most problematic aspects.

“As long Bill 96 has not been proclaimed into law, we maintain hope that the government will see sense, and put the actual success of our students at the CEGEP level as a priority and remove those amendments that will cap the number of students in the English level and require students to take three core courses (in French),” Jennings said.

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But if the law is enacted as currently written, Jennings predicts the government will be seeing many groups mobilize to challenge it. She said many groups have already signed petitions and thousands of Quebecers have written letters both to Legault and Simon Jolin-Barrette, the minister for the French language.

“Premier Legault: this is a warning shot over your bow that there are many organizations, and not just those representing the English community, but those representing commerce, employment, health and social services that have already begun looking at legal challenges.”

This story will be updated.

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