UTV Bill 96: Preserving the French language

Bill 96 is Quebec’s legislation which aims to make French the primary language of the province. Bill 96 would also declare Quebec ‘A Nation’—a move that would require opening up the Constitution. What could possibly go wrong? 

Premier François Legault says the main reason for the need is the declining use of French in Quebec. Supporters of Bill 96 see it as essential because there is so much English in North America. 

On the other side of the coin, is minority rights as anglophones in Quebec start to feel targeted. What has many concerned is Quebec’s plan to use the Notwithstanding clause to get what it wants. Constitutional law experts are at odds whether Quebec can unilaterally change the Constitution, which further muddies the water.

Our Unpublished.vote question last week asked: 

Do you feel Bill 96 will violate the Canadian Constitution?

 

91.3%—Yes

 5.5%—No 

 3.3%—Unsure

Joining us to discuss Bill 96 today is: 

Peter Biro Lawyer, Founder of SECTION 1

 Warren Kinsella, Columnist, former advisor to PM Jean ChretienDaniel Weinstock, Professor, Faculty of Law and Chair, Katharine A. Pearson Chair in Civil Society and Public Policy, McGill UniversityMarion Sandilands, lawyer for QCGN

If you haven’t already voted in this week’s poll question on this topic, you can still log-on and vote now at: http://unpublished.vote//issue/1123/bill-96-protecting-the-french-language#.YL4ZKNfO9GE.link

References: 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-bill-96-notwithstanding-clause-1.6042446https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/05/31/on-quebecs-bill-96-canada-must-protect-minority-rights.htmlhttps://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-real-problem-with-quebecs-new-language-

 https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/opinion-bill-96-language-legislation-infringes-on-civil-liberties

 https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/brace-yourself-quebec-s-bill-96-8123560/

 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-by-allowing-quebec-to-change-the-constitution-trudeau-is-opening-up-a/

 https://torontosun.com/opinion/kinsella-seeing-past-trudeaus-bill-96-shell-game

 https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/bill-101-constitutional-curveball-puts-ottawa-on-the-spot-politically-experts-say-1.5427507

 https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/french-in-quebec-constitutional-experts-warn-of-divisive-debate-ahead

 https://nationalpost.com/news/experts-divided-on-whether-quebec-can-change-constitution-to-claim-nationhood

 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-quebec-seeks-to-amend-constitution-with-new-language-law/

 https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/26971

 https://lfpress.com/opinion/columnists/ravary-quebecs-bill-96-is-about-survival-of-a-people

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