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Reforms to federal language laws will not affect English services, Joly vows

"I hear the anxiety of the English-speaking community," said the federal minister for official languages. "We have to address that anxiety."

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QUEBEC — The federal government will step in where necessary to defend the English-speaking community as Quebec moves into its own language reforms, the federal minister for official languages says.

In a meeting Friday with the Montreal Gazette editorial board, Mélanie Joly said she is well aware of the anxiety in the community over the looming round of language reforms in Ottawa and provincially.

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In drafting a proposed package of reforms to the Official Languages Act, Ottawa decided to not cede responsibility for the vitality of the English-speaking community to Quebec as the province requested, she said.

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“These are constitutional rights, and as a Liberal federal government we’ve always been there to protect minorities, and we will continue to do that,” Joly said.

“Anglophones in Quebec cannot be used as scapegoats by the provincial government. We need to make sure there’s a strong social cohesion in this province and in this country.

“We need, yes, to act to protect French, which is in decline in Quebec and the rest of the country, but meanwhile we can do so not to the detriment of anglophones.”

Joly, who represents the Montreal riding of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, outlined key points.

Ottawa, for example, will continue directly protecting and funding minority institutions and community organizations such as the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) and the Townshippers’ Association.

It is also shoring up the Court Challenges Program, which subsidizes minority groups here and in the rest of Canada in legal battles over rights. Joly proposes to entrench its existence in the Official Languages Act.

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“You can’t have a strong community if you don’t have strong institutions,” she said.

Joly also addressed fears expressed by the QCGN that her plan to extend French-language obligations to federally regulated businesses in Quebec such as banks and communications companies with more than 50 employees could result in a loss of English services and even jobs.

“We demand that English-speaking consumers and workers be able to communicate with these businesses in the official language of their choice,” QCGN president Marlene Jennings said Friday.

Joly said no employees will lose their jobs for a lack of French abilities. Crown corporations such as Via Rail and Canada Post and former Crown corporations such as Air Canada and Canadian National will also continue to offer services in either official language.

“If you go to your bank and you are used to being served in English, that will continue,” she said.

Joly added she will be forming a committee to handle the rollout of the plan, and it will include a member of the QCGN.

She noted the current decline of French in Quebec has nothing to do with the presence of English-speaking Quebecers. It is linked to globalization, international trade and the spread of digital content favouring English.

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“I hear the anxiety of the English-speaking community,” Joly said. “We have to address that anxiety. The sense of belonging of anglophones in Quebec is important. The institutions of the community are our institutions in general.

“Even the leader of the Parti Québécois (Paul St-Pierre Plamondon) went to McGill. We’re proud of the English-speaking community and its institutions. We will be a steadfast supporter and defender of their rights.”

Joly said she has spoken to Simon Jolin-Barrette, the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s minister responsible for the French language, who is preparing his own reforms to the Charter of the French Language.

Joly says she does not fear friction with Quebec.

“We have a jurisdiction; we will be playing our part,” she said. “This is a position of principle. We’ll see how things evolve, but we have a duty to make sure there is no language crisis in this province, in this country.”

Overall reaction to the reform proposal has been good, but the Quebec government has yet to make its views known.

The QCGN said it was “cautiously optimistic” about Ottawa’s plan. Jean Johnson, president of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, said Joly’s overhaul of the act reflects many of the group’s requests.

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Raymond Théberge, the commissioner of official languages, noted Canadian society has changed significantly in recent years, demographically and technologically, and said Joly’s reforms are “timely.”

Karl Blackburn, president of the Conseil du patronat, Quebec’s largest employer group, welcomed Joly’s desire to reinforce French in Quebec and across Canada.

He said many federally chartered companies in Quebec were ready to apply the rules of Bill 101 as originally proposed by Quebec. Joly’s formula will have the same effect without increasing red tape, he said.

pauthier@postmedia.com

twitter.com/philipauthier

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