It seems that there is a rift between Her Majesty's Government for Québec and the province's anglophone community; and moreso, it seems that the Government of Québec cannot figure out how to make any progress in resolving it. Less than one percent (1%) of anglophones in Québec would cast a vote for the Parti Québécois (which polls even lower than the Green Party of Québec).
The Honourable Jean-François Lisée M.N.A. (Rosemont), the Minister responsible for the Montréal region, is the minister responsible for the Government's relationship with its anglophone citizens. He thinks that anglophones have a problem with the Parti Québécois because of their radical actions upon their first election in 1976, wherein they took major steps to cut back on support and equality for anglophone citizens. He described this election as a "traumatic year" for anglophones.
The Government of Québec will not be able to win over any anglophone voters for as long as the Government insists on its unreasonable language policies. To pass laws and regulations that support the French language are one thing; I am fully and entirely supportive of this work. However, there is a major difference between promoting a language, and placing unfair (and likely unconstitutional*) restrictions on the use of English. If both French and English are national languages, then citizens and businesses should be free to use either of them in whichever ways they deem to be the most appropriate for them.
* The unconstitutionality of the language attitudes of the Québec Government are a serious source of consternation for me. In my view, no Government of any Canadian province should advocate for policies that would need to be saved by the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution Act, 1982, for expressly and intentionally infringing upon the rights and freedoms of a segment of the Canadian population. Such practices should be thoroughly and strongly condemned by all sides.
(source)
The Honourable Jean-François Lisée M.N.A. (Rosemont), the Minister responsible for the Montréal region, is the minister responsible for the Government's relationship with its anglophone citizens. He thinks that anglophones have a problem with the Parti Québécois because of their radical actions upon their first election in 1976, wherein they took major steps to cut back on support and equality for anglophone citizens. He described this election as a "traumatic year" for anglophones.
The Government of Québec will not be able to win over any anglophone voters for as long as the Government insists on its unreasonable language policies. To pass laws and regulations that support the French language are one thing; I am fully and entirely supportive of this work. However, there is a major difference between promoting a language, and placing unfair (and likely unconstitutional*) restrictions on the use of English. If both French and English are national languages, then citizens and businesses should be free to use either of them in whichever ways they deem to be the most appropriate for them.
* The unconstitutionality of the language attitudes of the Québec Government are a serious source of consternation for me. In my view, no Government of any Canadian province should advocate for policies that would need to be saved by the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution Act, 1982, for expressly and intentionally infringing upon the rights and freedoms of a segment of the Canadian population. Such practices should be thoroughly and strongly condemned by all sides.
(source)
