Bill 101 paved way for peace
HUBERT BAUCH, The Gazette
Published: Saturday, August 25
Monday marks the 30th anniversary of the day the Charte de la langue française, commonly known in anglo Quebec parlance as Bill 101, became law in the province. It was at the time, and yet remains, the most contentious piece of Quebec legislation passed in the past half-century.
It was passed in the National Assembly the day before, on Aug. 26, 1977, after a roiling marathon 40-day, 200-hour debate, by a vote of 54 to 32. Its passage was assured by the Parti Québécois majority in the house; both opposition parties at the time - the Liberals and the late Union Nationale - voted against.
The language act notably declared French Quebec's only official language, banished English from commercial signs, shut francophones and immigrants out of English public schools, and obliged all but mom-and-pop businesses to operate in French.
continued here...
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazet....html?id=c8f23da3-9edc-4341-8f44-4534e5488941
HUBERT BAUCH, The Gazette
Published: Saturday, August 25
Monday marks the 30th anniversary of the day the Charte de la langue française, commonly known in anglo Quebec parlance as Bill 101, became law in the province. It was at the time, and yet remains, the most contentious piece of Quebec legislation passed in the past half-century.
It was passed in the National Assembly the day before, on Aug. 26, 1977, after a roiling marathon 40-day, 200-hour debate, by a vote of 54 to 32. Its passage was assured by the Parti Québécois majority in the house; both opposition parties at the time - the Liberals and the late Union Nationale - voted against.
The language act notably declared French Quebec's only official language, banished English from commercial signs, shut francophones and immigrants out of English public schools, and obliged all but mom-and-pop businesses to operate in French.
continued here...
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazet....html?id=c8f23da3-9edc-4341-8f44-4534e5488941