QUEBEC — The Charter of the French
Language is not the kind of law politicians should tinker with every few
years for political reasons, respected civil rights lawyer Julius Grey
says.
And one of the newly minted minority rights groups — this one including former Equality Party leader and MNA Robert Libman — has urged Quebec to reconsider Bill 14 in the name of social peace and linguistic harmony.
“I have adopted the slogan the nationalists had in the 1990s, ‘Ne touchez pas à la loi 101,’ ” Grey quipped as he opened his presentation to the National Assembly committee studying the bill.
“It cannot be changed every four years. I have come to accept over the years it’s a fundamental and basic law. If that is so, it cannot be an issue in every election campaign.
“Let it do its work and not try and change it.”
Grey — who has fought many language and human rights issues in the courts over the years — nevertheless made a number of comments:
Unlike some groups, Grey said he believes French still needs protection in the North American context, but he notes that for the charter to be effective it has to be accepted “by all elements of society.”
He took particular issue with the clause that would give Quebec the right to take away official bilingual status from a municipality. He said nobody can show how French is in danger if places like Westmount, Hampstead or Greenfield Park send out English as well as French pamphlets to taxpayers.
“There’s no effect on French whatsoever therefore it’s a gratuitous change,” Grey said.
Basing the decision on census data and a 50 per cent threshold is “simplistic,” he added, because people increasingly consider themselves anglophone and francophone at the same time.
Grey says the concern some minority groups have that replacing the term “ethnic minorities” with “cultural communities” in the charter weakens their rights is unfounded.
“There is no danger,” Grey said. “This is not the Sudan. Nobody needs help from the United Nations to maintain their rights. They’re worrying for nothing.”
Grey is concerned with the proliferation of new inspections the bill foresees. He said they don’t pose a danger for the majority or linguistic minorities but “the rights and freedoms of everyone.”
Instead of reducing the bureaucratization of the law and curbing arbitrary powers, “we are witnessing an expansion.
Despite strong opposition by the business lobby to new francization measures in shops and stores, the proposed new rules do not impose a too heavy burden as long as businesses are helped by the government to adjust, he said.
Unlike the more aggressive tone at Tuesday’s hearings, Grey’s presentation went off without a hitch with a number of committee members saying they were honoured he appeared.
Everyone shook his hand.
The mood was equally relaxed an hour earlier when the group, Canadian Rights in Quebec (CRITIQ), presented its brief and that despite the fact the group’s document blasts the bill to smithereens.
Group members included Libman, an architect who was the MNA for D’Arcy McGee from 1989-1994, Richard Yufe, a Montreal lawyer, and newspaper publisher Beryl Wajsman.
And one of the newly minted minority rights groups — this one including former Equality Party leader and MNA Robert Libman — has urged Quebec to reconsider Bill 14 in the name of social peace and linguistic harmony.
“I have adopted the slogan the nationalists had in the 1990s, ‘Ne touchez pas à la loi 101,’ ” Grey quipped as he opened his presentation to the National Assembly committee studying the bill.
“It cannot be changed every four years. I have come to accept over the years it’s a fundamental and basic law. If that is so, it cannot be an issue in every election campaign.
“Let it do its work and not try and change it.”
Grey — who has fought many language and human rights issues in the courts over the years — nevertheless made a number of comments:
Unlike some groups, Grey said he believes French still needs protection in the North American context, but he notes that for the charter to be effective it has to be accepted “by all elements of society.”
He took particular issue with the clause that would give Quebec the right to take away official bilingual status from a municipality. He said nobody can show how French is in danger if places like Westmount, Hampstead or Greenfield Park send out English as well as French pamphlets to taxpayers.
“There’s no effect on French whatsoever therefore it’s a gratuitous change,” Grey said.
Basing the decision on census data and a 50 per cent threshold is “simplistic,” he added, because people increasingly consider themselves anglophone and francophone at the same time.
Grey says the concern some minority groups have that replacing the term “ethnic minorities” with “cultural communities” in the charter weakens their rights is unfounded.
“There is no danger,” Grey said. “This is not the Sudan. Nobody needs help from the United Nations to maintain their rights. They’re worrying for nothing.”
Grey is concerned with the proliferation of new inspections the bill foresees. He said they don’t pose a danger for the majority or linguistic minorities but “the rights and freedoms of everyone.”
Instead of reducing the bureaucratization of the law and curbing arbitrary powers, “we are witnessing an expansion.
Despite strong opposition by the business lobby to new francization measures in shops and stores, the proposed new rules do not impose a too heavy burden as long as businesses are helped by the government to adjust, he said.
Unlike the more aggressive tone at Tuesday’s hearings, Grey’s presentation went off without a hitch with a number of committee members saying they were honoured he appeared.
Everyone shook his hand.
The mood was equally relaxed an hour earlier when the group, Canadian Rights in Quebec (CRITIQ), presented its brief and that despite the fact the group’s document blasts the bill to smithereens.
Group members included Libman, an architect who was the MNA for D’Arcy McGee from 1989-1994, Richard Yufe, a Montreal lawyer, and newspaper publisher Beryl Wajsman.
“We think the
adoption of Bill 14 threatens social peace and risks opening old
wounds,” Libman told the committee. He said his goal was to convince the
Liberals and Coalition Avenir Québec MNA to vote down the bill.
The Liberals plan to vote against the bill; the CAQ will unless there are radical changes.
And earlier, the association representing Quebec’s 300 manufacturers and exporters added their name to the long list of business groups coming out against Bill 14.
“Bill 14 is a solution in search of a problem,” Simon Prévost, president of the Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec, told the committee.
“When we look at the linguistic situation, we do not see any necessity to intervene now. We don’t see anything very alarming in the numbers right now.”
Not only does the proposed legislation add red tape and costs, it sends a negative message that could hamper foreign investment here, the association said.
And it implies that having a working knowledge of English and using it to communicate in the workplace is somehow a bad thing in Quebec, the group said.
The Liberals plan to vote against the bill; the CAQ will unless there are radical changes.
And earlier, the association representing Quebec’s 300 manufacturers and exporters added their name to the long list of business groups coming out against Bill 14.
“Bill 14 is a solution in search of a problem,” Simon Prévost, president of the Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec, told the committee.
“When we look at the linguistic situation, we do not see any necessity to intervene now. We don’t see anything very alarming in the numbers right now.”
Not only does the proposed legislation add red tape and costs, it sends a negative message that could hamper foreign investment here, the association said.
And it implies that having a working knowledge of English and using it to communicate in the workplace is somehow a bad thing in Quebec, the group said.
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