Bill 96 may be detrimental to new Quebecers: advocates

Quebec’s overhaul of its French-language law, or Bill 96, proposed last year, is making its way through hearings at the National Assembly and gaining steam.

The Legault government’s goal they say, to further promote and strengthen the French language, but some advocates fear it’ll be detrimental to new Quebecers.

“I think that all that will do is set a very tight limit on them and that may deprive them of the services, the essential services that they require that they need to integrate into the society and to establish themselves,” explained Humera Khan, CEO Logic Academic Services, a recruiting agency for international students.

“I believe that Montreal is unique historically, as well as culturally, and protecting the French language is definitely a thing that a government should do,” said Ghazala Munawar, coordinator at the South Asian Women’s Community Centre. “But it should not be forced the way it is set in the Bill 96, because we should have certain exceptions.”

The bill will require all government officials to communicate with new immigrants exclusively in French, six months after their arrival, with no exceptions for refugees and asylum seekers – something Munawar says is not feasible and will further isolate new immigrants.

“There are women, who are coming from villages, if they are forced, they may not even try to learn this. ‘I better stay at home. I can survive staying at home.’ And this is not what we want. For us, it’s important if we are here for a better life, then we should take all the opportunities around us.”

New amendments to the bill will see students from English CEGEPS having to take three core curriculum courses in French.

It will also allow those who cannot be served in French at stores to file complaints against the store owners.

“Because Quebec has its own constitution and it has its own immigration procedures, it’s really attracted a lot of people to arrive in Quebec and study in Quebec,” said Khan. Who explains that since Bill 96 was proposed, many no longer want to stay in the province and others are discouraged and no longer want to immigrate here.

“The people who were already here in Quebec have a right and study. They are leaving Quebec because of this [bill],” added Khan.  “And if they didn’t grab onto the language, they know they will get all the services in French, which is not their commanding language for them to communicate.”

Munawar, while she believes preserving the French language is important, she says the detriments of the bill will outweigh the benefits.

“Forcing something will never have good impact. This is historically proved. So why not go for a less forced way of doing things that have a democratic way, make important, but don’t force them.”