PLQ leadership: Denis Coderre wants to “scrap” Bill 96; others want to amend it

The issue of the French language caught the attention of the last day of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) convention in Lévis. While Denis Coderre wants to completely get rid of Bill 96, other aspiring leaders want to amend it.

“We should scrap Bill 96,” said the former mayor of Montreal on Sunday.

The reform of the Charter of the French Language – commonly known as “Bill 96” – was adopted by the National Assembly in May 2022. It subjects SMEs with 25 to 49 employees and companies under federal jurisdiction to the Charter in addition to imposing a freeze on registrations in English-speaking CEGEPs, in particular.

Less categorical than his opponent, former federal minister Pablo Rodriguez wants it to be “amended,” in particular to remove restrictions in CEGEPs.

“My basic philosophy is to always defend French – day, night and morning – in our institutions. We will respect the rights guaranteed to the English-speaking minority, we will always do that too, but we are in a French environment, in a province where French is the official language,” he said.

“Major pitfalls for entrepreneurs”

Another leadership candidate, Charles Milliard, said that there are “interesting points” in Bill 96, “but that there are major pitfalls for entrepreneurs.”

“Talk to entrepreneurs. They will tell you – if they are not too embarrassed to tell you – that it is complicated sometimes to demonstrate that the position must be bilingual. People change jobs quickly. There is a lot of movement in organizations, so it becomes difficult. The translation of all contracts in all fields. We have to question the efficiency and relevance of all that,” he explained.

Marguerite-Bourgeoys MNA Frédéric Beauchemin also wants to amend it regarding English CEGEPs.

“As a parent, what I would have wanted for my children is to send them to the CEGEP of their choice so that they can go to the university of their choice. And if they want to go to an English university, because they want to have an international career or in Montreal with international clients, speaking English is a good deal for them,” he said.

Tax lawyer Marc Bélanger will take a position on the issue later.

PLQ activists were meeting at a convention from Friday to Sunday in Lévis, on the South Shore of Quebec. It was an opportunity for aspiring leaders to network and try to obtain new support.

Over the weekend, activists voted for a future Liberal government to propose, among other things, a constitution for Quebec and establish a teachers’ order.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews