Would Quebec’s proposal to introduce more French courses in English universities hurt McGill, Concordia?

Quebec’s French language commissioner wants to see more courses in French in the province’s universities.

In a November report that examined trends surrounding the fragility of French in Quebec, Commissioner Benoît Dubreuil suggested that 31 per cent of the courses offered at English universities be taught in French.

He recommended the government mandates that 85 per cent of instruction in Quebec universities be offered in French.

The report called “Understanding the decline, reversing the trends” found about 22 per cent of post-secondary students are choosing to study in English – a proportion that “seems too high,” according to the commissioner.

One of Dubreuil’s propositions is that if English universities maintain 22 per cent of the student population, they’d have to offer 31 per cent of courses in French.

McGill University students told CityNews they may have reconsidered attending McGill altogether if such a policy were in place years ago.

“It’s kind of hard because I don’t like speak French at all,” said Julia Rozanski. “So if I had to take French courses, I don’t know how well I would do in them.

“Definitely if it was like mandatory, I feel like that would have also influenced my decision whether to go to McGill if I had to take French courses.”

Added Lida Tan: “I am learning right now. So for me, I feel like it’s beneficial. But for those people who may be too busy or they have too much other like studies to do, they may feel it’s unfair.

“Like five years ago, if there was a policy such as this, I might hesitate a little bit because I might reconsider if I am a good language learner or not to pass the course.”

The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) says forcing students to take courses in a certain language goes against the spirit of higher education.

“Universities are the place where innovation, creative ideas and networking happens. Why would we try and stop that with coercive measures?” said the group’s director general Sylvia Martin-Laforge.

Dubreuil recommended increasing the number of international students at French universities; implementing more French teaching in anglophone universities; and directing new investments and infrastructure to French universities.

“It will be interesting to see if the government takes up this proposal because I don’t believe that the impacts either direct or indirect to this report have been analyzed in enough detail,” Martin-Laforge said.

“We should be asking him to frame his report in terms of what does it mean for the economy of the city?”

Universities like McGill and Concordia did not wish to comment on the report. Both institutions are still grappling with a decline in enrollment after Quebec introduced a 33 per cent tuition hike for out-of-province students and set new French proficiency benchmarks for the graduates of English universities.

“We cannot afford to lose the influx of students in the centre of the city. Businesses can’t afford that,” according to Martin-Laforge.

The Quebec Ministry of Higher Education (MES) tells CityNews in a statement it is “currently analyzing the report of the Commissioner of the French Language and the recommendation addressed to us.

“The MES is implementing several actions aimed at protecting the French language, particularly in the context of the implementation of the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French, and the Plan for the French language.”