PM expresses regret for not answering in English

MONTREAL • In a Valentine’s Day message to Quebec anglophones, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed “sincere regrets” for refusing to answer a question in English last month.

“Canada is a bilingual country, and as such, I recognize that I should have answered questions in the language they were asked, be it in Quebec or anywhere else in Canada,” Trudeau wrote in a Feb. 14 letter to the Quebec Community Groups Network, which was made public on Monday.

“I understand the importance of the prime minister of Canada speaking to minority language communities in their own language.”

At a January town hall meeting in Sherbrooke, Trudeau refused to answer half-a-dozen questions in English, including one about the need to get access to mental health-care services.

“Thank you for using our country’s two official languages,” Trudeau replied in French to Judy Ross, who asked about health services. “But since we’re in Quebec, I’ll respond in French.”

Shaken, Ross said later she felt disrespected and disappointed.

The Quebec Community Groups Network, which includes 51 English-language community organizations from across Quebec, was among the groups that criticized Trudeau.

On Monday, the QCGN said it “very pleased” that Trudeau is “unequivocally reiterating his personal commitment to the rights of our English-language minority community and to those of the Frenchlanguage minority outside Quebec. The letter was gracious and heartening, as it was clear our prime minister understands the importance of speaking to minority language communities in their own language.”