National Post (National Edition)
Liberals resist Tory, Bloc push for Quebec law to rule federally
Move would restrict use of English
OTTAWA • Repeated attempts in committee Tuesday by Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois to incorporate elements of Quebec's new Charter of the French Language in the modernization of the federal Official Languages Act were met with fierce resistance from federal Liberals.
The study of C-13 in the parliamentary committee is still in its early stages, and the Bloc and the Conservatives have made it clear that they are siding with the Quebec government. They want businesses in Quebec, including federally regulated businesses, to comply with the provincial charter, which restricts the right of Quebec anglophones to work and be served in English.
More than once during Tuesday's meeting, the Bloc and Tories introduced amendments that would lead to Quebec's new language charter — formerly known as “Bill 96” — to prevail over federal jurisdiction, but they were defeated by the Liberals with the help of the lone NDP MP on the committee.
“We have the right to ensure the survival of French and its growth,” argued Bloc MP Mario Beaulieu.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather said that he understood why the nationalist-separatist Bloc would push for such amendments, but expressed his surprise that the Conservatives sided with the separatist party given that it had never been their position historically.
“The Conservative party, including in Charlottetown with Brian Mulroney, tried to include in the Constitution of Canada the obligation of the federal government to protect the vitality and development of both linguistic minority communities,” he said.
“So to introduce the Charter of the French language into this bill is essentially saying that we're agreeing that only some English-speaking Quebecers get served in English, only those who have access to English schools,” added Housefather.
“It's agreeing with using the notwithstanding clause in a pre-emptive way.”
Conservative MP Bernard Généreux said that conversations are ongoing between the federal government and Quebec, and said he would “trust” both levels of government to “work hand in hand” to stop the decline of French in Quebec and across the country.
Bill C-13 establishes, among many things, a right to work and to be served in French in federally regulated businesses, such as banks, airlines and railways, in Quebec and, at a later date, other regions across Canada with a “strong francophone presence.”
Quebec's new charter goes further, forcing businesses of more than 25 employees to ensure French is the common language in the workplace. The previous legislation ensured only businesses of 50 people or more would have to comply.
But the Bloc has said C-13 would be counterproductive as federally regulated workplaces would be able to skirt around Quebec's new obligations by choosing to work in either one of Canada's official languages.
Liberals warned against even introducing the notion of French as a “common language” in Quebec, which, they say, could have possible legal implications in the future. Beaulieu answered that he really did not see what the problem was with that choice of words.
In a rare move, the chair of the committee, Liberal MP René Arseneault, intervened in the debate to say that he does not consider English to be the “common language” in his francophone community
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF FRENCH.
of New Brunswick even though the province is officially bilingual.
Housefather then concluded the meeting with a passionate speech on why he opposes any attempts to introduce references to Quebec's law when it is “almost entirely opposed by the minority linguistic community of the province.”
“Would we do this if ... the francophone community in Manitoba was entirely against a provincial law? Would we introduce that concept into federal law approvingly even though we know the whole minority community is against it?”
Housefather also said that the federal government cannot abdicate its responsibilities by applying a law from a provincial legislature, and especially not when it includes the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause, a practice that the Liberal government has said it intends to challenge.
The committee on official languages has six more meetings to study nearly 200 amendments to Bill C-13.