Quebec minister defends new Bill 96 banners, 311 phone messages

QUEBEC — With complaints and even spoofs of new Bill 96 website banners and phone messages on the rise, the minister responsible for French is defending the system because he says it will help protect French.

At the same time, Jeanfrançois Roberge said if adjustments are required to the regulations they will be made.

“I can understand there is a discomfort because it’s a new law, we changed something, something significant,” Jean-françois Roberge told reporters arriving for question period at the legislature.

“Of course we will adjust in the next days, the next weeks to be sure we improve our ways. But it’s important that in Quebec, whereas we know French is the only official and common language, it’s important the government and the cities discuss with citizens in French.

“But it’s important to respect the right of anglophones to be served in English. And we will rely on the good faith of Quebecers. We won’t ask people to bring a card or anything.

“It’s an important message, it’s a change in mentality and I am not ashamed to operate it. On the contrary, I am very proud to do it.”

Roberge was reacting to an explosion of reactions, many unfavourable, to the arrival of new rules covering the language used for government services stemming from Bill 96, the year-old overhaul of the Charter of the French Language.

The system has been questioned with some analysts questioning why there are no real checks on whether people entitled to services in English are telling the truth. Roberge said Quebec is counting on good faith.