Context

We are deeply concerned about the potential impacts of this proposed bill, particularly its impacts on English speakers in the labour market, as well as equity-seeking groups, such as Indigenous peoples and immigrants. In this response, we focus specifically on Québec’s English-speaking community, which is a historic and diverse group of communities across Québec’s 17 regions. Chief among our concerns is that this bill, as written, does not guarantee the economic vitality of Québec’s English speakers.

Summary of Recommendations

We recommend that the Government of Québec:

1. Halt the current adoption process for Bill 1 and establish an inclusive constituent assembly that explicitly incorporates key stakeholders and representatives from minority communities – including the English-speaking community – to draft a new constitution that will unify all Quebecers.
2. Recognize the English-speaking community in the substantive text of the Constitution and guarantee the vitality of the English-speaking community, as well as its institutions.
3. Include a specific charter of French language learning rights, ensuring that all Quebecers have access to French language learning services.
4. Ensure access to government services in English, including government-delivered and third-party-delivered employment services.
5. Include a specific charter of economic rights for linguistic minority communities, guaranteeing that no person is denied access to employment and employment services solely based on their linguistic identity.
6. Remove the prohibition on the use of public funds for court challenges in the Act Respecting the Constitutional Autonomy of Québec.
7. Remove school service centres, general and vocational colleges, educational institutions at the university level, and professional orders from the Schedule I list of organizations subject to the Act Respecting the Constitutional Autonomy of Québec.