Quebec Community Groups Network and others

English-speaking Quebecers are deeply disappointed that the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government has refused to correct an ill-advised measure in Bill 96 that would impact the educational success of our youth.

On April 13, the opposition Liberals tabled a new amendment to Bill 96 that would have allowed students in English-language CEGEPs to fulfill the newly proposed requirement for an additional three courses in French to opt for a greater number of second-language French courses rather than core or program courses.

The next day, CAQ committee members voted against providing English-speaking students who feared they might not pass core or program courses in their second language with this alternative. The Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire abstained on this amendment. This is further evidence that the Legault government doesn’t care about the success of English-speaking students. Learning in French is not the same as learning French as a second language. The CAQ had the option to improve provisions related to CEGEP instruction for English-speaking students. They rejected it.

Given that the original amendments to Bill 96 regarding three additional core or program courses stand, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), the Quebec English School Board Association (QESBA), the English Parents’

Committee Association (EPCA) and the Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations (QFHSA) have no other option than to fight for the complete rollback of this measure which will have a negative effect on student success. Working with other groups, our organizations will contemplate further actions to try to convince the CAQ government to withdraw this unacceptable measure.

Signed,

Marlene Jennings, president, QCGN  

Katherine Korakakis, president, EPCA

Dan Lamoureux, president, QESBA

Rosemary Murphy, president, QFHSA

Bill 96: Time to repeal ill-advised CEGEP amendment