Quebec’s revised French-language legislation is causing uncertainty among English-speaking residents when accessing services, as per a recent report by Canada’s official languages commissioner. Raymond Théberge highlighted ongoing challenges faced by healthcare professionals in determining when English services can be provided under Law 14, also known as Bill 96. Similar issues are affecting Quebec’s education and business sectors.
Théberge, unveiling his findings for the 2023-2028 action plan in Dieppe, N.B., emphasized the need for Ottawa to safeguard Canadians’ language rights amidst federal spending reductions. The action plan allocates $4.1 billion to official languages programs.
The federal Liberal government’s fall budget outlined intentions to trim program expenses and administrative costs by approximately $60 billion over five years, along with cutting 40,000 public sector positions by 2029. Théberge expressed concerns that previous budget cuts had already impacted language initiatives, including training, research, and service provision.
Eva Ludvig, president of Talking. Advocating. Living in Quebec (TALQ), a group advocating for the English-speaking community in the province, echoed the commissioner’s observations, stating that the report aligns with the daily experiences on the ground.