Written and Presented by
Richard Henderson, President & John Trent, Vice-President

Table of Contents
 

Section A

Outaouais Alliance

Outaouais Alliance, which was founded in 1982, is the regional association that represents the English-speaking community in the region that extends to the east past Montebello, to the west to Rapides-des-Joachims, to the north to the Laurentian Plateau and to the south to the Ottawa River. 

The following points summarize the main characteristics of the English-speaking community in the Outaouais:

• English-speaking immigrants were the first settlers of the Outaouais
• the English-speaking people comprise 16.6% of the population of the Outaouais, with about 50,000 people
• the majority of the English-speaking population of the Outaouais live in the Aylmer-Hull area
• the English-speaking community has a long history and an important heritage
• the urban English-speakers are, by and large, bilingual whereas the rural community is less so.

Section B

Summary:

Our Vision of the Language Situation in Quebec 

1) The fundamental goal of language legislation in Quebec must be to preserve and protect the French language in a spirit of cooperation and understanding with the minority language communities. It cannot be achieved simply by punitive legislation because Quebec’s reputation in Canada and the world has and will suffer too much.  Nor, we are forced to conclude, can it be achieved through “freedom of choice” without some encouragement by the state.  The Estates General must seek a balance. 

2) The issue with which the Estates General is dealing is not just one of language in isolation.  It must be understood in its democratic context of rights and obligations for both the linguistic majority and the minorities.  Just as the linguistic minorities must respect the language of the Francophone majority, so must the Francophones protect the linguistic minorities, in particular the rights of the English-speaking Quebecers who have made historic contributions to the province.  Neither the French nor the English will succeed by putting the other down. We seek a constructive attitude. 

3) While perhaps not everyone will agree with us, we believe there has been a fundamental shift of attitude in the English-speaking community during the last decades. More and more Anglophones see the benefits of bilingualism, are bilingual, accept French as the common language of Quebec, and even are protective of this hard-won French part of their culture and heritage.  We are not Quebecers by default.  We have chosen to live as Anglophones in a French Quebec and are proud of it. We want to be considered as a “partner”, not a “problem” 

4) At the same time as we struggle to preserve our minority language rights and to create a place for ourselves as partners in the new Quebec, we fully understand the difficulties of the French language in English-speaking North America. We understand more than you would think what it means to be a minority and to have to continually struggle to maintain one’s culture and institutions.

5) Even though some Anglophones may be more antagonistically visible, we are persuaded that the real danger to French Quebec comes not from English-speaking Canadians but from the new world dominance of the Anglo-American culture and the threat of new communications technologies.  We believe we can be a creative partner of a pro-active policy by Quebec to offer bilingual opportunities within a programme for high-quality French.  

6) We believe that a spirit of cooperation and understanding with linguistic minorities can be brought about by marginal changes to linguistic policies that will not threaten the core legislation to preserve and protect the French language.  The replacement of the punitive orientation of the policies with a more enticing programme of incentives we think would eliminate many of the negative aspects which have cost Quebec so dearly in terms of investment and development.  English-speaking Quebecers could even become ambassadors for such a new orientation.   

7. Finally, we are of the opinion that the strength of the French language in Quebec and the growing respect for the English minority linguistic community are encouraging signs of the strengthening of the compact between Canada’s two official linguistic communities.  

Section C 

The Outaouais English-Speaking Community

In the urban areas of the Outaouais, the English-speaking community is integrated, by and large bilingual, often bicultural and generally lives in linguistic harmony with the Francophone community. 

It cannot be said however that the Outaouais English-speaking community speaks with one voice on all issues. There is the same diversity of approach and opinion as might be found in any group. However, many assumptions made by outside observers about the English-speaking minority of the Outaouais are often based on very outdated observations.  

For instance, in those rural areas where English-speakers far outnumber Francophones, it is often assumed that the French language charter is neither respected nor applied. Recent history shows that there is a significant change in attitudes in this regard.  

Shawville is a good case in point. The municipality, which is 92% Anglophone, has recently been in the spotlight as a result of several visits by the Office de la Langue Française that investigated filed complaints regarding commercial violations of the Charter of the French Language.  

The violations were undeniable, but the community’s response to those complaints may surprise. Shawville Municipal Council sought and received the guidance and support of Outaouais Alliance in developing a policy that would respect the spirit of the Language Charter while respecting the predominantly English character of the municipality. Since that time, the council has adopted a position that the French language must be respected in all official business and should appear on all signs. Most signs are now either unilingual French or bilingual with equal sized characters. Only a few unilingual English signs remain. There has been a concerted effort to provide bilingual service in businesses as well. These changes may not respect the letter of the law but they do respect the principle by which they wish to be governed: with full respect and concern for the minorities of the constituency.  

Recently, Shawville decided to embark upon a revitalization of its commercial core. As part of that process it was decided that French language courses should be offered to the business people to better serve its population. Over forty people registered.  

These may not be significant gestures in the minds of some, but they are far from the picture that has been painted of Shawville as a great bastion of English resistance and it gives the lie to the fact that the English-speakers of Quebec are not sold on the importance of the French language in Quebec and indeed in Canada.  

Section D

From Problem to Partner

The Commission of the Estates General on the state and the future of the French language in Quebec arrives at a time in Quebec’s history that can be described as pivotal. 

Since Jacques Cartier and his fellow explorers set foot in Canada the French language has been an integral part of the cultural landscape of North America. With the arrival of the English, Canada became the battleground of three cultures vying for the same territory.   

Although the clash of cultures in Canada’s past was, at times, a bloody struggle for cultural and political domination, the epic battles were most often a reflection of the strife imported from Europe.  

In spite of many returns to armed conflict, there emerged eventually a new compact between the people inhabiting this land. The original authors of this compact were Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin. Their purpose was to initiate a democratic and representative system where the rights and freedoms of the minorities could be protected. Many times, Canadians have revisited this compact and found it to be a sound cornerstone of our collective values. The world model of conquest and domination was abandoned in favor of a new model of cohabitation for a new land. 

In spite of this compact, the French language itself has been under continuous pressure due to the sheer number of English-speakers that live in North America. As a result, it can be said that the French language and culture would likely not have survived without the presence of two determining factors:

1. The will of the French-speakers to nurture their language and culture by developing its economic and cultural strength through public education, the strengthening of social programs and protective legislation.
2. The compact between the French-speaking people and the English-speaking people of Canada.

In the last thirty years, Quebec has taken the lead in ensuring the survival of the French language. Through language legislation, Quebec has consolidated its place as the cradle of the French language in North America.  

In the rest of Canada, the English-speaking majority has agreed to official bilingualism and has entrenched language legislation in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The federal government has developed most of Canada’s well known French language cultural institutions including Radio-Canada, le Conseil des Arts and l’Office National du film to mention but some of the best known. 

An oft-forgotten story contained within the pages of Quebec’s history of struggle is that of the English-speakers who have lived their lives and had a hand in shaping Quebec’s communities. The English-speakers of Quebec have been faced with a similar numerical imbalance in their own communities as that which French-speakers face in Canada. 

Although that numerical parallel can be made, it would be ludicrous to infer that the English language itself is imperiled in Quebec. With today’s technology, no English-speaking Quebecer is ever far away from the English language and the ever-present influence of American culture. 

However, the English-speaking community has suffered a reduction of its numbers like no other community has seen in North America since the Loyalist displacement of the late 18^th century. Roughly half of the English-speaking community has left Quebec in the last thirty years. This exodus, voluntary though it may have been, has been attributed to the political and economic instability of Quebec and, perhaps, the perceptions surrounding the restrictions imposed on English-speakers by the Charter of the French language.  

In Quebec, the necessary steps that were taken to protect and preserve the French language and culture have achieved enormous success in revitalizing the French language and securing its normal place as the principal common language of Quebecers. But in the process, the English-speaking population has often been targeted as an impediment to achieving success.

All along, feeling that their rights were being eroded, English-speakers have reacted defensively to this perception that they are a problem. Those who felt insulted would choose to be combative and strident. Others, who sought reconciliation, instinctively knew that they, the English-speakers, were not the problem; the problem is the worldwide Anglo-American cultural dominance. Therein lies a distinction that, once understood by more people in both communities, may allow the English-speaking community to go from problem to partner. 

Section E

Fostering the partnership 

English-speaking Quebecers are aware of the constant pressures on the French language. In fact, a good case can be made that most English-speaking Quebecers are involved in protecting and indeed cherishing the French language and culture. Outaouais Alliance’s mission reflects this understanding in its statement: 

The primary aim of the organization is to promote a healthy English-speaking community in a secure French-speaking Quebec; a strong Quebec within a united Canada. 

However, the English-speaking community has had its own fight to keep its institutions alive in Quebec. Generally speaking, the French majority has granted some guarantees, but the debate arises when English-speaking Quebecers have seen those institutions threatened by the use of legislation that is intended to protect the French language. Several examples come to mind, but for the purpose of clarity only two will be put forward here:

• In Quebec law, a person’s right to work in the French language can have a direct impact on a sick or infirmed person’s right to receive health care in their own language.
• In Quebec law there is a distinction made as to who can be defined as an English-speaker. That distinction has a significant impact on a community’s access to English services.

Public debate is often acrimonious when a minority group claims it is the victim of discrimination. In Quebec, the English-speaking community is called ‘the world’s best treated minority’ and told to stop whining when it seeks redress to any of the imbalances brought on by the Charter of the French Language. In Canada, Quebec is called ‘l’enfant terrible’ and worse when it seeks to protect the French language. Both communities seem to have much in common. Yet they do not seek to find the common ground.  

For this to happen in Quebec, the English-speaking community and the French-speaking majority must try to hammer out new agreements that respect the principle that there exists a common interest in seeing each other thrive. 

Section F

The Three Approaches to Language Policy in Quebec - and One Other

In the Consultation document, Le Français, parlons-en the Commission has outlined the three approaches that were used in designing Quebec’s language policy. They are identified as the legislative approach, the social approach and the concerted international approach. It is on these crucial points where we would like to begin to outline the opportunities that exist today for the fostering of better relations between the linguistic communities of Quebec. And we will suggest one other. 

The Legislative Approach
The legislative approach contains within itself all of the seeds of discontent of the English-speaking minority of Quebec. There is an orientation of the legislative approach that most English-speakers of Quebec and indeed, the rest of Canada finds particularly odious. It is the costly bureaucracy that exists for the sole purpose of responding to complaints that are registered by individual citizens against businesses that do not comply with language restrictions.

The cost of this questionable practice is obscene, its effectiveness is questionable, and the propensity for abuse in any policing system that operates only as a result of citizens’ complaints is enormous.  

This approach of levying fines for an infraction of respect also lends itself to challenge in the courts, to acrimonious debate in the media and to harassment of both the individuals inspected and the inspectors themselves. 

The worst enemy of the French language is the economic decline generated by the exodus of people and companies that are, in part, a result of the environment of conflict present in Quebec. 

There needs to be a review of sign legislation that at once respects the principle of predominance of the French language and can also respect the rights of other linguistic minorities. 

The Charter should use Quebec’s tax system to give incentives for implementation of Francization programs instead of using a punitive approach through the legal system. 

There also needs to be a review of Quebec’s immigration laws to allow English-speaking immigrants to educate their children in English in Quebec. 

The English-speaking minority needs the means through which it can continue to have its institutions protected according to Quebec’s Charter of rights.  

The Social Approach
French is the common language of Quebec. Quebec, however, is a province that consists of many thousands of communities. Each community is different the one from the other. There are certain values that they share, not the least of which is the need to protect the French language and culture, but there are also differences based on geography, culture, and language. As a result, the social approach to language legislation must expand the concept of collective rights from the limited notion of ‘majority rules’. The question that Quebec must ask itself in reviewing its language legislation is whether it is fair at this time that Quebec should use a ‘melting pot’ approach rather than the pluralist model that is based on the Canadian compact.      

The Concerted International Approach
Quebec’s language legislation must be able to conform to the standards set by the international community and withstand challenges at the human rights tribunals. So far it has not been entirely successful on this count. A serious attempt needs to be made to find the means that will allow the application of the Charter’s measures to be reconciled with minimum international standards. This can only be accomplished through the painstaking process of reconciling the majority’s aims and the minority’s needs.

The Unified Approach: Partnership

The idea of seeking partners from within the minority community that can help to move the process forward is not a new one. For instance, today on this Commission there are two members from the English-speaking community. That is two more than there was in the first Commission almost forty years ago. This alone is significant.

However, there is significant evidence throughout this area and the province that the English-speaking community is firmly convinced and amply prepared to support Francophones in their struggle to preserve and protect the French language. For instance:

·        the readiness of Shawville residents to respect the spirit of the Charter by insisting on French appearing on all signs. Thirty years ago they would have insisted on the right to have English only signs.

• the overwhelming demand for French immersion education in Quebec’s English school system
• the popularity of French as a second language in adult education and the growth of the demand in rural areas.
• the numerous requests by the leadership of the English-speaking community for a greater involvement in the public life of Quebec.

The English-speaking community can be given the tools necessary to thrive linguistically and culturally within a French Quebec with little impact on the foothold achieved by the French language in Quebec. With security, English Quebecers can become a solid partner in the battle to preserve and protect the French language and culture and renew their historical bond with that part of their own heritage; there could be no better ambassadors to promote and defend the Charter. 

Section G

Recommendations: 

1. The Commission’s report should make an effort to correct the myths regarding the perceptions of the English-speaking community of Quebec and provide the facts about the exodus that has occurred and the constraints imposed upon our economic and cultural growth.
    

2. There should be a new definition given to the principle of French predominance on signs. French predominance can be defined as follows:

A)    French must appear on every sign

B)     The French language must appear first; ahead of any other language; or above the other language

C)    The other language must never be in larger letters or must not appear to dominate by way of color or markings that would emphasize it over the French 

3. The Office de la langue Française should have the orientation of its mandate changed significantly. It should no longer have a mandate to investigate complaints and levy fines for non-compliance. Instead it should become an agency that educates and coordinates compliance of Francization programs through voluntary programs and tax incentives. Businesses that implement voluntary Francization programs and ensure that signage conforms to the Charter’s recommendations should be given tax incentives to do so. The OLF will then play a role in ensuring that businesses receiving the incentives remain compliant to the Charter.
    

4. Immigrants to Quebec who have received the majority of their education in English should be allowed to have their children educated in the English school system. There should be tax incentives to ensure that their children be enrolled in immersion programs when beginning their education.
    

5. Access to health care in one’s own language should be a principle that weighs heavily in the determination of language legislation’s implementation in the health care system.
    

6. Representation from the English-speaking community needs to be strengthened in the provincial public service and all public employment.
    

7. The rural areas of predominantly English-speaking areas need greater access to French language instruction through adult education programs and community associations.
    

8. The government should implement student cultural exchange programs to foster a greater understanding between cultural communities throughout Canada.
    

9. Given such reform, the English-speaking community will be in a better position to explain, promote and defend a new Charter of the French language that enhances French as the common language while respecting minority rights.

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