Quebec's Language Non-Sense

PQ members debate access to anglo CEGEPs, daycare

The Parti Québécois (PQ) is doing all it can to keep the population from progressing and improving. (Wikipedia link for the French impaired).

The way it stands now, in order to attend an english primary or secondary public school in Quebec, at least one of the child's parents must meet three basic criteria:

1. received their schooling in Canada,
2. attended a public school,
3. received their pirmary and secondary education in english.

The rationale for this law is to prevent the erosion of the french language in Quebec. This requires that all children whos parents do not meet these criteria, receive their scholing in french. Since the majority of Quebec's population is francophone, this is a non issue for most families. Immigrant families are subject to this law as well; children of immigrant parents must be sent to a french school, if they choose to follow the public school system.

 

Famiies can opt out this arrangement if they choose to send their children to a private school, since private schools are not covered by this language law. After one year of education in a private english school, children are eligable to attend a public english school. The Quebec government tried to close loophole, but was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada. This is an ngoing debate in Quebec that will not get resolved soon.

Once teenagers finish high school (at grade 11 in Quebec), they enter he world of post secondary education with 2 years at CEGEP, followed by three years at university. Here. students finally receive the choice they deserve regarding the language of education. Most students choose to follow their CEGEP studies in their mother tongue. There, however, a large amount of francophone students who choose to attend their post secondary studies in english. Sometimes because of the program they followiing, but often, they wish improve their english skills.

In word that is becoming more connected, english is beng used more as the common language. Also, with U.S. being less than 1 hour away from Montreal, Quebec's largest trading partner is also one the largest english speaking countries in the world.

This where the real non sense begins. The PQ want to restrict this choice as well, extending the language law to post secondary institutions. In effect, they want to limit Quebec's students to living and working in Quebec, by restricting their ability to function outside of Quebec. It is all name of protecting the Quebec's unique culture, and the language of the majority being the defining character of culture.

 

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