Friday, June 20, 2008

Language Laws in Quebec

Here is an excellent summary of some of the laws that I saw effect Quebec when I was growing up - Bill 101 in particular:

http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/QuebecHistory/readings/langlaws.htm

A good sample quote:

"The bill, as it was passed in the summer of 1977, proclaimed French as the official language in Quebec for just about every facet of life in the province: government, judicial system, education, advertising, business, contracts, etc. For example, the bill required that all advertising on billboards be done in French only and that all commercial signs in business establishments be in French alone. All public administrations and businesses had to address their employees in French. All government agencies were directed to use the Official language in their dealings with corporations and other governments in Canada. Government Ministries and Agencies, as well as professional associations in Quebec, were to be known by their French name. The laws of the province were to be enacted in French although an English translation might also be made (and indeed continued to be made after bill 101). English education was to be restricted mostly to those already in the system, their siblings, those temporarily posted in Quebec or whose parents had themselves received an English elementary education in the province."

I'm not going to waste a lot more space on this blog fighting with Francophone residents of the PQ - that is absolutely the last purpose of this blog and no doubt of zero interest to 99.9% of my readers. But I do resent being called a liar, so I did one Google search and came up with this. That's about all of my time this issue deserves. Please consider the subject closed and debate it elsewhere. Thank you very much for your understanding.

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