In March 2022, the federal government tabled Bill C-13, an “Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.”

The intent of the bill is to modernize the “Official Languages Act” to protect, promote, and recognize the French language as a minority language in Canada and to encourage the use of both English and French.

In Quebec and other regions in Canada that have a strong Francophone presence, the “Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act” gives new language rights for employees in federally regulated private businesses. The Act also refers to Quebec’s “Charter of the French Language,” giving employers the option to follow the Charter or the Act.

The “Charter of the French Language” has undergone changes since new language law Bill 96 was adopted by the provincial government, whom used the notwithstanding clause, to protect the French language. The bill has been seen by many as an attack on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Quebecers.

As Bill C-13 continues to be reviewed, it has sparked some concern amongst the English-speaking communities, English community groups, and organizations in Quebec.

Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director General of Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), a non-profit profit organization that advocates for English-speaking Quebecers, speaks on Bill C-13 and the potential impacts it may have on the English-speaking minority communities in the province.

Martin-Laforge explained that the process of modernizing the “Official Languages Act” started back in 2018 to ensure that it is updated and current.

“That is something that the QCGN has been enthusiastic about since 2018. Over the past four to five years though, Bill C-13 has taken on a bit of a different turn. Bill C-13 now, which is being reviewed in parliamentary commission, talks about the province of Quebec and refers to the “Charter of French Language,” she said. “(…) It refers to the “Charter of the French Language” in its new look of Bill 96.”

While Bill C-13 is about the federal applications of the “Official Languages Act,” because it refers to provincial legislation, we all should be concerned about talking about provincial legislation, added Martin-Laforge.

“Why the federal government would refer to a bill, a law, Bill 96, the “Charter of the French Language” now, we feel it’s hostile to the English speaking community,” she noted.

Martin-Laforge highlighted that the “Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act” would give federally regulated private businesses in Quebec the choice to abide by the Charter of French Language or the federal government.

“It has the potential of affecting employees of those federally related business and services to the public. There’s an asymmetrical approach now to English and French in Bill C-13 and the “Official Languages Act” that we do not agree with,” mentioned Martin-Laforge.

Certainly in Quebec, the impact is that employees will not have equal access to performance reviews, to forms, explained Martin-Laforge. That is very possible because the language of work in Quebec under the “Charter of French Language” is very much more regulated.

“Colleagues in your workplace can say that you are using too much English. There’s a whole different feeling of culture in the employment sector in Quebec because of Bill 96, which will also have a consequence now in federally regulated businesses. In our view, federally regulated businesses shouldn’t be regulated under the provincial regulation,” emphasized Martin-Laforge.

She added that it creates a situation where employees and clients may be confused, and something that the federal government has not promised to either the English community in Quebec or Francophones outside of Quebec.

“We want the stability of having English and French recognized equally in our provinces and as Canadians. That is quite a bone of contention for us. Also, recognizing the “Charter of the French Language” that, with Bill 96, has used the notwithstanding clause. How can the government of Canada, by evoking the provincial legislation of the Charter, how can they put that in federal legislation? That is, to us, not logical and the principle is wrong,” explained Martin-Laforge.

Martin-Laforge said that Quebecers have to pay attention to Bill C-13 because over the past year the federal government seems to be legitimizing the “Charter of the French Language” as it is now.

According to Martin-Laforge, there is also a concern as to how legislation at the provincial and federal level will affect the funding that linguistic minority groups depend on it to thrive and be vital.

“I don’t think that most English-speaking Quebecers right now feel that the government of Quebec will ensure the vitality of the English-speaking community, we don’t feel it. We have always relied on the federal government to ensure that vitality. If, in a law, we are diminished to second class citizens, that might very well have an impact on the funding they give to English-speaking communities in Quebec,” explained Martin-Laforge.

In an open letter to the federal government, QCGN has asked for a reconsideration of the wording used in Bill C-13.

“Now, with Bill C-13, we’re seeing a description of English-speaking Quebecers as less than because of the federal government’s emphasis on the protection of French. Now protection of French in terms of language is fine, but protection of the community, the vitality of the community, has to be taken into account. We must continue to rely on the federal government to ensure the protection, the vitality of our community in Quebec,” emphasized Martin-Laforge.

To read and sign QCGN’s letter to the federal government.

For more information on Bill C-13.

CIDI has reached out to the office of Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages, for comment.

Listen to the full interview below: