The format of a My Take is 150 words – no more, no less – to express an opinion on a different topic each week. This week’s topic was Bill 96
In a committee session on Wednesday, the Premier said that he “knows plenty of English-speaking Quebecers who have no problem with Bill 101,” during a speech about how Quebecers need to come together and accept the legislation that his government has presented on state secularism and on protecting the French language, Bills 20 and 96.
I’m not sure that I know “plenty” of Quebecers, generally, who have really looked at what’s in the Charter of the French Language, but I can accept the premier’s statement. After all, Bill 101 has been around for 45 years and that is plenty of time for people to form diverse opinions.
It’s irrelevant to criticisms of Bill 96 and Bill 20, though. I know plenty of French-speaking Quebecers who have lots of issues with both bills. These debates are about respecting people’s rights far more than their mother tongues.
