By Michael Boriero
Several municipalities in the Eastern Townships have already assured residents that they will maintain their bilingual status regardless of whether Bill 96 passes into law or not.
“I want to keep it and I’m pretty sure the council will follow my recommendation on this,” said Ayer’s Cliff Mayor Vincent Gérin.
If Bill 96, an act that strengthens the French language in Quebec, passes into law, one of the proposed changes to the Charter of the French Language is that cities with less than 50 per cent of residents claiming English as a mother tongue could lose their bilingual status.
The bill, however, provides an alternative option for cities interested in keeping their bilingual status, and continue offering services in both French and English. They will need to adopt a resolution within 120 days after the province officially passes Bill 96.
