27 February 2013

Majority of anglophones say English services accessible in Quebec - Montreal - CBC News


The majority of English-speaking Quebecers say they have access to government services in their mother tongue, a CBC commissioned EKOS poll has found.
But that doesn’t mean there’s isn’t room for improvement when it comes to certain services, according to some anglophones in Montreal.
Of the 1,001 anglophone Quebecers polled, 57 per cent agreed that they have access to government services in English. Twenty-eight per cent disagreed.

22 February 2013

Stephen Harper dancing carefully with Parti Québécois: Hébert | Toronto Star

Stephen Harper dancing carefully with Parti Québécois: Hébert | Toronto Star

MONTRÉAL—Almost six months into her minority mandate, Quebec premier Pauline Marois is still looking for an edge in her dealings with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
This weekend, the first gathering of the Parti Québécois in 2013 was expected to feature the presentation of a full-fledged Quebec-Ottawa strategy. The item was pulled off the agenda at the last minute.
Officially it has yet to be fully vetted by the cabinet. But by all indications PQ strategists also need more time to come up with a plan that will have legs in Quebec public opinion.

19 February 2013

De Courcy questioned on language policy at hearings on her spending estimate

De Courcy questioned on language policy at hearings on her spending estimate

De Courcy made her remarks under questioning by Liberal language critic Marc Tanguay, who noted that the Office québécois de la langue française does not have enough staff to monitor over 6,000 businesses now covered by francisation rules.

Nathalie Roy, the CAQ language critic, noted that Bill 14 would empower the government to strip a city designated bilingual of that status.

“Why can’t a municipality decide on its own to remain bilingual? Roy asked.

De Courcy suggested local referendums could decide the issue.