Latest news with #Jean-FrançoisRoberge
Montreal Gazette
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Drimonis: Children's book club is latest target of CAQ's identity politics
Books and public libraries were my gateways to other worlds as a child. It's understandable, then, why I'm such a fan of the TD Summer Reading Club, a national program involving 2,200 public libraries, celebrating local authors and inspiring children to read. The club is free, all materials and book lists are bilingual across Canada, and since 2008 it's worked hard to provide original French content. It was this club that Quebec Francization Minister Jean-François Roberge decided to criticize on social media for the simple reason that one of the many illustrations it uses to promote its cross-country activities features a girl in a hijab. 'Many Quebecers have expressed their discomfort with this poster for a book club held in a public library,' Roberge said on X last month, 'which depicts a young girl wearing a hijab. This type of poster does not promote the coexistence we want to promote in Quebec. The principles and foundations of the new law on integration into the Quebec nation must ultimately guide us to avoid this kind of blunder.' How many Quebecers 'expressed their discomfort,' we'll never know, but what 'blunder' is Roberge alluding to exactly? A little girl being interested in reading? Improving her French? Feeling like she belongs to a larger, inclusive Quebec? Making friends with other cultural communities? Or does Roberge only see a hijab? Some people's vision of vivre-ensemble appears limited to an 'ensemble' that only looks like them. In an effort to erase what the government considers undesirable from public spaces, the Coalition Avenir Québec is not above scapegoating children. I fail to see how that strengthens state secularism. Mouvement laïque québécois and the secular feminist organization Pour les droits des femmes du Québec shared their discomfort, noting the illustration depicts a minor wearing the hijab, not an adult with full agency. Yet the same groups and various pundits made no such distinction last year when they denounced an illustration of a woman in a hijab at Montreal City Hall's entrance, demanding the city remove it. The hijab is what ultimately bothered them. Disappointingly, the city caved. If organizers — receiving pressure to conform to the CAQ's limited vision of inclusion — simply pull the book club from Quebec, what would be accomplished other than depriving thousands of Quebec kids of a free reading program? Do Quebec's public libraries belong to all Quebecers or do they not? Only months ago, a Montreal public library told a writer trying to book a space to host his English book club that he couldn't, because Quebec's vague new language law was creating unnecessary confusion. Why are we making access to culture more difficult for some Quebecers? With the Legault government slashing school budgets and last year's reports of problems accessing francization courses, and with literacy rates lagging, one would think a francization minister would not only welcome outside assistance, but praise it. No such luck. Identity politics above everything else. Once again, the CAQ has chosen to single out a religious minority in order to showboat secularism. It's performative at best. While I don't support hijabs on children, neither do I believe that targeting those who wear them supports state secularism. It's just bullying. The CAQ says the book club's illustration 'does not promote the coexistence we want to promote in Quebec.' What kind of coexistence is that? The kind that marginalizes religious and cultural differences to such an extent that we can no longer even tolerate a mere illustration of a hijab for a free book club? The kind that selectively chooses to focus on some religious traditions while conveniently ignoring others? All young Quebecers — without qualifiers — should feel welcome in our public spaces and cultural institutions. That's the kind of coexistence I can get behind.
Global News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Quebec language watchdog now says it's OK to use ‘go' to support sports teams
Quebec's language watchdog has changed its tune on whether it's acceptable to use the word 'go' to cheer on sports teams. In a new guideline posted in its online dictionary, the Office québécois de la langue française says that while 'allez' is the preferred term, it's now 'partially legitimized' to use the English word to show encouragement. The flip-flop comes after the office took a hard line with Montreal's transit agency, pressing it for months in 2024 to scrub the word 'go' from the electronic signs on more than 1,000 city buses. The watchdog confirmed it had changed its position after The Canadian Press obtained a series of emails through access to information legislation, revealing it gave the transit agency a green light to use 'go' in June. The reversal followed a public outcry on the eve of the Montreal Canadiens' first playoff home game in April, when the Montreal Gazette reported how the transit agency had replaced 'Go! Canadiens Go!' with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' to stay on the watchdog's good side. Story continues below advertisement The revelations prompted French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge to intervene, declaring that the expression 'Go Habs Go' is part of Quebec culture, and that any future complaints about the slogan would be dismissed. That statement verged on political interference and placed the watchdog in a difficult position, according to one expert. 'The office had to respond to a political order,' said Benoît Melançon, emeritus professor of French literature at Université de Montréal. 'The minister said, 'You will accept this,' so the office had to find a way to accept it.' The transit agency says it hasn't decided whether it will put the word 'go' back on its bus displays. On Wednesday, a spokesperson said the agency is now 'beginning its reflection on the subject.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In an April statement, Dominique Malack, the president of the language office, agreed that the slogan 'Go Habs Go' is anchored in Quebec's history. Still, she went on to say that the word 'go' is an anglicism, and that public bodies have an obligation to use 'exemplary' French, which includes using only French words in their signage. Emails released to The Canadian Press show the transit agency asked the watchdog in May, following the uproar, for authorization to start using 'go' again. A month later, on June 6, the language office directed transit officials to its new entry for the word 'allez' in its online dictionary of terminology, a reference guide for the proper use of French in Quebec. Story continues below advertisement The page notes how the anglicism 'go' has been used in Quebec since at least the 1980s and is 'well-established' in common parlance. 'It is considered to be partially legitimized,' the entry says. When asked by The Canadian Press to comment on the newly released email correspondence, the watchdog confirmed it had updated its position. 'The office now considers that a public body can use the interjection go in a context of encouragement … without this compromising the duty of exemplarity incumbent upon it under the Charter of the French Language,' spokesperson Gilles Payer told The Canadian Press in an email. Payer confirmed the entry was newly published on May 30. 'The media coverage of the case concerning the use of the borrowed word 'go' in a sports context led the office to officially assess the acceptability' of the word, he said. Melançon, the French literature professor, said the new rationale – especially the term 'partially legitimized' – suggests the office was uneasy with the change. 'This must have given rise to some pretty intense internal debates,' he said. ''Do we take into account what the minister is telling us or do we not take it into account? If we don't take it into account, what are the consequences? If we do, how do we justify changing our minds?'' At least one transit agency official felt dubious about the original complaint, which related to a bus displaying the words 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' in support of Montreal's professional soccer club. She called the issue a 'grey zone' in a June 2024 email to colleagues. Story continues below advertisement 'We've been using the word 'go' for years without a problem,' she wrote. 'Are we going to change everything because of one complaint?' But by later that month, the agency had decided to scrap the word, which involved manually updating the display on each of more than 1,000 buses over a period of months. The agency has said no further change will be made before the buses undergo regular maintenance in the fall. The language office has received at least two other complaints about the word 'go' in the last five years, according to a response to a separate access-to-information request. In 2023, someone complained about the slogan 'Go Habs Go' appearing on an outdoor billboard. That complaint was dismissed because the expression is a trademark. A similar complaint in 2021 targeted the hashtag #GoHabsGo that appears in oversized letters outside the Bell Centre in Montreal, the home arena of the Canadiens. The person who filed the complaint suggested that to comply with Quebec's language rules, the expression 'Allez les Habitants allez' should appear alongside the English slogan, in larger letters. 'And yes, I'm serious, if the law applies, then apply it! :)' the person wrote. According to the language watchdog, that complaint was resolved following an intervention, though it provided no details. A spokesperson for the hockey team declined to comment. Story continues below advertisement The #GoHabsGo sign remains in place. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.
National Observer
03-07-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
Quebec language watchdog says it's OK to use 'go' to support sports teams
Quebec's language watchdog has changed its tune on whether it's acceptable to use the word "go" to cheer on sports teams. In a new guideline posted in its online dictionary, the Office québécois de la langue française says that while "allez" is the preferred term, it's now 'partially legitimized' to use the English word to show encouragement. The flip-flop comes after the office took a hard line with Montreal's transit agency, pressing it for months in 2024 to scrub the word "go" from the electronic signs on more than 1,000 city buses. The watchdog confirmed it had changed its position after The Canadian Press obtained a series of emails through access to information legislation, revealing it gave the transit agency a green light to use 'go' in June. The reversal followed a public outcry on the eve of the Montreal Canadiens' first playoff home game in April, when the Montreal Gazette reported how the transit agency had replaced 'Go! Canadiens Go!' with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' to stay on the watchdog's good side. The revelations prompted French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge to intervene, declaring that the expression 'Go Habs Go' is part of Quebec culture, and that any future complaints about the slogan would be dismissed. That statement verged on political interference and placed the watchdog in a difficult position, according to one expert. Quebec language watchdog now says it's OK to use 'go' to support sports teams. #Polqc 'The office had to respond to a political order,' said Benoît Melançon, emeritus professor of French literature at Université de Montréal. 'The minister said, 'You will accept this,' so the office had to find a way to accept it.' The transit agency says it hasn't decided whether it will put the word 'go' back on its bus displays. On Wednesday, a spokesperson said the agency is now 'beginning its reflection on the subject.' In an April statement, Dominique Malack, the president of the language office, agreed that the slogan 'Go Habs Go' is anchored in Quebec's history. Still, she went on to say that the word 'go' is an anglicism, and that public bodies have an obligation to use 'exemplary' French, which includes using only French words in their signage. Emails released to The Canadian Press show the transit agency asked the watchdog in May, following the uproar, for authorization to start using 'go' again. A month later, on June 6, the language office directed transit officials to its new entry for the word 'allez' in its online dictionary of terminology, a reference guide for the proper use of French in Quebec. The page notes how the anglicism 'go' has been used in Quebec since at least the 1980s and is 'well-established' in common parlance. 'It is considered to be partially legitimized,' the entry says. When asked by The Canadian Press to comment on the newly released email correspondence, the watchdog confirmed it had updated its position. 'The office now considers that a public body can use the interjection go in a context of encouragement … without this compromising the duty of exemplarity incumbent upon it under the Charter of the French Language,' spokesperson Gilles Payer told The Canadian Press in an email. Payer confirmed the entry was newly published on May 30. 'The media coverage of the case concerning the use of the borrowed word 'go' in a sports context led the office to officially assess the acceptability' of the word, he said. Melançon, the French literature professor, said the new rationale – especially the term 'partially legitimized' – suggests the office was uneasy with the change. 'This must have given rise to some pretty intense internal debates,' he said. ''Do we take into account what the minister is telling us or do we not take it into account? If we don't take it into account, what are the consequences? If we do, how do we justify changing our minds?'' At least one transit agency official felt dubious about the original complaint, which related to a bus displaying the words 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' in support of Montreal's professional soccer club. She called the issue a 'grey zone' in a June 2024 email to colleagues. 'We've been using the word 'go' for years without a problem,' she wrote. 'Are we going to change everything because of one complaint?' But by later that month, the agency had decided to scrap the word, which involved manually updating the display on each of more than 1,000 buses over a period of months. The agency has said no further change will be made before the buses undergo regular maintenance in the fall. The language office has received at least two other complaints about the word 'go' in the last five years, according to a response to a separate access-to-information request. In 2023, someone complained about the slogan 'Go Habs Go' appearing on an outdoor billboard. That complaint was dismissed because the expression is a trademark. A similar complaint in 2021 targeted the hashtag #GoHabsGo that appears in oversized letters outside the Bell Centre in Montreal, the home arena of the Canadiens. The person who filed the complaint suggested that to comply with Quebec's language rules, the expression 'Allez les Habitants allez' should appear alongside the English slogan, in larger letters. 'And yes, I'm serious, if the law applies, then apply it! :)' the person wrote. According to the language watchdog, that complaint was resolved following an intervention, though it provided no details. A spokesperson for the hockey team declined to comment. The #GoHabsGo sign remains in place.
Winnipeg Free Press
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Quebec language watchdog now says it's OK to use ‘go' to support sports teams
MONTREAL – Quebec's language watchdog has changed its tune on whether it's acceptable to use the word 'go' to cheer on sports teams. In a new guideline posted in its online dictionary, the Office québécois de la langue française says that while 'allez' is the preferred term, it's now 'partially legitimized' to use the English word to show encouragement. The flip-flop comes after the office took a hard line with Montreal's transit agency, pressing it for months in 2024 to scrub the word 'go' from the electronic signs on more than 1,000 city buses. The watchdog confirmed it had changed its position after The Canadian Press obtained a series of emails through access to information legislation, revealing it gave the transit agency a green light to use 'go' in June. The reversal followed a public outcry on the eve of the Montreal Canadiens' first playoff home game in April, when the Montreal Gazette reported how the transit agency had replaced 'Go! Canadiens Go!' with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' to stay on the watchdog's good side. The revelations prompted French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge to intervene, declaring that the expression 'Go Habs Go' is part of Quebec culture, and that any future complaints about the slogan would be dismissed. That statement verged on political interference and placed the watchdog in a difficult position, according to one expert. 'The office had to respond to a political order,' said Benoît Melançon, emeritus professor of French literature at Université de Montréal. 'The minister said, 'You will accept this,' so the office had to find a way to accept it.' The transit agency says it hasn't decided whether it will put the word 'go' back on its bus displays. On Wednesday, a spokesperson said the agency is now 'beginning its reflection on the subject.' In an April statement, Dominique Malack, the president of the language office, agreed that the slogan 'Go Habs Go' is anchored in Quebec's history. Still, she went on to say that the word 'go' is an anglicism, and that public bodies have an obligation to use 'exemplary' French, which includes using only French words in their signage. Emails released to The Canadian Press show the transit agency asked the watchdog in May, following the uproar, for authorization to start using 'go' again. A month later, on June 6, the language office directed transit officials to its new entry for the word 'allez' in its online dictionary of terminology, a reference guide for the proper use of French in Quebec. The page notes how the anglicism 'go' has been used in Quebec since at least the 1980s and is 'well-established' in common parlance. 'It is considered to be partially legitimized,' the entry says. When asked by The Canadian Press to comment on the newly released email correspondence, the watchdog confirmed it had updated its position. 'The office now considers that a public body can use the interjection go in a context of encouragement … without this compromising the duty of exemplarity incumbent upon it under the Charter of the French Language,' spokesperson Gilles Payer told The Canadian Press in an email. Payer confirmed the entry was newly published on May 30. 'The media coverage of the case concerning the use of the borrowed word 'go' in a sports context led the office to officially assess the acceptability' of the word, he said. Melançon, the French literature professor, said the new rationale – especially the term 'partially legitimized' – suggests the office was uneasy with the change. 'This must have given rise to some pretty intense internal debates,' he said. ''Do we take into account what the minister is telling us or do we not take it into account? If we don't take it into account, what are the consequences? If we do, how do we justify changing our minds?'' At least one transit agency official felt dubious about the original complaint, which related to a bus displaying the words 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' in support of Montreal's professional soccer club. She called the issue a 'grey zone' in a June 2024 email to colleagues. 'We've been using the word 'go' for years without a problem,' she wrote. 'Are we going to change everything because of one complaint?' But by later that month, the agency had decided to scrap the word, which involved manually updating the display on each of more than 1,000 buses over a period of months. The agency has said no further change will be made before the buses undergo regular maintenance in the fall. The language office has received at least two other complaints about the word 'go' in the last five years, according to a response to a separate access-to-information request. In 2023, someone complained about the slogan 'Go Habs Go' appearing on an outdoor billboard. That complaint was dismissed because the expression is a trademark. A similar complaint in 2021 targeted the hashtag #GoHabsGo that appears in oversized letters outside the Bell Centre in Montreal, the home arena of the Canadiens. The person who filed the complaint suggested that to comply with Quebec's language rules, the expression 'Allez les Habitants allez' should appear alongside the English slogan, in larger letters. 'And yes, I'm serious, if the law applies, then apply it! :)' the person wrote. According to the language watchdog, that complaint was resolved following an intervention, though it provided no details. A spokesperson for the hockey team declined to comment. The #GoHabsGo sign remains in place. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.
09-06-2025
- Business
Quebec floats cutting services for non-permanent residents
Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said he isn't ruling out the possibility of cutting services for non-permanent residents in the province if the federal government fails to halve its annual immigration targets. At a news conference on Thursday, Roberge presented a report outlining the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government's potential immigration targets for 2026-29. If we're forced to make difficult decisions, we'll make them. We're not at that point yet, and we don't want to get there Roberge said, underlining that the provincial government spent $500 million last year to support asylum seekers. He added that the state of public services in the province is unfair to Quebecers who pay taxes and are already struggling to see family doctors and find housing. The report (new window) describes three scenarios the government is considering to bring down the number of permanent residents from this year's target of 66,500. Thresholds could be lowered to 45,000, 35,000 or 25,000 over the next four years. Roberge said that the government would focus its non-permanent immigration reduction efforts in Montreal and Laval to facilitate newcomers settling in regional areas, where French is less threatened. He said it also intends to prioritize current non-permanent residents for permanent residency. Immigrants admitted through the Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires (PTET), which is currently suspended until Nov. 30, could decrease from 72,000 to 65,000 over the same period. The government could decrease the number of international students from 128,000 to 110,00 by 2029, according to the document. 'Disconnect' between immigration targets, business sector The CAQ government's proposed targets come on the heels of the Institut du Québec suggesting an increase in the number of new permanent residents to lessen the province's reliance on non-permanent residents. The report by the Institut du Québec, published on Wednesday, outlines several scenarios, including one that suggested raising permanent immigration levels in the province to up to 90,000. According to the institute's study, focusing on permanent immigration is preferable to temporary immigration since people who choose to settle permanently make a greater contribution to Quebec society and the economy. Véronique Proulx, president and executive director of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec , said the ideas the CAQ government put forward today were surprising and disappointing. There's really a disconnect between what the government is proposing today and what the companies in the regions of Quebec, but also in Montreal and Laval, are asking for, Proulx said. The number one thing they're asking for is more immigration. Temporary immigration but permanent immigration as well. Arcelle Appolon, executive director of Maison d'Haïti in Montreal, said the government's immigration targets were not realistic simply because for the past couple of years, the thresholds have not been respected. Quebec is projected to accept 10,000 more (new window) permanent residents in 2025 than it planned because of immigrants who completed the Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ). We are quite aware of the reality of what happens when people come and when we hear their stories, we see that the [government] narrative that is currently in place differs greatly from what they're telling us, she said. We do hope that the government chooses to re-evaluate their numbers and consider the experts' opinions on the topic. Public consultations on the CAQ government's immigration plans will take place in August. Holly Cabrera (new window) · CBC News with files from Cathy Senay, Radio-Canada's Jérôme Labbé and the Canadian Press
