Brief to House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages : Bill C-13, An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages

The Official Languages Act is a lifeline for English-speaking Quebec. With Quebec’s Bill 96, the community needs this lifeline more than ever. But with Bill C-13, this lifeline is fraying. Founded in 1995, the Quebec Community Groups Network (“QCGN”) is a not-for-profit organization linking English-language community organizations across Quebec. The QCGN—like the community it serves—is proud to support the protection and promotion of the French language in Canada. The QCGN advocates for linguistic duality in every province and territory. The English-speaking minority in Quebec is a diverse, bilingual, and resilient community that is facing serious economic challenges—in the face of persistent myths and stereotypes. Although the English language itself is not threatened, the English-speaking community’s challenge is in maintaining the community’s vitality and survival in all regions of Quebec.