Quebec\u2019s proposed constitution will explicitly recognize \u201cthe existence of the anglophone community and the fact that it enjoys enshrined rights,\u201d Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The change is in response to anglophone community groups who complained they were left out of his original plan, known as Bill 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard them. They told us: \u2018Let us be recognized in Bill 1.\u2019 And that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jolin-Barrette described the change to the proposed constitution\u2019s preamble as a gesture toward the English community \u201cto ensure their rights are recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the original draft, Bill 1 only mentioned anglophone Quebecers in passing. The preamble simply said Quebec would be \u201crespectful of the institutions of the English-speaking community.\u201d<\/p>\n
A reporter asked if specific rights would be mentioned, such as the right to health and social services. Jolin-Barrette said that\u2019s something that may be discussed by the National Assembly committee studying the plan.<\/p>\n
During hearings into the bill in February, Sylvia Martin-Laforge, the director general of the anglophone rights group TALQ, complained<\/a> the bill made \u201cno mention of Quebec\u2019s English-speaking community\u2019s citizens (and) only a brief, tangential reference to its \u2018institutions.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n She said the Coalition Avenir Qu\u00e9bec government has not shown that it recognizes \u201cwe are a minority\u00a0\u2014\u00a0not the best protected, not the wealthiest, and not all living in Westmount. We are a credible, reasonable minority that is both vulnerable and contributes (to Quebec society) at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n Jolin-Barrette also announced that he will remove from the bill another key irritant for the anglophone community.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said he will eliminate a provision, known as Article 5, that would have barred public institutions from using public funds to challenge some key Quebec laws.<\/p>\n Jolin-Barrette had previously criticized the English Montreal School Board for using taxpayer money to finance court challenges of language and secularism laws and the province\u2019s plan to abolish English-language school boards.<\/p>\n In February, Jolin-Barrette and EMSB chair Joe Ortona had a testy exchange <\/a>at public hearings of a National Assembly committee studying the bill.<\/p>\n Ortona urged the government to remove the provision banning publicly funded court challenges.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Jolin-Barrette was asked why he is removing the clause.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor sure, not because of Mr. Ortona,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n He said he made the change because he wants the constitution to move forward.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there are some irritants that I can take off the table, I\u2019ll do it,\u201d Jolin-Barrette said. \u201cThe constitution is more important than Article 5.\u201d<\/p>\n The EMSB wasn\u2019t the only anglophone institution to challenge laws with public funds. McGill and Concordia did so in their legal fight against a tuition overhaul that disproportionately affected them. <\/p>\n Several groups criticized the CAQ\u2019s attempt to limit the judicial recourse of publicly funded organizations.<\/p>\n The Barreau du Qu\u00e9bec, which regulates the province\u2019s lawyers, had urged the CAQ to remove the provision, calling Bill\u202f1 part of a \u201cdrift toward authoritarianism<\/a>\u201d and a sharp weakening of society\u2019s checks and balances.<\/p>\n Jolin-Barrette also outlined several other changes to the bill.<\/p>\n They include:<\/p>\n A change that will make it clear that \u201cthere is no hierarchy between collective rights and human rights and freedoms.\u201d<\/p>\n The addition of a collective right to the environment.<\/p>\n A new section on French-language protection.<\/p>\n The protection of university academic freedom.<\/p>\n Jolin-Barrette\u2019s proposal has been heavily criticized. <\/p>\n