QUEBEC \u2014 The Liberal Party of Quebec has announced it will oppose the Coalition Avenir Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s new bill extending the rules of the Charter of the French Language to the adult and vocational teaching sectors.<\/p>\n
Even if there is little likelihood a vote on the legislation, Bill 8, will take place before the legislature recesses June 12, the Liberals said they don\u2019t believe denying adults the freedom to choose whether they study in English or French is the best way to protect French.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, it does not make sense to prevent adults from choosing what is best for them,\u201d said Madwa-Nika Cadet, the Liberal point person for the French language in announcing the decision at a morning news conference at the legislature Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re opposed to the bill as it is presented right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
She quoted from a new survey conducted by the Quebec English School Board Association<\/a> revealing that 27 per cent of students enrolled in adult education and vocational training in their network are 45 and older.<\/p>\n Fifty per cent of the students are 35 and older.<\/p>\n The Charter of the French Language, commonly known as Bill 101, limits enrolment in English elementary and high schools to anglophones with heritage rights but does not include restrictions on adult and vocational training.<\/p>\n Roughly three-quarters of the 36,000 students enrolled in English training and adult education programs are new arrivals.<\/p>\n On Thursday, French Language Minister Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Roberge presented legislation, Bill 8<\/a>, to scrap that rule and oblige students without the rights to the English system to transfer into the French one.<\/p>\n About 27,000 students would be affected<\/a>, but the government is offering a grace period for students already enrolled before the legislation to complete their courses in English.<\/p>\n The new law would come into force July 1, 2028.<\/p>\n The English school boards, which offer many such programs, have warned that such a move would destabilize their financial base and possibly spark labour shortages in Quebec as workers keen to get training wind up on the sidelines.<\/p>\n There are also questions about whether the French network has the capacity to take in so many students.<\/p>\n But the Liberals question whether Bill 8 is the best way to help such students learn French.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re really talking about grown adults who have lives, who need to take care of their families and need to go back to school,\u201d Cadet said. \u201cWhat is the best way to get these adults to master the French language because this is a goal that is shared, that is extremely important to us?<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a process and it is called francization. It\u2019s important that we open more classes. What we realize is the method proposed by the CAQ is not the best way to protect French and ensure adults can master French.\u201d<\/p>\n She noted that students are under no obligation to take vocation and adult education courses and if they are told they have to take the courses in French, \u201cthere is no guarantee these people will take their training in French.\u201d<\/p>\n She said it is more likely the students will simply stay home, depriving Quebec of much-needed workers.<\/p>\n Liberal parliamentary leader Andr\u00e9 Fortin added that Bill 8 is a departure for a Quebec government. Even former Parti Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois leaders believed in giving adults freedom of choice.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was always the line set out, including by Mr. (Jacques) Parizeau,\u201d Fortin said.<\/p>\n Cadet said that given the late presentation of the bill, she believes the CAQ government doesn\u2019t really expect it to pass in any case.<\/p>\n The legislature recesses for the summer June 12. After that, Quebec will be plunged into the general election campaign leading to the Oct. 5 vote.<\/p>\n The Liberals have also asked for public consultations on the bill, a long process to organize.<\/p>\n Bill 8 is among more than a dozen pieces of legislation stuck in a traffic jam of last-minute bills on the order paper.<\/p>\n