Letters: CAQ doesn't grasp the immigrant experience
There seems to be a complete lack of understanding in the Coalition Avenir Québec government about immigrants to Quebec and the need to maintain their mother tongues and cultures at home.
This makes the transition much easier, just as it did for previous newcomers. It is a natural and normal dynamic among immigrants.
It's so sad the government appears to have no sense of the immigrant experience.
Gerry Raven, Hampstead
Integration bill is beyond the pale
Is it possible that Bill 84, the 'act respecting national integration,' was named in honour of George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, or is it too much of a stretch to imagine that Immigration, Francization and Integration Minister Jean-François Roberge deigns to read anything conceived in English?
Perhaps he is a devotee of the Borg in Star Trek, trying to assimilate the entire population of Quebec.
Whatever the reason, this bill is an abomination.
Rhonda Shechtman, Côte-St-Luc
Let Supreme Court decide on school boards
Re: ' Legault government pushes school board dispute to Supreme Court ' (The Gazette, June 1); ' Legault government has learned nothing by taking school board bill to Supreme Court ' (Allison Hanes, June 3)
The Quebec English School Boards Association said it is deeply disappointed by the Legault government's decision to appeal the Bill 40 ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada, a move that columnist Allison Hanes noted 'has demonstrated the depth of its contempt for the rights of English-speaking Quebecers.'
The QESBA and Hanes should welcome the decision.
Should the Supreme Court agree to hear the case, it presents an impactful opportunity to uphold the principles of justice and equality and strengthen everyone's rights within Quebec's public school system. It would examine all perspectives and promote a fair resolution.
The Supreme Court holds the ultimate authority to clarify essential constitutional questions that could establish legal precedents to benefit other minority-language groups in Canada.
Chris Eustace, Pierrefonds
Nunavik students learn priceless lessons
Re: ' Trip of a lifetime for Nunavik students who 'deserve the world' ' (Extra, May 31)
It's not every day you read a delightful story that leaves you smiling and inspired.
Young students from Nunavik earned their way to visit Montreal through commitment, effort and the pride that comes from working toward something meaningful. Their reward wasn't just a fun trip. They also gained an expanded world view, increased confidence and the knowledge that dreams grow stronger with every step toward them.
It shows education is about more than tests and textbooks. It's about building character, creating opportunity and helping young people discover they have a place in our world. What their teachers did is a powerful reminder we should teach values with transformative experiences that will echo throughout their lives.
It's a model for motivating and empowering our youth. We need more of these inspirational opportunities for students that put a spotlight on growth, hope and achievement. This is what community-building and support look like and what education should always strive for.
To the organizers: Bravo. To the students: Keep shining.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cameroon's election board bars main opposition candidate from presidential race
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroon 's electoral commission on Saturday rejected the candidacy of Maurice Kamto in the upcoming presidential election, fueling fears of unrest and increasing the likelihood of another Biya victory. Kamto, a former government minister, is seen as the main challenger to long-serving President Paul Biya. The electoral commission, ELECAM, said it approved 13 presidential candidates, excluding Kamto. No reason was given. Biya is included. Kamto, who has two days to appeal, was considered Biya's strongest rival in past elections. He came second during the last presidential election in 2018 with 14% of the vote, while Biya cruised to victory with over 70% in an election marred by irregularities and a low turnout. Biya, 92, the world's oldest serving head of state, said last month he would seek reelection on Oct. 12 despite rumors that his health is failing. He has been in power since 1982, nearly half his lifetime. Biya's rule has left a lasting impact on Cameroon. His government has faced various challenges, including allegations of corruption and a deadly secessionist conflict in the nation's English-speaking provinces that has forced thousands out of school. Fears of protests and unrest surged around Saturday's release of the list of approved candidates. Security forces were deployed around the ELECAM headquarters and along major roads in Yaoundé, the capital, and in Douala, the economic hub. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security had warned Friday that the announcement could trigger protests in the capital.
Montreal Gazette
7 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Libman: No vacation from language law excesses in Quebec
Even during the political dog days of summer, we can't seem to escape the absurdity and frustration caused by Quebec language law excesses. Every few weeks something else provokes a head slap. This week we learned about a barbershop owner in St-Léonard who — six months after opening his local business — started being hounded by Quebec's French-language watchdog (OQLF) regarding everything from his store signage to his online presence — informed, as the owner put it, that he was being 'too loud on Instagram with my English.' Earlier this month, we discovered that LaSalle College, a bilingual institution, is being fined $30 million by the CAQ government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs, exceeding a cap established by Bill 96 aimed at public CEGEPs and subsidized private colleges like LaSalle. The school says international students, who make up about 70 per cent of those enrolled in English-language Attestation of College Studies, where the government claims it exceeded its cap, are entirely self-funded through tuition fees, with no subsidies from the government. This excessive aspect of Bill 96 is another counterproductive and short-sighted example of Quebec shooting itself in the foot. LaSalle College offers pre-university and technical programs, teaching various trades, skills and vocational training — essentially feeding our labour force, which is in desperate need of nourishment. Last month, the onerous new rules and regulations in Bill 96 regarding signage and packaging came into effect. The bill, adopted in 2022, allowed a three-year implementation window — but the regulations were published only last summer — forcing merchants to wait, then scramble to comply. Stores with trademark names, such as Canadian Tire, Footlocker and Best Buy, or any business with another language in its name, must change their signage to include a translation or a generic description in French on storefronts, occupying at least two-thirds of the area devoted to text. Municipalities have provisions in their zoning bylaws that often limit the size and scope of signage. The costs and inconveniences caused by these overzealous rules represent an infuriating impediment, among others, for many businesses. These new signage regulations also conjure up satirical images of language inspectors in trench coats showing up with tape measures, analyzing proportions and dimensions of a sign. With Bill 96, it takes only one complaint, even anonymous, to launch an investigation that could lead to hefty fines. The new rules on packaging could severely impact trademarked collectibles or specialty items made only in other countries, such as guitar strings or other music supplies, that can no longer be sold here if not labelled in French. Merchants will either go through hoops to do their own labelling — likely passing the price on to consumers — or be unable to provide certain items and take a hit, as customers turn to Amazon. We can expect the OQLF will send out secret shoppers to sniff out scofflaws. In France, the 1994 Toubon Law made French the official language, imposing its use in various contexts, including official communications, commercial contracts and advertising. However, that law is more accommodating, with exceptions for trademarks and in recognizing the importance of regional languages and linguistic diversity. Quebec's excesses make for embarrassing headlines abroad as with Pastagate, Bonjour-Hi and the Go Habs Go fiasco. There was a 60 Minutes report in 1998 that sardonically followed a language inspector on the job. Incidents that shine light on Quebec as an object of ridicule are inevitable when laws contain elements of intolerance, with regulations that go too far. They not only harm our province's image, economy and attractiveness, but they also caricature — and thereby undermine — the importance of protecting French itself. It's time to rethink language excesses, including the OQLF itself, unless we want one notable trademark sign to exemplify our province — Banana Republic.
Vancouver Sun
18 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Another federal court blocks Trump's push to end birthright citizenship
BOSTON — A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from ending birthright citizenship for the children of parents who are in the U.S. illegally, issuing the third court ruling blocking the birthright order nationwide since a key Supreme Court decision in June. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, joining another district court as well as an appellate panel of judges, found that a nationwide injunction granted to more than a dozen states remains in force under an exception to the Supreme Court ruling. That decision restricted the power of lower-court judges to block government actions on a nationwide basis. The states have argued Trump's birthright citizenship order is blatantly unconstitutional and threatens millions of dollars for health insurance services that are contingent on citizenship status. The issue is expected to move quickly back to the nation's highest court. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Lawyers for the government had argued Sorokin should narrow the reach of his earlier ruling granting a preliminary injunction, arguing it should be 'tailored to the States' purported financial injuries.' 'The record does not support a finding that any narrower option would feasibly and adequately protect the plaintiffs from the injuries they have shown they are likely to suffer,' Sorokin wrote. Sorokin acknowledged his order would not be the last word on birthright citizenship. Trump and his administration 'are entitled to pursue their interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle the question,' Sorokin wrote. 'But in the meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional.' The administration has not yet appealed any of the recent court rulings. Trump's efforts to deny citizenship to children born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily will remain blocked unless and until the Supreme Court says otherwise. An email asking for the White House's response to the ruling was sent Friday. A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a ruling earlier this month prohibiting Trump's executive order from taking effect nationwide in a new class-action lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Joseph LaPlante in New Hampshire had paused his own decision to allow for the Trump administration to appeal, but with no appeal filed in the last week, his order went into effect. On Wednesday, a San Francisco-based appeals court found the president's executive order unconstitutional and affirmed a lower court's nationwide block. A Maryland-based judge said this week that she would do the same if an appeals court signed off. The justices ruled last month that lower courts generally can't issue nationwide injunctions, but it didn't rule out other court orders that could have nationwide effects, including in class-action lawsuits and those brought by states. The Supreme Court did not decide whether the underlying citizenship order is constitutional. Plaintiffs in the Boston case earlier argued that the principle of birthright citizenship is 'enshrined in the Constitution,' and that Trump does not have the authority to issue the order, which they called a 'flagrantly unlawful attempt to strip hundreds of thousands of American-born children of their citizenship based on their parentage.' They also argue that Trump's order halting automatic citizenship for babies born to people in the U.S. illegally or temporarily would cost states funding they rely on to 'provide essential services' — from foster care to health care for low-income children, to 'early interventions for infants, toddlers, and students with disabilities.' At the heart of the lawsuits is the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1868 after the Civil War and the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision. That decision found that Scott, an enslaved man, wasn't a citizen despite having lived in a state where slavery was outlawed. The Trump administration has asserted that children of noncitizens are not 'subject to the jurisdiction' of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship. ____ Associated Press reporter Mark Sherman in Washington contributed. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
