An Act to promote the French language in Quebec
Encyclopedia
An Act to promote the French language in Quebec of 1969 , also known as Bill 63, was a language law passed in the Canadian province of Quebec
. The law was passed by the Union Nationale
government because of controversy and violence that erupted when the Catholic school board of Saint Leonard, Quebec insisted that children of mostly Italian immigrants
be forced to go to French schools. Section 2 of the Bill made available for all residents of Quebec the option of an English language education for anyone desiring it for the children in their care. This right has popularly become known as "freedom of choice."
The law promoted French by:
The law was passed before the resulting Gendron Commission was set up to make recommendations addressing Quebec's language issue. It fell short of the expectations of many citizens (among them many Quebec Nationalists
) promoting that French become the common public language of all Quebec residents. The main criticism of the law was that it kept in place the existing educational system, under which all Quebec residents could send their children to schools whose language of instruction was either French or English. Opposition to the law led to the coalition Mouvement Québec français
.
In 1974, the act was superseded by the Official Language Act
.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The law was passed by the Union Nationale
Union Nationale
Union Nationale may refer to several political parties:*Union nationale , Canada*Union Nationale Rwandaise*National Union , Union nationale in French*Chadian National Union, Union Nationale Tchadienne, known as UNT...
government because of controversy and violence that erupted when the Catholic school board of Saint Leonard, Quebec insisted that children of mostly Italian immigrants
Italian-Canadian
An Italian Canadian is a Canadian of Italian descent or heritage. According to the 2006 census of Canada, 1,445,335 Canadians consider themselves to be of Italian origin. The Italian-Canadian population climbed by more than 12% and half have combined Italian origins along with another ethnic...
be forced to go to French schools. Section 2 of the Bill made available for all residents of Quebec the option of an English language education for anyone desiring it for the children in their care. This right has popularly become known as "freedom of choice."
The law promoted French by:
- requiring that the Education ministry ensure that students graduating from English schools in Quebec have a working knowledge of French;
- making French courses available to all students enrolled in Quebec schools;
- requiring the Education ministry to make French courses available to all immigrants entering Quebec;
- expanding the mandate of the Office québécois de la langue françaiseOffice québécois de la langue françaiseThe Office québécois de la langue française is a public organization established on March 24, 1961 by the Liberal government of Jean Lesage...
.
The law was passed before the resulting Gendron Commission was set up to make recommendations addressing Quebec's language issue. It fell short of the expectations of many citizens (among them many Quebec Nationalists
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
) promoting that French become the common public language of all Quebec residents. The main criticism of the law was that it kept in place the existing educational system, under which all Quebec residents could send their children to schools whose language of instruction was either French or English. Opposition to the law led to the coalition Mouvement Québec français
Mouvement Québec français
Mouvement Québec français is an umbrella group of organizations in favour of the preservation and defense of the French language in Quebec, Canada.- History :...
.
In 1974, the act was superseded by the Official Language Act
Official Language Act (Quebec)
The Official Language Act of 1974 , also known as Bill 22, is an act of the National Assembly of Quebec which made French the sole official language of Quebec, a province of Canada...
.
See also
- Official Languages Act of Canada
- Legal dispute over Quebec's language policyLegal dispute over Quebec's language policyThe legal dispute over Quebec's language policy began soon after the enactment of the Charter of the French Language by the National Assembly of Quebec in 1977....
- Office québécois de la langue françaiseOffice québécois de la langue françaiseThe Office québécois de la langue française is a public organization established on March 24, 1961 by the Liberal government of Jean Lesage...
- Quiet RevolutionQuiet RevolutionThe Quiet Revolution was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective secularization of society, the creation of a welfare state and a re-alignment of politics into federalist and separatist factions...
- Language policyLanguage policyMany countries have a language policy designed to favour or discourage the use of a particular language or set of languages. Although nations historically have used language policies most often to promote one official language at the expense of others, many countries now have policies designed to...