Quebec’s Bill 96 officially becomes law, French language minister named

Quebec’s newly adopted legislation to bolster and protect the French language received royal assent and passed into law at the provincial legislature Wednesday.

The latest step for the legislation also means that Simon Jolin-Barrette officially has a new role as the province’s first minister of the French language.

While similar to his previous title, it marks the first time there will be a minister and ministry devoted to the promotion and reinforcement of French language in Quebec — and to apply the new law known as Bill 96.

Jolin-Barrette, who spearheaded and tabled the bill in 2021, said it’s time to stop what he described as a decline of French.

“We don’t want to sit and do nothing,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

The new law, which was adopted last week, overhauls part of the landmark French-language charter adopted in 1977. It includes extensive measures to strengthen the language in the education, business and health-care sectors.

It also extends certain provisions of the existing language law to businesses of 25 or more employees and caps enrolment at English-language junior colleges, known as CEGEPs in Quebec.

Bill 96 has been widely criticized by anglophone, Indigenous and immigrant groups over concerns it goes too far. Premier François Legault has stood by the legislation, describing it as moderate.

—with files from Global News’ Olivia O’Malley and The Canadian Press

by Global News