To Lori Weber: Language Laws in Quebec, 2

29 Tuesday Nov 2022

Posted by michelinewalker in Folklore, Just Society, Language Laws, Québec

Tags

Cegep, Language Laws, Lori Weber, Quebec

**La Chasse-galerie** d’Henri Julien, 1906

—ooo—

I am a few minutes away from publishing a post on La Fontaine., but …

The events of the week kept away from you. A vein broke near my eyes. My eyes were filled with blood and one eye went from deep green to blue, but I’ve recovered. It didn’t hurt and I am recovering.

The Project: no Language Laws

I will first get in touch with Champlain-Lennoxville, the Advantage programme. Reforms are necessary, and French-speaking students have been enrolling in English-language Cégeps for several decades. It’s their English-language immersion finishing schools and there is no tuition fee. I must then talk to Justin Trudeau and François Legault. Attending a Cégep after grade eleven does not threaten a student’s knowledge of French.

The more difficult step is convincing French-speaking students to have anglophones as their classmates. A few changes are needed. As a university teacher of second-language acquisition, four years at McMaster University, and I wrote articles on the subject, I have the necessary background. I have also edited books on this subject.

Interestingly, people have realized that Internet Archives, Gutenberg, Wikisource have published a wealth of free books including audio texts. I have used these to write articles of every play Molière wrote. Henri van Laun is a scholar.

I am returning to the fables of La Fontaine, but I will be busy working on a better relationship between English-speaking and French-speaking Quebecers. There has to be trust that the French will not lose their language. The Battle of the Plains of Abraham took place a long time ago. We are now a free people, and our official languages are French and English.

The conversation begins. Cégeps are the starting point. French-speaking students themselves have used Cégeps. We keep this alive.

Wherever I phone, I hear: English will follow.

Here is an introduction to Lori Weber. She speaks four languages and is an author.

https://www.babelio.com/auteur/Lori-Weber/140487

Love to all of you 💕

A Cégep is a publicly funded post-secondary programme in Quebec.

Honoré Beaugrand‘s La Chasse-galerie (FR) Office national du Film

To Lori Weber: Language Laws

25 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by michelinewalker in Language Laws

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Diversité, Language Laws in Quebec, Lori Weber, Stop the exodus

Lori Weber in Saint-Vallier, near Quebec City, as she leaves Quebec last week. Courtesy of Lori Weber.

—ooo—

Lori Weber is leaving Quebec because the Province needs serious repairs.

Dear Lori,

I am a French Canadian with mixed ancestry and considerable love for all good human beings. I want you to know that I oppose language laws and that I am not alone. Quebec made a mistake: decades of language laws without a strong mandate to enforce these. I pledge to work very hard for the repeal of language laws and I was thinking of using CEGEPS as my starting point.

Here in Sherbrooke, French-speaking Quebecers have turned Champlain-Lennoxville, the local English-language CEGEP, into an English-immersion program.

I know that you are very sad. Quebec has been your home for many years. No one wants to leave Montreal. It’s a jewel and it is vibrant.

It’s a promise. Language laws will be abolished by Québécois themselves. You know that it will work because you have been a teacher to Québécois.

Hang in there. The Language Laws will be abolished for many reasons. Québécois will not lose their language, unless they continue passing language laws.

Love to you,

Micheline

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/west-island-gazette/lori-webers-farewell-letter-to-quebec-touches-a-nerve

Bill 21 is an act respecting the laicity of the state. One cannot wear/display signs of a religious affiliation in the workplace.
Bill 96 is an act respecting French as the official and common language of Quebec

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