Because that’s not how language rights work. Forcing everyone in Québec to learn English while sparing the Anglophones in Canada or the USA to effectiverly learn the other language is just plain Anglo-centric ego trip.

Accept this fact : Québec treats it’s English minority better than Canada treats its French-speaking minority and MUCH better than USA treats it’s Spanish-speaking minority. Some privileges of the English minority WILL be reduced to what is generally granted to other minorities in North America.

Here is what I don’t get about this whole thing. Why is there even a seperate English Language school board, and why are not all schools providing a complete bilingual education? Is it not plainly (and painfully!)obvious that kids need to be thouroughly instructed in both languages these days? I work here, and yes I learned french but I stuggle everday with the vocabulary and grammer, because I learned it as an adult and feel I will never fuly master it. Conversely, some of my colleagues with weaker english skills continually have to struggle with their own difficulties getting their point accross to our other colleagues in western Canada…there is definitely a language barrier. Thankfully, my son will never have to deal with either situation if he has bilingual instruction, AND he will be prepared for life inside and outside of Quebec.

As an anglophone parent in Quebec, I have the upperhand. I can send my kid to french school without worrying too much about his English aptitude as long as I am doing my part at home. Now, if I was a unilingual francophone parent, I would be PISSED that I had to send my child to a french instruction school with a lack-lustre english program. I’d be like, “WTF Gouvernement de Quebec! I’m paying my taxes can you PLEASE invest in my child’s future!?” No wonder so many people here send their kids to private school.

Who cares about history, or who is the minority, majority, blah blah blah : this is tripe. If you just take a moment to think about the future, about the awesome advantage a bilingual education offers to a child’s development as well as career opportunities..well then every child in Quebec should be taking advantage of the opportunity to master these two languages, and the government should be working harder to ensure that happens

Because while your getting all passionate about your linguistic rights or lack there of, the next guy has already gotten over it.

HE is sending his kids to get educated bilingually….

And HIS kid is going to be competeing with yours for the jobs of the future…

I am not against French, and yes, my wife took him without telling me that she planning to stay. She is French Canadian and I am not so she is not affected and what she did is selfish at least.

If you need to protect your language by law, then your culture is in trouble! I do not think that French, being so beautiful and culturally rich, is in any trouble. It was here for 200 years without a law. A law to protect the right of French speakers was due in the 70s, but not in diminishing of the English population that is as Quebequer as you are Quebecoise.

Bonne journée!

Bill 101 and Bill 104 are partially good in the sense that they protect the right of French speaking people, but at expenses of English speakers and allophones. I move to Ontario 10 years ago and for reasons BEYOND my control I have to move to Quebec (my wife took my kid here “temporarly” then divorced me). I speak no French, but I have not right to educate my son in English because I was not born in Canada. I did not come to Qubec, I came to Ontario, and by cirrcumstances had to came. Why the government is going to control the language of education of MY kid? Why the government is going to control the language of a sign I want to put in my business?