Indigenous leaders were in Quebec City on Tuesday to call for a “complete and decisive” exemption from Bill 96, the province’s language law.
The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL), as well as leaders in the Mohawk community in Kanawake, strongly oppose their inclusion in the bill due to the requirement that CEGEP students take at least five French language courses.
Education groups said this was another barrier to the education system, where for many indigenous students, French was the third language.
“This law stems from Quebec’s aspirations for nationalism and ignores the linguistic, cultural and educational problems of the nations that preceded them. It is undoubtedly an unequivocal act of a colonial government, “AFNLQ said in a statement.
Leaders say they are concerned that Bill 96 will try to assimilate young indigenous students to Quebec culture, in particular by giving priority to the French language – or that they will leave altogether.
If the bill is passed as planned before the end of this parliamentary session, it will “force the expulsion of our students to other schools outside Quebec,” said Gislen Picard, head of AFNQL. “The striking irony is that the first inhabitants of Quebec territory were forced to study outside their territory, and this is something we find unacceptable.”
“OUR PEOPLE WILL NOT ACCEPT ITS APPLICATION”
On Monday, Haudenosaunee Longhouse, the traditional Iroquois government in Kahnawake, issued a statement saying “our people will not accept its application anywhere in their ancestral lands” and that “if the Quebec government attaches any value to development of relations … based on peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, this law will certainly undermine any hope of reconciliation. “
There is already an exception for the first nations of James Bay and Northern Quebec, but not for other local communities.
Indigenous leaders met with the Quebec government on Tuesday, joined by representatives of the Liberal and Quebec Solidarity parties, which support the release.
“We are no longer in a time of negotiations and agreements. We reaffirm clearly and unanimously today our absolute refusal to obey Law 96 and all other laws that violate our rights,” Picard said.
The Quebec party has said it is open to dialogue, but there is an inflammatory language around it.
“To say that learning English is good, but having a few hours in French is such a colonial claim or a cultural genocide, I’m sorry, but it’s not a way to start a dialogue between two nations that both have legal language claims, “said PQ leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon.
Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, the great head of Kahnawake’s Mohawk Council, disagrees.
“Hundreds of years of colonialism have imposed English on us, and this legislation is now an attempt to impose another foreign language on us in the name of nationalism in Quebec. We will not defend it, “Sky-Deer said.
“We see these kinds of bills that perpetuate this kind of paternalistic attitude or superiority over ours, that ours doesn’t matter – that we don’t matter. And that contradicts what we’ve heard in the last few years about reconciliation. “
Bill 96 has already gone through a revision clause by clause, so any last-minute additions are still possible, but must be voted on.
The bill is expected to be voted on before the end of the session, which should end in less than four weeks.
Greg Kelly, a critic of Liberal indigenous issues, said Jolin-Barrett always had the tools to change proposed legislation at the last minute.
According to the Quebec Institute for Adult Education, when it comes to post-secondary education, only 11 percent of indigenous people have a university degree, compared to 26 percent of non-indigenous students.
Leaders say the introduction of more French language courses will prevent students from attending CEGEP.
“We want to be part of Quebec society, we want to contribute to the growth of Quebec society. We want a future in Quebec. This is where we have been for thousands of years and we want to see our children thrive,” said John Martin. chief of Gesgapegiag.
MINISTER OF LANGUAGE STANDS firmly
They requested a meeting with Simon Jolin-Barrett, the French-speaking minister of Quebec, but did not receive one.
He maintained that the rules would not be broken. Since 1977, Bill 101 has applied to everyone in Quebec. And Bill 101 will continue with Bill 96, “he said.
Indigenous Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ian Lafreniere, meanwhile, says protecting French does not come at the expense of other languages.
“Can we stop putting in place the protection of French and the protection of different languages?” We can do both, “he said.
Local leaders say that since the Vienna Commission and the recent discovery of unmarked graves in former residential schools across Canada, there has been a huge effort to protect their history and culture.
A protest is planned for the coming weekend to help deliver this message.
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