Anglophone Community Decries Proposed Quebec Constitution as Identity Threat
English-speaking Quebecers have raised significant concerns about the Coalition Avenir Québec government's proposed constitution, arguing that it erases their historical contributions and suffocates their identity. During National Assembly committee hearings, multiple witnesses testified that Bill 1 fails to recognize the diverse realities of Quebec society.
Questioning Fundamental Characteristics
Audrey Baillairgé, a lawyer and board member of the Canadian Party of Quebec, directly challenged Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette during testimony. As the daughter of an English-speaking mother and French-speaking father, she expressed concern that the legislation risks narrowing Quebec's memory of its past and erasing plural identities.
"There is an attempt to freeze Quebec's fundamental characteristics — but fundamental for whom, and according to which reality?" Baillairgé questioned. She emphasized that while French remains non-negotiable as Quebec's common language, English serves as a common language for hundreds of thousands of Quebecers and represents one of her mother tongues.
The proposed constitution "suffocates part of my identity", she argued, adding that when real identities are denied, Quebec's overall identity becomes narrower. "A constitution is not a tool for sorting identities; it must reflect the people as they are."
Historical Contributions Overlooked
Andrew Caddell, president of the Task Force on Linguistic Policy, testified that Bill 1 "fails to recognize the enormous historical contributions of English Quebecers." He described the legislation as ethnocentric, unconstitutional, and out of step with international human rights standards.
"We are far more than our institutions. Rather, we are flesh-and-blood people," Caddell told the committee. He warned that the bill attempts to portray Quebec as a homogeneous francophone nation while ignoring vulnerable minorities including seniors, visible minorities, Indigenous people, and those facing physical and mental challenges.
Constitutional Reconfiguration Concerns
Colin Standish, founder and former leader of the Canadian Party of Quebec, characterized the legislation as a "comprehensive, unilateral restructuring of Quebec's relationship with the rest of Canada." He accused Jolin-Barrette of attempting to "create a de facto sovereign state through provincial legislation."
The Canadian Party of Quebec's brief argued that the plan "seeks to reconfigure the constitutional order of Quebec and Canada" by consolidating a centralized, state-driven conception of linguistic identity. They warned it would weaken rights, institutions, democratic safeguards, and the fundamental pluralism that defines Quebec.
Institutional and Financial Restrictions
Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents' Committee Association, urged Jolin-Barrette to withdraw the legislation, noting it was drafted without broad consultation that excluded English-speaking communities and other minorities. The association warned that the bill would give the Quebec government sweeping new powers over public institutions including school boards.
A particularly concerning provision would prevent publicly funded bodies from using public funds to challenge laws the government deems protective of the Quebec nation. This would make it harder for anglophone institutions like school boards to defend their rights, effectively starving opposition groups of resources.
Government Response and Broader Context
Justice Minister Jolin-Barrette defended the bill as "inclusive," pointing to Article 3 which states that "The Quebec people is composed of all Quebecers." Premier François Legault has stated his government wants to affirm "the constitutional existence of the Quebec nation" and create a "law of all laws" for the province.
However, critics note that Bill 1 mentions anglophone Quebecers only in passing, with the preamble stating Quebec will be "respectful of the institutions of the English-speaking community." Anglophone groups argue this erases historic protections and fails to acknowledge their ongoing contributions to Quebec society.
The proposed constitution has drawn broad opposition, with critics complaining it was drafted behind closed doors and would concentrate excessive power in government hands. As the debate continues, English-speaking Quebecers emphasize their desire for recognition within a pluralistic vision of Quebec identity that honors all linguistic and cultural contributions to the province's history.
