In a candid interview that aired this week, Canada's Minister of Official Languages, Marc Miller, addressed the swift and fiery backlash to his early comments on protecting the French language, describing Quebec Premier François Legault's personal criticism as going too far.
A Heated Exchange Over Language
The political controversy ignited shortly after Miller, a former minister in Justin Trudeau's cabinet who was moved to Mark Carney's cabinet in a recent shuffle, took on his new portfolio. He drew immediate fire, particularly from Quebec's premier, when he expressed that he was "fed up" with the debate surrounding the decline of French in Canada.
Miller did not walk back his initial sentiment, later doubling down on the remarks. This prompted Premier François Legault to levy a harsh personal critique, publicly calling the federal minister "a disgrace."
Appearing on The Corner Booth podcast with hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand at Montreal's Snowdon Deli on Friday, December 19, 2025, Miller discussed the fallout from his first major foray as Official Languages Minister.
Responding to Personal Criticism
When asked about Legault's pointed words, Miller did not hold back his feelings. "It was just so over the top," Miller stated during the interview. "It was hurtful. Because I love Quebec. I'm not going anywhere."
Reflecting on his own approach, Miller acknowledged his willingness to speak frankly but suggested a slight recalibration might be in order. "I am not afraid of making my voice heard," he said, before adding, "but maybe I didn't need to throw a big body check."
Federal Concerns Over Quebec Sovereignty
The conversation also turned to the looming Quebec provincial election and the possibility of a Parti Québécois government renewing calls for sovereignty. With the PQ polling around 40 percent and having promised a referendum, Miller expressed significant concern for national unity.
"Most Quebecers, most Canadians as well, have no interest in having a referendum, but we have a party at 40 per cent in the polls that has promised to hold a referendum, which means the unity of the country is at risk," Miller warned. "That worries me. It should worry us. I don't think we're ready federally or prepared in a way that we should be for that."
He pointed to the PQ's discussion of a potential Quebec currency as an example of advanced planning on their part, contrasting it with a lack of equivalent federal strategy. "There's no equivalent preparation to prepare for a national unity crisis or even debate," Miller admitted. "And that's something I think we have to sharpen our game about."
The full episode of The Corner Booth featuring Minister Marc Miller is available on The Gazette's YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
