Quebec s controversial new language law should be temporarily suspended because it s causing so much uncertainty, confusion and tension among the population, says a lawyer who is challenging the law in court.
There will be consultations on the bill this fall.
Among the proposals is the expansion of Quebec s language law, Bill 101, to federally-chartered institutions like banks. This could potentially include English media websites, as the federal government s proposed Bill C-10 could conceivably, through the CRTC, cover and censor online Canadian media content.
Bill 101 will apply to businesses with 25 employees and more. A permit can be suspended or revoked for non-respect of the language law, and a provincial contract can be terminated as well. Unions would be in charge of protecting French-language rights.
The law is being proposed because of perceptions that the French language is declining in Quebec.