Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of the French Language and Linguistic Rights in Quebec
January 02, 2023
The Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of the French Language and Linguistic Rights in Quebec was established under the Union Nationale government of Jean-Jacques Bertrand on December 9, 1968.
It was commissioned in response to conflicts in the Catholic school board in Saint-Léonard. The Mouvement pour l'intégration scolaire (MIS), created by francophone parents in the middle of the Saint-Leonard Crisis, wished for mandatory French-language education for allophones, but immigrants, mostly of Italian origin were supported by anglophones in creating the Saint Leonard English Catholic Association of Parents to defend being able to choose either English or French schools.[1]
The commission was mandated to propose measures "to ensure 1) the respect of the linguistic rights of the majority as well as the protection of the rights of minorities and 2) the free blooming and diffusion of the French language in all activity sectors at the educational, cultural, social and economic levels."[2] Because the linguist Jean-Denis Gendron presided the commission, it is often referred to in French as the Commission Gendron.
Report
The final report of the commission was published on February 13, 1973. It consisted of three volumes:
Livre I, La langue de travail (Language of work), 379 pages
Livre II, Les droits linguistiques (Linguistic rights), 474 pages
Livre III, Les groupes ethniques (Ethnic groups), 570 pages
On the subject of the language of work, the commissioners concluded:
It comes out that if French is not about to disappear among francophones, neither is it the predominant language in the Quebec labour market. French seems useful only to francophones. In Quebec even, it is in the end a marginal language, since non-francophones need it very little. A great number of francophones in important tasks use English as often, and sometimes more, than their mother tongue. And that, even though francophones in Quebec are a strong majority, in the work force as well as in the total population.[3]
On the subject of the language of instructions, it noted:
The immigrants arrived in Quebec to improve their material condition and to insure a better future for their children. They were obliged to work in English to live and they saw French Canadians give them the example. They observed that in Montreal at least, a part of the French-Canadian parents were sending their children to English schools and private schools, each time they had the financial means to do it. They therefore followed the same path. Their bilingualism seemed absolutely necessary to them, and they never stopped demanding neutral bilingual schools, so that their children could get the best possible training.[4]
The report recommend the government to give Quebec a policy in which the general objective would be: "to make French the common language of Quebecers, that is to say, a language which, being known to everyone, could be used as a communication tool in contact situations between francophones and non-francophones." Thus far, English, the language of the majority in Canada and North America, the language of socioeconomic promotion for most workers, had been playing a much greater role than French as an interethnic language inside Quebec.
The commission recommended the Quebec government make French the sole official language of Quebec and declare French and English the national languages of Quebec. The report also included some 31 measures devised to reinforce the position of the French language in the workplace.
^Direction de l’édition et des communications, "1940-1959 May 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine", Review of the 20th Century, Institut de la Statistique (Youth section), 2006
^9 décembre 1968 - Annonce de la création de la Commission d'enquête Gendron sur la situation du français au Québec in Bilan du siècle, Université de Sherbrooke
^La modernisation du Québec (1960-1981) - Le français, langue étatique in L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde, TLFQ, Université Laval
^13 février 1973 - Présentation des conclusions du rapport de la Commission Gendron, in Bilan du siècle, Université de Sherbrooke
References
Commission d'enquête sur la situation de la langue française et sur les droits linguistiques au Québec. Rapport, Livre I : La langue de travail, Québec, Éditeur officiel, 1972, 379 pages
Commission d'enquête sur la situation de la langue française et sur les droits linguistiques au Québec. Rapport, Livre II : Les droits linguistiques, Québec, Éditeur officiel, 1972, 474 pages
Commission d'enquête sur la situation de la langue française et sur les droits linguistiques au Québec. Rapport, Livre III : Les groupes ethniques, Québec, Éditeur officiel, 1972, 570 pages
January 02, 2023
commission, inquiry, situation, french, language, linguistic, rights, quebec, established, under, union, nationale, government, jean, jacques, bertrand, december, 1968, commissioned, response, conflicts, catholic, school, board, saint, léonard, mouvement, pour. The Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of the French Language and Linguistic Rights in Quebec was established under the Union Nationale government of Jean Jacques Bertrand on December 9 1968 It was commissioned in response to conflicts in the Catholic school board in Saint Leonard The Mouvement pour l integration scolaire MIS created by francophone parents in the middle of the Saint Leonard Crisis wished for mandatory French language education for allophones but immigrants mostly of Italian origin were supported by anglophones in creating the Saint Leonard English Catholic Association of Parents to defend being able to choose either English or French schools 1 Contents 1 Composition 2 Mandate 3 Report 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesComposition EditPremier Jean Jacques Bertrand appointed the following people as commissioners Jean Denis Gendron president Guy Fregault Madeleine Doyon Ferland Edward McWhinney Nicolas Matesco Matte Aime GagnonMandate EditThe commission was mandated to propose measures to ensure 1 the respect of the linguistic rights of the majority as well as the protection of the rights of minorities and 2 the free blooming and diffusion of the French language in all activity sectors at the educational cultural social and economic levels 2 Because the linguist Jean Denis Gendron presided the commission it is often referred to in French as the Commission Gendron Report EditThe final report of the commission was published on February 13 1973 It consisted of three volumes Livre I La langue de travail Language of work 379 pages Livre II Les droits linguistiques Linguistic rights 474 pages Livre III Les groupes ethniques Ethnic groups 570 pagesOn the subject of the language of work the commissioners concluded It comes out that if French is not about to disappear among francophones neither is it the predominant language in the Quebec labour market French seems useful only to francophones In Quebec even it is in the end a marginal language since non francophones need it very little A great number of francophones in important tasks use English as often and sometimes more than their mother tongue And that even though francophones in Quebec are a strong majority in the work force as well as in the total population 3 On the subject of the language of instructions it noted The immigrants arrived in Quebec to improve their material condition and to insure a better future for their children They were obliged to work in English to live and they saw French Canadians give them the example They observed that in Montreal at least a part of the French Canadian parents were sending their children to English schools and private schools each time they had the financial means to do it They therefore followed the same path Their bilingualism seemed absolutely necessary to them and they never stopped demanding neutral bilingual schools so that their children could get the best possible training 4 The report recommend the government to give Quebec a policy in which the general objective would be to make French the common language of Quebecers that is to say a language which being known to everyone could be used as a communication tool in contact situations between francophones and non francophones Thus far English the language of the majority in Canada and North America the language of socioeconomic promotion for most workers had been playing a much greater role than French as an interethnic language inside Quebec The commission recommended the Quebec government make French the sole official language of Quebec and declare French and English the national languages of Quebec The report also included some 31 measures devised to reinforce the position of the French language in the workplace Following the presentation of this report the National Assembly of Quebec then under a Liberal government passed the Official Language Act The Act was ultimately supplanted by the 1977 Charter of the French Language See also EditDemolinguistics of Quebec Languages of Canada Language policy Royal Commission on Bilingualism and BiculturalismNotes Edit Direction de l edition et des communications 1940 1959 Archived May 7 2007 at the Wayback Machine Review of the 20th Century Institut de la Statistique Youth section 2006 9 decembre 1968 Annonce de la creation de la Commission d enquete Gendron sur la situation du francais au Quebec in Bilan du siecle Universite de Sherbrooke La modernisation du Quebec 1960 1981 Le francais langue etatique in L amenagement linguistique dans le monde TLFQ Universite Laval 13 fevrier 1973 Presentation des conclusions du rapport de la Commission Gendron in Bilan du siecle Universite de SherbrookeReferences EditCommission d enquete sur la situation de la langue francaise et sur les droits linguistiques au Quebec Rapport Livre I La langue de travail Quebec Editeur officiel 1972 379 pages Commission d enquete sur la situation de la langue francaise et sur les droits linguistiques au Quebec Rapport Livre II Les droits linguistiques Quebec Editeur officiel 1972 474 pages Commission d enquete sur la situation de la langue francaise et sur les droits linguistiques au Quebec Rapport Livre III Les groupes ethniques Quebec Editeur officiel 1972 570 pages Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of the French Language and Linguistic Rights in Quebec amp oldid 1095978246, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
