1 in 2 Quebecers believe there are better ways to protect the French language than Bill 96

According to a study by the Angus Reid Institute, half of Quebecers (48%) believe that there are better ways to protect the French language in Quebec than Bill 96. The other half (52%) agrees that the measures proposed in the bill will be effective in protecting the French language in Quebec.

Bill 96, or “An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec,” as it’s known legislatively, was introduced by the CAQ on May 13, 2021 in order to strengthen the French language in the province.

A protest against Bill 96 took place in Montreal on May 14. Read a feature by Toula Drimonis about the event and the bill’s implications here.

The poll also questioned Quebecers on the impact Bill 96 would have on the province should it become law. Pluralities of citizens believe that the passing of Bill 96 will bring with it a more negative reputation of Quebec in the rest of Canada (62%), fewer commercial ventures in the province (52%) as well as less competitive Quebec-based industries (44%).

“Overall, Quebecers expressed doubts about the potential implications of Bill 96. While those who think the impact will be positive are largely concentrated among French speakers and older generations, a representative sample of all of Quebec suggests that there is significant concern about potentially negative impacts of Bill 96.”

—Angus Reid Institute

This article was originally published on Nov. 1, 2021 and updated on July 21, 2022.

---

For the latest in news, please visit the News section.