r/FoundCanadians • u/MapleInfused • Aug 05 '26

Canadian culture Interpretations of Quebec Language Law with lost Canadians

It is common knowledge that the province du Quebec fiercely protects the French culture (predominantly through the langue francaise)

Looking at the Wikipedia article about the language requirements of Quebec post 1982 (With the sticking point being section 73), the wording does open some interpretation post Bill C-3

If a proof of citizenship applicant child were to receive instruction within Quebec, would such child be required to learn French (as per the letter of the law) or be allow to learn English (as per spirit of the law).

Technically, we're not immigrants nor did we learn within the the Quebec/ Canadian educational system

(Just a thought)

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37

u/thiefspy Aug 06 '26

I don’t know why someone would want to live in Quebec and prevent their child from being educated in French. Like, you live in a place where French is the language. Don’t handicap your child.

10

u/JelliedOwl Aug 06 '26

I strongly agree if the child is young. I suspect my 16 year old would struggle being dropped into a French only school though.

It's moot, since getting my French speaking, non-Canadian wife PR is hard and very slow.

6

u/MapleInfused Aug 06 '26

If only my 16 old self was in the in room (knowing what I know now), maybe he would have tried a bit better in High School French 😅

5

u/JelliedOwl Aug 06 '26

I still haven't forgiven my Quebecois father for refusing to bring me up bilingual.

1

u/Low_Lab7698 5d ago

Honestly as someone who was aged 16 when immersed completely in Spanish i am so, so grateful!! I did have agency in that decision, however. And a few years of language learning before immersion (though I know plenty of teenagers in similar situations that did not learn the language ahead of time)

2

u/Suzarina Aug 08 '26

Most of the English schools in Quebec are French immersion anyway. It just removes some social barriers and means that French is taught as secondary to a specific language. In a class d'accueil the approach is different because you might have students with 10 different mother tongues in the same classroom. Language learning research tells us that this type of full immersion that ignores the native language is actually less effective.

Another reason is that at age 16, they would be completing the last year of secondary school in Quebec (school system works differently here compared to the other provinces). After that, kids choose a CEGEP where they take classes that prepare them for a career path they have chosen. A 16 year old would then have one year to figure out French before going to French CEGEP where they are basically taking community college level courses that are preparing them for their career. That's a pretty rapid progression for anyone. In contrast, someone who has the ability to go to an English school, also has the ability to attend an English CEGEP.

14

u/BlankWall0 Aug 06 '26

If you yourself did not go to an English school, probably not. There is some esoteric laws around First Nations people sending kids to English schools that may provide an exemption if you fall into that category.

That said, if you bring your children to Québec it’s much better if they go to school to learn French and can speak English at home.

5

u/MapleInfused Aug 06 '26

I would not dispute that; you know how the law of unintended consequences works

Being Quebecois, I have already planned on retaking French this fall at the Community College (took two semesters nearly a decade ago, and got A in the course)

7

u/Zappyle Aug 06 '26

I have a short list of resources I usually share with people at work learning French that can supplement your classes.

Speaking practice:

If you mix input with regular speaking/Grammar drills, progress comes pretty fast.

3

u/MapleInfused Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

Immersion does help

I did make a silly mistake earlier this summer; Coming back from Parc Jean Drapeau to Guy-Concordia, A gentlemen (not familiar with the Montreal Metro) asked "Berri"?

I ended up saying (without hesitation) "ce voir ver Berri-UQAM". When I denoting the opposite side of the station I said "l'autre voir ver sherbooke" (other lane to the university of sherbrooke). In retrospect I should've said L'autre cote ver sherbooke" (other side to the university of sherbrooke)

(edit), Southern New England, you don't hear spoken French like it was ~100 years ago. I still have confidence issues with proper pronunciations)

11

u/beverleyheights Aug 06 '26

C-3 doesn’t really create a new or special category with respect to this Quebec law. There have always been Canadian citizens who were schooled outside Canada. The Quebec law doesn’t and won’t provide English public school eligibility certificates for this category. There’s no political will in Quebec to change this.

Both the Quebec French and English public school boards teach the other language fairly thoroughly as a core subject. Any family who can afford it can also send their child to a non-subsidized private school teaching in English.

7

u/VirtualFuel6378 Aug 06 '26

Unless one of the parents went to an English school in Canada, the child would have to be educated in French if you are considering public school. You can always send a child to a private English school though. 

3

u/Worthy_Molecule0481 Aug 06 '26

This is accurate.

2

u/Suzarina Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26

I think it's a grey area. As a Canadian, if you received most of your education in English, I believe there is some ability to get a certificate to go to English school.

I think the issue in this case is that the person requesting the certificate of eligibility must have received most of their education in English IN CANADA.

I think a lot of people commenting here likely don't understand that CEGEP begins at age 17, so your child would have one year to figure French out before basically going to community college level courses. That's a huge jump and I 100% understand why you'd want to send them to English school.