Tom Mulcair: Legault has weaponized language
Stirring resentment against others isn’t exactly new in politics. Today we’re likely to call it “populism.” It leads to things like Trump's Muslim ban. It can also incite people who espouse racistHistorically, people of character have stood up to populist bullies. It takes political courage and a deep understanding of the importance of defending constitutionally guaranteed rights. The "populists" may indeed be more popular but letting them win could destroy the fabric of a nation.
Bill 101 also went way beyond just requiring French on signs. It stated that all business signs had to be French only, you couldn’t add another version. I worked closely with Mr. Ryan and I wrote the proposal that squared that circle. It has remained unchallenged since. In essence, the idea was to keep large billboards French and allow for bilingual signs everywhere else. It was a solution that took into account the real concern for how Quebecers see themselves in the linguistic landscape. It worked.Against that backdrop, Francois Legault, the erstwhile separatist has decided to shore up his base by reverting to an age-old sport: Anglo-bashing.
The sections dealing with the language of justice are among the first that will be the object of legal challenges. In the past, the federal government always stood up for the rule of law.After a row between Legault’s justice minister and the Chief Justice of Quebec over the need to appoint bilingual judges in the province, a very strong legal decision sided with the Chief Justice.
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