We will not stand for it’: Quebec First Nations vow to fight Bill 96 in court – Montreal Gazette

May 25, 2022

“What this bill is doing is that it’s trying to assimilate First Nations people, assimilate us into Quebec culture, society and language.”

First Nations vowed on Tuesday to fight Quebec’s newly passed language legislation Bill 96 in the courts, saying its enforcement would result in weakening of their languages, the exile of their youth and a “cultural genocide” for their communities.

“It’s a sad day for the National Assembly and obviously a sad day for the First Nations,” said Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador. “We‘ve pushed our good faith to the its fullest extent — in the sense that we knew the bill, we did our homework, we analyzed it, we proposed amendments to it and none of that is reflected in the final product. So we are very disappointed, and angered.

Read More: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/we-will-not-stand-for-it-quebec-first-nations-vow-to-fight-bill-96-in-court