Valérie Plante is not an ally for French, says the CAQ

Photo: Valérian Mazataud Archives Le Devoir The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, argued Wednesday that the increase in tuition fees for non-Quebecers “directly attacks Montreal.”

By affirming that the increase in tuition fees for non-Quebecers “directly attacks Montreal”, Mayor Valérie Plante demonstrated that she was not an ally of Quebec for language French, deplores the government of François Legault.

“I find it sad,” said Prime Minister Legault on Thursday. The day before, the mayor of Montreal had strongly criticized the CAQ government's decision to increase tuition fees for students from the rest of Canada to at least $12,000 and for international students, to at least $20,000.< /p>

“It is certain that we see this as a measure which directly attacks Montreal and which is not fair. If Bishop’s no longer has this rule, why does Montreal have it ?” she said. In December, Bishop's University was exempted from the measure, due to “the demographic and linguistic situation in the Estrie region”, which is “distinct” from that of Montreal, according to the Minister of Higher Education , Pascale Déry.

“Montreal is the French-speaking metropolis of the Americas. It should be more than a slogan,” railed the Minister of the French Language, Jean-François Roberge, on Thursday. “The mayor of Montreal should be an ally of the government in this process. »

In unison, the CAQ deputies from Vimont and Bellechasse, Valérie Schmaltz and Stéphanie Lachance, denounced “inadmissible” comments from the mayor. “Does Ms. Plante want to erect a wall to ensure that anglicization in Montreal is there, within what ? Five or six years ?”, asked Ms. Schmaltz ? “There “There is not the Quebec of Valérie Plante, then the rest of Quebec,” continued Ms. Lachance. I, as a regional deputy, want us to protect French from one end to the other. »

“Not embarrassed”

In a press scrum on Thursday, Mayor Plante maintained that she was “not embarrassed” by her actions to protect the French language. “My job is both to promote the French language and, also, to support all the institutions that are part of Montreal's DNA, which contribute to the economic vitality of the Quebec metropolis and which ensure its international reputation,” she said. “Because that’s important too. »

François Legault, for his part, defends the intentions of his government. Especially in the context where “if you go to the shops, for example around McGill, […] a lot happens in English”. ” It is important. There is a decline in French in Montreal,” he said.

With Jeanne Corriveau