Editing Charter of the French Language (section)

=== 2021 amendments (Bill 96) ===
On August 26, 2020, Quebec's Minister of Justice and French Language, [[Simon Jolin-Barrette]], announced plans for 2021 that would strengthen the ''Charter''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/on-bill-101-anniversary-jolin-barrette-pledges-to-strengthen-role-of-french| title = On Bill 101 anniversary, Jolin-Barrette pledges to strengthen role of French {{!}} Montreal Gazette}}</ref>

On May 12, 2021, the CAQ government of [[François Legault]] announced Bill 96, which strengthened the charter.<ref name="cbc.ca">{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-bill-101-language-revamp-1.6023532| title = Quebec seeks to change Canadian Constitution, make sweeping changes to language laws with new bill {{!}} CBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/french-in-quebec-here-are-the-main-changes-proposed-in-bill-96| title = French in Quebec: Here are the main changes proposed in Bill 96 {{!}} Montreal Gazette}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7858324/quebec-bill-101-french-language-reform/|title = Quebec tables sweeping bill to reinforce and protect French language &#124; Globalnews.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/bill-101-constitutional-curveball-puts-ottawa-on-the-spot-politically-experts-say-1.5427507|title = Bill 101 'constitutional curveball' puts Ottawa on the spot politically, experts say|date = May 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bill-96-quebec-language-laws-1.6025859| title = With Bill 101 reforms, François Legault risks upending Quebec's hard-won linguistic peace {{!}} CBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/caq-government-introduces-complaint-system-for-lack-of-french-in-stores| title = French in Quebec: 'It's nothing against the English Quebecers,' Legault says of new bill {{!}} Montreal Gazette}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-s-bill-96-could-make-french-the-only-language-needed-to-get-a-job-1.6027517| title = Quebec's Bill 96 could make French the only language needed to get a job {{!}} CBC News}}</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=November 2022}}

Bill 96 invoked the [[notwithstanding clause]], allowing the law to temporarily override sections [[Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|2]] and [[Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|7]]–[[Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|15]] of the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]''. The invocation expires five years after its use, or earlier if legislation is passed to repeal it sooner. At the point it expires, it may be renewed again by the Quebec National Assembly. 

Some of the proposed measures were.<ref name="cbc.ca"/>
* Adding clauses to the Canadian Constitution, saying [[Quebec nationalism|Quebec is a nation]] and that its [[Official language|official]] and common language is French.
* Forcing all commercial signage that includes non-French trademarks to include a "predominant" amount of French on all signs.
* Removing a municipality's bilingual status if census data shows that English is the first language for less than 50 per cent of its population, unless the municipality decides to maintain its status by passing a resolution to keep it.
* Creating the French Language Ministry and the position of French-Language Commissioner, as well as bolstering the role of the OQLF. 
* Giving access to French training for those who are not obligated by law to go to school in French.
* Applying the charter to businesses with 25−49 employees and federal workplaces.

The leader of the [[Parti Québécois]], [[Paul St-Pierre Plamondon]], said he supported aspects of the bill, but felt it did not go far enough, saying, "Unfortunately, the CAQ gave us the absolute minimum." A few days later PQ announced their plan if elected, which would include <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/pq-pressuring-caq-government-to-set-language-targets-1.5430686|title=PQ pressuring CAQ government to set language targets|date=May 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/pq-leader-will-press-government-for-targets-on-bill-101-amendments|title = PQ unveils roadmap to stem decline of French, especially in Montreal}}</ref>
* cutting off funding to companies that do not respect their obligations when it comes to using French 
* subjecting [[CEGEP]]s to the charter, imposing a uniform French exam on English-speaking CEGEP students
* lowering immigration thresholds{{What?|date=December 2022}}.

According to a poll by Léger published on May 22, among Francophones the approval rate for the various proposals was fluctuating between 72% and 95%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2021/05/22/une-majorite-approuve-le-plan|title=Réforme de la loi 101: Une majorité de Québécois approuve le plan du gouvernement Legault|date=May 22, 2021 }}</ref>

Protests against the bill included "several thousand" people in Montreal <ref>{{cite news |last1=Magder |first1=Jason |title=Thousands of Montrealers march in opposition to Bill 96 |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-saturdays-bill-96-protest |access-date=25 May 2022 |agency=Montreal Gazette |date=15 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Drimonis |first1=Toula |title=A reluctant Bill 96 rally in Montreal, the language of love & missed opportunities |url=https://cultmtl.com/2022/05/a-reluctant-bill-96-rally-in-montreal-the-language-of-love-missed-opportunities-quebec-language-law/ |access-date=25 May 2022 |agency=Cult MTL |issue=17 May 2022}}</ref> and Indigenous youth.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Phil |title=Kahnawà:ke youth protest against Bill 96 |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8854934/kahnawake-youth-protest-against-bill-96/ |access-date=25 May 2022 |agency=Global News |date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

Bill 96 was adopted on May 24, 2022, with 78 MNAs in favour (from the [[Coalition Avenir Québec|CAQ]] and [[Québec solidaire]]) and 29 against (from the [[Quebec Liberal Party|Liberal Party]] and [[Parti Québécois]]).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=Language law Bill 96 adopted, promising sweeping changes for Quebec |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/language-law-bill-96-adopted-promising-sweeping-changes-for-quebec-1.5916503 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Montreal |language=en}}</ref> It received royal assent from Lieutenant Governor [[J. Michel Doyon]] on June 1, and subsequently became law.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill 96 gains royal assent: Legault to monitor stats on French use in homes|url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/bill-96-gains-royal-assent-legault-to-monitor-stats-on-french-use-in-homes-1.5928134|date=June 1, 2022|accessdate=June 5, 2022}}</ref>