A group of 23 bilingual municipalities sought to halt parts of Quebec’s 2022 language reform in court, claiming it would cause them significant harm. Lawyer Julius Grey argued that the law would have severe consequences for cities that serve citizens in both English and French, while municipalities without official bilingual status would be restricted from communicating in English.
Grey highlighted concerns that the law could restrict cities from drafting contracts in English, allow the government to withhold subsidies from non-compliant cities, and grant extensive search and seizure powers to the language watchdog beyond those of the police. He emphasized that the language office could seize a range of materials, including employees’ personal information and legal advice protected under attorney-client privilege, and require municipalities to discipline non-conforming employees.
Grey requested the suspension of certain provisions until a full hearing on the law’s validity, which the government shielded from some legal challenges using the notwithstanding clause. He argued that the potential impacts on municipalities, such as difficulties in finalizing contracts and employing unilingual anglophones, constituted serious prejudice.
The Quebec government, represented by lawyer Charles Gravel, countered that the municipalities had not demonstrated harm from the law and cautioned against suspending it based solely on apprehensions. Gravel dismissed concerns about unilingual English employees and asserted that municipalities lacked jurisdiction over administrative matters like contracts.
The 23 municipalities, including Montreal suburbs and communities near borders with the US or other provinces, raised alarms about potential subsidy cuts and increased inspections by the language watchdog. They expressed frustration with requirements to conduct contracts in French, citing confusion and challenges in predominantly English-speaking areas.
Despite no evidence of actual harm, the municipalities vowed to fight the law, emphasizing the importance of defending their linguistic rights. The legal battle underscores the tensions between language protection measures and bilingual communities’ needs in Quebec.
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