Post by : Meena Ariff

Quebec's Premier François Legault issued a stern rebuke of federal culture minister Marc Miller on Tuesday, accusing him of trivializing the decline of French in the province and labeling his comments as a source of embarrassment for Quebec.

“Marc Miller is a disgrace for all Quebecers,” Legault stated to the press. “I can’t imagine how he’ll face anyone at a cultural event in Quebec after making statements like these.”

Earlier, Miller, appointed as the federal culture minister responsible for Official Languages just a day before, expressed his frustration with the politicization of the language issue.

“As a proud Quebecer, I’m quite tired of this identity-focused debate,” Miller remarked. “I reject the narrative pushed by certain political parties that insists French is in total decline.”

Miller also highlighted the positive outcomes of Bill 101 and the Canada–Quebec agreement, which empowers Quebec to welcome French-speaking immigrants. “The French language is extremely vulnerable in North America and deserves protection,” he asserted.

Legault rebutted by referencing statistics showing that the proportion of francophones in Montreal decreased from 48% in 2022 to 43% in 2024, calling Miller’s dismissal of the debate “a shameful stance.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Miller's appointment during Question Period, suggesting the minister is “weary of defending the French language and Quebec's culture.” Meanwhile, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet remarked that Miller's appointment underscores the government’s lack of understanding of Quebec’s reality.

Miller defended his position, stressing his background in French-language education. “I cherish the French language and will advocate for our beautiful language for the rest of my life,” he affirmed.

In 2023, Miller initially referred to French as a “threatened” language before recognizing its decline as a primary language, while also questioning the overdependence on certain statistical metrics.

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