But now the generally pacifist anglophone community in Montreal is mobilizing and hundreds or even thousands will march Saturday against a proposed law that many say will restrict access to services in their language.
Bill 96, a proposed law to bolster the charter of the French-language, is expected to come to a vote in the National Assembly later this month.
The English community has said the law would erode English-language CEGEPs because of caps on enrolment and the requirement that all students take three additional classes in French, making it more difficult for them to graduate.
Other aspects of the law the community has found troubling are increased powers being given to the province’s language watchdog, such as the power to search and seize without a warrant. The community is also concerned about how the law could restrict access to English language services in courts and in the health care sector.
