Official Languages Committee on June 9th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

The clerk has asked me to speak in English. We're testing right now. The clerk is testing the audio regarding the problem Monsieur Villeneuve is raising. I don't know if that's helpful.

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I can hear her now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Okay.

Please let me know if it happens again. If we need to start over, we will.

I'm aware that we don't have a lot of time with the witnesses, and I want to get the most out of it.

Mr. Villeneuve, you have two more minutes.

You have two minutes remaining.

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

That's perfect. Thank you.

Ms. Ludvig, have you identified any provisions that raise particular concerns for anglophone Quebeckers?

[Eva Ludvig]

There are none. The English-speaking minority language community is not included in the act.

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

How can we distinguish a language protection measure from one that could be perceived as restrictive?

[Eva Ludvig]

Restrictive means that there are none. There's no protection. Where there is protection for one language group and not for the other, that is restriction.

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

What impact could the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act have on anglophone workers?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

You have 30 seconds.

[Eva Ludvig]

I said it earlier.

It affects career opportunities. It's the ability to serve the English-speaking community, because there's nothing to indicate that employees will have to be bilingual. What it says is that they will have to be able to speak French. What about an English-speaking client who goes into a bank and wants to be served? I'm sure Montreal will be a little bit different. It's a big region. I'm particularly concerned about, as our francophone colleagues are concerned, the smaller communities on the Gaspé peninsula and Magdalen Islands, where there are English-speaking communities, historical English-speaking communities.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Ms. Ludvig, I'm sorry.

It's very interesting what you're saying, but I have to respect the time to be fair to everyone. I apologize for that.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve.

I now give the floor to Monsieur Beaulieu for six minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you.

So, basically, you are admitting that French is in decline in Quebec.

Is that correct?

[Eva Ludvig]

I didn't say that because I'm not a statistician. What I'm telling you is that French is vulnerable across Canada and North America. French is completely vulnerable, and it must be protected.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Do you agree that, compared to francophones outside Quebec, your situation is not at all the same?

Situations like that of a woman who can't be served in French at her bank are experienced by francophones outside Quebec every day. It's like this just about everywhere. There are almost no health care services in French elsewhere in Canada. It's not at all the same situation as that of anglophones in Quebec.

[Eva Ludvig]

I disagree with you on that, Monsieur Beaulieu.

I think what we are doing is comparing things that are not comparable. I'm talking about service from the Canadian government and from federally regulated businesses. I understand that federally regulated businesses were not obligated until now to provide services in both languages. Under this act, they are now obligated to provide services in French as well, and that's excellent. There's no problem with that. I have no objection. I think it's important. What I'm worried about is the possibility for English-speaking Quebeckers to continue to be able to go to the bank and get their service in English. That's what I'm worried about.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I wouldn't worry too much about that, because right now, the language used at work is predominantly English, while the use of French as the language of work is declining in Quebec. I know that you won't recognize this fact, but French is in decline.

[Eva Ludvig]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You should know this, since this is your field.

You're just looking at the data for English, and English is on the rise in Quebec. As for the rest of Canada, we're not even talking about it. Basically, the problem is that, outside of Quebec, English is the common language and the language of integration for immigrants. In Quebec, approximately 50% of newcomers choose English. The common language in Montreal is often English. To ensure the future of French, we would need to successfully integrate 90% of newcomers.

Do you agree that we have the right to expect this? In Quebec, we welcome immigrants, and we're happy to do so—

[Eva Ludvig]

I'm here to talk about services from the federal government, both federal institutions and, in this particular case, federally regulated businesses. I understand what you're saying, but I'm really not here to talk about the general service.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Basically, in your brief, you launch an attack against the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. You said you were against this legislation.

You say you agree with the use of French, but every time the Government of Quebec proposes a measure to protect French, you oppose it. At one point—

[Eva Ludvig]

TALQ is on record, Monsieur Beaulieu, and part of its mission statement is that we support the French language. Our mandate is to represent the English-speaking community and its members in Quebec. It's normal for us as such an organization, which is recognized, to be concerned about our community. However—

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Do you agree that French should be the common language in Quebec?

There can't be two common languages. Basically, the flaw in this reasoning, in my opinion, is the assumption that languages are in competition with one another. You can't deny it. The more French gains ground, the more English loses ground. If everyone were bilingual, the choice would always fall on the majority language. As long as we're in Canada and North America, the majority language is English.

It's normal for newcomers to gravitate toward English, since it's the language of the majority. Even in Quebec, that's how it's perceived. Federal institutions do operate primarily in English. We've heard all kinds of testimony on this. Federal institutions and public services are the places where people work the least in French.

[Eva Ludvig]

As I said to Mr. Godin, we accept the fact that the English language in Canada is not in danger.

We accept and agree that the French language in Canada needs to be protected and needs to be supported. I am here—

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

In Quebec—

[Eva Ludvig]

Of course. We're not against it—