Official Languages committee  During the week of March 30, a French version of a 24-page printed COVID “Self-care Guide” began to arrive in Quebec mailboxes. On page 2 of this document, there was a message stating that an English copy of the document could be accessed at a specific website. The only problem was that the message was in French.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, and good afternoon, members of the committee. My name is Marlene Jennings, and I am the newly elected president of the QCGN. I am here with our director general, Sylvia Martin-Laforge. For those new to the committee, the Quebec Community Groups Network, QCGN, is a not-for-profit organization linking many organizations and stakeholders across Quebec.

Justice committee  The point that I was trying to make—and I may have made it badly, so I'll attempt again—is that the English language, as a language, is in danger in Quebec. Part of the reason for it is that, to flourish, language requires that the community, the members who hold that language, be able to conduct many of their daily human activities in their language.

Justice committee  Thank you. QCGN has the same position as FCFA. We do not believe that an enhanced court challenges program is a forum or instrument the government decides to use to put it into place. It should not be available to contest provincial laws. It should be available to contest federal laws for the official languages legislation.

Justice committee  I think the current program would probably cover it. If that bill was adopted and came into force it would be under section 23 of the charter that a challenge would be made. I do believe the current program would be available to provide funding for that.

Justice committee  No. The reason is this. I wasn't a politician, but I was an activist in my community back in the 1980s when the court challenges program was put into place. The court challenges program was supremely effective at pushing back on the Quebec government, largely on major issues that concern the vitality of our community and our language.

Justice committee  Quebec has Bill 101. It has its own charter of rights, and in the charter of rights there is a section that recognizes the existence of the English-speaking minority communities, and recognizes our right to continue to thrive. I have to bring it back to what was stated by the previous panel; you have rights that governments adopt on paper, but lived experience does not always match up.

Justice committee  Thank you very much. Good morning, Mr. Housefather, Mr. Falk, Mr. Rankin, and members of the justice committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the Government of Canada's intention to reinstate the court challenges program. I am Marlene Jennings, as Mr.