First Nations leaders say Quebec has ignored their pleas to be exempt from Bill 96

Quebec says it won't change Bill 96 to exempt Indigenous youth from having to take extra French courses in CEGEP, despite mounting calls from First Nations leaders who say their efforts to rebuild their languages and cultures are in jeopardy.

Kahnawake Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer — who held a news conference at the National Assembly Tuesday alongside Chief Ghislain Picard of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador and Gesgapegiag First Nation Chief John Martin — said her community would hold protest actions until it felt heard. 

"Any gesture of goodwill right now on behalf of the government will go a long way," Sky-Deer told reporters. 

Sky-Deer, Picard and Martin are among the many First Nations leaders who have denounced the clause in Quebec's proposed overhaul of the Charter of the French language that would force students attending English CEGEPs to take more second-language French courses. 

The bill could be adopted by the Coalition Avenir Québec majority as early as this week, as the legislation has undergone a number of amendments and is ready for other political parties to have their say on it. 

The leaders have repeatedly requested to meet with government officials to ask for an exemption for youths in English-speaking Indigenous communities, who have been learning their language first, with English as a second language and French as a third. 

They say the government has shown little sympathy to their cause.

"To put another burden, of a third language for us to have to learn and be proficient in, when we're trying to revitalize our Indigenous language — after all these Indian Day Schools, Indian Residential Schools, and all the things that happened to our people — it's a challenge," said Sky-Deer, whose community is Kanien'kehá-speaking and English-speaking.

As the news conference unfolded at the National Assembly, students in Kahnawake held a march against the bill. 

Picard said the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador made a presentation to a legislative committee about the bill and proposed several amendments "to no avail." 

"Even when we play by their rules, we are becoming the victims because none of it is being acknowledged," Picard said.

Simon Jolin-Barrette, who tabled the bill and is the minister responsible for the French language, said Tuesday there was no plan to make any exemptions. 

"Since 1977, Bill 101 applies to everybody in Quebec and Bill 101 will continue with Bill 96 to apply to everybody," Jolin-Barrette said, referring to the Charter of the French Language, which was passed as law 45 years ago. Bill 96 aims to update the charter. 

Gesgapegiag First Nation Chief John Martin said the original law had increased dropout rates in his Mi'kmaq community.