Marc Miller, the new federal culture minister, is facing criticism from various Quebec officials, including the premier of Quebec. Miller, who took over from Steven Guilbeault in the cabinet, remarked that the French language is at risk across North America, diverging from the Quebec government’s stance that it is declining specifically in Quebec.
Speaking in French during a media scrum, Miller expressed his frustration with the identity-focused debate surrounding the language issue in Quebec. He emphasized the complexity of the situation and highlighted the importance of recognizing the positive impact of legislation such as Bill 101 and the Canada-Quebec Accord.
Back in 2023, when Miller was serving as the immigration minister, he consistently refused to acknowledge the decline of French in Quebec, opting instead to refer to it as a language facing threats. Quebec Premier François Legault retaliated against Miller’s statements by calling him a “disgrace to all Quebecers,” questioning how Miller could participate in cultural activities in Quebec after making such remarks.
Earlier that day, Legault refrained from commenting on Miller’s appointment, attributing the decision to Prime Minister Mark Carney. The ongoing language debate in Quebec has been fueled by different metrics used to assess the vitality of French in the province.
According to Statistics Canada, in 2016, 87.1% of Quebec residents reported regularly speaking French at home, a figure that dropped to 85.5% by 2021. While the number of individuals speaking French at home marginally increased over this period, the overall proportion of French-speaking Quebecers decreased by 1.5 percentage points.
Furthermore, the percentage of Quebec residents reporting bilingualism at home also saw a slight uptick from 3.3% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2021. In response to criticism from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre regarding Miller’s appointment, Prime Minister Carney defended his decision, emphasizing his support for Miller and the government’s investments in the French language and Quebec’s cultural sector.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet criticized Carney’s government, citing Miller’s appointment as evidence of a lack of understanding of Quebec’s reality. The appointment of Miller and the ensuing debate underscore the ongoing complexities surrounding language and cultural issues in Quebec.