Allison Hanes: It's lonely defending anglos in politics

Article content material

Anthony Housefather stood alone final week when he solid the one vote in opposition to the ultimate textual content of Invoice C-13 in preparation for third studying on Friday.

Article content material

And the Liberal MP for Mount Royal might be the one voice within the wilderness on Monday when the federal authorities’s replace of the Official Languages Act sails over its closing hurdle within the Home of Commons and heads to the Senate on its approach to changing into legislation.

Article content material

Though Wednesday’s transfer was largely procedural and he might solely vote nearly on Monday, Housefather mentioned in an interview it was necessary to him to disclaim common passage of laws that undermines the rights of Quebec’s English-speaking minority.

“It might have been unhappy to see a unanimous vote when virtually all of the organizations representing the English-speaking group had voiced their issues after which it could have been just like the Home of Commons simply utterly ignored these issues,” he mentioned. “By me voting no, I used to be reminding the home that the English-speaking group of Quebec nonetheless has all these issues and so they haven’t been addressed.”

Article content material

Article content material

Housefather, like many teams representing anglophones, is troubled that Invoice C-13 mentions Quebec’s Constitution of the French Language, aka Invoice 101. Not solely is it uncommon for federal laws to reference provincial legislation, however the French language constitution is now lined by Invoice 96, which shields it with the constitutional override. English-speaking Quebecers concern Invoice C-13 will upend the equality of Canada’s two official language minorities. And by tacitly endorsing the pre-emptive activation of the however clause, the federal authorities might hamper any future efforts to rein in its use.

That is the primary time in his political profession that Housefather has bucked the Liberal celebration line by not supporting a authorities invoice.

Article content material

“In a vote like this which is a whip vote, I’m a parliamentary secretary, which implies I’m a part of the federal government. Whereas I’m not a cupboard minister who has to keep up cupboard solidarity, it’s anticipated I’ll help authorities positions,” he mentioned. “So after all there might be ramifications, however on this case I consider I’ve been up entrance, I’ve talked to everybody about my emotions in regards to the invoice and I’ve had very frank conversations with the prime minister.”

Housefather’s stance illustrates simply how lonely it’s defending the rights of anglophones lately on the Quebec and Canadian political panorama.

As Premier François Legault is operating roughshod over minority rights, a type of groupthink has taken maintain on the Nationwide Meeting. Even the mildest criticism of the Legault authorities’s nationalist agenda is bound to attract accusations of being anti-Quebec or anti-French. (Simply ask Housefather.)

Article content material

The Parti Québécois tries to push Legault to take a good more durable line on points like language, secularism, immigration and sovereignty, whereas the Quebec Liberal Get together has seemingly deserted conventional backers in minority communities.

Beneath former chief Dominique Anglade, the Quebec Liberals proposed amendments to Invoice 96 that truly made it worse. Beneath interim chief Marc Tanguay, the PLQ has gone even additional astray within the quest for francophone votes amid cratering help.

The federal authorities appears extra intent on appeasing Legault than countering him — even when there are critical disagreements. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have carried out little greater than say he has issues about discrimination in opposition to non secular minorities underneath Quebec’s Invoice 21, enshrining state secularism, or the usage of the however clause in each that legislation and Invoice 96, reinforcing French. However he hasn’t taken any steps to intervene.

Article content material

Then his authorities went and scored an own-goal by embedding the French language constitution in Invoice C-13.

As Housefather tells it, he was considered one of solely a handful of federal Liberals who balked on the implications for English-speaking Quebecers. Together with long-time Liberal cupboard minister Marc Garneau, he mentioned they finally acquired Trudeau to see the sunshine. However Liberal makes an attempt to take away the references throughout committee, led by Housefather, backfired when opposition events ganged up on the minority authorities so as to add much more mentions. Ultimately, Invoice C-13 comprises three references to Quebec’s language constitution, not two. And each Housefather and Garneau had been focused by nasty smears for his or her efforts.

Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor doesn’t appear to thoughts. She appeared alongside Quebec’s Minister for the French Language, Jean-François Roberge, at an occasion hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal final week. He urged senators to cross Invoice C-13 as quickly as attainable and picked a brand new struggle about momentary overseas employees anglicizing Quebec. She introduced him with an opulent chook of prey. He’s such a language hawk, in any case.

Article content material

With Garneau now retired, Housefather is out on a limb, kind of by himself. However the MP is taking a glass-half-full method.

“C-13 is nowhere close to as dangerous as Regulation 96 for our group. I don’t wish to exaggerate the issues with C-13,” he mentioned. “There are numerous good issues in C-13 and there are a lot of good issues within the motion plan. However I believe proper now, as soon as it will get by means of the home and no matter occurs within the Senate goes to occur, there are alternatives with the motion plan and the cash that’s underneath the motion plan that we must always benefit from.”

He’s referring to the $137 million over 5 years to help Quebec’s English-speaking group. Already that sum has drawn outrage from the Bloc Québécois and PQ, whereas Roberge has mentioned he desires it for use to show anglophones French.

Housefather has just a few concepts of his personal:

“Let’s use these funds to strengthen our group, together with how we will help with the enlargement of Dawson Faculty, how we will use the courtroom challenges program funding to assault provisions of Regulation 96 which are unconstitutional.”

However he might shortly discover himself alone on that, too.

[email protected]