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Montréal, November 5, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Towards a diverse, vibrant Quebec English-speaking community

The Commissioner of Official Languages, Dr. Dyane Adam, today released the findings of a new study entitled Going Forward: The Evolution of Quebec’s English-Speaking Community. The study is intended to help community leaders and policy-makers design strategies that better meet the needs of Quebec’s English-speaking population. The study will also be useful to those responsible for providing government services in areas such as health care, education and economic development.

The study’s author, Mr. Jack Jedwab, Executive Director of the Association for Canadian Studies, explained that “the Quebec English-speaking community has adapted to many changes in the last few years. It is a community with an evolving identity and needs continuous support in order to ensure its enduring vitality.” Dr. Adam commissioned the study in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of today’s English-speaking community in Quebec.

Major findings in the report indicate that:

• although the Quebec English-speaking population has declined since the 1970s, in both numbers and percentage, today it is diverse in its socio-economic, regional, ethnic and religious characteristics;
• access to health and social services in English is a principal concern of the Quebec English-speaking community, and the access varies according to a given community’s demographic situation;
• there is a continued decline of English mother-tongue enrolment in English schools;
• knowledge of both English and French is considered to be central to the economic advancement of Quebec Anglophones.

“Over the course of the 20^th century, there has been a significant change in the English-speaking population in Quebec,” said the Commissioner. “Understanding the evolution of the Quebec English-speaking community is essential for those who will inform future policy and decision-making that affect this segment of Canadian society.”

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Information

To obtain a copy of the study, call 613-996-6368 or 1 877 996-6368.