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The party tabled a new Bill 96 amendment that would drop the requirement for anglophones to take three core CEGEP courses in French, replacing it with more second-language French courses.

QUEBEC Stung by criticism from all sides, Quebecs Liberals Wednesday tried to patch up their gaffe that could require all students in anglophone CEGEPs to take three core courses in French.

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At an evening sitting of the committee examining Bill 96, overhauling the Charter of the French Language, Liberal language critic Hlne David tabled an amendment that would drop the requirement the Liberals themselves suggested and replace it with more second-language French courses.

The total number of French-language courses would go from the current two required to obtain a Diplme dtudes collgiales (DEC) to five. As is the case now, such courses would reflect the students level of French competency on arrival in CEGEP and not penalize them for a lack of proficiency.

If a student did feel comfortable enough to try some of their core courses in French, that option would be available but not obligatory, David told the committee in tabling the amendment.

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We have tried to find a balance, in all fairness, as much for francophones, allophones and students who studied in English schools, to follow many French courses but based on their mastery of the language, David said.

Its a little bit like people who sign up for Spanish courses. They are evaluated as beginners or with medium skills, and off they go. In giving students the opportunity, not the obligation, we achieve the same thing.

The objective is for them to master French, so they can collectively participate in Quebec life whether this is in nursing or computer skills, science. Its a plus, and the colleges agree with this.

The amendment, however, is not a done deal. Objecting off the top to the Liberals plan was Parti Qubcois language critic Pascal Brub, who asked the committee chair to rule on whether the amendment alters the legislators vision of Bill 96.

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Brub said last week the amendment was not his problem and the Liberals have to deal with it.

On Wednesday, committee president Nancy Guillemette ruled against Brub and said the amendment does not denature the bill. She will allow MNAs to debate it further when the committee resumes sitting Thursday.

Sitting and watching events unfold as the amendment arrived in the dying moments of the day, the minister responsible for French, Simon Jolin-Barrette, did not comment.

An aide said later: The minister will study the amendment. We will make our decision known soon.

Last week Jolin-Barrette brushed off the Liberals requestto fix the amendment, saying he liked the original. Meanwhile, Premier Franois Legault said his Coalition Avenir Qubec government was willing to discuss an adjustment.

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Both said dropping the Liberal amendment would be complicated because it was adopted by the committee unanimously.

For the Liberals, Wednesdays sub-amendment to their original amendment was an attempt to get out of a hole they dug two months ago. That was when they proposed the amendment requiring francophone, allophone and anglophone students to take three CEGEP courses in French.

Reaction from the English-speaking community was slow, but the backlash is real, with support for the party dropping among non-francophone voters.

Quebecs CEGEP directors have said the amendment is a recipe for disaster because many students arrive with an inadequate level of French and would likely flunk if they had to take courses such as accounting or physics in that language.

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The Liberals have recognized they made a mistake and said they would try to fix it as a way of mending fences with the community.

Language critic David and committee member David Birnbaum, the Liberal point person for the English-speaking community, recently announced they will not seek re-election in the fall.

On Wednesday the committee also voted in favour of an amendment that would rename the Montreal riding of Bourget. Under Bill 96, the new name would be Camille-Laurin, in honour of the father of Bill 101.

pauthier@postmedia.com

twitter.com/philipauthier

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Liberals' new pitch is on 'opportunity, not the obligation' to study in French - Montreal Gazette