{"id":1042543,"date":"2026-09-04T08:45:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T08:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1042543\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T08:45:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T08:45:19","slug":"frechette-holds-firm-wont-allow-english-language-mailouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1042543\/","title":{"rendered":"Fr\u00e9chette holds firm, won’t allow English-language mailouts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quebec Premier Christine Fr\u00e9chette is holding firm on the decision to stop mailing voting information in English<\/a> as lawyers prepare to mount a legal challenge against the measure.<\/p>\n

Having said the day before that discussions on the issue were taking place, the Coalition Avenir Qu\u00e9bec leader said Thursday morning that meetings had concluded and she would not be intervening.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s be clear: No one is being denied access to information. No one is being denied the right to vote, either,\u201d Fr\u00e9chette said at a campaign stop in Roxton Pond, near Granby, adding that ballots would remain bilingual.<\/p>\n

For the first time, \u00c9lections Qu\u00e9bec has said it will not send English-language mailers ahead of the Oct. 5 election, <\/strong>instead including a QR code linked to an English web page<\/a>. Language legislation brought in under the CAQ forced the change, the agency said Tuesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A\u00c9lections Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n

\u00c9lections Qu\u00e9bec said it had asked for a carve-out to allow mailouts in both French and English, but that the government refused.<\/p>\n

Asked Thursday why the government chose not to create an exemption for elections communications, Fr\u00e9chette didn\u2019t answer directly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have adopted rules, and French is the official and common language of Quebec,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are applying the rules we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

While voting rights and English-language advocates had said the decision presented barriers to voting, Fr\u00e9chette dismissed the concerns on Thursday, telling reporters she didn\u2019t see a risk of anglophones not knowing how to vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rights of the English-speaking community are being respected,\u201d Fr\u00e9chette said. \u201cWe can be proud, I think, to defend our language.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Line that cannot be crossed\u2019<\/p>\n

Eric Maldoff, a lawyer and former president of the anglophone-advocacy organization Alliance Quebec, said he is part of a group of lawyers planning to file legal action against the provincial government.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d he said about the French-only election mailouts.<\/p>\n

The measure is an \u201cunacceptable impediment\u201d because it means English-speaking Quebecers are \u201cnot getting equal access\u201d to important voter information, according to Maldoff. He said it\u2019s a violation of a constitutional right.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a line that cannot be crossed,\u201d he said in an interview Thursday. \u201cThe right to vote is sacred. If we don\u2019t have confidence that we can vote and choose our government, then how do you fix anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

Maldoff also said he doesn\u2019t believe it\u2019s too late for the Quebec government to reverse course and to have English-language documents mailed out ahead of the election.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs they say: Where there is a will, there is a way. But this has to be fixed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In preparing a legal challenge, Maldoff said \u201cwe have lawyers working on it right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hope is to be able to initiate this in court at the beginning of next week,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked if French-only mailouts could put the validity of the election into question<\/a>, Maldoff said: \u201cIt will certainly raise a question of the legitimacy of an election where certain people are not given equal access to voting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully Quebec will come to its senses and solve this problem quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three complaints filed to federal language commissioner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s commissioner of official languages confirmed Thursday her office was contacted about the French-only mailouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have received three complaints regarding \u00c9lections Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s decision to provide voter information only in French ahead of this year\u2019s election,\u201d Kelly Burke said in a statement to The Gazette.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs those complaints are currently being analyzed, I must limit my comments on the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burke said only complaints that meet all three of the following criteria can be investigated as per the Official Languages Act:<\/p>\n