Four ministers from the Legault government met with the students of the Estacades Academy in Trois-Rivières on Monday to discuss the French language and find their solutions to retain it.
French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge, Education Minister Bernard Drainville and Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe took the stage in the high school’s auditorium. For an hour, the young people could talk to them in the form of a hand signal. Minister for Government Administration and Chair of the Treasury Board, Sonia Lebel, also made a brief appearance.
“Young people were thirsty for culture and French. And they suggested how. They were in the solution and not in the denial,” said Minister Jean-François Roberge.
“Young people love French. I wouldn’t say it surprises me, but it comforts me. On platforms like Netflix, we want to see more Quebec content… I find that interesting,” Education Minister Bernard Drainville added in a press conference.
In the past few days, the CAQ advert on the decline of French in Quebec had sparked debate among students. The Digital Culture Pass project aimed to arouse the curiosity of young people. The Legault government plans to spend US$4.2 million over two years to develop this tool, whose mission is to promote Quebec’s cultural offerings.
“I find it motivating. They want to consume the Quebec culture that interests them. And I’m sensitive to that. That’s one of the elements that I remember. I am very pleased to see that the culture pass will probably be popular in two years’ time when it will be available on foot,” commented Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe.
The Académie les Estacades was the only school in the province that received pastors. The ideas proposed by the teenagers will feed into the work of the Action Group for the Future of the French Language. Minister Jean-François Roberge is also setting up a major online consultation, details of which will be announced on Tuesday.