Ethnic minority or cultural community?

Controversy is growing around Bill 14 concerning how Quebec will define minorities.

According to the Montreal Gazette, a provision in the bill aimed at tightening language laws will see the term “ethnic minorities” replaced with “cultural communities.”

Ethnic minorities are protected under international human-rights law, but the term “cultural communities” is not.

Human-rights lawyer Pearl Eliadis says that by changing the term the government is avoiding acknowledging the existence of minorities in Quebec.

Spokesperson for the minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities Jonathan Lavalée says the change is to harmonize Bill 101 with other existing legislation. 

He says the term is not modern or up to date.

Critics believe that with the change in wording Quebec is distancing itself from protecting the rights of minorities.

STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU