Quebec Premier François Legault criticized newly appointed federal Culture Minister Marc Miller on Tuesday after Miller made comments about the state of the French language in Quebec and across North America.
Miller, who became minister of Canadian identity and culture and minister responsible for official languages on Monday replacing former Minister Steven Guilbeault, told reporters that French is precarious throughout North America rather than declining specifically in Quebec as the provincial government often argues.
Speaking in French, he said he was fed up with a debate he described as primarily identity driven. He added that repeated claims of decline risk overshadowing legislative achievements such as Bill 101 and the Canada Quebec Accord.
Miller made similar comments in 2023 while serving as immigration minister, saying the language was under threat rather than in decline. Legault reacted strongly on his way into question period at the National Assembly, calling Miller a disgrace to all Quebecers.
He questioned how the Montreal MP could continue attending cultural events in the province after making what he called nonsense comments about the language situation.
Earlier in the day, Legault declined to comment on Miller’s appointment and said the decision belonged to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Statistics Canada figures continue to fuel political debate over the vitality of French. The share of Quebecers who reported speaking French at home at least regularly fell from 87.1% in 2016 to 85.5% in 2021, although the agency cautioned that changes to the census question limit direct comparisons.
The number of individuals speaking French at home rose slightly during the same period, but represented a smaller percentage of the population. The proportion speaking French equally with another language also increased modestly.
In Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre questioned Carney’s decision to name Miller to cabinet and asked why he chose an MP he characterized as fed up with French. Poilievre said Conservatives will defend the French language and Quebec culture.
Carney responded that he supports Miller and accused Poilievre of opposing the government’s action plan for the French language and cultural investments included in the 2025 budget. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves François Blanchet said the appointment showed the Liberal government has no grasp of Quebec’s reality.
