Potential problems with the implementation of Quebec government's new law to protect the French language - known as Bill 96 - become clear even in the simplest scenarios

Suppose your recycling bin is cracked, and you want to get a new one.

If you live in Montreal, you can call the information number 311. But if you want to speak English with the phone operator, things become more complicated.

Under the new law, almost all government services (except healthcare) must be provided in French.

There are two categories of people who will remain eligible to receive service in English or other languages: so-called "historical" English speakers (people who received their education in English), and immigrants who have been in Quebec for less than six months.

Dominique Ollivier, chair of the executive committee, said, "How is a person supposed to know who is entitled to receive services in English when calling 311? How can the person answering the phone be able to verify how the law applies?"

He added, "The city fully supports the spirit of the new law, but it is waiting for answers on its implementation. The bill is scheduled to receive royal assent in the National Assembly today. So far, the province has not provided any guidelines on how to implement the law."

Many organizations have concerns about the law's implementation, and Montreal alone is not the only city questioning it.

Eric Maldouf, head of the Alliance for Quality Health and Social Services, said, "Will they issue a government ID card for people who certify that you are eligible for service in English? I have no idea how they will do that."

Several other organizations raised questions and concerns about how the law will be applied during committee hearings at the National Assembly in January.

In a written report to the committee, the Union of Quebec Municipalities said implementing the new law will raise "several issues" for its members "especially when the health and safety of citizens are at stake."

The union said, "Municipalities must have some flexibility to identify situations where they can communicate in a language other than French that takes into account the demographic characteristics of their population." The Quebec Human Rights Commission also noted in its report that defining who is a historical English speaker or how long a new immigrant has been in Quebec will pose "clear practical difficulties" when applying the law.

Bill 96 is comprehensive legislation covering almost all government departments, municipalities, and crown corporations. Details are still being worked out, and the short answer is that the province does not yet know how the law will be applied.

Over the next six months, the province will create a new ministry of the French language, which will set regional language policy for the entire public service and all municipalities and government organizations. After that, these organizations will have three months to submit their specific plans to implement the policy.

The ministry will then have three months to review and approve those plans.

Finally, on or around June 1 of next year, the law will begin to be implemented.

But the lack of precise information now is already causing problems for the government. After some high-profile national and international news coverage of the new law last week, Jolin-Barrette pointed out that "false information" about the law had circulated, prompting the government to publish full-page ads in English newspapers yesterday and in French newspapers today in an attempt to clarify misconceptions about the law.

But Eric Maldouf believes that the government has been deliberately vague about exactly how the law works. Maldouf noted that under the new law, anyone can file a complaint with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) if they believe that service was improperly provided in a language other than French.

Maldouf said, "You will have people working in the system with good intentions, and they will be monitored if they are heard speaking English, Greek, Italian, or whatever it is," adding, "All this will lead to a lot of uncertainty in the minds of people who want to provide the services they are supposed to provide."

Jolin-Barrette’s spokesperson, Elizabeth Gosselin-Bienvenue, said this is not true.

She added, "Clear guidelines will be put in place based on facts and the services provided by the various departments."

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair