Premier to apologize for 1912 law banning French in Ont. schools

Details
Category: Canada News
Published Monday, February 22, 2016
CTV News

TORONTO - Ontario's premier will issue a formal apology in the provincial legislature today for a 1912 regulation that prohibited teachers in elementary schools from speaking with students in French.

See Full Article

Kathleen Wynne said last December that it would be "very appropriate" for her to offer an official apology on behalf of the Ontario government for Regulation 17, which was enforced for 15 years before it finally fell into abeyance by 1944.

The premier said she wanted to acknowledge that the province's bilingual heritage wasn't always respected in the past.

Sudbury Liberal MPP Glenn Thibeault moved a motion in the legislature asking for the official apology to the province's French-speaking residents.

Thibeault said it will demonstrate that the government recognizes its past errors and is serious about growing the Franco-Ontarian identity and culture.

New Democrat Gilles Bisson said his party will support the apology because "it doesn't hurt," but he called it "much ado about nothing" because the ban on French in Ontario schools hasn't been enforced in 70 years.



Advertisements

Latest Canada & World News

  • Ginsburg's impact on women spanned age groups, backgrounds

    World News CTV News
    NEW YORK -- Sure, there were the RBG bobbleheads, the Halloween getups, the lace collars, the workout videos. The "I dissent" T-shirts, the refrigerator magnets, the onesies for babies or costumes for cats. And yes, the face masks, with slogans like: "You can't spell TRUTH without RUTH. Source

  • Woman accused of sending ricin letter to White House arrested

    Canada News CTV News
    WASHINGTON -- Three law enforcement officials say a woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to White House, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border. The officials say the woman was taken into custody by U.S. Source

  • Woman suspected of mailing ricin to White House arrested at U.S.-Canada border

    World News CBC News
    Three U.S. law enforcement officials say a woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to White House and President Donald Trump, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border. The officials say the woman was taken into custody by U.S. Source

  • Searchers find body of one of two teens missing after boat capsized off P.E.I.

    Canada News CTV News
    ALBERTON, P.E.I. -- An underwater search team has found the body of one of two 17-year-old boys who went missing when their boat capsized off Prince Edward Island last week. An RCMP spokesman says searchers recovered the body of Ethan Reilly at about 5:30 p.m. Source

  • Storm-weary Texas, Louisiana prepare as Beta churns closer

    World News CBC News
    Tropical storm Beta trudged toward the coasts of Texas and Louisiana on Sunday, threatening to bring more rain, wind and stress to a part of the country that has already been drenched and battered during this year's unusually busy hurricane season. Source

  • Alberta couldn't sell bonds earlier this year, Kenney says, as he continues push for federal reform

    Canada News CBC News
    As part of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's push for Ottawa to recalculate its fiscal stabilization fund, he cited government bonds Sunday as a dire indicator of the necessity for federal aid. "To be blunt, there were a few weeks where we couldn't sell Alberta government bonds," Kenney said in an interview on CTV's Question Period. Source

  • Shapovalov's run in Rome ends in 3-set semifinal loss to Diego Schwartzman

    Canada News CBC News
    Canadian Denis Shapovalov's steady run at the Italian Open ended Sunday with a semifinal loss to Diego Schwartzman of Argentina. The No. 8-seeded Schwartzman beat Shapovalov 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4) to advance to Monday's finals, where he'll play world No. Source

  • Thousands protest Netanyahu; many ignore Israeli virus rules

    World News CTV News
    JERUSALEM -- Thousands of Israelis resumed their weekly protest Sunday outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence in central Jerusalem, despite a new nationwide lockdown order aimed at curbing a raging coronavirus outbreak. An exception allowing people to hold public demonstrations was included in the three-week lockdown imposed last Friday. Source

  • Horse trailer flips on Hwy. 401 in Kingston, Ont., horses treated for cuts

    Canada News CTV News
    KINGSTON -- Two horses were treated for minor cuts after a horse trailer flipped on Highway 401 in Kingston, Ont. Ontario Provincial Police say the incident happened in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 at Highway 38 Sunday afternoon. Source

  • Sask. reports 20 new COVID-19 cases

    Canada News CTV News
    REGINA -- Saskatchewan reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total number of active cases to 140. There are seven new cases located in the Saskatoon area, 10 in the Regina area and two in the south east region. Source