2 Montreal island suburbs file court challenge to Quebec language law reform

Two Montreal suburbs filed a court challenge today to Quebec's 2022 language reform, seeking to be exempted from several articles of the law commonly known as Bill 96.

Two Montreal suburbs filed a court challenge today to Quebec's 2022 language reform, seeking to be exempted from several articles of the law commonly known as Bill 96.

Hampstead and Town of Mount Royal say the articles, which limit government communications in languages other than French, contradict elements of the law that allow certain municipalities and government agencies to use other languages.

The lawsuit also seeks to have the court declare unconstitutional a provision of the law that declares the French text of Quebec laws takes precedence over the English version if there is a discrepancy between the two.

It also seeks to have a change in the Canadian Constitution introduced through the Quebec bill — stating that Quebecers form a nation and that French is Quebec's official language — declared unconstitutional.