Patricia Lamarre

Anglo-Quebec today: looking at community and schooling issues

Abstract In the 1960s, the Anglophone community in Quebec tended to see itself as a “majority” group, despite their demographic weight within the province. Efforts to change the status of French and French speakers provoked a redefinition of the status of Anglophones and an important transformation of the community and of its institutions — transformations that are still ongoing. In this article, we take a look at the Anglo-Quebec community today, a community that is increasingly bilingual, multicultural, and hybrid, a community which is also in decline. We then discuss how this reflects on the challenges and issues facing the English school system — a school system mandated with ensuring the vitality of the official language minority, but also with the preparation of students for life in an increasingly French Quebec.

Bilingual winks and bilingual wordplay in Montreal's linguistic landscape

Abstract In Québec, legislation regulates the language of public and commercial signage. As intended, this has transformed the linguistic landscape (LL) of Montreal, which looks more French than just three decades ago. But if we stop looking and actually listen to the citys soundscape, what is clear is that Montreal is a much more bilingual and multilingual city with a population increasingly able to read signs both in English and in French. Interestingly, in the Montreal LL can be found a number of commercial signs that are nothing less than wry “bilingual winks” that circumvent legislation, sometimes with quite wicked skill, and play with French and English. These bilingual winks are clearly intended for a population with the language skills to catch the wink and can be interpreted as manifestations of the increasing number of complex language repertoires, but also of a bilingual aesthetic that revels in disrupting and claiming space. It would also seem, however, that while a certain amount of covert bilingual creativity has been inspired by the legal constraints imposed in Québec, bilingual wordplay has simply found ways of creeping into the LL, despite the politics of language and legislation.

Journeys of Interaction: Shared Schooling in Quebec and Northern Ireland

This article compares experiences of shared schooling in societies with 2 distinctive traits: first, a history of intercommunity conflict and isolation; and second, a segregated school system. Drawing on Parekhs (2006) reconceptualisation of multiculturalism, this article analyses issues arising from experiences of intercommunity contact in shared schools in Quebec and Northern Ireland—in one case, bringing Anglophones and Francophones together and, in the other, Protestants and Catholics. Research data from both contexts is drawn upon to reflect on how this experience is lived. The metaphor of a journey is used to capture what it represents for those involved. A need to clarify, recognize, and exploit the potential of shared schooling for the transformation of divided societies is identified.

Community Learning Centers in Quebec: Changing Lives, Changing Communities

The Community Learning Centres developed in the Canadian province of Quebec are advanced exemplars with special contributions to leaders worldwide. In French-speaking Quebec, English speaking Canadians are a minority who are at risk of social exclusion and social isolation. A powerful innovation was needed in response to their needs and aspirations, and the Community Learning Centre model was selected as the best response. Leaders’ approach to developing this new design is noteworthy and exemplary. For example, they have proceeded with a theory of change strategy; they have dovetailed it with a research-supported framework for implementation science; and they have developed and worked with policy councils who help with resource related needs and accountability requirements. At the same time that they have advanced a model with shared features, leaders have ensured that each Centre is tailor-made for its locale. Even more impressive is the province-wide scale up: Leaders have progressively developed more than thirty such centers. Alongside their still-evolving lessons learned and evaluation findings, these leader-authors offer valuable lessons learned for newcomers and more experienced colleagues alike.