International Legal Regimes and Language Policy in Quebec: A Case Study of Compliance, and Some Continuing Tension

Since the late 1960's Quebec has created a vast array of extensive government policies designed to protect and promote the French language. The author points out that in so doing, Quebec has been generally responsive to international legal pressure where its policies conflict with international law norms. He argues that Quebec offers an encouraging case study in the possibility that international legal regimes have helped to both contain and accommodate inter-communal ethno-linguistic strife. The author surveys the international legal regimes most relevant to Quebec's language policies, and finds that Quebec generally does not run afoul of international norms enshrined in international trade agreements, intellectual property regimes, and human rights law. However, he points out, Quebec's language laws remain contentious, and in a few discrete areas may conflict with Canada's international law obligations. The author concludes that if these areas of possible conflict were raised in a competent international forum, Quebec's language policies could be found to violate various of Canada's international agreements.

Wisconsin International Law Journal

Vol. 33

no. 2

223-253

Fall 2015

en