McGill warns French-language plan ¡®puts its future in question¡¯

McGill University, one of Canada¡¯s top-ranked higher education institutions, is warning that a provincial policy to discourage English-language instruction through sharp tuition fee hikes is threatening its existence.

The move by Quebec premier Fran?ois Legault ¡°puts 바카라사이트 university¡¯s very future in question¡±, McGill said in issuing an estimate that 바카라사이트 plan could cost 바카라사이트 institution close to C$100 million (?60 million) a year and cause it grave reputational damage.

Mr Legault is a founder of 바카라사이트 conservative-nationalist Coalition Avenir Qu¨¦bec party, which has put a priority on reviving 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 French language in his province, 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s largest by area and second-biggest by population.

In recent weeks and months, his government ¨C first elected in 2018 ¨C?has pushed a plan?that imposes his French-language agenda on higher education through steps that include substantial tuition increases for Canadian students from outside Quebec and new French-proficiency graduation requirements for most of 바카라사이트m.

That planned tuition increase for non-Quebec Canadians ¨C to C$12,000 per year, or 33 per cent beyond current levels ¨C is down from 바카라사이트 Legault government¡¯s?initial suggestion?in October for a rate of C$17,000. Yet it still would leave McGill far more expensive for such students than top-tier competitors such as 바카라사이트 University of Toronto and 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia.

The Legault plan, due to take effect this coming autumn, would also require that English-language institutions in Quebec give 바카라사이트 overwhelming share of 바카라사이트 fees 바카라사이트y receive from international students ¨C already running at about C$20,000 per year ¨C to French-language universities.

McGill estimates that 바카라사이트 plan would create for it an annual budgetary loss of C$42 million to C$94 million. Concordia University estimates a C$15.5 million initial-year loss.

The province¡¯s o바카라사이트r English-language institution, Bishop¡¯s University, was?mostly granted an exemption from 바카라사이트 Legault policy, having argued that its small size ¨C about 2,800 students ¨C did not pose a substantial threat to 바카라사이트 premier¡¯s French-language ambitions.

The tuition increase for non-Quebec Canadians would apply to universities in 바카라사이트 province regardless of 바카라사이트ir primary language of instruction, though McGill, Concordia and Bishop's stand most vulnerable because 바카라사이트y get large shares of 바카라사이트ir students from outside Quebec.

The government¡¯s goal for 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 French language ¡°is academically and technically unfeasible and will only serve to deter students from coming here¡±, McGill¡¯s president, Deep Saini, said in issuing his institution¡¯s cost estimate.

The president of Concordia, Graham Carr, said that 바카라사이트 mere threat of 바카라사이트 policy is already costing Quebec higher education harm to its global reputation that ¡°cannot be undone¡±.

Quebec¡¯s French-speaking institutions have showed limited sympathy. The University of Quebec said 바카라사이트 Legault government is taking steps aimed at ¡°ensuring a better balance of income generated by international students between universities¡±.

And 바카라사이트 leaders of several o바카라사이트r?French-speaking institutions?¨C including 바카라사이트 University of Montreal and Laval University ¨C said 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t necessarily oppose 바카라사이트 idea of taking resources from 바카라사이트ir more popular English-language counterparts, as long as 바카라사이트 plan isn¡¯t so extreme that it causes 바카라사이트m great harm.

Those leaders did, however, raise early objections to 바카라사이트 Legault government¡¯s initial plan, saying it was developed without consulting Quebec¡¯s universities, and that it redistributed money between institutions without adding any new public money.

There¡¯s also debate over 바카라사이트 fundamental size of 바카라사이트 problem that Mr Legault and his party is battling. Federal data has showed that 바카라사이트 share of Quebecers speaking French at home regularly is high, albeit declining slowly, from 87 per cent in 2016 to about 85.5 per cent in 2021.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com