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As members of an official-language minority, anglophone Quebecers are particularly sensitive to the plight of francophones elsewhere in Canada. So it’s wonderful to see a prominent Quebec cabinet minister jumping to the defence of francophone minorities in other provinces.

Jean-Marc Fournier, the minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie, this week urged provincial governments to reach beyond their constitutional obligations and offer more French schooling than required by law. Children of francophone immigrants who settle outside Quebec have no right to attend French public schools until their parents become citizens. He suggested this should change.

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Yes it should.

Fournier’s remarks were all the more welcome given that not so long ago, Quebec was siding with the Yukon’s territorial government against an attempt by Yukon’s francophone school board to liberalize access. In that case, Quebec’s interest in defending provincial powers trumped its sympathy for Yukon francophones.