QCGN rebrands as TALQ, celebrates 30 years
By Dan Laxer
The Suburban
Last week the organization formerly known as Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGM) launched its new rebrand. At its annual general meeting the group took the occasion of its 30th anniversary to officially announce its new name: TALQ – Talking Advocating Living in Québec, to re-elect its executive, to add new people to its board of directors, and to party.
“The QCGN gave itself a birthday present with a new look,” said spokesperson Sylvia Martin-Laforge. The colour is different – a solid blue reminiscent of the colours of Quebec – with the accent aigu retained in the word “Québec” to signal that “we’re taking our place in Quebec as an English-speaking community.” The rebrand, reads a press release, is “to better fulfill its mission as stewards of the English voice in Quebec.”
In 1995, after the Quebec referendum, a handful of Quebec-based English community groups came together and eventually formed what became the QCGN to advocate for the English-speaking community of Quebec. The rebrand is part of the network’s natural evolution, says president Eva Ludvig. “A key takeaway was a desire to dispel the ‘us-vs.-them’ perception once and for all. We celebrate the vibrancy of the English-speaking community in a proudly French Quebec. We are citizens and neighbours,” she adds, “enthusiastically integrated into the fabric of Quebec society.”
The name change was a challenge, says Martin-Laforge. They had to come up with something that better represents what TALQ has become while not running afoul of the province’s language laws. The organization has also come to represent individuals as well as groups, so “groups network” no longer applied sufficiently. And Martin-Laforge points out that it’s easier to say; many have said over the years that “Quebec Community Groups Network,” and even “QCGN,” were unwieldy.
“TALQ reflects our commitment to fostering open dialogue, amplifying diverse voices, and uniting communities across Quebec,” Ludvig said. “Talking is as much about being heard as it is about listening. We want to expand a movement that people want to be a part of, one that is positive and inclusive – a conversation everyone is welcome to join.”
The executive remains the same, with Ludvig as president and Katherine Korakakis as vice president. Journalist Leslie Roberts was named to the board, as was English Montreal School Board chair Joe Ortona (also president of the English School Boards Association). “As Chair of the EMSB and President of QESBA,” Ortona posted on Facebook, “I’ve fought to defend the constitutional rights of English-speaking Quebecers and to protect the vitality of our institutions. I look forward to continuing that work at TALQ, alongside inspiring advocates from across the province. Together, we will ensure that our community’s voice remains strong, united, and impossible to ignore.” n
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