By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
About 100 English-speaking teens and young adults from around the province gathered at the Concordia Conference Centre on March 15 for the seventh annual Youth Forum organized by Y4Y, a Montreal-based organization that promotes civic participation, leadership and workplace readiness for members of the English-speaking community aged 16-30.
The geographic breakdown of attendees roughly reflected the larger English-speaking community – while the majority came from the greater Montreal area, others came from the Eastern Townships, Trois-Rivières, Quebec City and as far away as the Gaspé. At least one Bishop’s University student attended, as did a delegation of five youth committee members and two facilitators from Phelps Helps in Stanstead.
Y4Y board chair Madeleine Lawler, a recent graduate of law school at Université de Montréal, gave opening remarks, alluding to the difficult political climate for English speakers in the province in recent years. “Our approach to the issues has always been about providing a platform for English-speaking youth, building bridges and building community,” she said. “Today is not just about venting – it’s about brainstorming and collaborating. We’re all here to learn.”
Y4Y executive assistant Alex Pettem gave a brief overview of the demographic situation of the English-speaking community across the province, which itself challenged a number of stereotypes. The popular perception of the English-speaking community is older and whiter than the reality, he explained, pointing out that “English-speaking communities” make up about 1.2 million of Quebec’s eight million people. One anglophone Quebecer in three is an immigrant, one in four is a visible minority, and one in four is between the ages of 15 and 34.
Nearly three out of four young adults in the anglophone community consider themselves bilingual – “the highest bilingualism rate of any demographic in Canada,” Pettem said.
Despite this, he said, “linguistic insecurity” – anxiety or lack of confidence around language skills – is one of the most common barriers to employment for young anglophones, especially in rural Quebec. “Most of us are fairly bilingual, but we struggle to leverage that into better opportunities,” remarked Pettem’s colleague, Caleb Owusu-Acheaw.
After the opening presentations, participants took part in youth-led panel discussions about the education system, civic engagement and workforce readiness – all of which centred around education. Panelists called for an education system that accommodates different learning styles; places more value on vocational skills, financial literacy, civic engagement and entrepreneurship; and reinforces students’ French language skills in a more engaging and accessible way.
“Employers would be well served by looking at people’s skills and giving themselves a chance to improve their French on the job rather than rejecting them out of hand,” added Shekina Blackstock, a Montreal native who is studying political science at Bishop’s and improving her French.
“The language laws have caused a lot of anxiety for my family,” said panelist Abbigail Whitcher, 24, a Knowlton native now studying law at McGill. “Two of my brothers have decided to move to Saskatchewan [because of language politics]. Building a sense of belonging for English speakers is very important to me.”
Whitcher pointed out that English-speaking high school students face increased dropout rates compared to their francophone counterparts. “The fact that there’s a difference is telling… especially in smaller communities, where our youth have fewer opportunities.” She observed that while many English-speaking rural communities have extensive programming that caters to seniors, youth don’t always get the same support.
The Stanstead students emphasized the urban-rural divide between English-speaking communities and expressed concern that they weren’t necessarily being “pushed” in high school. “Youth are capable of a lot more than people think, even if you’re from a small town,” concluded Elizabeth, a Secondary 5 student at Alexander Galt Regional High School and Stanstead native who gave only her first name.