FACEBOOK June 19, 2013 
Quebec's IT sector segment of unilingual anglophones, although small in itself, at approximately 20% of the community as a whole, feel that their work environments have become increasingly hostile due to the trickle-down effect of recent political rhetoric of Quebec's separatist government makes them feel as if they do not belong in the province because they have not been assimilated with the majority language. They feel as the government will continue to isolate them irregarless of the almost total dependence on development in the IT sector on English, whereas due to imposed French in the work environment, they are prevented advancement right off the bat. I have witnessed even partially unilingual (as in spoken fluent, but written EN only) have to obtain Vice Presidential level to simply use an English language keyboard. Therefore, due to reality of this workplace zealotry, those who want relief from the harassment of assimilation (or forced homogenisation), even in their profession with multiple certifications, leave Quebec for greener, less hostile pastures. Often this is the case even if Quebec has been their home all their life. In the long run this will continue Quebec's brain drain, and what's more, even prominent Quebec radio hosts, such as Paul Arcand, blame this group for 'using' the cheaper post-secondary educational system! All in all, there are so many oppressive laws that have accumulated over the past generation; it is maddening how our political and media elites disassociate themselves from the tranquil decline of Quebec and its influence in Canada.
MONTREAL — A new survey of mostly Quebec-based IT workers suggests a deep divide over how much the Parti Québécois government and its plan to strengthen the French Language Charter affect them.
If they're bilingual, they don't have a problem with the party or its controversial Bill 14. But if they're unilingual English, they do.
In the poll of 653 workers, Kovasys IT Recruitment found 85 per cent of English-only speakers are more likely to leave Quebec now than they were before the PQ came to power.
By contrast, only 40 per cent of bilingual IT workers said Bill 14 would affect them negatively. Another 47 per cent said it would have no impact on them at all.
Opposed in whole or in part by Quebec's opposition parties as well as business, anglophone and allophone groups during public hearings, Bill 14 passed second reading last month in the National Assembly.
A third and final reading will be held in the fall.
Among other items in the bill, small and medium-sized companies with between 26 and 49 employees would be required to make French the language of their workplace.
The poll suggests IT workers who aren't comfortable in French would suffer if the proposal became law — so much so, they'd leave for work outside Quebec.
"This adds to the growing pile of research that links Quebec's IT brain drain and inability to fill IT positions to the province's attitude to the French language and its enforcement in the workplace," said Kovasys president Alex Kovalenko, 32.
A Ukrainian-born Carleton University graduate, Kovalenko founded the firm in 2005. About 70 per cent of his clients are English-speaking. He last spoke out against the bill publicly when it was first proposed last December.
A link to the four-question SurveyMoney.com poll was sent by email a week ago to 7,000 IT applicants who'd approached Kovasys over the past seven years looking for work.
Of the 7,000, 653 have replied. Over 85 per cent live in Quebec. Half are fluently bilingual, 38 per cent are fluent in English only and nine per cent in French only.
The survey isn't entirely neutral, however.
The first question states that under Bill 14 workers will be "forced to speak French" and that this "could affect the advancement of (their) business/career in Quebec."
To that, 50 per cent of respondents said it would, indeed, affect them negatively, while 17 per cent said it would affect them positively.
Thirteen per cent said it would make no difference.
MONTREAL — A new survey of mostly Quebec-based IT workers suggests a deep divide over how much the Parti Québécois government and its plan to strengthen the French Language Charter affect them.
If they're bilingual, they don't have a problem with the party or its controversial Bill 14. But if they're unilingual English, they do.
In the poll of 653 workers, Kovasys IT Recruitment found 85 per cent of English-only speakers are more likely to leave Quebec now than they were before the PQ came to power.
By contrast, only 40 per cent of bilingual IT workers said Bill 14 would affect them negatively. Another 47 per cent said it would have no impact on them at all.
Opposed in whole or in part by Quebec's opposition parties as well as business, anglophone and allophone groups during public hearings, Bill 14 passed second reading last month in the National Assembly.
A third and final reading will be held in the fall.
Among other items in the bill, small and medium-sized companies with between 26 and 49 employees would be required to make French the language of their workplace.
The poll suggests IT workers who aren't comfortable in French would suffer if the proposal became law — so much so, they'd leave for work outside Quebec.
"This adds to the growing pile of research that links Quebec's IT brain drain and inability to fill IT positions to the province's attitude to the French language and its enforcement in the workplace," said Kovasys president Alex Kovalenko, 32.
A Ukrainian-born Carleton University graduate, Kovalenko founded the firm in 2005. About 70 per cent of his clients are English-speaking. He last spoke out against the bill publicly when it was first proposed last December.
A link to the four-question SurveyMoney.com poll was sent by email a week ago to 7,000 IT applicants who'd approached Kovasys over the past seven years looking for work.
Of the 7,000, 653 have replied. Over 85 per cent live in Quebec. Half are fluently bilingual, 38 per cent are fluent in English only and nine per cent in French only.
The survey isn't entirely neutral, however.
The first question states that under Bill 14 workers will be "forced to speak French" and that this "could affect the advancement of (their) business/career in Quebec."
To that, 50 per cent of respondents said it would, indeed, affect them negatively, while 17 per cent said it would affect them positively.
Thirteen per cent said it would make no difference.
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