Ex-PQ premier wants French-only education for immigrants

Former Quebec premier Bernard Landry says the province should impose French-only college education for the children of immigrants.

The ex-Parti Qubcois leader says now's the time to apply Bill 101 to Quebec's colleges, called CGEPs, to ensure that these young people are fully integrated as francophones.

Bill 101 is a landmark law adopted in 1977 with the aim of protecting the French language in Quebec.

Among its restrictions, the law limits access to English-language primary and secondary schools for immigrants and the children of immigrants.

Landry was reacting to a newspaper report in the Montreal newspaperLa Pressesaying that for the first time ever there were more allophones than francophones in Montreal schools last year.

The former sovereigntist party leader says the statistics aren't worrying, as long as Quebec takes the necessary steps to integrate allophones.

Landry's comments could create a political headache for PQ Leader Pauline Marois.

Marois has chosen to steer clear of the debate on language and education.