Content: Marc Miller, recently appointed as Canada’s federal culture minister, is facing backlash from several Quebec officials, including Premier François Legault. Miller, who took over the role from Steven Guilbeault, made comments on Tuesday suggesting that the French language is precarious across North America, rather than specifically declining in Quebec. This perspective contrasts with the provincial government's stance.

During a media scrum, Miller expressed frustration with the ongoing identity-based debate surrounding the French language. "As a Quebecer, I’m pretty fed up with this debate that is generally identity-based," he stated in French. He described the language situation in Quebec as "very complex" and argued that framing French as declining can undermine the successes of significant legislation, such as Bill 101, which is the province’s Charter of the French Language, and the Canada-Quebec Accord.

In 2023, while serving as immigration minister, Miller consistently refrained from acknowledging a decline in the French language in Quebec, instead referring to it as a language "under threat."

Legault responded sharply to Miller's remarks, labeling him a "disgrace to all Quebecers" as he walked to question period at the National Assembly. "I don’t know how he’ll be able to show up at a cultural activity in Quebec after saying nonsense like that," Legault told reporters.

Earlier, Legault had declined to comment on Miller’s appointment, stating that it was Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision. The ongoing debate about the health of the French language in Quebec is fueled by varying indicators. According to 2021 census data from Statistics Canada, 85.5 percent of Quebecers reported speaking French at home regularly, a decrease from 87.1 percent in 2016. However, the number of individuals speaking French at home increased from 6.4 million in 2016 to 6.5 million in 2021, although their proportion of the population fell by 1.5 percentage points.

In the House of Commons, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre questioned Carney’s choice to appoint Miller, asking, "Of all the Liberal MPs, why did [Carney] choose to appoint an MP that is so fed up with French?" He emphasized that Conservatives are committed to defending the French language and Quebec culture.

In response, Carney expressed his support for Miller but did not address the controversy surrounding his comments. "I support my new minister. I am against the leader of the Opposition who opposes the $4-billion action plan for the French language," Carney stated, referencing elements of the upcoming 2025 budget. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet also criticized the appointment, claiming it exemplifies how Carney’s government lacks an understanding of Quebec's realities.