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Fighting Words: Bill 101
On March 31, 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Quebec's language law but ruled that the province must allow greater access to English schools. Back in 1977, when the Parti Québécois first introduced Bill 101, critics compared it to "lunatics taking over the asylum." Under Bill 101, even the "apostrophe s" in Eaton's, became illegal. The charter's defenders said such measures were necessary to protect the dwindling French culture and language from English dominance. CBC Archives looks back at the most debated law in Quebec.

	Master plan for a new French Quebec		Politics of smoked meat		Bill 101 is official
	Parti Québécois's white paper on language calls for French at any cost. (Radio; runs 9:29)		English Montrealers are apprehensive over the proposed language bill. (Radio; runs 19:17)		Parti Québécois declares a new French language charter. (TV; runs 3:06)

	Sun Life packs up		'French in Quebec: it's a plus'		Bill 101's first legal blow
	Canada's biggest insurance company relocates its head office to Toronto. (Radio; runs 3:41)		A message from l'Office de la langue française. (TV; runs 1:22)		Canada's Supreme Court unanimously rules that parts of Bill 101 are unconstitutional. (TV; runs 1:38)

	Mr. Singer goes to court		Five years after Bill 101		Bill 101 suffers legal setback over education
	A Montreal shop's English-only sign sparks emotional debate. (Radio; runs 9:48)		English-speaking Quebecers pay the price for a unilingual province. (TV; runs 12:40)		Supreme Court rules children of parents have the right to English schools in Quebec. (TV; runs 4:03)

	Signs of the times		Three strikes against Bill 101		Bourassa's dilemma
	Prominent Quebec journalists debate Bill 101. (TV; runs 9:26)		Supreme Court rules for bilingual signs in Quebec. (TV; runs 2:24)		Premier Robert Bourassa pays a price for invoking the notwithstanding clause. (TV; runs 3:31)

LINKS Topic from Les Archives de Radio-Canada on the same subject Loi 101 : l'avenir du français? Related Topics from CBC's Archives Canada's Constitutional Debate: What Makes a Nation? Charting the Future: Canada's New Constitution Constitutional Discord: Meech Lake Quebec Elections: 1960-1998 René Lévesque's Separatist Fight Robert Bourassa: Political Survivor The CBC assumes no responsibility for the content of external links.

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