Despite strong opposition, Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois says her party will push ahead with its proposed "identity act," legislation aimed at creating Quebec citizenship.

Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois proposes a bill on Quebec identity at the Quebec national assembly on Thursday.
(Clement Allard/Canadian Press)

The Liberal minority government says the act would create two classes of Quebecers and it plans to oppose the legislation in the National Assembly.

Marois told party members at a meeting north of Montreal on Saturday that the law is essential to ensure the future of the French language in the province. She said it's "false" to suggest it would divide Quebecers into two classes of citizens.

The PQ leader accused her critics of creating a double standard: English Canadians may speak of a collective "us" which includes everyone. However, she said the PQ is branded as exclusionary by catering to the province's French-speaking majority.

Quebec's francophone majority must stop feeling afraid of appearing intolerant, she said.

"The Canadian 'us' inclusive, and the Quebec 'us' exclusive?" Marois said to cheering party members in Terrebonne.

Under the proposed law, immigrants will be required to have an "appropriate" working knowledge of French to be sworn in as Quebec citizens.

Those immigrants who fail to develop their French-language skills would not be allowed to hold public office, raise funds for a party or petition the National Assembly with a grievance.

Marois said the creation of Quebec citizenship would send a strong message to immigrants, who she says too often continue to choose English when they arrive.