By KEVIN DOUGHERTY - Yves-François Blanchet, the Parti Québécois language critic, met with representatives of Quebec's English-language media Wednesday to tell them he will continue to grant interviews in English but will no longer answer questions in English at "official" news conferences.
"When I give a press conference, I speak officially in the name of my party in the National Assembly," Blanchet explained.
"When I do some official intervention, I want to do it in French because it is the only official language in Quebec," he said.
"I don't want to give the message that there are two official languages in Quebec. There is only one."
Blanchet said he's received many complaints via social media over his use of English.
"They thought that I have given as much importance to English," he said.
"They were right."
Blanchet is the only member of the PQ caucus to take this position so far, although some PQ MNAs do not speak English as a rule and several ministers in the Charest government also do not speak any English.
"I did not ask anybody to do as I do," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if eventually the issue is raised but it is not something I have asked. It's a personal decision."
Blanchet said Premier Jean Charest and his ministers should always use French when speaking officially - and also outside the province.
"The prime minister of a French state should speak in French like President Sarkozy does," he said, referring to Nicolas Sarkozy, the leader of France.
"Most heads of state do speak the language of their state when they are outside their country.
"I simply believe that if you respect the idea that the official language in Quebec is French, a minister, any representative of the French state, should act accordingly," he added.
"Which does not mean and will never mean, in my point of view, that we shall not answer English questions.
"It means that when we make an official intervention, we should do it in the official language."
Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier, who caved in after one complaint, ending his practice of making a brief summary for English radio and television in his opening remarks to reporters, said he will continue to answer questions in English.
"My duty is to inform," Fournier said, adding that anglophones "are a community who pay taxes in Quebec.
"And I don't share the view of the member for Drummond," he said of Blanchet.
PQ Leader Pauline Marois said in English that she intends to continue answering reporters' questions in English. "I respect the English minority, who are also Quebecers," Marois said.
kdougherty@ montrealgazette.com twitter.com/doughertykr