Two hundred businesses denounced
Journal readers have sent in denunciations of 200 businesses where they claim they were “greeted or served” in English. But even this piece admits that no law dictates what language a potential customer must be greeted in.
The CAQ wants to tighten the screws on the French language charter. (Translation of the TVA headline, “Québec pourrait serrer la vis” – not my editorializing.)
Once again, I emphasize I’m not banging the drum on this story – it’s almost the only thread I’m finding about Montreal on QMI sources just now.
Kevin 15:12 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
I just realized that next year is a census year.
So I looked up the release dates from last time around, and Stats Can released language data in August of the following year.
If the schedule holds, language data will be released in August 2022, just at the start of the election campaign (voting day is Oct. 3, 2022).
I expect the census will show the number of mother-tongue Francophones in the city of Montreal will be around 45%. Maybe lower.
It’s going to be insane.
jeather 15:53 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
The Journal, whose reporting I don’t trust, said that they had something like 30 businesses where they were greeted in English, and 2 cases where they were told “I’m sorry, I don’t speak French”. (I don’t know the specific laws about retail — does every customer-facing employee have to speak French or just enough that there is always someone who speaks French available?)
Kate 17:14 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
It’s so ingrained that I can’t quite believe anyone’s hiring people who can’t speak French for public-facing jobs. Who are these people?
Jack 17:27 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
This is good and reflects where I would argue most of the English speaking community is. Quebecor needs these stories to sell PKP’s vision of the future.
https://cultmtl.com/2020/11/how-to-protect-the-french-language-without-weaponizing-it-montreal-quebec-oqlf-journal-gotcha-journalism-downtown-retail-stores/
Myles 19:12 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
It’s very surprising to me as well that anyone who can’t speak French can manage to get hired. I would assume that for every unilingual Anglo, there are plenty of bilingual people to hire instead. When I was in university and looking for a retail job on the side, I always suspected my accent really harmed my chances, and I could speak French perfectly fine.
GC 19:14 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
Thanks for that article, Jack.
MarcG 19:19 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
The article suggests that retail stores are desperate for employees because pandemic and so aren’t being as picky.
Kate 20:08 on 2020-11-17 Permalink
Jack, I was going to link to Toula’s piece but you’ve done that, so thank you.
j2 01:06 on 2020-11-18 Permalink
You know, a whole bunch of people no longer need to live in Quebec to work for Quebec companies. Or vice versa.
Kate 12:33 on 2020-11-18 Permalink
j2, I was wondering about that. If someone living in Quebec is working remotely in a full‑time job anchored elsewhere in Canada, that company won’t be making payroll deductions for Revenu Quebec. People need to be careful about this.