Wal-Mart Vs. Quebec Language Laws

[Kavvy]

While I don’t think this is the first chip away at a law I consider disgraceful (I have to admit I have full ignorance at the situation over there however). It is interesting to see who pushes back against a government which suppresses Anglophones (again, full ignorance of the situation). Don’t mess with a company’s branding.

Several major retailers are taking the Quebec government to court over the provincial language watchdog’s insistence they modify their commercial brand names to include some French.

The retailers include some of the biggest brand names in North America — Walmart, Best Buy and Costco. Their lawyers are expected in Quebec Superior Court on Thursday….

…St-Pierre says all have complied with the rest of Quebec’s language requirements for many years. She says they’re now being forced to comply with a new interpretation of an old law……

…The government is expected to seek new restrictions on who can attend English-language junior colleges, and also extend the language law to smaller businesses….

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http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/11...-requirements/

I would understand if consumers boycotted cooperation’s for not changing their name to French, that makes sense to me, but these government mandated laws have always seemed oppressive (again, full ignorance). I really need someone to explain to me how I am wrong and why these haven’t been shut down by the Supreme Court. In Alberta, am I not allowed to put up a sign to my Chinese restaurant in Chinese?

[MarchHare]

I really need someone to explain to me how I am wrong and why these haven’t been shut down by the Supreme Court.

Earlier versions of Quebec's language law were struck down by the Supreme Court. In the 1990s, the ruling Quebec government of the time invoked the Notwithstanding Clause to override the Charter, thus making Bill 101 perfectly legal.

[polak]

Extremely Stupid.

You don't see La Chetau changing their name to suit English speaking consumers.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by polak

Extremely Stupid.

You don't see La Chetau changing their name to suit English speaking consumers.

"The Chet" hardly sounds fashionable. Guys named Chet never do.

[goodyear]

Originally Posted by polak

Extremely Stupid.

You don't see La Chetau changing their name to suit English speaking consumers.

Q: "Where did you get that pimping fluroscent blue dress shirt?"

A: "I got it at The Castle."

[Resolute 14]

Congratulations Quebec. You managed to make Walmart the good guy.

[schteve_d]

It's just Quebec being Quebec. I get really, really tired of them and the money they waste on these frivolous things.

[SeeBass]

Isn't there English on the money the get from the rest of Canada?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by fotze

They should just put up a cheapass Le or La in front of Costco and Walmart. Or an accent egu over one of the letters.

Piss them off and add a Polish diacritic instead of a French one.

[getbak]

It made me laugh when I was in Paris and went past a "KFC". You won't find a "Poulet Frit Kentucky" in France.

[Redliner]

As with most things coming out of the PROVINCE (yeah, I said it) of Quebec these days, this is completely asinine. I understand wanting to protect one's culture, but they have made an art form of taking things like this to ridiculous extremes. If I want to buy a hotdog in Montreal, I have to order a "chien chaud". You say "chien chaud" in France and people will think you just lit your dog on fire - they call it a hotdog, just like we do.

I'd say that "Wal-Mart" is pretty universal. If anyone in North America doesn't know what Wal-mart is or what they sell, they have probably been living in a cave for the past 50 years and having the sign on the front of the store include a token bit of French isn't going to fix their problems.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by Redliner

If I want to buy a hotdog in Montreal, I have to order a "chien chaud".

No you don't.

I have never once in my life had to use the term "chien chaud" anywhere in Quebec. "Chien chaud" is Quebecois slang for hotdogs, like "hamburgeois" for hamburger.

For example, at Harvey's.

There is even a great restaurant in Saint-Laurent with hot dog in their name

Now, if they won't give you a hot dog because you ordered it in English, that's a whole other ball of wax, and it does happen.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Montreal really isn't all that French anyway. Most of this uproar is from the more rural areas.

And when I go to Quebec and speak French to people most of them will end up speaking English to me anyway without a problem.

[Hack&Lube]

The highest performing discount retailer in Canada right now (beating out Wal-Mart) is the Quebec founded Dollarama chain.

How is that a French language name?

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The highest performing discount retailer in Canada right now (beating out Wal-Mart) is the Quebec founded Dollarama chain.

How is that a French language name?

Rama de Dollar!

[Hans Landa]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The highest performing discount retailer in Canada right now (beating out Wal-Mart) is the Quebec founded Dollarama chain.

How is that a French language name?

Dollar is also Dollar in French.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I actually agree with them. Québec wants to preserve its French language in a sea of North American English.

Frankly I can't blame them. Look at the Francophone settlements outside of Québec. Chéticamp, NS, their French is "J'ai parkay or car dans la street."

Louisiana isn't overly French, yet it was a French settlement.

Is this really any different from Canadian laws used to differentiate us from the United States?

For a brand name like "Great Value" or "Rocket Fish" is it really that hard to put the French version on it? You already have to put everything else in French anyway?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Hans Landa

Dollar is also Dollar in French.

Which, of course, is the solution. The french word for Walmart is "Walmart".

[Hans Landa]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

I actually agree with them. Québec wants to preserve its French language in a sea of North American English.

Frankly I can't blame them. Look at the Francophone settlements outside of Québec. Chéticamp, NS, their French is "J'ai parkay or car dans la street."

Louisiana isn't overly French, yet it was a French settlement.

Is this really any different from Canadian laws used to differentiate us from the United States?

For a brand name like "Great Value" or "Rocket Fish" is it really that hard to put the French version on it? You already have to put everything else in French anyway?

Sweet... I knew I couldn't be the only one who thinks Quebec is justified.

... and yes, the Nova Scotia Acadian French is pretty hacked up. I went to high school in Arichat (I'm descendant 3 generations of Sydney Mines coal miners though.. not French, though I can speak it).

Ay you'derr. You allez to la corner store pour a bag of chips? Can you achette us tree packs of smokes?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by getbak

It made me laugh when I was in Paris and went past a "KFC". You won't find a "Poulet Frit Kentucky" in France.

But you will find "Le Big Mac".

You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese?

Royale with cheese.

You know why? Because of the metric system. They wouldn't know what the #### a quarter pounder is.