Libman: No vacation from language law excesses in Quebec
This week we learned about a barbershop owner in St-Léonard who — six months after opening his local business — started being hounded by Quebec's French-language watchdog (OQLF) regarding everything from his store signage to his online presence — informed, as the owner put it, that he was being 'too loud on Instagram with my English.'
Earlier this month, we discovered that LaSalle College, a bilingual institution, is being fined $30 million by the CAQ government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs, exceeding a cap established by Bill 96 aimed at public CEGEPs and subsidized private colleges like LaSalle. The school says international students, who make up about 70 per cent of those enrolled in English-language Attestation of College Studies, where the government claims it exceeded its cap, are entirely self-funded through tuition fees, with no subsidies from the government.
This excessive aspect of Bill 96 is another counterproductive and short-sighted example of Quebec shooting itself in the foot. LaSalle College offers pre-university and technical programs, teaching various trades, skills and vocational training — essentially feeding our labour force, which is in desperate need of nourishment.
Last month, the onerous new rules and regulations in Bill 96 regarding signage and packaging came into effect. The bill, adopted in 2022, allowed a three-year implementation window — but the regulations were published only last summer — forcing merchants to wait, then scramble to comply. Stores with trademark names, such as Canadian Tire, Footlocker and Best Buy, or any business with another language in its name, must change their signage to include a translation or a generic description in French on storefronts, occupying at least two-thirds of the area devoted to text.
Municipalities have provisions in their zoning bylaws that often limit the size and scope of signage. The costs and inconveniences caused by these overzealous rules represent an infuriating impediment, among others, for many businesses.
These new signage regulations also conjure up satirical images of language inspectors in trench coats showing up with tape measures, analyzing proportions and dimensions of a sign. With Bill 96, it takes only one complaint, even anonymous, to launch an investigation that could lead to hefty fines.
The new rules on packaging could severely impact trademarked collectibles or specialty items made only in other countries, such as guitar strings or other music supplies, that can no longer be sold here if not labelled in French. Merchants will either go through hoops to do their own labelling — likely passing the price on to consumers — or be unable to provide certain items and take a hit, as customers turn to Amazon. We can expect the OQLF will send out secret shoppers to sniff out scofflaws.
In France, the 1994 Toubon Law made French the official language, imposing its use in various contexts, including official communications, commercial contracts and advertising. However, that law is more accommodating, with exceptions for trademarks and in recognizing the importance of regional languages and linguistic diversity.
Quebec's excesses make for embarrassing headlines abroad as with Pastagate, Bonjour-Hi and the Go Habs Go fiasco. There was a 60 Minutes report in 1998 that sardonically followed a language inspector on the job.
Incidents that shine light on Quebec as an object of ridicule are inevitable when laws contain elements of intolerance, with regulations that go too far. They not only harm our province's image, economy and attractiveness, but they also caricature — and thereby undermine — the importance of protecting French itself.
It's time to rethink language excesses, including the OQLF itself, unless we want one notable trademark sign to exemplify our province — Banana Republic.
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Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump once decried the idea of presidential vacations. His Scotland trip is built around golf
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Montreal Gazette
6 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Inside the CFL: Bianca Maciocia following in her dad's footsteps with Alouettes
By They live under the same roof, but there will be no ride-share program on this day to the Alouettes' practice at Stade Hébert. Indeed, Als general manager Danny Maciocia and his daughter Bianca, a football operations assistant intern with the team, only travel together when the team has a home game at Molson Stadium. 'When she's at work she's an employee, she's not my daughter,' he explained. An unpaid employee at that, given her intern status. But at least Maciocia and his wife, Sandra Vaz, allow the eldest of their three daughters to continue living rent-free at home. Bianca has been working under the shadow of her father since February, when she first approached him with the idea. She spent three weeks at the Alouettes' 2023 training camp and spent six summers at the Université de Montréal when her father was the Carabins' head coach. Fluent in four languages (English, French, Italian and Portuguese), Bianca hardly required this abrupt change in career paths. She graduated from Concordia University in 2023 with a degree in human relations and organizational development. She had been accepted into the University of Ottawa to pursue a bachelor's degree in sports management, and was in the early stages of working for Air Canada in its flight operation department out of the airline's St-Laurent headquarters. 'I think I've always looked up to my dad,' she said. 'I've always been in awe of what he does, the industry and the type of job. I want to try to work in the industry and do something in the same field. I see it as an industry where there's a lot of opportunity, and there isn't enough representation among women.' It's difficult to determine when the seeds were first planted, although there's a famous 2005 photo of Maciocia holding his daughter on his shoulder, their arms raised and fists clenched, after Edmonton's head coach at the time led the team to a Grey Cup victory against Montreal. Maciocia has spent three decades in football and got his start in the CFL with the Alouettes in 1996 as a volunteer offensive quality-control coach, where he would break down game film and write reports. So, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And while it's possible Bianca wouldn't be with Montreal except for the direct connection, such hirings aren't unusual in professional football. When Wally Buono was B.C.'s head coach and GM, he hired his daughter, Christie, to work in the front office. Tom Gamble, a senior personnel executive with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, once hired his son to work for him. Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson has his brother, Craig, on his staff as special teams co-ordinator. 'At the end of the day, if you can't take care of your own children, who will?' Maciocia asked rhetorically while admitting he spoke with Buono and Gamble before moving forward. 'If I'm not going to help out my own flesh and blood, who will?' The Alouettes have a history of providing women with significant front-office positions. Catherine Hickman (née Raiche) is the Cleveland Browns' assistant GM. But the former lawyer got her start in Montreal as the team's co-ordinator of football administration before becoming assistant GM under Jim Popp. And, this season, Allyson Sobol was promoted to director of football operations. Bianca reports directly to Sobol and said: 'Maybe I'm just here because I'm his daughter, but I want people to see me as my own person. See what I can bring to the table.' She wears many hats for the Alouettes and has numerous responsibilities. Her tenure began with attending last winter's CFL draft combine in Regina. She was tasked with gathering the players' social insurance numbers and made sure each one has health insurance coverage under the provincial RAMQ program. No task is too big or small. And, to broaden her knowledge, she began taking an online pro scouting course last month. 'I love working with Bianca,' Sobol said. 'She pays a lot of attention to detail. Anything I ask is done without fault. She has been an awesome addition. I'm starting to give her more responsibility.' While both of Bianca's parents supported her decision, Danny also understands he's one of nine CFL GMs and works in a cutthroat business where almost everyone, eventually, will be fired. It's the nature of the industry. 'We had a discussion around the kitchen table (concerning) how she's going to be treated, viewed and looked at,' Danny said. 'She has been nothing short of outstanding. She gets it. She has a feel. She can read the room, read people. I don't think there's going to be too many situations where she's going to get caught off guard. 'But I also told her 'you can do better than this.'' Bianca admitted she walks the fine line between team employee and daughter of the GM, careful never to overstep. While their bond remains strong, there are things that are discussed at Olympic Stadium, while other matters are broached around the dinner table. She inherited her drive, passion — and stubbornness — from her father. While it's far too early in this journey to determine where her career path will lead, Bianca's immediate mandate, provided she returns to the organization next season, is to get on the non-player salary cap. 'I don't know if I tell the general manager,' she said. 'I probably tell my dad. That's one of those conversations you have at home, not the office.'
Ottawa Citizen
6 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Inside the CFL: Bianca Maciocia following in her dad's footsteps with Alouettes
They live under the same roof, but there will be no ride-share program on this day to the Alouettes' practice at Stade Hébert. Article content Indeed, Als general manager Danny Maciocia and his daughter Bianca, a football operations assistant intern with the team, only travel together when the team has a home game at Molson Stadium. Article content 'When she's at work she's an employee, she's not my daughter,' he explained. Article content Article content An unpaid employee at that, given her intern status. But at least Maciocia and his wife, Sandra Vaz, allow the eldest of their three daughters to continue living rent-free at home. Article content Article content Bianca has been working under the shadow of her father since February, when she first approached him with the idea. She spent three weeks at the Alouettes' 2023 training camp and spent six summers at the Université de Montréal when her father was the Carabins' head coach. Article content Fluent in four languages (English, French, Italian and Portuguese), Bianca hardly required this abrupt change in career paths. She graduated from Concordia University in 2023 with a degree in human relations and organizational development. She had been accepted into the University of Ottawa to pursue a bachelor's degree in sports management, and was in the early stages of working for Air Canada in its flight operation department out of the airline's St-Laurent headquarters. Article content Article content 'I think I've always looked up to my dad,' she said. 'I've always been in awe of what he does, the industry and the type of job. I want to try to work in the industry and do something in the same field. I see it as an industry where there's a lot of opportunity, and there isn't enough representation among women.' Article content It's difficult to determine when the seeds were first planted, although there's a famous 2005 photo of Maciocia holding his daughter on his shoulder, their arms raised and fists clenched, after Edmonton's head coach at the time led the team to a Grey Cup victory against Montreal. Article content Article content Maciocia has spent three decades in football and got his start in the CFL with the Alouettes in 1996 as a volunteer offensive quality-control coach, where he would break down game film and write reports. So, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And while it's possible Bianca wouldn't be with Montreal except for the direct connection, such hirings aren't unusual in professional football.
