Quebec government defends use of 'Go Habs Go!' after language watchdog's objection
MONTREAL — The Quebec government has stepped in to defend the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' as the provincial language watchdog takes heat for objecting to the English word 'go.'
In a statement Friday, Quebec's French-language minister said the slogan is part of 'our DNA, our identity,' and has been used for decades to support the Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey team.
'It's a unifying expression, rooted in our history, and part of our cultural and historical specificity,' Jean-Francois Roberge said on the X platform. 'It's a Quebecisme and we're proud of it!'
Roberge's statement was meant to quell the uproar in Quebec over the Montreal transit agency's decision to remove the expression 'Go! Canadiens Go!' from electronic signs on city buses and replace it with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' to show support for the hockey team's NHL playoff run.
The change was made because Quebec's French-language watchdog received a complaint last year about buses displaying the words 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' — a reference to Montreal's professional soccer club. In response, the Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) decided to remove the word 'go' from all of its messaging.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Vancouver Whitecaps blank struggling Sporting Kansas City 3-0
Vancouver Whitecaps' Jean-Claude Ngando (26) celebrates his goal against the Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Yohei Takaoka isn't sure if this is the best soccer he's ever played — but the Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper believes he and his team are on the verge of something special. Takaoka stopped all three on-target shots he faced on Saturday and backstopped the 'Caps (13-5-6) to a decisive 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City (6-12-6). The result marked his Major League Soccer-leading 11th clean sheet of the season and came just days after he represented Vancouver at the league's all-star festivities in Austin, Texas. Asked whether this season marks the best of his career, the Japanese 'keeper hedged. 'It's tough to say. I hope so,' he said, noting that he and his teammates won the J-League title the league playing back in 2022. 'So I think that's one of the best in my career. But this season might be a new one.' Takaoka was quick to credit those around his success, though. 'I think it's the group, a group performance,' he said. 'I'm in the goal, but the other 10 players are working really hard. Not just the players, but the staff. Everyone's working hard.' Vancouver's group clicked on Saturday, controlling 54.2 per cent possession and outshooting Kansas City 22-12 with a 5-3 edge in on-target shots. The visitors challenged the 'Caps early, repeatedly stripping the home side of the ball through the first 10 minutes before Vancouver settled in and took control of the match midway through the first half. The Whitecaps opened the scoring in the 35th minute when Jayden Nelson sliced a ball across the top of the six-yard box to Emmanuel Sabbi, who slid and poked a shot in past SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp to make it 1-0. The goal was Sabbi's sixth across all competitions this season. He came close to adding to the tally before the halftime whistle. The American striker sent a shot up and over the Kansas City net in the 38th minute, then sent a low ball sailing just wide of the post in the 41st. A rebound helped double Vancouver's lead in the 43rd minute. Sebastian Berhalter nodded a shot toward the net but his attempt was blocked and the ball popped out to J.C. Ngando, who put a right-footed shot in just over Pulskamp's outstretched arm. His second goal of the season gave the 'Caps a 2-0 lead. Kansas City pushed to get on the board early in the second half and got a solid chance in the 55th minute. Left winger Daniel Salloi snuck through the Vancouver defence and unleashed a rocket from the top of the penalty area, but Takaoka dove to make the save. The 'keeper has been 'very, very good' this season, said Vancouver's head coach, Jesper Sorensen. 'It just gives confidence to the players in front of him. He gives the defensive players a lot of trust in him and there's not a lot happening around him,' Sorensen said. 'So I think he gives a very calm and he has a very calm demeanour, and I think that it spreads to his teammates in front of him.' The 'Caps appeared to go up 3-0 in the 68th minute when striker Brian White touched a shot into the back of the SKC net, but the goal was quickly ruled offside. Laborda put away Vancouver's third goal of the night in the 87th minute off a corner kick. Berhalter floated a ball into the six-yard box and Laborda nodded it in under Pulskamp's arm for his third goal of the campaign. The Whitecaps are now unbeaten in their last three outings (2-0-1) and sit a single point behind San Diego FC for top spot in the West. It's been a busy year for Vancouver, which has played 35 games across all competitions. 'Right now is a tricky part of the season, because we are in a good spot, but we also used a lot of energy so far, played 35 games,' Sorensen said. 'And players, now they will get a week off because they need a break. Some of them have played Gold Cup, some of them played Austin this mid-week. So they need some time off also.' After the break, the 'Caps have 10 games to go on their regular-season schedule, and will look to defend their Canadian Championship title. 'I think that now it's a good time just to get a little bit of rest and then come back fresh,' Sorensen said. 'And then we're ready to really attack the last bit of the season.' This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published July 26, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tina Charles scores 24 points as WNBA-worst Sun pound expansion Valkyries 95-64
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Tina Charles scored 24 points, Bria Hartley and Marina Mabrey both added 15 and the last-place Connecticut Sun rolled to a 95-64 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. The Sun (4-20) had a season high for points thanks to season bests of 12 3-pointers, 53% overall shooting (35 of 66) and 14 steals. French rookie Leila Lacan had six steals in just her sixth game. Jacy Sheldon scored 13 points off the bench for the Sun, who turned 24 turnovers into 34 points to end a four-game skid. Charles reached double figures for the 395th time, third in WNBA history behind Diana Taurasi (488) and Tina Thompson (404), and scored 20 points or more for the 185th time, second behind Taurasi (259). She played just 19 minutes. Illana Rupert scored 13 points off the bench for the expansion Valkyries (11-13), who suffered their worst loss in franchise history in their second game since losing All-Star Kayla Thornton to a season-ending knee injury. Veronica Burton added 10 points. Saniya Rivers hit a 3-pointer for a 3-2 lead and the Suns never looked back. It was 23-15 after one quarter and 49-33 at the half. The Sun outscored the Valkyries 46-31 in the second half. Connecticut's previous season high was 93 points in a 10-point win over Seattle prior to the four-game losing streak. The Storm visit the Sun on Monday night. ___ AP WNBA:
Montreal Gazette
4 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Canadiens' Nick Suzuki and his wife, Caitlin, share photos from magical wedding
Montreal Canadiens Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki married his longtime girlfriend Caitlin Fitzgerald, 25, in the Turks and Caicos on June 9 in a private ceremony. On Saturday, they held a wedding party in Montreal that was attended by most of Suzuki's current team and a few recent teammates, including Carey Price and Jeff Petry. The newlyweds are both from London, Ont., and met through mutual friends, staying in touch on Instagram and Snapchat while he was living out of town playing hockey, and as Fitzgerald said on the Canadiens website last year: 'The rest is history.' They became engaged in the spring of 2024 during a trip to the Dominican Republic. 'He's super compassionate,' Fitzgerald said on the Canadiens website when asked what some of Suzuki's best qualities are. 'He's super easy to get along with. There are a lot of things about him all in one realm. I think his demeanour in general is something that is one of his greatest qualities. Anything you throw at him, any stressful situation, any bad situation - he always knows how to handle everything, and he does it calmly.' When asked if he does anything that annoys her, Fitzgerald said: 'Yes! (laughs). He's quite messy at home. He'll take off his outfit from the day and leave it on the floor. I'll find piles of clothes beside his bed. But when asked, he will make sure he cleans up.' Suzuki is one of the few Canadiens players who sticks around Montreal during the summer, which is something Fitzgerald really enjoys. 'I think the city in the summer is something super special,' she told the Canadiens website. 'We really enjoy the food scene, the restaurants and the concerts. We try to make the most of everything here in the summer. I don't know, I just think the city has so much to offer. We're super lucky to call it home. It really feels like home to both of us, so we're happy to be here all summer.' Suzuki, 25, was selected in the first round, 13th overall, by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL entry draft. The Canadiens acquired him on Sept. 10, 2018, as well as Tomas Tatar and a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft in exchange for veteran forward Max Pacioretty. Suzuki made an impression during training camp, Suzuki was named to the Canadiens' opening-night roster for the 2019–20 season, making his NHL debut on Oct. 3, 2019. Before the start of the 2022-23 season, he became the youngest captain in franchise history after signing an eight-year, US$63-million contract. This past season, he set a career-high with 89 points, including 30 goals, as the Canadiens made the playoffs for the first time in four years, before bowing out to the Washington Capitals in five games in the first round.
