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Toronto Star
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Quebec government says ‘Go Habs Go!' expression is part of province's identity
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-François Roberge said on the X platform. 'It's a Québécisme and we're proud of it!' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 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 Société de transport de Montréal (STM) decided to remove the word 'go' from all of its messaging. The decision made headlines on Thursday after it was first reported by the Montreal Gazette. On Friday, the transit agency said it might switch back to using 'go' once it receives 'official confirmation' that it won't be penalized. Roberge said employees of the language watchdog — Office québécois de la langue française — have received threats since the news broke. 'This is completely unacceptable. This must stop,' he said in his statement. He said he's had 'several exchanges' with the language office about the matter, and any future complaints about the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' will be dismissed. 'It's clear to us that this time-honoured expression must never be called into question,' Roberge said. Dominique Malack, president of the language office, published a lengthy statement Friday that defended the slogan while upholding the transit agency's decision not to use it. 'Under no circumstances has the office objected to the use of the expression 'Go Habs Go,' which is rooted in our history and is part of our Quebec identity,' she wrote. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Malack stressed that the language office didn't launch the intervention with the transit agency on its own, but was responding to a complaint from a citizen. She went on to say that while the word 'go' is found in French dictionaries and is commonly used in everyday language, it is an anglicism. Quebec's French language charter requires public bodies to use proper French, she said. 'A government agency, such as the STM, may only use French in its signage, with some exceptions, such as for health and safety reasons,' Malack said. 'The charter is clear about the government's obligations regarding the exemplary use of French, and the office is mandated to ensure its implementation.' Still, the transit agency now seems likely to reverse course. Éric Alan Caldwell, chair of its board of directors, said in a statement that he's pleased with Roberge's position and the STM will seek official authorization to use the word 'go.' It seems nothing will change for this playoff season, however. Caldwell said any adjustment will be included in regular maintenance of the buses set for the fall. On Thursday, a spokesperson for the agency said the electronic display on each bus must be modified manually. 'The STM is proud to be a long-standing official partner of the Montreal Canadiens and we will continue to be so,' Caldwell said. 'Go Habs Go!' The Canadiens were set to host Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Friday night against the Washington Capitals. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
National Post
25-04-2025
- Politics
- National Post
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.' Article content 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. Article content '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!' Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content Go Habs Go! : une expression qui fait partie de notre ADN, notre identité! Il est important pour moi de prendre la parole pour remettre les pendules à l'heure concernant l'utilisation de cette expression bien chère à tous les partisans du Canadien de Montréal, ainsi qu'à tous… — Jean-F. Roberge (@jfrobergeQc) April 25, 2025 Article content The decision made headlines on Thursday after it was first reported by the Montreal Gazette. On Friday, the transit agency said it might switch back to using 'go' once it receives 'official confirmation' that it won't be penalized. Article content Article content He said he's had 'several exchanges' with the language office about the matter, and any future complaints about the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' will be dismissed. 'It's clear to us that this time-honoured expression must never be called into question,' Roberge said. Dominique Malack, president of the language office, published a lengthy statement Friday that defended the slogan while upholding the transit agency's decision not to use it. 'Under no circumstances has the office objected to the use of the expression 'Go Habs Go,' which is rooted in our history and is part of our Quebec identity,' she wrote. Article content Article content Malack stressed that the language office didn't launch the intervention with the transit agency on its own, but was responding to a complaint from a citizen. She went on to say that while the word 'go' is found in French dictionaries and is commonly used in everyday language, it is an anglicism. Quebec's French language charter requires public bodies to use proper French, she said. Article content Article content 'A government agency, such as the STM, may only use French in its signage, with some exceptions, such as for health and safety reasons,' Malack said. 'The charter is clear about the government's obligations regarding the exemplary use of French, and the office is mandated to ensure its implementation.' Article content Still, the transit agency now seems likely to reverse course. Eric Alan Caldwell, chair of its board of directors, said in a statement that he's pleased with Roberge's position and the STM will seek official authorization to use the word 'go.'
Vancouver Sun
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
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.' Article content Article content 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. Article content '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!' Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content Go Habs Go! : une expression qui fait partie de notre ADN, notre identité! Il est important pour moi de prendre la parole pour remettre les pendules à l'heure concernant l'utilisation de cette expression bien chère à tous les partisans du Canadien de Montréal, ainsi qu'à tous… — Jean-F. Roberge (@jfrobergeQc) April 25, 2025 Article content The decision made headlines on Thursday after it was first reported by the Montreal Gazette. On Friday, the transit agency said it might switch back to using 'go' once it receives 'official confirmation' that it won't be penalized. Article content Article content He said he's had 'several exchanges' with the language office about the matter, and any future complaints about the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' will be dismissed. 'It's clear to us that this time-honoured expression must never be called into question,' Roberge said. Article content Dominique Malack, president of the language office, published a lengthy statement Friday that defended the slogan while upholding the transit agency's decision not to use it. 'Under no circumstances has the office objected to the use of the expression 'Go Habs Go,' which is rooted in our history and is part of our Quebec identity,' she wrote. Article content Article content Malack stressed that the language office didn't launch the intervention with the transit agency on its own, but was responding to a complaint from a citizen. She went on to say that while the word 'go' is found in French dictionaries and is commonly used in everyday language, it is an anglicism. Quebec's French language charter requires public bodies to use proper French, she said. Article content Article content 'A government agency, such as the STM, may only use French in its signage, with some exceptions, such as for health and safety reasons,' Malack said. 'The charter is clear about the government's obligations regarding the exemplary use of French, and the office is mandated to ensure its implementation.' Article content Still, the transit agency now seems likely to reverse course. Eric Alan Caldwell, chair of its board of directors, said in a statement that he's pleased with Roberge's position and the STM will seek official authorization to use the word 'go.'
Global News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Quebec government says ‘Go Habs Go!' expression is part of province's identity
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-François Roberge said on the social media platform X. 'It's a Québécisme 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 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 Société de transport de Montréal (STM) decided to remove the word 'go' from all of its messaging. Story continues below advertisement The decision made headlines on Thursday after it was first reported by the Montreal Gazette. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Roberge said employees of the language watchdog, the Office québécois de la langue française, have received threats since the news broke. 'This is completely unacceptable. This must stop,' he wrote. He said he's had 'several exchanges' with the language office about the matter, and any future complaints about the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' will be dismissed. 'It's clear to us that this time-honoured expression must never be called into question,' Roberge said. Dominique Malack, president of the language office, also published a lengthy statement Friday that defended the slogan while upholding the transit agency's decision not to use it. 'Under no circumstances has the office objected to the use of the expression 'Go Habs Go,' which is rooted in our history and is part of our Quebec identity,' she wrote. Malack stressed that the language office didn't launch the intervention with the transit agency on its own, but was responding to a complaint from a citizen. She went on to say that while the word 'go' is found in French dictionaries and is commonly used in everyday language, it is an anglicism. Quebec's French language charter requires public bodies to use proper French, she said. Story continues below advertisement 'A government agency, such as the STM, may only use French in its signage, with some exceptions, such as for health and safety reasons,' Malack said. 'The charter is clear about the government's obligations regarding the exemplary use of French, and the office is mandated to ensure its implementation.' The Canadiens were set to host Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Friday night against the Washington Capitals. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Quebec government says ‘Go Habs Go!' expression is part of province's identity
MONTREAL – The Quebec government has stepped in to defend the phrase 'Go Habs Go!' French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge says the slogan is part of the DNA and identity of Quebec and has been used for decades to support the Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey team. His statement today comes after Montreal's transit agency removed the expression 'Go! Canadiens Go!' from city buses and replaced it with 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' after a complaint to Quebec's language watchdog about the use of the English word 'go.' Roberge says employees of the French-language office have received threats since the change made headlines on Thursday. He says the watchdog will dismiss any future complaints regarding 'Go Habs Go!' and that the 'time-honoured expression must never be questioned.' The language office says it doesn't object to the use of the expression, but adds that public bodies have a legal obligation to use exemplary French. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. The Canadiens host Game 3 of their first-round playoff series tonight against the Washington Capitals. The Habs are down 2-0 in the best-of-seven matchup. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
