[Newsbot]

Title: Quebec language watchdog still investigating case of frozen-yogurt spoons
Category: Provincial Politics
Posted By: ThisyThat
Date: 2013-06-21 12:44:09
Canadian

[DanSC]

I hope Quebec is brave enough to ban these Francophobic spoons and imprison the Americans who created them.

[Proculation]

DanSC DanSC:

I hope Quebec is brave enough to ban these Francophobic spoons and imprison the Americans who created them.

The language police is investigating this outrageous act against Québécois and should deliver a report soon. Stay tuned.

[2Cdo]

With all the problems in Quebec this is what they investigate? Quebec politicians are morons.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

$1:

Someone complained that the plastic pastel-coloured spoons contained English words like, "Sweet Moosic."

Well, as we all know by now, French cows say "shazoo", not "moo".

[Freakinoldguy]

My guess is that another anglophone company will be pulling up stakes and leaving La Belle Province because they can't stomach the bullshit language laws or the Nazi's that enforce them.

Hopefully this can be peacefully resolved but, I just don't see anyway for the language police and the province to get the message of Quebec's language purity across without executing at least some of the employees of Menchie's for sedition.

[GreenTiger]

I'm glad to see that everything is running so well in Quebec that this kind of nonsense is their number one problem.

[jj2424]

GreenTiger GreenTiger:

I'm glad to see that everything is running so well in Quebec that this kind of nonsense is their number one problem.

With the rest of Canada propping them up financially they have the money and the resources to continue this bullshit.

What a f*cked up place.

[Benn]

$1:

Someone complained that the plastic pastel-coloured spoons contained English words like, "Sweet Moosic."

Last I checked MOOSIC was not English so they should be fine lol

[Jughead]

The problem here is that these establishments are blindly caving in and agreeing to whatever the language police says. If enough of these businesses would just hold their ground and simply ignore the language police, they would be overwhelmed and forced to shut down. If Menchie's were to ignore the language police, and they are subsequently taken to court, there are various ways to get out of this mess. First off, the product is a foreign product, and the language laws state that if a foreign product is available in English only, it is allowed. The judge would dismiss the case immediately and scold the language police for being an overpaid waste of space not familiar with the laws they are trying to enforce.

The language police at times are a bunch of fraidy cats, especially when they are dealing with huge corporations. Last year, they threatened to go after Walmart, Best Buy, Guess, Old Navy, Costco and Gap for having English only brand names. These establishments threatened to take the language police to Quebec Superior Court, and it looks like the language police has backed down. Yes indeed, the English only signs are still present.

[Proculation]

[quote=Jughead]First off, the product is a foreign product, and the language laws state that if a foreign product is available in English only, it is allowed.[/quote]

Actually, no. The law says that if a label is a trademark, it is protected by international laws that says that a company can operate under on the trademark of their choice without regards to the language of the country they are operating. Something like that.

That's why Walmart, Best Buy, and cie. are "allowed" to do business under their name in Quebec. The french "Nazis" are protesting and some companies accepted to change the name they are showing like Second Cup (Les Cafés Second Cup). But, it's just protests and lobbying.

All labels and signs in a commerce that is not a trademark is prohibited. Except some descriptions that have to be 2 times less big then the french description.

What's happening since some months with all those non sense is totally comprehensible. The Parti Québécois is the government so all the separatist organizations think they have a green like to "fight" the "english enemy".

[Jughead]

Proculation Proculation:

Jughead Jughead:

First off, the product is a foreign product, and the language laws state that if a foreign product is available in English only, it is allowed.

Actually, no. The law says that if a label is a trademark, it is protected by international laws that says that a company can operate under on the trademark of their choice without regards to the language of the country they are operating. Something like that.

Um, not quite. As a former business owner, I was well aware of the language laws including the ones for inscriptions on products in English only which are not trademarks. Here's the real reason the spoons are not in violation of bill 101:

$1:

3.(6) the product is from outside Quebec and the inscription is engraved, baked or inlaid in the product itself, riveted or welded to it or embossed on it, in a permanent manner. However, inscriptions concerning safety must be written in French and appear on the product or accompany it in a permanent manner.

See link below for details (item 3.6):
http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.q ... 11R9_A.HTM

That is why the language police will back away in this case. If this does go to court, the judge will surely blast the language police for using taxpayers money to enforce laws that they are not familiar with. I am surprised that more business owners don't familiarize themselves with every detail of the language laws. If they know all the exceptions, they will be able to put up tons of English signs in their businesses. Then if the language police comes a knocking, you can just ignore them. They will not take you to court as they will be ridiculed for not knowing what they are doing.

It's bad enough that the language police have a job to enforce laws that are discriminatory, but when the staff is not trained to familiarize themselves with the laws, then they can ride roughshod on small business owners.

[QBall]

Why anyone besides the Mafia wants to do business in Quebec is beyond me.

[Lemmy]

QBall QBall:

Why anyone besides the Mafia wants to do business in Quebec is beyond me.

Clearly. Probably to make money.

[herbie]

Once I had a set of cheap wrenches with the brand name "TLADEMARK" stamped on them. I wonder if the language police consider that as English?