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Citizens

Charter of the French Language

For many years, Quebecers have heard about Bill 101 and the Charter of the French Language, without necessarily knowing exactly what kinds of rights and obligations this law creates.

In this Infosheet, Éducaloi uses a question-answer format to explain the issues.

What is the Charter of the French Language?

The Charter of the French Language is a law adopted by the Quebec legislature in 1977. The purpose of the law is to ensure the quality and predominance of the French language. The Charter makes French the province’s official language in the areas of education, communications, business and trade, as well as the everyday language in the workplace.

Can I insist on being served in French in a store?

Yes. The Charter of the French Language states that every consumer has the right to be served in French in Quebec.

The law makes no mention of answering machines or voicemail, but a refusal to offer services in French would obviously be contrary to the Charter.

Do written decisions of Quebec courts and tribunals have to be in French?

No. Decisions do not have to be in French. However, if a decision is rendered in English, you have a right to have it translated into French at no additional cost, and vice versa if the decision is rendered in French.

The choice of French or English in court procedures is a right guaranteed by the Canadian Constitution, and this requirement has been included in the Charter of the French Language since 1993.

What are the rules regarding public signs?

The Charter states that public signs and commercial advertising must be in French. They can also be in French and another language provided that the French content is clearly predominant (bigger).

However, in some situations, another language can be used alone, for example, a public sign in a language other than French regarding a conference intended for a specific or restricted group is allowed for the duration of the event.

Also, sometimes French does not have to be predominant. For example, a public sign regarding public health or safety can be in both French and another language, provided that the French content is equally prominent.

What should I do if I want to file a complaint?

The Office québécois de la langue française is the government agency responsible for enforcing the Charter of the French Language. Complaints must be filed with the Office.

Complaints must be written and signed. You must include your contact information (your identity will not be revealed unless you agree) and a detailed description of the situation.

If the Office decides the complaint is valid, it may request whoever has failed to respect the law to correct the situation. If the situation is not corrected, the person or business involved may have to pay a fine.

If your employer requires that you speak a language other than French to get a job, but you think it is not necessary to know this language to perform the job, you can contact the Commission des relations du travail to file a complaint.

What is the role of the Office québécois de la langue française?

The Office québécois de la langue française is a government agency created to formulate and oversee policies on linguistic research and terminology. It is also responsible for ensuring that French is the language of communications, work, trade and the public service.

You can contact the Office to

• learn the correct French term to be used in a various situations, and
  
• help your business implement a francization program.

Useful Links :

1. Website of the Office de la langue française  [http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca]