Daily BrewTeen Quebec entrepreneur fights back against overbearing French language law
It has been a while since Quebec's language police have done anything notably heavy-handed, but fear not. Because droughts never last forever.
CTV Montreal recently reported on the end of that streak, detailing the story of 17-year-old entrepreneur Xavier Menard and his failed attempt to launch a business because his company name sounded too English.
What did Menard do? He took to YouTube to eviscerate the Quebec government over its idiotic stance on business and employment.
Menard, a clear anglophone scourge as evidenced by his name alone, tried to register his graphics company under the name of "Wellarc," which is a combination of French words that happens to sound a bit bilingual.
He says he was refused by the Quebec business registry because it didn't live up to the Charter of the French language, or Bill 101 -- which requires all businesses to feature French in their names and signs.
An Office de la langue francaise representative confirmed to CTV Montreal that the name did not pass muster.
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In a YouTube video posted on Monday, Mendard explains that "Wellarc" is derived from French words before expressing his dissatisfaction with the Parti Quebecois' language war.
"I am within my rights to use this word. But Quebec rejected my name because it sounded too English. My message to the Quebec government was, 'You should stop trying to restrain Quebec trade and job opportunities and limiting entrepreneurship in Quebec, because I believe this is not the right way to do it," Menard said.
It should be noted that Menard first posted his video in French, and almost begrudgingly posted an English version based on demand. But he's a francophone. He speaks French, he lives in French. He just thinks the language bill is destroying Quebec businesses.
"We should take a more ambitious way of thinking (about) how we promote French in other countries. If we create great businesses at home, then we can do a better job," he says in the video.
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For those keeping score at home, here are some of the ways the Office de la langue francaise (OQLF) has injected itself into the affairs of businesses in the province.
The OQLF accused a bilingual newsletter delivered in a Montreal suburb of improperly providing an English translation.
It attacked Walmart and other major stores like Gap and Costco for failing to provide a French translation on their store signs.
It picked a fight with a fancy Italian restaurant for using a language other than French on its menu.
Bill 101 was also cited as the reason a grocery store employee was reprimanded for speaking English in the break room.
Funny that a 17-year-old understands the world of business better than a government tasked with managing (or over-managing) the affairs of an entire province.
By all accounts, Menard should be a poster boy for Quebec's entrepreneurial spirit, not a disenfranchised government adversary.
Menard says he is working with a lawyer to get his company name accepted. If the brass at OQLF has any smarts, they'll suddenly realize that "Wellarc" is an exceptional example of what a French word should look like and approve his request.
Of course, there hasn't been much proof to this point that that is the case.
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