[Newsbot]

Title: Walmart and other major retailers take Quebec government to court over French signage requirements
Category: Business
Posted By: kitty
Date: 2012-11-20 01:50:47
Canadian

[martin14]

well, if anyone can smack that bitch Marois, it is Wallmart.. good luck to them.

[Brenda]

$1:

“Displaying the name of the company in French is a show of respect for the law,” Marchand says.

No, it is forcing companies to legally change their names. A name is a name, period.

F*ck off with your bs. I sure hope common sense prevails and the companies win.

[Unsound]

I feel weird and wrong cheering for Wal-mart.

[Jonny_C]

The fact that this happens nowhere else in the world but Quebec tells you something.

[Brenda]

The moment this guy "Marchand" sets foot outside Quebec, he will have to change his name to "Dealer". THAT is respect for the law.

[RUEZ]

I'm surprised that they haven't asked RONA to change it's name since it's become so commonplace outside of Quebec.

[Bodah]

Brenda Brenda:

$1:

“Displaying the name of the company in French is a show of respect for the law,” Marchand says.

No, it is forcing companies to legally change their names. A name is a name, period.

F*ck off with your bs. I sure hope common sense prevails and the companies win.

The real messed up thing is, the law Marchand is talking about is Quebec language 'laws' that he think should override the Federal Copyright and Trademarks act. When someone creates a trademark eg "Wallmart" "Costco" it is protected under the act. They're are skipping a whole step here, them going to Ottawa to change the act. The really odd thing is trademarks like Wallmart and Costco aren't even English words.

This will likely go to the supreme court which they will rule in the retailers favour and they will go the notwithstanding clause route, once again.

The media in my neighbourhood polled Francophone customers walking into the Wallmart yesterday over 90%$ said it doesn't bother them in the slightest that the sign isn't 'Frenched up'.

Best of luck to the retailers, you're on your own because the policians in Ottawa aren't going to step in for you. I can tactically understand in a political sense why Harper isn't stepping in. Because that's what the PQ wants is a fight with Ottawa. But in the end that means it's up to us fight or leave. A lot of people are choosing to leave, and eventually it'll be big job providing companies leaving.

These PQ language nuts in power better becarefull what they wish for, they may get in one day.

[bootlegga]

French is one of the reasons Eddie Bauer doesn't operate in Quebec.

[uwish]

Canada.....language police.....enough said. I can't wait for this to end up at the SCC where it gets smacked down. No Qc judge will rule against the sacred cow that is 'french'.

[llama66]

Charter->Federal Acts and Statutes->Provincial Acts and Statutes-> Municipal By-Law.
(in that order)

Its about time someone challenged the language nazi's. I hope Wal-Mart wins.

Now, if you'd escuse me, I must shower

[QBall]

llama66 llama66:

Notwithstanding Clause->Charter->Federal Acts and Statutes->Provincial Acts and Statutes-> Municipal By-Law.
(in that order)

Fixed it for ya.

[CrazyNewfie]

Good!

[Strutz]

Unsound Unsound:

I feel weird and wrong cheering for Wal-mart.

I know what you mean.

Don't see it as cheering for them in particular but as supporting all the other retail stores that are all fighting this.

I can see it being shot down in Quebec court but if it goes one step further to Supreme... the retailers should win IMO. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Quebec has already proven in the past that they can force the francophonization of trademarked and copyrighted names.
The precendent has already been set.