Other provisions of the reform of Quebec’s language laws come into force this Thursday, a year after receiving royal assent.
The Quebec government has described the law commonly known as Bill 96 as a moderate response to what it says is the decline in the use of French in the province, particularly in Montreal.
The changes include in particular the obligation for public servants to speak and write exclusively in French at work, except in certain cases, and the fact that small companies with between five and 49 employees must declare how many employees cannot communicate. in French. This data must be made public by the Quebec enterprise register.
Standard contracts, such as employment contracts, collective agreements, insurance policies, franchise agreements and telephone service contracts, must be presented in French to both parties, although the contract can also be requested in another language.
Language reform is facing several legal challenges, including one filed at the Montreal courthouse on Wednesday. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of six English-speaking Quebecers who say they already have difficulty obtaining government services in English and who fear the situation will deteriorate as other elements of the reform take effect.
These plaintiffs are seeking to strike down many aspects of the bill.
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