OQLF s'attaque à une page Facebook

[LaRonde]

Contrôler les propos sur les réseaux sociaux, c'est une mesure complètement dépassée.

Que vont-ils faire plus tard? S'attaquer aux applications mobiles parce qu'elles ne sont pas en français?

Complètement R-I-D-I-C-U-L-E!

 

Quebec language watchdog targets Facebook page

Social media the new frontier for agency probing Ottawa-area retail boutique

 

By Joel Balsam

CHELSEA, QUE. — The agency in charge of enforcing the primacy of the French language in Quebec apparently has a new target — social media.

 

Eva Cooper, the owner of a small retail boutique called Delilah in the Parc, has been notified by the language agency that if she doesn't translate the shop's Facebook page into French, she will face an injunction, which will carry consequences such as a fine.

 

"Ultimately, to me, Facebook has nothing to do with Quebec," said Cooper, who uses the social media site to inform customers of new products in her boutique in Chelsea, north of Ottawa. The shop has an all-bilingual staff of fewer than 10 people.

 

"I'm happy to mix it up, but I'm not going to do every post half in French, half in English. I think that that defeats the whole purpose of Facebook," said Cooper, who has requested the agency send her their demands in English.

 

Cooper's case represents a new frontier for the language agency, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The agency says probes of social media complaints, which started only recently, are "not frequent."

 

This all comes amid election talk in the province. Diane De Courcy, Quebec minister of immigration and cultural communities, said earlier this week that if her party wins the next election, they will toughen language laws for small businesses. In particular, the Parti Québécois will crack down on bilingualism, such as the "Bonjour-Hi" greeting used in many areas including Chelsea and Montreal.

 

Traditionally, the language agency has targeted non-Francophone businesses that have signs or promotional material in a language other than French, but there have been some instances of small businesses' websites being targeted as well.

 

In 2011, a smokehouse in Chelsea was threatened with a $1,000 fine if it didn't translate its website into French, and earlier this month, a Montreal-based website called "Provocateur Communications" was told it must comply with the French language charter by translating its page. Still, the question of how the agency is able to dictate what goes on social media in particular is "really murky," said Cooper.

 

"Would I be able to do my text in English on (Pinterest or) Twitter?"

 

The notice addressed to Cooper is dated Feb. 7 — almost a calendar year to the day when the "pastagate" scandal made international headlines after a Montreal restaurant was investigated for having the word "pasta" on the menu instead of the French word "pâtes." The fallout led to the resignation of the language agency's president and the launch of a "triage system" for complaints to prioritize cases that had the most impact.

 

"This is not consistent with what the OQLF said after they evaluated their approach last spring around complaints," said Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents 41 English organizations.

 

"She's in Chelsea. (Her Facebook page) has only 602 likes. There is no gravity to this. This is ridiculous," said Martin-Laforge.

 

Jean-Pierre Le Blanc, spokesperson for the language agency, wouldn't comment specifically on Cooper's notice, but explained how Quebec's language law applies to Facebook.

 

"If you talk to your friends, it's not a problem, but if it's the sale or promotion of a product or service, (it must be in French)," he said.

 

"Our demand is this: if you sell in Quebec, it must be in French."

 

Cooper has until March 10 to respond to the notice before she is hit with the injunction that could lead to a fine.

 

If the language agency goes the route of asking Facebook to take down Cooper's page, it would have to prove the page violates Facebook's community standards, which prohibit the use of graphic content, hate speech, spam or harassment. Facebook does have the power to block the IP address of the page in a specific area or country if it violates the law, but this is reserved for extreme circumstances.

[Habsfan]

J'ai honte d'être québecois quand je lis des niaiseries comme ça!

 

Un autre bel exemple de nos impôts qui travaillent fort!!!

[IluvMTL]

J'ai trouvé ceci sur le site de l'OLF, mais je ne suis pas certain si cela applique à Facebook.

http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/charte/questions_freq/faq_juridiw.html

 

QUESTION 1

Y a-t-il une loi qui exige l'emploi du français sur la page Web d'une entreprise?

Réponse :

La publicité commerciale, dans son ensemble, est bel et bien visée par la Charte, quel que soit le moyen de diffusion utilisé. La loi n'utilise pas le mot « internet », mais elle n'emploie pas non plus le mot « télécopieur » ou l'expression « courrier électronique »; or la publicité commerciale qui serait véhiculée par ces moyens serait aussi visée par les dispositions d'ordre général de la Charte. Concrètement, l'Office considère que la publicité commerciale véhiculée par un site Web est soumise à la règle de l'article 52, c'est-à-dire que le français est obligatoire, mais qu'une autre langue peut être utilisée sur un pied d'égalité. En somme il s'agit d'une documentation publicitaire offerte au public par une entreprise ayant un établissement au Québec.

Edited February 27, 2014 by IluvMTL

[Falcon-Z]

OQLF c'est des nazis du francais. À ma job, ils ont fait changer les touches de nos photocopieuses et sont revenue voir si c'etait fait plus tard sans compter qu'ils n'appreciaient pas les anglicismes employés par des mecaniens pour travailler.

[IluvMTL]

J'ai fait un tour pour voir sa page FB, et les membres semble être tous anglophones.

 

https://www.facebook.com/DelilahInTheParc

 

 

Je me demande s'ils vont en parler à CNN...

Edited February 27, 2014 by IluvMTL

[IluvMTL]

J'ai trouvé ceci sur le site de l'OLF, mais je ne suis pas certain si cela applique à Facebook.

http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/charte/questions_freq/faq_juridiw.html

 

 

http://www.lowdownonline.com/french-language-police-slam-chelsea-business-with-notice-over-facebook-page/

Jean-Pierre Le Blanc, spokesperson for the OQLF, said any communication that promotes a product in Quebec, whether it’s Facebook or not, must be in French. “If you talk to your friends, it’s not a problem, but if it’s the sale or promotion of a product or service, [it must be in French],” he said in French.

- See more at: http://www.lowdownonline.com/french-language-police-slam-chelsea-business-with-notice-over-facebook-page/#sthash.bD7Ka3Qt.dpuf

Edited February 27, 2014 by IluvMTL

[jesseps]

It be easier for her to exclude Quebec from any and all sales. Just like how Quebec is excluded from many contests in Canada. I guess Quebec dislikes Canada being a multi-lingual, multi-cultural, open society that enjoys the freedoms that we take for granted on a daily basis. If Quebec wants segregation, let this province have it. If you want service in French go to a store that will only serve you in French. Do not go to a store that is bilingual.

 

I have lost all patience dealing with people who think; one language is superior than another and the same goes with a religion or political party.

 

Protectionism is a great thing, but at a certain point you have to step back and see if it is doing more harm than good.

Edited February 27, 2014 by jesseps

[denpanosekai]

My workplace is preparing for an OFLQ inspection, I think. it won't be pretty.

[Rocco]

You would be surprised how many people in the ROC supports the quebec charter. They in fact would like the canadian government to be as coercitive as the quebec government to protect the canadian nation. Don't think Quebec is alone in wanting to redefine its immigration and immigrants integration. Its a matter that will need to be adressed one day in Canada, Quebec is again forward thinking.

[jesseps]

My workplace is preparing for an OFLQ inspection, I think. it won't be pretty.

 

What is funny the OQFL wanted us to speak French to our manufactures in China. Do you know how insane that is. It is already a pain trying to speak with them in English! Now to try and find manufactures in China that know how to speak French, that is nearly impossible. It took a while for them to understand that and after they just wanted inter-office emails to be in French. Same with the keyboards and having Google search be in French and switching over Windows from English to French. Some things are so counter-productive.

 

I just love how Loto-Quebec machines at the casino can be in English. Sure that the OQFL understands that the government needs more "time" and meet "deadlines". When they need to make money, they will throw out any laws they have to suit their needs. Complete hypocrisy. I wonder how messed up this province would be, if people choose what language they wanted to use.