Irish pub, French language watchdog battle over vintage signs, service

By Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL - It appears a few pints of beer won't be sufficient to douse the latest language tensions brewing in Montreal - this time, Quebec's language watchdog is frothing over a popular watering hole cluttered with classic Irish signage and English-only posters.
The wall hangings at McKibbin's Irish Pub include vintage advertisements for Guinness and Harp as well as other traditional fare like Palethorpes Pork Pies.
The owners of the popular hangout say it all just adds to the charm and ambience of the downtown watering hole.
Still, the Office quebecois de la langue francaise says complaints about the English-only signs, an English-only chalkboard menu and English-only service prompted it to send the pub owners a letter wanting answers.
"What we asked them were what measures would be taken to ensure that service would be offered in French because we received two complaints," Office spokesman Gerald Paquette said in an interview Friday.
"If the business says some of those pictures are decorative to give the pub an Irish flavour, it is certain we would exempt them from the charter rules," Paquette said. "But there were other posters also, notably ones about contests and events, that were in English only."
The brewhaha has prompted the pub's co-owners to extend an invite to Premier Jean Charest to stop by for a hearty meal and a pint and inspect the signs himself.
Dean Laderoute and Rick Fon say they'll remove the signs if Charest believes they violate the Quebec language law.
"An Irish pub without these decorations is just an empty box," Fon said in an interview. "It's the decor, the pictures, the clutter, it creates the warmth."
Fon also says they have bilingual menus and that his regulars, including a considerable French clientele, all agree the complaints are ridiculous.
"It makes no sense, it's silly," said regular Suzette L'Abbe.
"The staff, if not French-speaking to begin with, get by in French," L'Abbe added.
The pub could face fines as high as $1,500 for each infraction.
The pub skirmish is the latest battle over the question of whether there is enough French spoken in downtown Montreal.
The ever-bubbling issue of language has resurfaced in recent months, beginning with a report in Le Journal de Montreal about the ease of obtaining employment downtown with a limited knowledge of French.
Other controversies have included the language of instruction for tots in day care and the use of English on the automated call-answering systems of Quebec government departments.
The debate promises to get even more heated next month when the language watchdog releases a study on language trends in the province.
Paquette says McKibbin's has 30 days to come up with answers and if the issue goes further, a legal warning would be sent and Quebec's attorney general would decide on penalties and fines.
English-rights activist Gary Shapiro believes the whole language pot started stirring again with the so-called reasonable accommodation debate and has been fuelled since by politicians and a small group of malcontents.
"It's basic harassment," said Shapiro.
"Are they going to come into our homes and our bedrooms next?," Shapiro asked. "Where is it going to end?"