Burgundy Lion gets OQLF warning over TripAdvisor sticker on front window

A British-style pub in Little Burgundy has received a letter from Quebec's language watchdog about some troublingEnglish signage on itsfront window.

However, the problem the Office qubcoise de la langue franaise (OQLF) haswith thePub Burgundy Lion isn't its name.

It's a sticker the size of a beer coaster that says the bar was reviewed by the website TripAdvisor.

"I'll be honest with you. When I got the letter, I couldn't rememberputting [the sticker]up.I actually had to go outside and find the sticker," Toby Lyle, co-owner of the Burgundy Lion, told Montreal's Daybreak.

French stickers exist, OQLFsays

Lyle saidthe letter he received is vague, saying only that he contravened a law and that future action may be taken.

A spokesmanfor the OQLF said the letteris only for information purposes,andthere are no penalties involved. The agency's goal, Jean-Pierre Le Blancsaid, is to letbusiness owners know thatFrench-languageversions of such promotional stickers exist.

"This is one of about 300 to 400 letters we sent this month tobusinesses," saidLe Blanc. "It's not an investigation. It's not a complaint.It's an incentive."

LeBlanc said the OQLFcontacts the companies thatproduce the stickersto see if they make French versions. TripAdvisoroffers its stickers in nearly 30 languages.

Lyle said said he's going to leave the sticker in place.

"We're proud of it.TripAdvisor is an international website," Lyle said.

Other controversialinterventions by the OQLF

• An Italianrestaurant was ordered to change certain words on its menuto French, including "pasta."The story, dubbed Pastagate,made international news, compellingthe OQLF toreview its policies.
• Last holiday season ,the OQLF urged merchants to stop using the term "Boxing Day" and adopt "soldes de l'Aprs-Nol."
• Board game shop Chez Geeks received three notices over carrying English-only games, even thoughFrench versions don't exist.
• Bar and barbershop Blue Dog Motel received a letter demanding it change itsname, but it was cleared after it added the general descriptor "bar barbier" to the front.
• A clothing store in Chelsea, Que. was ordered to change its Facebook page to French, but the OQLF later softened its stance.