Quebec's language police crack down on stores

Quebec's language policeare cracking down on various retailers in an effort to uphold the French Language Charter, Bill 101.

The Office qubcois de la langue franaise (OQLF), or French language office, began mailing warnings to companies that fail to showcase trademarked names in both English and French.

The OQLF has sent dozens of letters warning stores they could face fines if their business names to not comply with the French Language Charter.

Stores such as Second Cup, for example, have added the words "les cafs" to abide by the rules.

Martin Bergeron, member of the OQLF, saidbusinesses that do not complywith these rulescannot get subsidies or contracts from the government, and they could be fined.

Companies that do not add translations to their signs could face fines up to $25,000 and twice as much for repeat offenders.

Nathalie St-Pierre, the Retail Council of Canada's vice president for Quebec, said the OQLF is targeting stores on a case-by-case basis.

Some oftheRetail Council'smembers say they may go to court to keep their business name unchanged.