The Quebec government is ordering the French-language Quebec Office to verify that the law is respected within Francos of Montreal. The festival has been in trouble since Radio-Canada revealed the growing use of English backstage and its offices.
The office of Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, which passed a new law on the use of the French language in Quebec, has announced that appropriate adjustments will be required if necessary.
” If the situations described turned out to be justified, it would be completely unacceptable and disrespectful on the part of the company. The language of work in Quebec is French. “
Technicians and office workers at Radio-Canada criticized some instructions in English only and sometimes meetings were held in English.
“Unacceptable”, according to Montreal mayor Valérie Plante. We want French Montrealers to work in Montreal. He also called on the owners of the Francos to explain themselves.
The company evenko referred us to the answers already developed by its subsidiary, Équipe Spectra, according to which the company values French, but also respects diversity and inclusion.
” Équipe Spectra values the French in all official internal communications, by choice and by law. “
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society president Marie-Anne Alepin, who is also an actress and producer, was not reassured by the arguments heard. He sees the situation as “irritating and unforgivable”.
In Quebec, French is the language of work and internal communication in companies, he recalls. If there’s one player in the cultural community who should be sensitive to respecting, protecting and promoting French at work, it’s the producer of Les Francos!
According to our sources, English has carved a place for itself in the organization of the Francos in recent years, since Team Spectra was bought by evenko and the American company Live Nation.
Reactions in Quebec and Ottawa
The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, who has worked at Équipe Spectra in the past, described the situation as “frustrating[e] “. He was hoping for” an awakening and acts “.
In the provincial scene, the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, also used the adjective “broken-hearted”, before adding: There is a big trend that must change in order to preserve our language. And it is urgent.
As for Québec solidaire, it recalls that Équipe Spectra receives subsidies from the State. The right of Équipe Spectra employees to work in French must be respected, said MP Ruba Ghazal. This is not against diversity and inclusion, contrary to what the employer insists.
Source: Radio-Canada
