Quebec’s language watchdog will stay away from ‘Go! Habs Go!’ from now on, minister says

The recent controversy surrounding the use of English in the popular phrase “Go! Habs Go!” in Quebec has sparked a heated debate about language rights and cultural identity in the province. The issue arose when the Montreal Gazette reported that city buses had changed their electronic displays to avoid using the word “Go” because it was considered an Anglicism by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), Quebec’s language watchdog.

In response to the backlash and threats received by OQLF employees, Quebec’s Minister responsible for French, Jean-François Roberge, announced that the office would no longer respond to complaints related to the phrase “Go! Habs Go!” He emphasized that the expression is a part of Quebec’s DNA and identity, and therefore should be protected.

Roberge and OQLF president Dominique Malack clarified that the French-language watchdog had no issue with the phrase and that the STM, Montreal’s transit authority, had changed its bus messages following a complaint about a similar phrase in support of Montreal’s professional men’s soccer team.

Despite the controversy, the Société de Transport de Laval (STL), responsible for Laval, Quebec, decided to stick with the original phrase “Go! Rocket Go!” in support of the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate. This decision came after Roberge’s statement supporting the use of the phrase.

The removal of “Go! Canadiens Go!” received criticism from various political parties, including the sovereignist Parti Québécois, whose leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, vowed to continue using the phrase. The PQ’s culture and communications critic, Catherine Gentilcore, emphasized that there are more pressing issues for the protection of the French language, such as expanding Bill 101 to junior CEGEPs and improving francization efforts in schools.

Overall, the debate over the use of English in Quebec’s cultural expressions highlights the ongoing tensions between language preservation and cultural diversity in the province. While some argue for strict language regulations, others advocate for a more flexible approach that embraces Quebec’s unique linguistic heritage.