APRIL 2014
H
business elite canada
11
A
fter years of language barriers being
an issue for the businesses located
in the French province, a judge has
ruled that major retailers do not have to mod-
ify their commercial trademark English names
into French. Multinationals took the province
to court after being told they have to change
their store names or be impeached by the
French Language Charter, and say that incor-
porating a French slogan that does not have
to do with their brand is juvenile and may cost
them business.
The Office Quebecois de la Langue Françoise
fear the French language is suffering because
of these English trademarks, and went up
against these major retailers, including Best
Buy, Costco, Old Navy, Wal-Mart and Gap, all
of whom combined make up 215 outlets in the
province.
The ball is in these retailers’ court for now,
though the opposition still has 30 days to ap-
peal the decision.
