That is just completely ridiculous. This is CANADA. It's not France and it certainly should not be a land where dictatorships can take over.
Quebec is going far too overboard when it comes to policing its language if you ask me. One would think the province's leaders would want to encourage small business - especially given the fact they are so gung ho to separate, but when you read about things like this you just have to shake your head.
The owner of a trendy (and highly successful) Italian restaurant in Montreal (Massimo Lecas is his name) is under the microscope, not because of any bad business practice, a dirty kitchen or for not paying his taxes - he dared to put the word "pasta" on his menu.
Well it IS an Italian restaurant after all!
Apparently, the word pasta isn't French enough for Quebecers. There are a few other words on the menu that are also being examined, the owner has found out - when much to his surprise - he received a letter from a Quebec agency pointing out his "transgressions." Wow.
Apparently, a disapproving customer dined at the location and didn't like the wording on the menu so they reported it.
Taking it all with a grain of salt, Lecas says he hasn't had a language complaint in 22 years and he's expecting he'll be able to resolve this problem without too much incident, but if he doesn't, fines for such an infraction can range between $1,500 and GET THIS - $20,000!!! Unbelievable.
Reportedly, Quebec Cabinet Ministers are chuckling about the whole thing, saying it's an overreaction on the part of the "language policing" agency but the very fact this can - and does - happen in the province (this is not the first case) is just silly. What's the incentive for a small business to set up in this province?
Quebec is mainly comprised of French speaking individuals and that's fine, but it's still a part of Canada and I think it should behave as such. The way people are being treated there actually is starting to make the word "separation" have a nice ring to it. If this restaurant owner is fined over having the word pasta on his Italian menu there is something seriously wrong with the way this country is being governed.
