English software allowed - maybe
Quebec's language watchdog insists firms must use French computer software - despite a statement to the contrary by Louise Beaudoin last week.

JONATHON GATEHOUSE
The Gazette

The Office de la Langue Francaise is flying in the face of official Quebec-government policy with its crackdown on businesses that use English computer software, critics say.

And they say the decision is proof positive the language watchdog is running amok.

"These guys are out of control. They're needlessly harassing people," Alliance Quebec spokesman Rob Bull said yesterday. "Somebody has to get a grip on them."

Last week, francophone employees of a Montreal-area pharmaceutical firm complained the OLF was forcing their company and many of its competitors to install French-language versions of popular software on office computers - even though many workers prefer to use English programs.

On Friday, Louise Beaudoin, the minister responsible for the French Language Charter, appeared to call off the language bureaucrats.

In a press release, she congratulated the OLF for its efforts to apply the law and ensure companies with more than 50 employees make French versions of software available - but underscored the right of workers to "use software in other languages."

The companies, threatened with the loss of their vital OLF "francization" certificate because of their apparent computer transgressions, thought they had won the issue.

But the Office is interpreting the minister's remarks differently.

OLF spokesman Gerald Paquette said yesterday Beaudoin's statement will have no effect on software policy.

"We're sticking with our interpretation" of the law, he said.

"In a French environment, you should have French software."

Paquette said companies with more than 50 employees must first install French-language programs in their computers, then seek special permission from the OLF if workers request software in another language.

"If an employee wants a program in English, they have to justify it," Paquette said.

He added that exemptions would be granted only in special cases, like companies that do the majority of business outside Quebec, or for research facilities.

The OLF believes French programs are integral to a French working environment, he said.

Julius Grey, McGill law professor and constitutional expert, said he was astounded by the OLF's apparent intransigence.

He said the Office's position has no legal basis and contravenes the Charter of Rights.

"The idea that an employee should not be able to have access to English is a clear violation of freedom of expression," Grey said.

"The OLF is being petty, excessive, confrontational and dogmatic.

"They've caused tremendous harm to the possibility of linguistic harmony and reconciliation."

Lorraine Chiasson, a sales-co-ordinator at one of the targeted pharmaceutical firms, said she is dismayed by the OLF and Beaudoin's dueling interpretations of the law.

"I'm very confused now and so is the company," she said. "I don't know who's running the show.É The enforcers aren't enforcing the law as we understand it."

Chiasson said her firm has gone to great lengths to comply with government policy, changing signs, ensuring that employees speak French on the phone and in the workplace, even removing drawings by Gazette cartoonist Aislin from the walls because they had English captions.

"We've done everything they've asked, but for some reason it's not enough," she said.

Chiasson said even her francophone colleagues find the French versions of popular software like Microsoft Word and Excel Office Suite unwieldy and confusing.

She predicted that the switch to French software will hurt productivity at the firm for months.

Alliance Quebec's Bull said the dispute can only hurt the province's fragile economy.

"You don't misapply a law to businesses that are having a hard enough time trying to survive as it is," he said.

A spokesman at Beaudoin's office in Quebec City said the minister stands by her Friday statement as official government policy, and sees no contradiction between her remarks that employees can use English software "on request" and the OLF's more selective application of the regulations.

"French has to be the general language of work in a business, but that doesn't exclude certain employees from using English or Spanish software," Martin Roy said.

"The Office doesn't deal with employees; it deals with enterprises."

"It's up to the employer.É They have to decide if (the software) will prevent them from obtaining their francization certificate." Back To The Main Page
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