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PQ pushing Liberals to reopen Bill 101, insists on French descriptors for English stores

Click to play video: 'PQ reopens English store name debate'
PQ reopens English store name debate
WATCH ABOVE: The debate is still raging over whether English chain stores should add French descriptors to their names. As Global's Raquel Fletcher reports, the Parti Québécois is saying the government is being "too soft" on the issue – Apr 13, 2016

QUEBEC CITY — The Parti Québécois (PQ) is accusing the the Couillard government of backing away from a June 2015 promise to amend Bill 101 that would force chain stores with English names to carry French-language descriptors.

The Liberals made the promise after a court ruled the law is vague on the issue.

At the time, the Liberals insisted it’s important for companies to respect the spirit of Bill 101.

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“We have seen many court decisions, it’s not clear,” said PQ leader Pierre Karl Péladeau.

“At the end of the day, it’s the responsibility of the government that this will be clarified.”

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Currently, there is nothing in the law that states chain stores with English names must have some sort of accompanying description in French.

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READ MORE: Companies need to respect Bill 101, says Couillard

The Quebec Court of Appeal ruled in April 2015 that the French Language Charter does not allow the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) to force companies to add a French component to their name.

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The provincial government did not appeal the decision.

WATCH: Quebec language debate

However, some stores, including Toys R Us, Old Navy, Curves, Walmart and Best Buy have come under fire for not including business descriptors in the province’s official language.

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The official opposition argued it’s a grey area in Bill 101 and the Liberals should reopen the legislation in order to amend it.

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In the meantime, opposition parties insisted Quebecers have an important role to play when it comes to shopping at large stores.

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“I support people to go there [stores that have French descriptors in their names] instead of going into an enterprise that doesn’t respect the francophone character of Quebec,” said Françoise David, spokesperson for Québec Solidaire.

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