WATCH: Raw video from the French-language protest
MONTREAL – A protest to shine a light on the importance of French in Montreal took place on Wednesday night.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Place des Festivals, with many holding lamps. They grouped together to create an enormous glowing “101” and “MTL 101.”
The idea behind the rally is to “highlight the fact that Montreal is the second largest French-speaking city in the world.”
Billed as the “101 in Lights,” the rally was organized by Partenaires pour un Québec français (“Partners for a French Quebec”), which is made up of groups like the Société St-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal and the Mouvement national des Québécois, as well as several trade unions whose members care about the importance of French in the city.
READ MORE: Analysis, stories and more on Quebec language issues
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- Video shows Ontario police sharing Trudeau’s location with protester, investigation launched
- Canadian food banks are on the brink: ‘This is not a sustainable situation’
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
The event took place as another group called for Montreal to have special status as a “city-state”.
Under Quebec’s Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101, all businesses in the province are required to have a French-language name and signage.
But many concerned about language erosion are frustrated with the refusal of some businesses to translate their names.
What do you think? Is this an issue that concerns you?
Comments