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QUEBEC — If the citizens of France and Belgium are able to “cuire” their food on stoves with French instructions, Quebecers should not have to “bake” theirs on appliances with only English markings, Quebec’s minister of the French language said Tuesday.
Defending new draft regulations stemming from Quebec’s language law, Bill 96, Jean-François Roberge said it is entirely normal, even a source of pride, that Quebec require appliance manufacturers to include French information on their products.
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And he has no doubt should any manufacturers abandon the Quebec market as a result of the rules, others would step because “nature hates a void.”
Roberge was responding to questions from Liberal language critic Madwa-Nika Cadet, who asked him why French labels on appliances have become an issue.
“I have always said we need an integrated approach, one that is transversal (when it comes to language policy),” Roberge said. “It’s important because every time we touch one area, there is the always the ‘not in my backyard,’ phenomena or people saying, ‘This will fix nothing.’
“But we can impede our moving forward every time a group says this is inconvenient. I think we have again to be audacious but respectful.
“But I remind everyone that in Portugal, (the labels on appliances) are in Portuguese. In Poland, it’s Polish. In Europe, companies like Samsung respect national languages.
“In France, you can cuire des chose, you not obliged to bake. Why can’t we, in Quebec, be respected as well? The days of apologizing for existing are over.”
The new requirements for appliance controls such as “on-off,” “cook,” and “self clean” were included in draft regulations presented by Roberge in January as he puts elements of Bill 96 into force. Groups had 45 days to comment on them.
The regulations are currently being redrafted by the government and are not yet law.
Under existing law, permanent markings — such as those that are engraved, embossed or welded — are permitted to be in a language other than French unless they are related to product safety. But draft regulations released last month would end that exception and require French markings if they’re “necessary for the use of the product.”
Critics have said the new regulations will lead to fewer choices and higher prices.
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