Over the past two years, Investissement Québec (IQ) has provided financial support totaling more than $65 million to around thirty companies whose website was not in French, in violation of the law. 101
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The office of French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge was briefed on the journal’s findings and promised to call IQ and the Economy Ministry, led by Pierre Fitzgibbon, to order.
“The state must be exemplary in protecting, promoting, using and influencing the French language,” said Thomas Verville, spokesman for Mr Roberge.
“We are in contact with Investissement Québec and the Department of Economy, Innovation and Energy to carry out the necessary follow-up work,” he added.
$8.5 million help, no French
Vantage Logistics and an affiliate received $8.5 million in investments from IQ last year. When Le Journal consulted the company’s website last month, it was only in English. In addition, Vantage announced a real estate project largely funded by IQ on LinkedIn.
“Two years ago our website was in French. […] It will be completely changed. It will probably be ready in a month or a half,” said Vantage CEO Manbir Johal.
Manbir Johal, CEO of Vantage Logistics LinkedIn
The company shut down its monolingual English-language website when Le Journal IQ reported the situation. However, the Careers page is still only available in English.
Founded in 2013, Vantage is a big company: Revenue is around $50 million, Mr Johal said.
Of the thirty or so companies accused of violating the law, five revealed a French version of their website after being contacted by Le Journal: Stathera, Meta4 Interactive, Jenthera Thérapeutiques, Trustcore Technologies and Afmerica.
“You brought to our attention a technical issue with the language icon that has since been resolved,” said Sandra Azoulay, co-founder of Jenthera.
Other companies have assured that they intend to add a French version to their website soon.
“Yes, we are planning a French version. You know it costs a lot of money and we prioritized English because the market is international and we’re on a budget, but it’s coming,” said Alexandre Martel, co-founder of 3Mind Games, a company founded in 2014.
Howard Alter, president of HLA Supply Chain Solutions, acknowledged that there was “no particular reason” why the Kirkland-based company, which received a more than $300,000 loan from IQ there for two years, doesn’t have a website have in French.
“But we will work on it,” he promised.
The French language charter “provides that publications of a commercial nature, including those published on a website and on social media, must be written in French,” recalled the spokesman for the Office québécois de la langue française.
“Unforgivable”
Jean-Paul Perreault, President of Impératif français, does not understand that IQ does not guarantee compliance with the charter by the companies it financially supports.
Jean-Paul Perreault Photo QMI Agency, Marc DesRosiers
“To see IQ investing in a company that doesn’t even have a window in French on computing platforms is a gesture I would find unforgivable and unacceptable,” stated Mr. Perreault.
“It is not for IQ to analyze the company’s compliance with the charter in depth,” said a spokeswoman for the state-owned company, Catherine Salvail.
However, she assured that “in providing financial assistance, a company must comply with the provisions of all applicable Quebec laws, including the charter.”
The problem of the lack of French on websites and social media seems to be of increasing concern to Quebec residents. Last year, the OQLF received 1,515 complaints in this regard. That is almost three times more than the 550 complaints registered in 2019-2020.
Extension of the Frenchization process
- Number of companies that have been in the francification process for three years or more: 394 (+ 57% over one year)
- Total number of companies in the francification process: 2,497 (+ 25% over one year)
- Total number of companies registered with the OQLF: 9698 (+ 10% over one year)
Data current as of March 31, 2023
Source: Quebec French Language Bureau
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