Human Rights A Day

Quebec invokes the “notwithstanding clause” to protect French language on outdoor signs. In response to Quebecers’ concerns about the erosion of the French language in Quebec, the province introduced Bill 101, designed to enhance the use of French by requiring its use on all public signs and in commercial advertising. On December 15, 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that this infringed on the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as by the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. That only prompted Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa to introduce legislation three days later – on December 18 – allowing him to override the Canadian Charter of Rights through what is commonly referred to as the notwithstanding clause. His Bill 178 nullified the Supreme Court’s ruling, required the exclusive use of French on outdoor signs, and allowed for bilingual indoor signs only as long as French predominated. In 1993, the government replaced Bill 178 with another bill