Trademarks allow consumers to distinguish between products and services of one business and those of another, making them a most valuable business asset. However, that asset’s value is closely tied to the extent to which an...more
On January 10, 2024, the Regulation to amend mainly the Regulation respecting the language of commerce and business (Draft Regulation) was published in the Gazette Officielle du Québec. The Draft Regulation was eagerly...more
On May 13, 2021, the Québec government introduced Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec (the Bill), proposing significant amendments to Québec’s Charter of the French Language (the...more
Established through the Charter of the French Language, French is the official language of the Province of Québec. The Charter applies to businesses located in Québec and to other businesses providing services and selling...more
The French language holds the status of official language in the province of Québec through the Charter of the French Language (RLRQ c C-11), thus making the use of the French language mandatory in all spheres of public life...more
Since it was introduced in May 2021, a lot of ink has been spilled, to say the least, over Bill 96, which seeks to reinforce the provisions of the Charter of the French Language (the “Charter”). Smart & Biggar’s...more
Important Notice: The Québec government has announced its intention to modify the French Charter in order to better protect the French language in Québec. We do not know precisely when these changes will come into force, nor...more
The Charter of the French language (R.S.Q. c. C-11) (the French Charter) was adopted in 1977 by the Québec government to protect the French language. The French Charter gives the French language the status of official...more