Quebec Ruling Party’s ‘Non’ To Radicals Means ‘Oui’ For English On Province’s Signs

The separatist party that governs Quebec rebuffed an attempt by its militant wing on Sunday to ban English on commercial signs.

The proposal to allow only French on signs was defeated by about a 2-1 margin at a policy convention of 1,800 Parti Quebecois delegates. It was a significant victory for Premier Lucien Bouchard, the party leader, who had hinted he might consider quitting if the hard-liners won.

Bouchard had walked out of the meeting hall in disappointment Saturday after receiving only 76 percent support in a confidence vote, lower than any of his predecessors had received. But he returned in a feisty mood Sunday, telling delegates to adopt a moderate language policy or risk losing him as leader.

Bouchard has warned that tougher language laws promoting French at the expense of English would hurt Quebec’s image internationally and hurt the separatists’ chances of victory when the next referendum on secession from Canada is held.