Quebec restaurant halts free-meal program after warning over English-only text

globalnews.ca:

A Montreal restaurant owner who has given out hundreds of free meals as part of a “pay it forward program” says his initiative has been halted because of the so-called language police.

“It was very successful. We have given out over 712 free meals,” said Abdul Rashia Khan, owner of Mama Khan restaurant on St. Denis Street.

Khan, who wanted to be a social worker when he was young, says charity is a key part of the Pakistani restaurant he runs with his mother.

They gave out free meals during the 2023 ice storm, and offer people meals for free during power outages.

Last year, he started a “pay it forward” program, where every time someone donates at least five dollars, free meal vouchers would go up on the wall for anyone to take.

Now the wall just has sticky tack where the cards once hung, after he got a warning letter from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

“My reaction was kind of surprised that we were reported to the government saying that we are not bilingual,” he told Global News.

Someone complained to the language watchdog about English-language social media posts made by Mama Khan, and the OQLF sent him a warning letter reminding him commercial publications in a language other than French are not allowed in Quebec, unless the French is more prominent.

“I wasn’t aware too much of the law. It’s my first time running a business. It’s been a year and a half I’m the owner,” he explained.

The free meal vouchers are only in English, so fearing a fine from language law enforcement authorities, he took them down. He has hundreds he never got to use.

“It cost me around $400 to print them out, to have them designed by a graphic designer. I work 90 hours per week, I have no time to do marketing myself. It’s a