STM Faces Criticism Over 'Go Habs Go' Ban

Montreal’s transit authority, STM, replaced the popular 'Go Habs Go' slogan on bus displays with the French equivalent 'Allez Canadiens Allez' after Quebec’s language watchdog, the OQLF, ruled the English word 'Go' was an unacceptable anglicism following a public complaint. The change, made to comply with Quebec’s language laws, has provoked criticism from politicians and language advocates who view the slogan as part of Quebec’s sporting culture. French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge publicly supported keeping 'Go Habs Go' and announced that future complaints about the slogan would be dismissed. Despite this stance, STM stated that a return to the English slogan is not immediate, as bus display updates only occur during scheduled fall maintenance. The controversy has intensified debates over priorities in language protection in Quebec. Meanwhile, 'Go Habs Go' continues to be used by fans and the Montreal Canadiens team in other contexts.