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Is this against the law?
At first glance the answer seems obvious: the English is the same size as the French, which is a no-no. However, there are numerous exceptions to that rule: places that are considered tourist attractions or political offices do not have to obey the French-bigger-than-English requirement. And there's also an exception for machines with operating instructions: things like automatic photo booths ("1. Deposit coins; 2. Smile...") or ticket machines ("Please take a number") can post their instructions in both languages, in equal size.
However, in this case, none of the exceptions apply. The Regie du logement is a government office, and all government offices must post French-only signs, period.
So, yes, this sign is illegal. "It's not something we're particularly worried about," says Jean Dansereau of the Office de la langue francaise. "But if someone complains about it, we'd have to look into it. And if we looked into it, we'd most likely order it removed."
The Mirror chose not to file a complaint.
--Philip Preville
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Out of sheer curiosity, Mirror reader Bruce Hackenbeck took this photo outside the door of the Regie du logement offices, and asked us: can something as benign as a doorbell with bilingual instructions be illegal?