‘Go Habs Go’ has got to go: STM to support sports teams en français only

Montreal’s transit agency will be removing the word “Go” from its electronic displays when supporting local sports teams to comply with a directive from Quebec’s French-language watchdog. The move is raising eyebrows of even the most ardent defenders of the French language at the National Assembly. 

As such, the popular phrase “Go! Canadiens Go!” will be substituted with its French equivalent “Allez! Canadiens! Allez!“

In a statement, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) says the decision follows a previous order from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). It’s related to a complaint it received over the use of “Go! CF MTL Go!” in support of the local men’s soccer team on bus displays.

Though the word “Go” is a common sports expression, it’s an Anglicism.

The STM says it received the directive from the OQLF to modify its cheerful wording in the spring of 2024. It was only able to proceed at the end of that summer during its routine update of the destination signs across its fleet of 2,000 buses.

“Because the messages have to be changed manually in each vehicle, the process took several months,” said an STM spokesperson in a statement.

In a statement, the OQLF said that it never imposes one type of correction rather than another.

“[It informed the STM] that in accordance with the Charter of the French language, the Administration’s organizations must use the French language in an exemplary manner, which implies not using English terms in their signage,” reads the statement.

Walking past reporters on his way into the National Assembly, Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge muttered one sentence before disappearing behind a door: “I’ll let the OQLF do its job.” 

Ruba Ghazal, the Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson and a self-proclaimed “lover of the French language,” said “Go! Habs Go!” is Québécois, during a news conference gathering Quebec’s opposition parties Thursday morning.

“I don’t think that’s what’s threatening the French language, the ‘Go! Habs, Go!'”

She said protecting the language involves rather measures like making sure new immigrants as well as CEOs from large companies learn French.

Catherine Gentilcore, the culture and communications critic for the Parti Québécois (PQ), echoed Ghazal, saying that her party has “bigger” priorities when it comes to the protection of the French language. She cited expanding Bill 101 to junior CEGEPs (junior colleges), improving francization efforts and strengthening culture and language programs in schools.

She said PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will not be deleting “Go Habs! Go!” from his vocabulary.

“We’ve been using ‘Go! Habs Go!’ for a hundred years now. So I think ‘Allez! Canadiens Allez!’ is good it’s fine but ‘Go! Habs Go!,’ it’s fine too.”

Quebec Liberal Interim Leader Marc Tanguay, for his part, said that whoever was responsible for the decision at the OQLF could’ve done something else to help advance Quebec, pointing to cuts to French-language classes.

“It’s a waste of time, waste of money, waste of energy,” he said.

“It’s something positive that we have the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs, can we just celebrate?”