Montreal's 311 has a new message for those who want English service

Ring ring! Calling 311 for the city of Montreal today? Hoping for English service? Not so fast.

If you'd like to speak to someone in French, go right ahead and press 1.

For Option 2, you'll have to listen to a brand-new 40-second message asking you to attest in good faith that you have acquired rights as an English speaker in Quebec under the Charter of the French language.

What does that mean? The message will tell you. 

"In accordance with the Charter of the French Language, we will be pleased to provide service in English if you attest in good faith that you are covered by one of the following exceptions: if you are a person declared eligible to receiving English education; if you are an Indigenous person; if you are a recently arrived immigrant residing in Quebec for less than six months; if you are calling from outside of Quebec or if you corresponded solely in English with the city of Montreal prior to May 13, 2021. If you attest in good faith, please press 2. Otherwise, please press 1."

Major provisions of Quebec's revamped French language law came into effect today, exactly one year after the controversial law received Royal Assent. 

The provisions include one of the laws most debated clauses, requiring employees of most front-facing government agencies to serve clients in French unless those clients have acquired English-language rights, are Indigenous or are new immigrants who arrived in the province within the last six months. 

Someone who has the right to attend English school qualifies for service in English, the law says.

Critics of the law and political experts say the provision will be a crucial test for the policy's implementation in the real world, after more than a year of speculation about how it would affect people's lives — and even social cohesion in the province. 

"This is where we really start seeing the impact of Bill 96," said Eva Ludvig, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network, an opponent of the legislation, on Wednesday. 

Ludvig and several other English-speaking leaders are concerned the burden left on individual government employees could create tensions. 

"Without proper training and supervision, it can lead to conflict at the front line; for instance, either an overzealous employee or a disgruntled customer," Ludvig said. 

Montreal appears to have found a way to avoid placing the responsibility of applying that part of the law on employees with the recorded message, as well as a written message at the top of the English version of its website. 

A blue banner on the English city web page now says: "Who can view this page? This content is intended for the public covered by the exceptions under Bill 96. Find out more."