Korean restaurant in Quebec City to reopen after facing harassment for lack of French
CBC
Two weeks ago, Joe and his family made the painful decision to close their Korean restaurant, Bab Sang. They even considered leaving Quebec City.
People were stopping by the restaurant, pointing and whispering. Some took photos.
There were threatening phone calls.
"Some called us and they said 'just leave Quebec,'" recalled Joe. CBC has agreed not to use his last name due to safety concerns.
The harassment began after a local newspaper, Le Soleil, published an article pointing out the restaurant's servers didn't speak French and the names of dishes on the menu were in English-only. (The menu did include French descriptions of the dishes.)
The focus on Bab Sang comes at a time when the province is keenly attuned to threats to the French language. During the election campaign, leaders of all parties promised to do more to ensure its continued viability.
Quebec City's mayor, Bruno Marchand, weighed in, saying businesses need to function in French in Quebec City.
"I do not want to talk about this particular situation but I do want to say we will not make concessions on the backs of the labour shortage … [Quebec] is in French, this is non-negotiable," said Marchand, as reported by Radio-Canada.
Soon after that, Joe says the phone calls started and he started to worry for his employees' and family's safety. He eventually disconnected the phone line and closed his restaurant for a week as he decided what to do next.
"Frankly, I'm still afraid to get the phone," said Joe. "My heart breaks when my employees get the phone and [people are] mean and threatening. It was a really hard time for me."
Originally from South Korea, Joe moved to Quebec City from New Brunswick four months ago with his family. He says the hostility he has faced is disappointing, particularly since he aims to cater to everyone in the Sillery neighbourhood.
For months, Joe says he struggled to find francophone employees.
"I'm really sorry for my customers who want to get French service. I want to serve them in French," said Joe. "I cannot speak French and I don't have French staff now, but I cannot solve it by myself."
Things changed for Joe and his restaurant when news got out about the harassment they were facing.