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.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
Margaret Walker, the emcee of a Waterloo vigil commemorating the victims of the Montreal massacre, doesn't feel enough is being done to reflect on the killings and address gender-based violence.
The P.E.I. Humane Society says it is doing far more fundraising than it used to, and rising expenses — including the cost of animal medications — are a big reason why.
Ottawa is staring down a court-ordered deadline to submit a new plan to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, as a group of First Nations leaders and children’s advocates prepare a competing proposal.
An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into “a garbage dump,” according to nearby residents.
A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.
The massive deal to combine one of Hollywood's oldest studios with a streaming giant hasn't even been approved yet, but it's already riling multiple related industries and politicians concerned about monopolies and media concentration.
Mi'kmaq chiefs and a former Nova Scotia justice minister are criticizing the provincial government for directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples.
For years, there has been “glaring inequity” in the way the province has allocated the millions of dollars in its county roads budget, according to Department of Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson.
Six months after passing a law aimed at making it easier for new grocery stores to open, Manitoba's premier says lower grocery bills could be on the horizon.
Timothy Smith was acting in self-defence when he punched Landon Waddell, and shouldn't be found guilty of manslaughter, his lawyer says.
Thoroughbred horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse is ending after more than a century, with the operator announcing Friday it will no longer run a racing season at the historic facility.