Quebec Esso reverses name-change plan
Imperial Oil has backed away from a plan to change the name of its Quebec Esso convenience stores after language watchdogs threatened a province-wide boycott.
The petroleum company had planned to change the name of its "Marché Express" stores to "On the Run," and had opened a franchise with the English name in Montreal's Town of Mount Royal.
The company said it had received sanction for the name change from the province's language watchdog agency, l'Office de la langue française, but announced late Monday it haddropped itsplan after fielding several complaints.
"We obviously did not expect as big an uproar around the possible change," said Robert Théberge, an Imperial Oil spokesman.
Several people also complained tol'Office de la langue française. The sovereigntist group Société Saint-Jean Baptiste (SSJB) vowed to organize a boycott of Quebec's 54 Esso stations if the company didn't back down.
The group also sent letters of protest to Quebec Premier Jean Charest and Opposition leader André Boisclair pressuring them to uphold the province's language laws.
"It's not up to a multinational [company] to decide which language shall be spoken in Quebec," said Jean Dorion, a spokesman for the SSJB.
Esso wanted to change the convenience store names in order to standardize its brand. The stores, attached to gas stations, are operated under several names, including Tiger Express, Marché Express, On the Run and Mobil Mart.