Quebec French-Language agency tells fans to drop the term, “Go, Habs, Go!”

City buses in Montreal have been forced to drop the expression, "Go! Habs, Go!" after a complaint to Quebec's official language watchdog. 

Montreal's transit authority has replaced the expression with "Allez! Canadiens Allez!" on the front of buses city-wide. The decision to remove the word "go" is an anglocism and flies in the face of the the province's mandate states the Office Quebecois de Langue Francais.

While the transit authority doesn't agree with the ruling, it is forced to make the change.

"This type of message provided Société de transport de Montréal (STM) employees with a way to salute national sports teams, official partners and establish the STM as a player in its community," Tremblay said in an email statement. "Note that the use of the word "Go" was used in a sports context .... It allowed for quick understanding and a sense of belonging to these teams."

Tremblay said replacing "go" with "allez" — the French equivalent — "maintains team spirit" while complying with Quebec's recent overhaul of its French language charter.

Interestingly enough, Quebec's political parties have all more or less panned the decision.

Even the sovereigntist/separatist Parti Quebecois, a champion for French language laws, called the decision "silly".

"We have other priorities for the French language in Quebec," said PQ MNA Catherine Gentilcore, adding that Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will continue to use #GoHabsGo on social media.