What was Bill 101's rule about commercial signs originally?

• A. Commercial signs may use only French.
• B. Commercial signs may use both English and French with equal prominence.
• C. Commercial signs must be bilingual with English prominent.
• D. Commercial signs may use only English.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how Quebec's language law treated signs in business life. When Bill 101 was first implemented, French was the language that had to dominate on commercial signs. The intention was to strengthen French in everyday public life, so shops and advertisements were required to display text in French as the primary language. English could appear only in a limited way or as a translation, not as the main display. That’s why the description “commercial signs may use only French” best reflects the original rule. (There were some transitional provisions for signs that existed before the law, but the general aim was French as the primary signage language.)