From the CBC: A fictitious story about a controversial Montreal bylaw proposal requiring dogs to be comfortable in the country’s two official languages has rippled through the realms of social media and fooled even some seasoned news sites.

The story, a deadpan parody crafted by CBC Radio’s This is That, went viral this week after the show posted a segment on its website about the “untenable chaos” that was rife in Montreal dog parks because some animals were receiving commands in French and others in English.

An interview featured a man with a French accent posing as a councillor and answering the host’s questions

The show’s website included a quote from a phoney Montreal city councillor, Benoit LaDouce.

“Dog parks in our city are chaotic and communication is at the heart of the conflict,” the fake city official is quoted as saying.  Continuez.

From the NYT: Quebec’s stringent language laws, passed in 1977, have long meant that regardless of the name out front, all large retailers serve customers in French and post signs that are predominantly, or entirely, in French along their aisles.

Now, after decades of permitting a plethora of English-language trade names on signs, the government agency responsible for enforcing language laws has changed its mind.

Its efforts, accompanied by threats of legal action and fines, to add French phrases and slogans to those trade names prompted six major U.S. retailers to take the province to court last month.  Continuez.