Cote-des-Neiges-NDG borough mayor Sue Montgomery says her borough will cooperate with the OQLF, but she says having to deal with the province's language watchdog is frustrating.
Recently, the OQLF sent a questionnaire to every Montreal borough to check how well they followed Quebec's language guidelines, and the survey found that only the Cote-des-Neiges-NDG borough was not fully compliant.
Among the transgressions — too much English spoken at council meetings, without proper summaries given in French, and too much English on borough correspondence — such as business cards.
Montgomery told CJAD 800's Elias Makos that while she doesn't intend to break the law, she insists her main priority is to provide services to residents — in a way they can understand.
"The main thing is that we do communicate, and that everyone gets the information they need in order to participate fully in the democratic process," Montgomery said.
The largest borough in Montreal is also the most ethnically and linguistically diverse, with roughly as many anglos and francophones.
Montgomery, who came to Quebec from Ontario in 1986 and later became a Montreal Gazette reporter, says she wants to make sure people who come from elsewhere feel the city and the borough are working for them.
"We have 30 per cent English speakers, we have 30 per cent French, and the remaining 40 per cent speak 65 different languages," she said. "I understand how difficult it is to come from elsewhere, and try to master the language. While you're mastering it, you feel a bit lost, a bit lonely, a bit isolated. I don't my residents to feel that way. I want them to feel welcome."