Do you think Quebec's language law is too restrictive

[Spacemonkey]

We have law here in Province of Quebec concerning toys (and many other think but I stay now in the toys aspect) that says toys can't be sell in a store if there's no french versions of the toys or at least french instructions. I think that law is very constraining because many toys will never be translate in french and we won't be able to find except by online stores (probably at higher price).
That is the case of many transformers exclusives.

For example Toys'r'us exclusive Classic Soundwave:
We can't find it in Quebec Toy's'us stores (strangely 20th Anniversary Prime was available at the time). The worst is they didn't sell it online here in quebec. As I know when we buy online at Toysrus we don't buy somewhere in Quebec but in Ontario. After reading the law text, I didn't find anithing concerning online trading.

http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca/charte/charte/clflgcomm.html

Maybe it could have some exceptions for collection items (items susceptible to be collectible). I can keep dreaming ;);););).

Watchout! that law will soon affect the video games


In other way why Hasbro don't make on pakaging for all north america?? They do all english boxes for US and tri-lingual boxes (english, french and spanish) for the rest (Canada fore sure and Mexico (i think)). I'm not an expert but I think they could save on production cost and make available items everywhere in North america.

[Spacemonkey]

Sorry, I didn't post it in the political way, just an expression of some frustrating elements i encounter.
So if you think the subject is innapropriate, that's ok for me i won't return on the subject.

[Team Jetfire]

It is funny how the rights of some people supersede the rights of another...

And yes I do this they are way to restrictive. I can see the point of French speaking Canadians, but English is a pretty prominent language. It would be expected that not everything in Quebec could have both languages.

[CobraCommander]

Yes, too restrictive for my tastes. :(

Tri-lingual packaging would be the way to go. If not then leave it in English and provide weblinks to other languages for instructions and the sort, if really really necessary. :rolleyes:

Or perhaps put all possible instruction languages on a CD and package with the item. ;)

[Robimus]

The best thing Hasbro could do is make all packaging Tri.......This would solve a bunch of issues with both Mexico and Canada. How many people now live in the US with spanish as a first language? 10,20,30 million? More people than live in all of Canada likely.

[BadJeff]

Yes, trilingual packaging would definately solve all of these issues. I Never really got a full understanding of the fine print on the laws out there so I should probably keep my pie hole shut. I seem to remember hearing that on store front sineage the French had to be the dominant print and English could be no more than 20% the size of the French. Is that true?

[Pascal]

Not even mentionning that there are french speaking people in the US and elsewhere in Canada (pretty much all provinces have french communities).

[jourdo]

Like BadJeff, I'm not really fluent in the language laws of Quebec... so I'll keep my comments to a minimum. I honestly didn't realize that certain things didn't make it there based on the packaging.

I don't see why Trilingual packages wouldn't solve the issues of making the toys available.

[Team Jetfire]

Trilingual works for me.

[Oreobot]

Aren't all European Tranformers packages tri-lingual? I have a European G1 Optimus Prime and it's tri-lingual (English, French and Spanish). There might be some other language on it, too, but I can't tell.

[General Tekno]

I wouldn't want the European packaging though - it isn't as good.

I've seen pics - instead of awesome boxart they put pics of the toys.

[Autovolt 127]

I only live not to far from the Ottawa River,i feel lucky on this side.

Tri-Lugaull should make it to Quebec.

[Spacemonkey]

I think hasbro don't really like making One pakaging especially for canada (because of quebec and I don't think the law will change) and it's why I think Hasbro could use unique pakaging for all North America instead off two as they do actually( one all english and one trilingual) similar to europe where they use +/- 8 language. It could give us in Quebec more possibility to have certain exclusives in store (i.e. toysrus, walmart, costco for example), However last two costco exclusives (RID prime/magnus and CYB prime/wing saber) were available here in Quebec in trilingual pakaging).

[Protoman]

Don't even get me started. Being of half french, I still can't stand the bullshit we have to go through. Titanium's packaging was ruined due to our laws, we never got some figures due to having english only voices (RID Primal for one), it's why we sometimes just flat out don't get figures at all. If Hasbro feels they don't need to do a tri-packing design, said figure does not come here. Which is why we don't get reissues and other obscurities (like Heroes of Cybertron). TRU Brossard carried reissues at one point (due to their manager ordering a case originally for himself to get a Jazz/Bluestreak and to sell the rest in the store but got busted badly for it.

[Spacemonkey]

Some seeissues was available at Toysrus Near Place Fleur de Lys (quebec). I remember grapple, skid, smokescreen and maby some others. They keep them for many months (without re stocking). But one they after a seasonal reconfiguration the last four (grapple and skids two of each i think) completely disapeared just when i would like pick at least one. Now I understand why they disapear, i'm very surprise they carried them for so long and the 20th prime too. We're lucky I think.

[Pascal]

Titanium's packaging was ruined due to our laws, we never got some figures due to having english only voices (RID Primal for one)it.

I'm 99% certain that I held RID Primal in my hands at the time of release at my local TRU in Sherbrooke.

[Aernaroth]

And if you guys were francophones, I bet someone would be complaining about how there's not enough french packaging or products.

Its Quebec, french is the traditional language, and lets face it, the government is going to work as a reflection of that.

[lars573]

Yes, trilingual packaging would definately solve all of these issues. I Never really got a full understanding of the fine print on the laws out there so I should probably keep my pie hole shut. I seem to remember hearing that on store front sineage the French had to be the dominant print and English could be no more than 20% the size of the French. Is that true?
Quebec's official language is french. And signs have to be in the official langauge (IE french). At least for government stuff. But I think the law was specifically extended to private buisnesses.

Ironic that in a nation that's officially billingual only one province is also officially billingual. New Brunswick.

I guess that Hasbro decided that shrink wrapping french instructions to the outside of toy packages wouldn't be profitable enough. Video game companies do it. Problem is it's for the whole market. When I bought KOTOR for the Xbox it had a B/W french manual shrink wrapped to the outside.

[Robimus]

And if you guys were francophones, I bet someone would be complaining about how there's not enough french packaging or products.

Its Quebec, french is the traditional language, and lets face it, the government is going to work as a reflection of that.


Thats a bit harsh isn't it? I havn't seen a single person say french shouldn't be on the package. I don't mind having french on my toy packages. I think the point is that Hasbro is dropping the ball on this, not the goverment. The USA is probably as multi-lingual as we are if not more, they teach a lot of Spanish in school. I think this is about a big billion dollar corporation sticking it to some of their customers when it would be easy for them not to. It's not like Quebec is saying that toy packages have to be only in french, but that french has to be included. I'm sure Mexico feels the same way about spanish and they probably miss out on things as well because Hasbro wont make everything for North America Tri-Logo.

[Protoman]

Aside from the giggles I use to get from the "french versions" of the G1 names (Which does not exist anymore) I would perfer NO french, it's a waste of space that could be used for tech specs, more art or anything better.

[Bumblebee78]

I'm 99% certain that I held RID Primal in my hands at the time of release at my local TRU in Sherbrooke.

If you are talking about the one modeled on the Beast Machines character, it is quite possible. I bought mine at Toys'R'us in Quebec city a few years ago. If you were not talking about that one, sorry :o

[Pascal]

Honestly, I never cared for bios and tech specs, they're either redundant or useless.

[Protoman]

Tech specs and bios are what MADE Transformers unique. It's what also made me pick up some figures over others. It's one thing to be a straight up repaint of a toy, but to atleast have a story behind it. Good example is Cybertron Undermine to Cybertron Repugnus. While one was a featured character in the Galaxy Force/Cybertron anime, the other was a toy only character brought to life via it's tech spec, and an interesting one at that. Your the first person I have ever known that didn't care if there was tech specs or not, heck people were overjoyed when Alternators had as much as a quote on their new packaging.

[Team Jetfire]

Tech species and Bio are one of the reasons that Transformers are still around. Sure it is easy to make a kick ass toy, it is harder to make kids like it. Tech specs did just that.

Just because the 20 year old collector doesn't like them, doesn't mean the 10 year old doesn't.

[Spacemonkey]

If we stay on topic, it's possible to have trinligual packaging and tech spec at te same time. Look at cybertron packaging (all sizes), movie voyagers and movie leaders, tech spec are there. The descriptions are in smaller characters. Strangely they don't do that with movie deluxes.

[Pascal]

Tech specs for the most part don't make any sense : you have a racing car with a speed rating of 7 and then a big fat monster truck with a 9. Too many nonsensical ratings.

[Spacemonkey]

Yes your right, we saw that many times. I'm personally not a tech spec fan, i prefer the toy desing, the transformations ant playabilty. But we must keep in mind that some compromises must be done to satisfy much people as possible (info of the toy inside the box, diponibility of the toys, etc)

[Robimus]

Just glanced at my Hotrod tech spec from back in the day and it does have both english and french. Megatropolis does have a point about the ratings not making a lot of sense. If a car has a speed of nine then how can a fighter plane have a speed of seven? Also how could Prime be as strong as Omega Supreme, and don't even get me started about Huffer.

[Team Jetfire]

You are arguing the validity of technical specifications of an alien robot that is capable of complex transformation and intergalactic space travel...lol.

Maybe the ratings are relative to the other Robots of similar size and shape, either way it gives the kids a chance to learn about the dynamics of the team.

[Robimus]

You are arguing the validity of technical specifications of an alien robot that is capable of complex transformation and intergalactic space travel...lol.

Um......., yes.
Hot Rod's tech spec also says" Hot Rod is an all-Canadian boy Autobot" I know it's beem changed from all-American but still funny either way. Maybe I was wrong about Snowcat being the only Transformer with a Canadian accent EH!!!!

[Pascal]

You are arguing the validity of technical specifications of an alien robot that is capable of complex transformation and intergalactic space travel...lol.

Maybe the ratings are relative to the other Robots of similar size and shape, either way it gives the kids a chance to learn about the dynamics of the team.

Them being "aliens" doesn't excuse the lack of logic being the ratings. A high-tech jet will always be faster than a high-tech car, that's just common sense.

[Nyghtwynd]

Um......., yes.
Hot Rod's tech spec also says" Hot Rod is an all-Canadian boy Autobot" I know it's beem changed from all-American but still funny either way. Maybe I was wrong about Snowcat being the only Transformer with a Canadian accent EH!!!!

LOL maybe

[Robimus]

I guess this thread is far enough off topic that I'll just keep going.
I do like the character descriptions on the Tech Specs just not the 1 to 10 ratings. They did the same with the GIJoe line. It gives you a bit of an idea of the character's personality even if you've never seen the cartoon or read the comic. Bio's are great, silly numbers with no meaning not so great. :)

[Team Jetfire]

Them being "aliens" doesn't excuse the lack of logic being the ratings. A high-tech jet will always be faster than a high-tech car, that's just common sense.


Speed is relative to what planet they are on.

A car on Speedia (cyberton speed planet) my be faster than a jet on earth.


:p

Either way the specs work if you compare cars to cars and jets to jet.

[Robimus]

I don't have the Spec's but I've been wondering who's the fastest Dinobot not counting Swoop? Is it Grimlock, he did lose the race in Call of the Primitives and get crushed by Trypticon. It must be Slag, he could do a Rhino charge type thing and build up some speed. But then what if Sludge was on Charr and Snarl was on Junkion :p This is more than I can handle with my high school education. Damn it! I knew I should have gone to university :D