Galganov spearheads successful drive on minority language rights in Ontario township

By Beryl Wajsman, October 3rd, 2012

Well known minority language rights activist Howard Galganov has made some history in his new home in Ontario. Galganov moved from Quebec to Ontario some years ago. He was a leader in many of the most important English rights battles in Montreal.
Last week the eastern Ontario Township of South Stormont  passed a bylaw allowing businesses to use whatever language they want on their signs. Galganov had led the move. He gave a speech last Tuesday before the South Stormont council voted.
Galganov's initiative was motivated as a response to a bylaw recently passed in the nearby Township of Russell, which obligated its merchants to put up bilingual signs. Some Francophone merchants wanted to keep their signs unilingual French. Galganov's victory in South Stormont means that merchants can put up signs in any language they wish, bilingual or not.
The South Stormont town council was unanimous in its decision and cited the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as the basis for its action. Some 250 people showed up to the town's meeting the night of the vote.
The mayor of the Township, Bryan McGillis, said he was pleased that the vote was unanimous.
"Today we’re making history," he said. "Today we’ve given our taxpayers and our businesses freedom of expression. This motion supports it. They can write whatever languages they want. That’s what freedom of expression is and what freedom of speech is.”
Galganov was not only active on the ground, but in the courts as well. He fought the bilingualism bylaws of neighbouring communities up to the Ontario Court of Appeal.
"It’s about freedom of expression," Galganov said. It’s about our rights to express ourselves. The moment French people are told, 'Hey! You’re not allowed to put up a French-only sign,' they’ve lost a major part of their freedom of expression. Nobody should lose that.” Businessman Jean-Serge Brisson fought side by side with Galganov.
  Galganov intends to take this fight for free expression to other municipalities.n