The health centre in Gaspe, on Quebec province's eastern coast, posted signs around the building in both English and French directing people to different departments. But the Office quebecois de la langue francaise - Quebec's French language office - says that using both languages violates the region's law on bilingualism, with the exception of notices relating to health and safety, the CBC news website reports

A spokesman for the office says at least 50% of the local population must be English-speaking in order for the language to feature on signs. "When this is not the case, they're not recognised and they have to go according to the law," says Jean-Pierre Leblanc. It means, for example, that notices asking people to wash their hands can stay, but those showing the way to waiting rooms will be removed.