Quebec's language laws have long had run-ins with retailers and while Bill 101 does allow for English on signs, the words have to be smaller and less prominent than in French.

However many retailers are taking the decision to eliminate the English language entirely, which is making people upset.

Harold Staviss was one of those people when he went to watch a movie at the Pepsi Forum in Montreal.

Most of the films being aired are English but there is not a single sign at the theatre in English.

Staviss said he was shocked.

"Menu boards totally in french, all the ads in French, tickets, etc. It doesn't make any sense," said Staviss.

"This is an English area, it's an English movie theatre, and I think out of courtesy, they have a right to have bilingual signage so they should have bilingual signs."

Although he is bilingual Staviss said eliminating English entirely shows retailers are not respecting their English-speaking clientele.

"I don't want them to violate language laws. I want them to promote English as they are permitted under the Charter of the French Language and its regulations," he said.

Staviss has now started a petition to lobby Cineplex Entertainment to have bilingual signs.

The company said it will examine the issue.

"We've received concern from a guest about it. We spoke to him in October and we're actually looking at right now the best way to address it," said Mike Langdon, director of communications for the chain.

Dealing with Bill 101 is a problem many multinational retailers run into.

Some have successfully lobbied to keep their brand logos intact, as is permitted under the law, but have adopted French-only signs inside their stores.

Cote St. Luc city councillor Ruth Kovac said if anglophones want that to change, they will have to speak up.

"I think it's a shame. We function in French and English," said Kovac.

"Montreal is unique and I think it's something we should be embracing, but at the same time not pushing English away."

Kovac says large corporations should use their influence to keep Montreal bilingual.

Doing exactly as she wants the public to do, Kovac and her colleagues lobbied the McDonald's corporation to add English to signs in their Cote St. Luc locations.

The fast-food company has done exactly that.