’WPC¤  –e OSÓ“Ņ1ąēķȈЬą/ •šä÷cł“\>9næxĀ OSÓå‹SŌČ@ÓåĀõM(¼4¼ą_=Ø·üIcQ’'w|(ĒStŽ{ ŖńfćÓ?²Õ×CõĪ ­Ē˜-¾óž’†^£¦Œ.~~ŗ/õ¦)£żWłzµ^]ö·ŠxhĄŖV÷Čóq9~<Å(ā&ūRØ4b՟˜ŁļB#Ż •£ˆ`W||o$Xō±~-’¢NU“JUxj‰—=O4Žƒ‘_œįæęŹ ĄŪ[PäDNŠdŲ–žvü{ųĄĶBLhŌ” 8G‚Ž…āvĢļw¤u ķ” (–Ÿ€ŹŲ×Ę£ 8Ä9Ų/"£Ć’bU< Ś"¾Ę³wµØŻųŹÉ שĀB01Eub[Ŗ¢J­Nur©k ’}’:uō£ÆÄÅØŸ3ŁkŹCh•uĄå™°ćÅ_@Å×ŲyńżŗĘœ×(å72Ćć VĮ7 (wmüAoyąEÆ2FĪŻśĮ„=„”‰6.T®aA7 Qu®Ējgģ²öĄJįŖÆ>łˆĆ­)˜¤»Ģ’IļĘÉD•Ķń‰ĶƒÉ±•T|užŲń„öÜ |‘ū¾-JĪ®“ā0ŒLˆõ’š_®õŁVTiZ#ĮģUN­ %ū 0: ^ ; wG 4K _ n mp p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p B‡ ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ūœ$””ŌUKUS.,Ō qō* Äpģ*¢Ų+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ dŻ ƒūœ!ŻŌUKUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEŠ ° ŠĢŌ_ŌņņŌ_ŌŌ_ŌSingerŌ_Ō€v.€CanadaóóŠ ą ŠĢCommunication€No.€455/1991ņņóóŠ pĄ ŠĢ8€April€1993Š P   ŠĢŌ_ŌCCPRŌ_Ō/C/47/D/455/1991*Š 0 € ŠĢĢADMISSIBILITYó óŠ P  ŠÓ  ÓņņĢĢņņSubmitted€byóó:€€Allan€SingerŠ Š  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€€The€authorŠ ° ŠĢņņState€partyóó:€€CanadaŠ ą ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€€30€January€1991Š pĄ ŠĢņņDocumentation€referencesóó:€€Prior€decisions€„€Special€Rapporteurššs€rule€91€decision,€transmitted€toŠ P  Šthe€State€party€on€5€August€1991€(not€issued€in€document€form)Š @ ŠĢņņDate€of€present€decisionóó:€€8€April€1993óóŠ  p ŠĢĢņņThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€acting€through€its€Working€Group€pursuant€to€rule€87,€paragraph€2,Š š@ Šof€the€Committeeššs€rules€of€procedure,€adopts€the€following€decision€on€admissibility.Š ą0 ŠĢĢņņÓ  Óņ ņDecision€on€admissibilityóóó óŠ °"  ŠÓšÓĢĢ1.€€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Allan€Singer,€a€Canadian€citizen€born€in€1913€and€residentŠ €%Š # Šof€Montreal,€Canada.€€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€š šdiscrimination€on€languagesšš€by€Canada,€inŠ p&Ą!$ Šviolation€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights,€without€however€specificallyŠ `'°"% Šinvoking€article€26€thereof.Š P( #& ŠĢņņThe€facts€as€presented€by€the€authoróóŠ 0*€%( ŠĢ2.1€€The€author€runs€a€stationary€and€printing€business€in€Montreal.€€His€clientele€is€predominantlyŠ ,`'* Šbut€not€exclusively€Ō_ŌanglophoneŌ_Ō.€€Starting€in€1978,€the€author€received€numerous€summons€from€theŠ -P(+ ŠQubec€authorities,€requesting€him€to€replace€commercial€advertisements€in€English€outside€his€storeŠ š-@), Šby€advertisements€in€French.€€The€author€appealed€against€all€these€summons€before€the€local€courts,Š ° Šand€contended€that€the€Charter€of€the€French€Language€(Bill€101)€discriminated€against€him€becauseŠ  š Šit€restricted€the€use€of€English€for€commercial€purposes;€in€particular,€Section€58€of€Bill€101Š ą Šprohibited€the€posting€of€commercial€signs€in€English€outside€the€authorššs€store.€€In€October€1978,Š €Š Šthe€Court€of€Sessions€of€Montreal€found€against€him.€€The€Superior€Court€of€Qubec,€Montreal,€didŠ pĄ Šlikewise€on€26€March€1982,€and€so€did€the€Court€of€Appeal€of€Qubec€in€December€1986.Š ` ° ŠĢ2.2€€The€author€then€took€his€case€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€which,€on€15€December€1988,Š @  Šdecided€that€an€obligation€to€use€French€only€in€outdoor€advertising€was€unconstitutional€and€struckŠ 0 € Šdown€several€provisions€of€the€Qubec€Charter€of€the€French€Language€(Ō_ŌCharteŌ_Ō€de€la€LangueŠ  p  ŠŌ_ŌFran aiseŌ_Ō).€€The€Qubec€legislature,€however,€passed€another€legislative€measure,€Bill€178,€on€22Š `  ŠDecember€1988,€whose€express€ņņratio€legisóó€was€to€override€the€judgment€handed€down€by€theŠ P  ŠSupreme€Court€of€Canada€one€week€earlier.€€With€this,€the€author€contends,€he€has€exhaustedŠ š@  Šavailable€remedies.Š ą0  ŠĢņņThe€complaintóóŠ Ą ŠĢ3.€€The€author€contends€that€Bill€101,€as€amended€by€Bill€178,€is€discriminatory,€in€that€it€restrictsŠ  š Šthe€use€of€English€to€indoor€advertising€and€places€businesses€which€carry€out€their€activities€inŠ ą ŠEnglish€in€a€disadvantageous€position€ņņvis„„visóó€French€business.Š €Š ŠĢņņLegislative€provisionsóóŠ `° ŠĢ4.1€€The€relevant€original€provisions€of€the€Charter€of€the€French€Language€(Bill€No.€101,€Ō_ŌS.Q.Ō_Ō€1977,Š @ ŠC„5)€have€been€modified€several€times.€€In€essence,€however,€they€have€remained€substantially€theŠ 0€ Šsame.€€In€1977,€section€58€read€as€follows:Š  p ŠĢš šExcept€as€may€be€provided€in€this€Act€or€the€regulations€of€the€Office€de€la€langue€Ō_Ōfran aiseŌ_Ō,€signsŠ P Šand€posters€and€commercial€advertising€shall€be€solely€in€the€official€language.ššŠ š@ ŠĢ4.2€€The€original€wording€of€section€58€was€replaced€in€1983€by€section€1€of€the€Act€to€amend€theŠ Š  ŠCharter€of€the€French€Language€(Ō_ŌS.Q.Ō_Ō€1983,€C„56)€which€read:Š Ą! ŠĢš š58.€€Public€signs€and€posters€and€commercial€advertising€shall€be€solely€in€the€official€language.Š  #š! ŠĢš šNotwithstanding€the€foregoing,€in€the€cases€and€under€the€conditions€or€circumstances€prescribedŠ €%Š # Šby€regulation€of€the€Office€de€la€langue€Ō_Ōfran aiseŌ_Ō,€public€sings€and€posters€and€commercialŠ p&Ą!$ Šadvertising€may€be€both€in€French€and€another€language€or€solely€in€another€language...ššŠ `'°"% ŠĢ4.3€€The€initial€language€legislation€was€struck€down€by€the€Supreme€Court€in€ņņLa€Ō_ŌChaussureŌ_ŌŠ @)$' ŠBrownššs€Inc.€et€al.€v.€the€Attorney€General€of€Quebec€(1989)€90€Ō_ŌN.R.Ō_Ō€84óó.€€Following€this,€sectionŠ 0*€%( Š58€of€the€Charter€was€amended€by€section€1€of€Bill€No.€178.€€While€certain€modifications€were€madeŠ  +p&) Šrelating€to€signs€and€posters€inside€business€premises,€the€compulsory€use€of€French€in€signs€postersŠ ,`'* Šoutside€remained.Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Š4.4€€Section€58€of€the€Charter,€as€modified€by€section€1€of€Bill€No.€178,€now€reads:Š ° ŠĢš š58.€€Public€signs€and€posters€and€commercial€advertising,€outside€or€intended€for€the€public€outside,Š ą Šshall€be€solely€in€French.€€Similarly,€public€signs€and€posters€and€commercial€advertising€shall€beŠ €Š Šsolely€in€French,Š pĄ ŠĢš š1.€€Inside€commercial€centres€and€their€access€ways,€except€inside€the€establishments€located€there;Š P   ŠĢš š2.€€Inside€any€public€means€of€transport€and€its€access€ways;Š 0 € ŠĢš š3.€€Inside€the€establishments€of€business€firms€contemplated€in€section€136;Š `  ŠĢš š4.€€Inside€the€establishments€of€business€firms€employing€fewer€than€fifty€but€more€than€fiveŠ š@  Špersons,€where€such€firms€share,€with€two€or€more€other€business€firms,€the€use€of€a€trademark,€aŠ ą0  Šfirm€name€or€an€appellation€by€which€they€are€known€to€the€public.Š Š  ŠĢš šThe€Government€may,€however,€by€regulation,€prescribe€the€terms€and€conditions€according€toŠ ° Šwhich€public€signs€and€posters€and€public€advertising€may€be€both€in€French€and€in€anotherŠ  š Šlanguage,€under€the€conditions€set€forth€in€the€second€paragraph€of€section€58.1,€inside€theŠ ą Šestablishments€of€business€firms€contemplated€in€subparagraphs€3€and€4€of€the€second€paragraph.Š €Š ŠĢš šThe€Government€may,€in€such€regulation,€establish€categories€of€business€firms,€prescribe€termsŠ `° Šand€conditions€which€vary€according€to€the€category€and€reinforce€the€conditions€set€forth€in€theŠ P  Šsecond€paragraph€of€section€58.1.ššŠ @ ŠĢ4.5€€Section€6€of€Bill€No.€178€modified€section€68€of€the€Charter,€which€now€reads:Š  p ŠĢš š68.€€Except€as€otherwise€provided€in€this€section,€only€the€French€version€of€a€firm€name€may€beŠ P Šused€in€Quebec.€€A€firm€name€may€be€accompanied€with€a€version€in€another€language€for€useŠ š@ Šoutside€Quebec.€€That€version€may€be€used€together€with€the€French€version€of€the€firm€name€in€theŠ ą0 Šinscriptions€referred€to€in€section€51,€if€the€products€in€question€are€offered€both€in€and€outsideŠ Š  ŠQuebec.Š Ą! ŠĢš šIn€printed€documents,€and€in€the€documents€contemplated€in€section€57€if€they€are€both€in€FrenchŠ  #š! Šand€in€another€language,€a€version€of€the€French€firm€name€in€another€language€may€be€used€inŠ $ą" Šconjunction€with€the€firm€name.Š €%Š # ŠĢš šWhen€texts€or€documents€are€drawn€up€in€a€language€other€than€French,€the€firm€name€may€appearŠ `'°"% Šin€the€other€language€without€its€French€version.Š P( #& ŠĢš šOn€public€signs€and€posters€and€in€commercial€advertising,Š 0*€%( ŠĢš š1.€€A€firm€name€may€be€accompanied€with€a€version€in€another€language,€if€they€are€both€in€FrenchŠ ,`'* Šand€in€another€language;Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Šš š2.€€A€firm€name€may€appear€solely€in€its€version€in€another€language,€if€they€are€solely€in€aŠ ° Šlanguage€other€than€French.ššŠ  š ŠĢ4.6€€Section€10€of€Bill€No.€178€contains€the€so„called€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause,€which€provides€that:Š €Š ŠĢš šThe€provisions€of€section€58€of€the€first€paragraph€of€section€68,€brought€into€effect€under€sectionsŠ ` ° Š1€and€6€respectively€of€the€present€Bill,€shall€operate€irrespective€of€the€provisions€of€section€2,Š P   Šparagraph€(b),€and€section€15€of€the€Constitutional€Act€of€1982€...€and€shall€apply€notwithstandingŠ @  Šarticles€3€and€10€of€the€Charter€of€Human€Rights€and€Freedoms.ššŠ 0 € ŠĢ4.7€€Another€š šnotwithstandingšš€provision€is€incorporated€into€section€33€of€the€Canadian€CharterŠ `  Šof€Human€Rights€and€Freedoms,€which€reads:Š P  ŠĢš š1.€€Parliament€or€the€legislature€of€a€province€may€expressly€declare€in€an€act€of€Parliament€or€ofŠ ą0  Šthe€legislature,€as€the€case€may€be,€that€the€Act€or€a€provision€thereof€shall€operate€notwithstandingŠ Š  Ša€provision€included€in€section€2€or€sections€7€to€15€of€this€Charter.Š Ą ŠĢš š2.€€An€act€or€a€provision€of€an€Act€is€respect€of€which€a€declaration€made€under€this€section€is€inŠ  š Šeffect€shall€have€such€operation€as€it€would€have€but€for€the€provision€of€this€Charter€referred€to€inŠ ą Šthe€declaration.Š €Š ŠĢš š3.€€A€declaration€made€under€subsection€(1)€shall€cease€to€have€effect€five€years€after€it€comes€intoŠ `° Šforce€or€on€such€earlier€date€as€may€be€specified€in€the€declaration.Š P  ŠĢš š4.€€Parliament€or€the€legislature€of€a€province€may€re„enact€a€declaration€made€under€subsection€(1).Š 0€ ŠĢš š5.€€Subsection€(3)€applies€in€respect€of€a€re„enactment€made€under€subsection€(4).ššŠ ` ŠĢņņThe€State€partyššs€information€and€observationsóóŠ š@ ŠĢ5.1€€The€communication€was€transmitted€to€the€State€party€under€rule€91€of€the€Committeeššs€rulesŠ Š  Šof€procedure€on€5€August€1991.€€In€its€submission€of€6€March€1992,€which€also€relates€toŠ Ą! Šcommunications€No.€359/1989€(Ō_ŌBallantyneŌ_Ō/Davidson)€and€385/1989€(McIntyre)€ņņ1óó/,€the€State€partyŠ °"  Šnotes€that€a€number€of€litigants€have€challenged€the€validity€of€Bill€178€before€the€Qubec€courts,Š  #š! Šand€that€hearings€on€the€issue€before€the€Court€of€Qubec€were€held€on€14€January€1992.€€TheŠ $ą" Šproceedings€continue,€and€lawyers€for€the€provincial€government€of€Qubec€were€scheduled€toŠ €%Š # Špresent€the€point€of€view€of€Qubec€on€23€and€24€March€1992.Š p&Ą!$ ŠĢ5.2€€The€State€party€contends€that€Qubecššs€Code€of€Civil€Procedure€entitles€the€author€to€apply€forŠ P( #& Ša€declaratory€judgment€that€Bill€178€is€invalid€and€adds€that€this€option€is€open€to€him€regardless€ofŠ @)$' Šwhether€criminal€charges€had€been€instituted€against€him€or€not.€€It€argues€that€consistent€with€theŠ 0*€%( Šwell„established€principle€that€effective€domestic€remedies€must€be€exhausted€before€the€jurisdictionŠ  +p&) Šof€an€international€body€is€engaged,€Canadian€courts€should€have€an€opportunity€to€rule€on€theŠ ,`'* Švalidity€of€Bill€178,€before€the€issue€is€considered€by€the€Human€Rights€Committee.Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Š5.3€€The€State€party€further€argues€that€the€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause€in€Section€33€of€the€CanadianŠ ° ŠCharter€of€Rights€and€Freedoms€is€compatible€with€Canadaššs€obligations€under€the€Covenant,€inŠ  š Šparticular€with€article€4€and€with€the€obligation,€under€article€2,€to€provide€its€citizens€with€judicialŠ ą Šremedies.€€It€explains€that,€firstly,€extraordinary€conditions€limit€the€use€of€Section€33.€€Secondly,Š €Š ŠSection€33€is€said€to€reflect€a€balance€between€the€roles€of€elected€representatives€and€courts€inŠ pĄ Šinterpreting€rights:€š šA€system€in€which€the€judiciary€is€given€full€and€final€say€on€all€issues€of€rightsŠ ` ° Šadversely€impacts€on€a€key€tenet€of€democracy€„€that€is,€participation€of€citizens€in€a€forum€of€electedŠ P   Šand€publicly€accountable€legislatures€on€questions€of€social€and€political€justice€...€TheŠ @  Šššnotwithstandingšš€clause€provides€a€limited€legislative€counterweight€in€a€system€which€otherwiseŠ 0 € Šgives€judges€final€say€over€rights€issuesšš.Š  p  ŠĢ5.4€€Lastly,€the€Government€affirms€that€the€existence€of€Section€33€ņņper€seóó€is€not€contrary€to€articleŠ P  Š4€of€the€Covenant,€and€that€the€invocation€of€Section€33€does€not€necessarily€amount€to€anŠ š@  Šimpermissible€derogation€under€the€Covenant:€š šCanadaššs€obligation€is€to€ensure€that€Section€33€isŠ ą0  Šnever€invoked€in€circumstances€which€are€contrary€to€international€law.€€The€Supreme€Court€ofŠ Š  ŠCanada€has€itself€stated€that€ššCanadaššs€international€human€rights€obligations€should€[govern]€...€theŠ Ą Šinterpretation€of€the€content€of€the€rights€guaranteed€by€the€Charteršš.šš€€Thus,€a€legislative€overrideŠ ° Šcould€never€be€invoked€to€permit€acts€clearly€prohibited€by€international€law.€€Accordingly,€theŠ  š Šlegislative€override€in€Section€33€is€said€to€be€compatible€with€the€Covenant.Š ą ŠĢ5.5€€The€State€party€therefore€requests€the€Committee€to€declare€the€communication€inadmissible.Š pĄ ŠĢ6.1€€In€his€comments,€the€author€contends€that€his€case€in€against€Bill€101€and€not€against€Bill€178,Š P  Šand€that€it€is€based€upon€the€State€partyššs€perceived€violations€of€the€provisions€of€the€ConstitutionŠ @ ŠAct€of€Canada€1867,€and€not€on€the€Constitution€Act€of€1982.€€He€argues€that€any€challenge€of€theŠ 0€ Šcontested€legislation€would€be€futile,€in€the€light€of€the€Qubec€governmentššs€decision€to€overrideŠ  p Šthe€Supreme€Courtššs€judgment€on€15€December€1988€by€enactment€of€Bill€178€a€week€later.Š ` ŠĢ6.2€€The€author€claims€that€the€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause€of€Section€33€of€the€Canadian€Charter€ofŠ š@ ŠRights€and€Freedoms€does€not€apply€to€his€case,€as€he€had€been€charged€for€violating€the€Charter€ofŠ ą0 Šthe€French€Language€in€1978,€ņņbeforeóó€Section€33€took€effect.€€In€this€context,€he€argues€that€noŠ Š  ŠCanadian€Government€can€abrogate€or€supplant€freedoms€that€were€in€existence€before€the€CharterŠ Ą! Šcame€into€being,€and€adds€that€under€the€Canadian€tradition€of€civil€liberties,€rights€may€be€extendedŠ °"  Šbut€cannot€be€curtailed.Š  #š! ŠĢ6.3€€Finally,€the€author€asserts€that€the€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause€of€Section€33€is€a€negation€of€theŠ €%Š # Šrights€enshrined€in€the€Charter,€as€it€allows€(provincial)€legislatures€to€š šattack€minorities€and€suspendŠ p&Ą!$ Štheir€rights€for€a€period€of€five€yearsšš.Š `'°"% ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€CommitteeóóŠ @)$' ŠĢ7.1€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Human€Rights€CommitteeŠ  +p&) Šmust,€in€accordance€with€rule€87€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissibleŠ ,`'* Šunder€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Š7.2€€The€Committee€notes€that€issues€similar€to€those€raised€by€the€author€have€been€addressed€inŠ ° Šcommunications€Nos.€359/1989€and€385/1989€(Ō_ŌBalantyneŌ_Ō/Davidson€and€McIntyre€v.€Canada),€whichŠ  š Šwere€declared€admissible€on€the€merits€on€11€April€1991€and€in€respect€of€which€the€CommitteeŠ ą Šadopted€a€decision€on€the€merits€on€31€March€1993.€€The€Committee€will€therefore€draw€upon€itsŠ €Š Šargumentation€in€the€aforementioned€decisions.Š pĄ ŠĢ7.3€€The€State€party€has€contended€that€as€the€issue€of€the€validity€of€Bill€178,€which€amends€BillŠ P   Š101,€the€legislation€challenged€by€the€author,€is€currently€before€the€courts€of€Qubec€and€the€authorŠ @  Šcould€apply€for€a€declaratory€judgment€that€the€Bill€is€invalid,€the€communication€is€inadmissible.€Š 0 € ŠWhile€taking€due€note€of€the€State€partyššs€argument,€the€Committee€is€unable€to€accept€theŠ  p  Šsuggestion€that€effective€remedies€would€still€be€available€to€the€author.Š `  ŠĢ7.4€€The€Committee€notes€that€while€some€of€the€original€statutory€provisions€of€the€ņņCharter€of€theŠ š@  ŠFrench€Languageóó,€which€are€designed€to€protect€the€ņņvisage€Ō_ŌlinguistiqueŌ_Ōóó€of€Qubec,€have€beenŠ ą0  Šmodified€several€times€between€1978€and€1988,€also€after€they€were€found€to€be€unconstitutional€andŠ Š  Šdeclared€inoperative€successively€by€the€Superior,€Appeal€and€Supreme€Courts,€the€only€effect€thisŠ Ą Šhas€had€was€that€the€relevant€provisions€were€replaced€by€ones€that€are€the€same€in€substance€to€theŠ ° Šones€they€replaced,€but€reinforced€by€the€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause€of€Section€10€of€Bill€178.€€TheŠ  š Šnet€result€has€been€that€there€has€been€a€continued€ban€on€the€use€of€any€language€other€than€FrenchŠ ą Šin€outdoor€advertising€since€1978,€and€that€it€remains€a€criminal€offence€to€disregard€the€ban.Š €Š ŠĢ7.5€€As€to€whether€a€declaratory€judgment€declaring€Bill€178€invalid€would€provide€that€author€withŠ `° Šan€effective€remedy,€the€Committee€notes€that€such€a€judgment€would€still€leave€the€Charter€of€theŠ P  ŠFrench€Language€operative€and€intact,€and€that€the€legislature€of€Qubec€could€still€override€anyŠ @ Šsuch€judgment€by€replacing€the€provisions€struck€down€by€others€substantially€the€same€and€byŠ 0€ Šinvoking€the€š šnotwithstandingšš€clause€of€the€Qubec€Charter€of€Rights€and€Freedoms.€€On€the€basisŠ  p Šof€precedent,€and€in€the€light€of€the€legislative€history€of€Bill€178€and€its€predecessors,€such€a€courseŠ ` Šof€action€is€not€merely€hypothetical.€€The€net€result,€a€continued€ban€on€languages€other€than€FrenchŠ P Šin€outdoor€advertising,€would€remain€the€same.Š š@ ŠĢ7.6€€The€Committee,€moreover,€is€satisfied€that€the€author€has€made€a€reasonable€effort€toŠ Š  Šsubstantiate€his€allegations,€for€purposes€of€admissibility,€and€that€his€claims€should€be€examinedŠ Ą! Šon€the€merits.€€While€the€author€has€not€invoked€specific€provisions€of€the€Covenant,€the€CommitteeŠ °"  Šconsiders€that€the€issues€complained€of€may€raise€issues€under€articles€19,€26€and€27€of€theŠ  #š! ŠCovenant.€€Furthermore,€although€the€author€has€specifically€challenged€only€Bill€101,€which€wasŠ $ą" Šamended€by€Bill€178€in€1988,€the€Committee€is€not€precluded€from€examining€the€compatibility€ofŠ €%Š # Šboth€laws€with€the€Covenant,€as€the€central€issue,€language„based€discrimination€in€commercialŠ p&Ą!$ Šoutdoor€advertising,€remains€the€same.Š `'°"% ŠĢ7.7€€The€Committee€is€well€aware€that€the€State€party€and€the€provincial€government€have€alreadyŠ @)$' Šmade€substantial€submissions€on€the€matter€under€consideration,€which€concern€both€theŠ 0*€%( Šadmissibility€and€the€merits€of€the€case.€€At€this€stage,€however,€the€Committee€must€limit€itself€toŠ  +p&) Šthe€procedural€requirement€of€deciding€on€the€admissibility€of€the€communication.€€Should€the€StateŠ ,`'* Šparty€wish€to€make€a€further€submission€on€the€merits,€it€should€do€so€within€six€months€of€theŠ -P(+ Štransmittal€to€it€of€this€decision.€€The€author€of€the€communication€will€be€given€an€opportunity€toŠ š-@), Šcomment€thereon.€€If€no€further€explanations€or€statements€are€received€from€the€State€party€underŠ ° Šarticle€4,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Optional€Protocol,€the€Committee€will€proceed€to€adopt€its€Views€inŠ  š Šthe€light€of€the€written€information€available.Š ą ŠĢ8.€€The€Human€Rights€Committee€therefore€decides:Š pĄ ŠĢ(a)€€That€the€communication€is€admissible;Š P   ŠĢ(b)€€That€any€further€explanations€or€statements€which€the€State€party€may€wish€to€submit€to€clarifyŠ 0 € Šthe€matter€and€the€measures€taken€by€it,€should,€in€accordance€with€article€4,€paragraph€2,€of€theŠ  p  ŠOptional€Protocol,€reach€the€Human€Rights€Committee€within€six€months€of€the€date€of€transmittalŠ `  Što€it€of€this€decision.€€Should€the€State€party€not€intend€to€make€a€further€submission€in€the€case,€itŠ P  Šis€requested€to€so€inform€the€Committee€as€soon€as€possible€to€permit€an€early€disposition€of€theŠ š@  Šmatter;Š ą0  ŠĢ(c)€€That€any€further€explanations€or€statements€received€from€the€State€party€shall€be€communicatedŠ Ą Šby€the€Secretary„General,€under€rule€93,€paragraph€3,€of€the€Committeeššs€rules€of€procedure,€to€theŠ ° Šauthor,€with€the€request€that€any€comments€that€he€may€wish€to€submit€thereon€should€reach€theŠ  š ŠHuman€Rights€Committee€in€care€of€the€Centre€for€Human€Rights,€United€Nations€Office€at€Geneva,Š ą Šwithin€six€weeks€of€the€date€of€transmittal;Š €Š ŠĢ(d)€€That€this€decision€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€author.Š `° ŠĢĢ_______________Š 0€ Šņņ*óó/€€All€persons€handling€this€document€are€requested€to€respect€and€observe€its€confidential€nature.Š  p ŠĢņņ1óó/€€Views€adopted€by€the€Committee€on€31€March€1993.Š P ŠĢ