From Canada.com:

An unlikely name popped up Tuesday at provincial public hearings looking into reasonable accommodation for religious minorities in Quebec: Saku Koivu.

Lawyer Guy Bertrand, a separatist-turned-federalist-turned-separatist-again, dropped the gloves about the Montreal Canadiens' captain's lack of fluency in French.

Bertrand was critical of the Finnish-born Koivu's failure "to respect the right of Quebecers to be served in French."

Bertrand was apparently miffed that during the Canadiens' Oct. 13 home opener, Koivu, as part of a videotaped pre-game ceremony, introduced his teammates in English only.

"I have the right to be served in my language," he said. "He has been playing for 12 years (for the Canadiens). He is married to a francophone. It demonstrates contempt for our language. It is not respectful."

Note to Bertrand: Koivu's wife, Hanna Norio, is from his hometown of Turku, Finland.

"Several people have told me this would not happen in Finland, or in Italy," Bertrand continued. "In soccer if you play for Italy, you have to learn the language."

"When you see a guy like Saku Koivu, and the Canadiens accepted that, and he doesn't serve us in French.

"That is the biggest violation of the (language) law."

Bertrand said language is the principal element of Quebecers' identity, which is why he is so annoyed about the Koivu's English-only video.

The Canadiens did not return a call from CanWest News Service about Bertrand's criticisms.

Speaking as a Canadian (as well as a fan of the Canadiens) who's grown weary of the language debate not just in Quebec but across Canada, allow me to paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King: my dream is to one day live in a nation where people are judged not by the language they speak or their country of birth but by the quality of their character.

**UPDATE** Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette responds to Bertrand's diatribe far more eloquently than I and makes the point that the Finnish-born Koivu brings more credit to Quebec and would make a better neighbor than the Quebec-born Bertrand.