Habs Boss to Anglos- "Don't Bother Applying For Head Coach Job!"

Pierre Boivin, president of the Montreal Canadiens made it official, the next coach of the Montreal Canadiens will be a francophone. The statement was meant to calm ethnic fears that the beloved Canadiens are going anglo and what's most shocking, is that eligible bilingual anglophones are eliminated from contention. In fact, his statements are so discriminatory that any coach not considered for the job because of his anglophone roots, should consider suing the Canadiens organization in the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal.

Imagine if the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that their next coach could not be a francophone, regardless of his English language skills.

Now there's a lot of skating going on, Mr. Boivin tried to be coy, but CKAC Radio made no bones about it. They claim that in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce of Bois-Francs, Mr. Boivin assured the public that the next coach would be a francophone. RDS however, ran a sanitized version of the story on their website.

An article by Karine Chateauneuf on the highly respected French language 'Branchez-vous' news site is entitled ';

"Boivin insiste pour avoir un entraîneur francophone à la barre du Canadien"
"Boivin demands a Francophone coach".... (my translation)

Read the original article here (In French)

Pierre Boivin tried to choose his words carefully, by stating that the coach would have to;

...'express himself to the fans and to the media, in the language of Moliere.'

But his own comments later on, betray him. Instead of sticking to the line, that the new coach must speak French, he makes it perfectly clear that only Francophones will be considered.

"Je crois que notre équipe mérite enfin d'avoir un entraîneur d'expérience, il faut qu'on arrête de regarder dans les rangs juniors ou dans la Ligue américaine. Nous allons nous croiser les doigts pour qu'il y ait quelques francophones d'expérience de disponibles"

"I think our team deserves an experienced coach, we've got to stop looking in the juniors or the American league. Let's cross our fingers and hope that there some qualified francophones available." (my translation & emphasis)

Read the original article here (In French)

Boivin admits that the the requirement for a francophone coach, severely limits the selection process, but according to him, the team has a role to play in the promotion of the French language in Quebec.

Say Whaaat!!!

THE TEAM HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE PROMOTION OF FRENCH IN QUEBEC!!!!

He also stated that the team wants to add more elite francophone players and that when there is a choice between players of equal talent, the team will opt for francophones.
How comforting!

It's little wonder that the Canadiens are on a collision course with mediocrity.