Howard Galganov- The Empire Strikes Back!

There's little doubt that if an evil Anglophone Empire seeking to assimilate and enslave Francophone Canadians actually exists, Howard Galganov would be the movement's Darth Vader.

Invoking his very name sends shudders down the spine of ardent Quebec nationalists and his unabashed and cruel attacks on Quebec and French language nationalism elicits waves of fear and hatred among his enemies.

Now that Mordechai Richler has passed, Galganov has assumed the title of the most hated Anglophone by French language nationalists and may outrank Lord Durham and General Amherst as the ultimate, all-time Anglophone rogue.

For those of you unfamiliar with Howard, he is the uber English activist who battled all forms of restrictions placed on English rights in Quebec. His mantra was so caustic and extreme that the majority of English members of the media and intelligentsia distanced themselves from him, lest they too, be perceived to be as virulently anti-French. Anglo voters have rejected him massively at the polls in both Ontario and Quebec when Galganov has run for office, perhaps underlining that Anglos are not the rednecks made out to be by the nationalists.

After years of fighting a losing battle and after countless death threats, he finally packed it in and moved out of Quebec to Eastern Ontario about ten years ago.

Today, Mr Galganov continues to militate for English language rights as well as conservative causes through his website.

His most recent undertaking, the production and distribution of an inflammatory pamphlet has sent French language militants flying into a fit of rage and may be just about the nastiest stunt he has ever pulled.

The issue concerns the small township of Russel in eastern Ontario that has a large population of Franco-Ontarians. The town passed a bylaw making bilingual signage compulsory, to which Galganov is deeply opposed.

His rationale for opposing the bylaw is that it violates the concept of free speech and the precept that people should be free to erect signs in the language of their choice, be it English, French or Swahili. LINK

His fight over the issue with Mayor Ken Hill has degenerated into a legal battle that is spiralling out of control, with neither the mayor nor Mr. Galganov willing to give an inch.


A resident wrote an open letter addressing Mr. Galganov, to a local newspaper- La Nouvelle;

"Discussing your pamphlet with friends, we came to the conclusion that one of the problems is due to the fact that Mr. Hill and you have, unfortunately, a lot in common. Both of you want to win at all costs without consideration of the incurring expenses that residents of Russell will bear, because of your stubbornness."  Link

Now the pamphlet itself is truly a clever work of art. If Mr. Galganov tried harder to inflame emotions, he couldn't have done a better job. Using his experience in the advertising business, he created a cover page that was sure to evoke the strongest of reaction.

He mischievously gives the impression that the pamphlet is a recipe book for the destruction of the culture of Franco Ontarians, but a closer look at the fine print placed between the much larger first and third phrase changes the meaning completely.

There's no doubt that his intention was to enrage French language militants and he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

The pamphlet posits that bilingualism is the first step to French assimilation and thus Francophones should also rally against the bilingual sign bylaw.

Where have we heard this argument before?

In Quebec, of course.
Mr. Galganov has cleverly borrowed an argument, right out of the handbook of French language zealots, who also advance the notion that  bilingual signs in Quebec are a force of assimilation.
Ironically, when the battleground shifts to Ontario,  these same militants argue in favour of bilingual signs because in Ontario, it is a force for the preservation of the French language.
No contradiction there, I guess?

At any rate the pamphlet had it's desired effect, with one of Quebec's leading language militants, Gilles Rhéaume of the La ligue québécoise contre la francophobie canadienne (Quebec league against Canadian Francophopia) planning to complain to no less an august body than the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)  Link

It is perhaps understandable that Francophones  remain touchy, Mr Galganov appears to have gone well over the edge these last two years, starting with the odious campaign to boycott French-owned stores. That campaign also got to Mr. Rhéaume and he also filed a complaint to the United Nations, but so far, received no response.

Its a bit sad to see Mr Galganov go off the rails so badly, the idea of a boycott based on language, race, religion or ethnicity should be even more objectionable to Mr. Galganov, considering that ancestors were subject to much the same treatment.

Like many of the leaders of the independence and French language  movement, Mr. Galganov is imbued with an exaggerated sense of  righteousness and self-importance and has no qualms about reeking havoc and pain in the name of an extremist cause.

Mr. Galganov has degenerated into a sad caricature, as ridiculous as Mr. Rhéame.

When I think about him, I'm reminded of that scene where a heroic old war veteran, revered by all, is interviewed by a reporter on his 100th birthday and lets loose a stream of racist invective, much to the humiliation of family members.

Perhaps Mr. Galganov was once relevant, today he's a dangerous humiliation.