Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Nationalist Groups Up In Arms Over Census Long Form

I can't imagine any country in the world getting as politically excited over a lousy census form as we have here in Canada. It sort of underlines how trivial our problems really are, if we've got that much energy to devote to something so dumb.

Ever since the Conservatives proposed the abolition of the intrusive long form, the media has risen in rebellion, calling the government everything from barbaric to incompetent with a disproportionate fury that is hard to fathom. Most of us have an opinion as to whether it's a good idea to abolish it or not, but not many have actually seen the long form. If you'd like to, here's a copy of the 2006 long form.pdf

Although the media has been massively critical of the decision to cancel the form, according to recent opinion polls, the country is just about evenly split on the issue, this in spite of the massive media campaign to support the long form. One wonders what the numbers would look like if reporting was a bit more balanced.

The very best article that I've seen on the issue doesn't even come from Canada, it's a must-read piece written in the prestigious ECONOMIST magazine entitled "Leviathan's spyglass," a refreshing analysis of the census that every defender should read.

Back to the numbers, opinion in Quebec differs sharply from that of Canada, with 62% agreeing that abolishing the poll is a good idea. Reference

You'd never know it from the Francophone media, who have all lined up on the side of keeping the long form alive. The Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities of Canada is even launching a court challenge. LINK
One has to wonder why this Herculean effort is being put forth.

I've already written a piece about the last census wherein an underground Internet campaign was launched to get francophones to answer certain questions on the form dishonestly in order to make it appear that there were more unilingual francophone speakers in Canada than there actually are.
Read my article-  Is Census Brouhaha Based on Language?

I'm not sure how successful that campaign was, but it's clear that with all the publicity surrounding the story about this so-called manipulation, should the long form be sent out again, it's a certainty that it would be subject to an even larger campaign of deception.

Interestingly, the fraud in 2006 and the potential for an even bigger fraud in 2010 has hardly entered the national discussion, but it is most certainly, the elephant in the room.
Perhaps the Conservatives considered this implication, but are loathe to discuss it publicly.

While the 2010 census form will no doubt be different from its predecessor, here are the questions from the 2006 long form that were the subject of manipulation. By answering FRENCH ONLY to all questions, (regardless of the truth) it is believed that the number of unilingual francophone Canadians was exaggerated;


58 comments:

  1. From Mississauga Guy:

    It is most interesting that an Acadian Francophone group is the one pushing for the long form leads to great suspicion. There is suspicion questions regarding French and services in the French language were a bone of contention in the 2006 Census. I hypothesize it has to do with an unsatisfactory quantity of service available in French in this area, but this is hard to believe with Quebec being so nearby. Maybe the problem is at the provincial level, not federal.

    If those are the questions where honesty is imperiled, then remove only THOSE questions from the long form, not ALL the questions. There must be other ways to gage the quantity and quality of French language services if the Census numbers can't be trusted.

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  2. Mississauga: Where banalities is everyday.

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  3. Mississauga: Where chicken wings is fine cuisine and where Coors light is queen.

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  4. Mississauga:where root beer is Grand cru

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  5. @Anonymous troll

    Are you going to give us 50 one-liners today?

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  6. Are you going to give us 50 one-liners today?

    Relaxez!Un peu d'humour chaque jour est très bénéfique.De plus cela vient contre balancer la lourdeur des propos méprisants de Missi.Ne sommes-nous pas un des pays les plus démocratique?

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  7. To adski August 11, 2010 10:05 AM : Hope so ! If I have time.

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  8. Anonymous 9:43,9:46 and 9:52 Where not having anything intelligent to add to a discussion is never an impediment to making a moronic comment.

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  9. Faut se preparer a pleusiuers one-liners de meme impertinent aujourd’hui. Mais, ne te triche pas, t'es pas fun, t'es ennuyeux.

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  10. Pardon, nous sommes plusieurs à trouver la thématique intéressante.

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  11. To adski and everyone else who is annoyed with the anti-Mississauga Don Rickles wannabe:

    The best thing to do is ignore this clown's drivel. I, and I imagine most contributors and readers of this blog, would consider it a favour if this condescention was removed and/or not posted at all by this blog's editor, so we all will leave it in the editor's capable hands, or the editor may have to endure a reduction in the readership of the blog.

    I've grown accustomed to it myself, and simply ignore it. The fact it is getting on the nerves of other readers should be of concern to the editor. If he wants to put in 10,000 one-liners, fine. I just go on to the next comment.

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  12. to adski August 11,2010 10:50 AM: If you think that your comments are better, bravo ! But reading crap against Québec and francophones one time it's ok but day after day, there must have a ''swing in the pendulum''. Vos commentaires insignifiants, francophobes et à la limite du racisme valent bien quelques boutades !

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  13. Mississauga: Where crap is hide by hairs.

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  14. Mississauga vaut bien une blague non ?

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  15. Anonymous 11:05: "would consider it a favour if this condescention was removed and/or not posted at all by this blog's editor"

    This would be a slippery slope. I know why Editor does not want to censor - once you start, where do you draw the line? And just the fact that he is not censoring shows that he is 100 times more open than any separatist blogger. I once posted a comment (critical, but not vulgar or anything) on some BQ-endorsed video on youtube and I was banned almost immediately.

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  16. Pourquoi ne pas vous rencontrer entre amis autour d'une table d'un pub Anglais dans l'Ouest de Montéal?Un blogue est un espace publique et démocratique.

    Vous devez accepter le fait que les Québécois ont changé et qu'ils ne se laissent plus intimider par vos propos méprisants.Adaptez-vous et rapidement car vous allez bientôt terminer vos jours au musée.

    J'ai aussi remarqué qu'avec la venue de nouveaux intervenants Francophones (plus ou moins intéressants comme les anglos d'ailleurs)votre blogue est moins stagnant donc plus intéressant...Il y a échanges de qualité variable comme dans tous les blogues.

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  17. I wish people would stop using the word Quebecois, when the REAL term is Metis. We are NOT discussing France or the French who left these shores after circa 1760.

    But we are discussing their Metis off-spring that were left behind in 1763. Because that is a NON issue since the Habitant agreed to become British subjects and take an OATH to the British monarch. Thus there were no French in what became CANADA afterwards. All else being discussed is purely conjecture, NOT The reality of British North America, which later became CANADA in 1867.

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  18. "Il y a échanges de qualité variable comme dans tous les blogues."

    There is no censorship on this blog, which is more than can be said for the Quebec nationalist/separatist blogs...as adski stated. The separatists are not open to any contrary opinions, like fanatical extremists elsewhere.

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  19. If the form was manipulated by french language groups in Canada then this is a good reason to end the mandatory long form and move to the short form. One other poster indicated that the Acadian and french language groups outside of Quebec seem to be protesting at great length. One can only surmise from this that there is a reason and perhaps the manipulation of the 2006 census (if it did occur) might explain their position.

    On the anonymous quebecois poster, its likely best to ignore the comments. In other words, don't feed the troll as it is not worth your time. The repeated one liners about Missisauga are very boring and repetitive. Of course simple things amuse simple minds.

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  20. Alors dites donc a votre comparse mississauga guy
    de ne plus écrire sur ce blogue car en plus d'être simple d'esprit,il utilise des centaines de lignes pour nous le prouver.Il est vraiment lourdeau!

    Je crois aussi commprendre que la majorité d'entre-vous sont des anglos a la retraite et qu'aucun argument contraire a votre idéologie ne sera assez convaincant pour changer quoi que se soit.

    Comme on dit:On ne redresse pas un vieil arbre.

    Essayez au moins de vous adaptez au nouvelles règles du jeu établies par les Québécois.

    Note: Il semble bien que l'anonimat est la règle sur ce blogue.

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  21. To anonymous August 11, 2010 1:37 PM ''There is no censorship on this blog, which is more than can be said for the Quebec nationalist/separatist blogs...as adski stated. The separatists are not open to any contrary opinions, like fanatical extremists elsewhere. '' Justement je vous copie les plus croustillants (crispy)'' Anonymous August 10, 2010 2:08 PM ''Arrogance? Don't you know that the French are called "the arrogant race." Anonymous: August 10, 2010 5:58 PM ''The assimilation is well underway. Montreal is well on its way to more english speakers. Hell, when you order some food in downtown Montreal they look at you like a lizard if you order in french as they expect anglais. ..so goes Montreal...so goes Quebec. Just a matter of time.'', Anonymous August 11, 2010 2:00 PM ''You stupid f'king frog. I would estimate that 95% of people here already can understand your joual writing. So, the point is, why write in french. It is, after all, basically an anglo blog. Vous ne parlez pas français, vous parlez joual, un faiblesse de tout des Quebecois.'' et finalement, la cerise sur le gâteau, du très joli pseudonyme de EyeWitness August 8, 2010 7:13 PM : ''Does Englishs Zealots exist ?

    Fuck ya, they’re the ones that want to see Franco-zealots like you hanged, drawn, and quartered. But they don’t represent the majority, who simply want the Franco-zealots to check their belligerent ambitions and back off, before they provoke a regrettable and irreversible event.'' De si profondes réflexions valent bien quelques railleries... Mauvais joueurs...

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  22. Mississauga: Where culture is only in the field.

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  23. Mississauga: Where hellbillies are kings.

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  24. West Island: It's not only the part of the Island is at the West ( Allez voir l'expression française ''Être à l'ouest http://www.expressio.fr/expressions/etre-a-l-ouest.php)

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  25. To adski August 11, 2010 10:50 AM : ''Mais, ne te triche pas, t'es pas fun, t'es ennuyeux. '' Premièrement, on peut tricher vis-à-vis les autres mais rarement se triche-t-on. Pour le reste, ''fun'' est un terme anglais, on dit amusant, agréable,etc. Your comments are also boring I don't tell you, shut up, it's freedom of speech or not ? Hasta la proxima mi amigo !

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  26. Relaxez!Un peu d'humour chaque jour est très bénéfique

    You amuse only yourself. Tragically unsophisticated drivel does not pass for humor beyond your mind. Every post you make further exposes your chauvinism and ignorance.

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  27. @ 2:09 PM,

    There may be some retired Anglos on this blog but you are probably just another unemployed Francophone welfare case who has nothing better to do than troll the internet and spew his pig latin garbage.

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  28. To anonymous August 11, 2010 2:29 PM: And it's true that in fact of sophistication, you know it ! ''Where's my cowboy hat and my Bud ? Darling: Is my Buffalo wings are ready ? Do you know your chicken ?

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  29. "There may be some retired Anglos on this blog but you are probably just another unemployed Francophone welfare case who has nothing better to do than troll the internet and spew his pig latin garbage."

    Je suis étudiant en sociologie.

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  30. Mississauga: Where sens of humour is like french: Nonexistent.

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  31. Mississauga: Where speaking another language is an handicap ! Open your minds !

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  32. Oh my god ! It's not only the corner of the streets that are square !

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  33. Allez rigolez, vous aimez bien déverser votre flot d'âneries (''claptrap'') à propos des francophones et des Québécois. C'est à mon tour de rire de vous !

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  34. Not unemployed, retired too from the Federal government ! Sorry...

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  35. Its really to bad what happened to the people posting comments in the blog over the last week. There are very few comments of what the blogger wrote about. Basically its just turned into trash talking and useless posts that have nothing to do with this blog. Its really too bad, but I will no longer follow this blog as I use to.

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  36. @ 2:26 PM,

    Here is a youtube video for you. It displays the quintessential petit Quebecois...er...I mean Metis:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpumYq8YRY4

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  37. Ils utilisent Google translate comme il est conseillé de le faire (pour les Québécois) sur le site officielle de la gendarmerie royale du canada.On travaille sur le dossier.

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  38. To August 11, 2010 3:03 PM: Look this one.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh2iyPmucFk

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  39. Mississauga: Where your car is your only toy or maybe the blown-out sex doll.

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  40. Et ça continue... désolant...

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  41. Sens de l'humour au niveau des pâquerettes (daisy) !

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  42. Des stupidités, en voulez-vous en voilà !

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  43. It' funny but if I understand, it's often the french services that are cut first in the ROC, no ?

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  44. Mississauga: Where being greedy for money is also In state of mind.

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  45. Tellis is correct. You clowns keep using the words pure laine, Quebecois....you are a metis-mixed blood and you really should start admitting the truth for change. Just like John Charest, Turd-eau, Duceeppe, all of you are part native, and/or Scottish, English, Irish with some french thrown in. The words pure laine, Quebecois are just made up hocus pocus fairy tail BS. Typical of you brain washed metis in Kebec.

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  46. J'aimerais bien que chaque petit Québécois reçût "a one-way ticket" pour Vladivostok et qu'il y restât jusqu'à la fin des temps ! (pour mes ennemies : oui, je suis capable d'écrire en français et même d'utiliser le subjective II).

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  47. " Basically its just turned into trash "

    Si vous voulez mon avis,y'avait deja pas mal d'ordures avant qu'on arrive.

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  48. "J'aimerais bien que chaque petit Québécois reçût "a one-way ticket" pour Vladivostok et qu'il y restât jusqu'à la fin des temps ! (pour mes ennemies : oui, je suis capable d'écrire en français et même d'utiliser le subjective II)."

    Quoi?

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  49. Of course, it should be "subjonctif"... mes petits ennemies, je m'en excuse !

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  50. What do you call the species of frog that is covered in black hair?

    ...a Quebecois

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  51. To anonymous August 11, 2010 1:37 PM ''There is no censorship on this blog, which is more than can be said for the Quebec nationalist/separatist blogs...as adski stated. The separatists are not open to any contrary opinions, like fanatical extremists elsewhere. '' Justement je vous copie les plus croustillants (crispy)'' Anonymous August 10, 2010 2:08 PM ''Arrogance? Don't you know that the French are called "the arrogant race." Anonymous: August 10, 2010 5:58 PM ''The assimilation is well underway. Montreal is well on its way to more english speakers. Hell, when you order some food in downtown Montreal they look at you like a lizard if you order in french as they expect anglais. ..so goes Montreal...so goes Quebec. Just a matter of time.'', Anonymous August 11, 2010 2:00 PM ''You stupid f'king frog. I would estimate that 95% of people here already can understand your joual writing. So, the point is, why write in french. It is, after all, basically an anglo blog. Vous ne parlez pas français, vous parlez joual, un faiblesse de tout des Quebecois.'' et finalement, la cerise sur le gâteau, du très joli pseudonyme de EyeWitness August 8, 2010 7:13 PM : ''Does Englishs Zealots exist ?

    Fuck ya, they’re the ones that want to see Franco-zealots like you hanged, drawn, and quartered. But they don’t represent the majority, who simply want the Franco-zealots to check their belligerent ambitions and back off, before they provoke a regrettable and irreversible event.'' De si profondes réflexions valent bien quelques railleries... Mauvais joueurs...

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  52. Question # 13 is so vague and ambiguous you have to wonder about its merit. What kind of a conversation? For how long? I would bet a lot of people who answer yes to # 13 are not TRULY bilingual at all, to say nothing of being bicultural, really comfortable in both cultural comunities. The Toronto guy.

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  53. Il semble bien que le Français est une langue trop complexe pour eux.Un peu trop raffinée.

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  54. "Il semble bien que le Français est une langue trop complexe pour eux.Un peu trop raffinée."

    Must be too refined for the scientists, business world and most of the world where the lingua franca is now english. If french were so wonderful and refined do you not think it would be the lingua franca rather, that in decline. Your are truly an idiot who hides his head in the sand as an ostrich. Don't take my word fit it as I am one of those unrefined anglos who you have no respect for. Check it out here for yourself.

    http://theworldwidedeclineoffrench.blogspot.com/

    Sorry to burst your bubble ...

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  55. "Sorry to burst your bubble ..."

    Conclusion de votre référence américaine:

    French is spoken on all populated continents.

    Et l'engouement pour une langue est variable selon les modes et le contexte social.Nous connaissons ce phénomène depuis longtemps et celui-ci n'empêche en rien le respect et la promotion du Français(bien au contraire)notre langue officielle au Québec.De plus,Nous aimons être différents.

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  56. "De plus,Nous aimons être différents."

    Vous peut etre differents si vous voulez. Mais, il est certaine que le francais est en decline et sera continuer. Desole, mais, juste les faits. Not that it isnt a nice language...more that it will increasingly become a folk language. The language is losing critical mass on a yearly basis in numbers. Being I am sure you are a contributing member of vigile.net I am sure you have read articles on the subject by Dr. Castonguay, with regards to Canada and the french language.

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  57. J'ai toujours de bons amis anglophones que je respecte au plus haut point, mais certains dans ce blogue me font vomir.

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  58. "J'ai toujours de bons amis anglophones que je respecte au plus haut point, mais certains dans ce blogue me font vomir."

    You're still trolling with one or two line statements. I don't think that your anglophone friends would be very happy with some of the comments that you have made on this blog.

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