Monday, September 27, 2010

In Defence of Bonhomme Carnaval

I wonder how English Canada would react to a Maclean's cover depicting Queen Elizabeth in a less than flattering pose?
Especially considering that she has nothing to do with the pseudo cover story about the expanding waistline of Canadians, nor is she particularly obese herself.

The problem that I have with Maclean's cover of October 4, is that the depiction of Bonhomme Carnaval is gratuitous and uncalled for.

Maclean's has always used provocative covers to grab magazine buyers' attention. It's a tough market out there for the print media, especially magazines, so pushing the envelope is one way to create some buzz and interest..

No one can deny that this week's cover certainly grabbed national attention. but was it ethical?

I don't think so, not at all.

There have been Maclean's covers in the past depicting George Bush dressed up as Saddam Hussein, but the ex-president was fair game. Bonhomme is not.


Bonhomme Carnival doesn't deserve to be portrayed as a 'bag man,' just because the mascot is a famous and familiar Quebec symbol.

It reminds me of those vulgar portrayals of the Simpsons characters, cast in various lewd and sexual positions, floating around the Internet.
Not something that a mainstream news magazine should be involved with, under any circumstances.

Now Maclean's claims to have gotten permission to use the iconic symbol, but it's clear that they either lied to the rights holder about their intentions or made an egregious sin of omission, both cases equally unpardonable.

Grossly dishonest.

If I was the Quebec Carnival organizers, I wouldn't hesitate to sue. There may be a case to be made that the magazine engaged deception. There is  no way that the Carnival would knowingly allow their beloved mascot be bastardized this way.

If Maclean's fooled them, let them admit it in court.
It is a case of journalistic misrepresentation bordering on fraud.

In the end, the magazine did itself a disservice, allowing the articles to be framed by the offensive cover and altering the debate from corruption in Quebec to Quebec-bashing.

If you haven't read to two articles related to the cover, here they are.

Quebec: The most corrupt province.


What lies beneath Quebec’s scandals?


Before I comment on the actual stories and the reaction in Quebec, I'm going to do something different.
I going to let readers comment before me.

My question to all is this.
WAS THE MACLEAN'S ARTICLE AND THE RELATED COVER, A CASE OF QUEBEC-BASHING, OR NOT? 

Fire away!

30 comments:

  1. Isn't the truth an absolute defense? I mean (as I have LONG suspected) if it IS TRUE that Quebec has more then its fair, or proportional, share of corruption then how can it be "Quebec-bashing"? I suppose they could have used another picture on the cover (the flag of Quebec perhaps) but the basic point stands. If it looks like a duck and..well you know the rest. By the way marketing studies show a person will look at a magazine on a rack for less then ten seconds before deciding whether or not to pick it up. With some racks or shelves containing hundreds of different magazines you need to be provocative to get attention.
    Wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of retreating into angry defensiveness and calling 'racism' or 'bashing' Quebeckers took the high road instead and admitted they have a problem here and try to at least address it?
    The Toronto guy.

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  2. The mascot bonhomme carnaval is associated only with Quebec in Canada. I am sure there are many Canadians who have no idea of your beloved bonhomme. That being said, I saw on then ational news (CBC) that the copies of the magaznine very quickly sold out in Quebec.

    Now back to the primary issue of Quebec corruption. If the Quebec government wants to take on the allegations of the magazine Macleans they are free to do so through courty action. Obviously, the author and the Magazine have a fair degree of confidence in their allegations.

    Quebec bashing is the verdict from the politicians in Quebec such as Duceppe. There is not bashing if it is simply a reporting of facts. As I said, if they want to refute the articles on factual basis they have every avenue to do so. As yet, no one has indicated they will launch an official law suit which begs the question...If the story is not correct, why do they do so.

    Bonhomme, who cares as he is simply a cartoon character; stick to the relevance and leave your petty emotions aside. Quebec is without doubt the most corrupt province in Canada, not that the others don't have skeletons in their closets.

    Maybe someone should investigate all those involved in the Quebec Carnaval. C'est possible votre ami Bonhomme est pas tres blanc, apres tout.

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  3. Mississauga Guy said...

    Maybe the Bonhomme wasn't the best symbol to use, but after [former PQ leader Bernard] Landry called the Canadian flag a red rag, as far as I'm concerned, it's on.

    All I saw on the TV news from November 1976 until I left Quebec almost eight years to the day later, was fed bashing, fed bashing and more fed bashing by the PQ and its majority.

    If Quebec sees this cover as a slap in the face, looks good on 'em! I'm totally fed up with those crybabies to whom Canada is nothing more than a trough upon which they feed off like big fat hogs! ...and still don't stop complaining!

    Quebec is far more corrupt than anything I've seen in Ontario. Hells Angels wanted to set up shop in Ontario, but that was fought off right away and you don't hear of biker gang shootings very much. The last one was a few years ago in Sheddon, somewhere between Windsor and London. In Montreal, there are always stories about Hells Angels, the Rock Machine and others.

    Outsiders in construction trying to get a job in Quebec? Fuhgeddaboutit! Not with the Office de la construction du Québec there to fend off "foreigners" from other provinces.

    Jean Charest, a.k.a. Premier Goldilocks in my books, just got called up to the stands and take an oath in the process for an inquiry, the first Quebec premier required to do so in over 100 years.

    From what I heard, the MacLean's article covers the last 80 years or so, going back to Duplessis who was a monster, practically a mafia don himself! He was a ballot box stuffer, a pork barrel politician, an abuser of orphans and just a rotten-to-the-core animal...barely a human being.

    If the politicians weren't keeping the Francophone folk ignorant and pregnant, the Roman Catholic Church was. The late [former PLQ leader and editor of the separatist Le Devoir] Clsude Ryan couldn't write enough accolades for the likes of Abbé Lionel Groulx, a through-and-through separatist to the marrow of his bones, and a rabid, blatant anti-Semite to boot.

    I haven't yet picked up a copy of Maclean's yet, but now I'm deliciously tempted to do so. I don't think the article is a simple case of Quebec bashing, but as soon as something is written negatively about Quebec, there comes the Quebec media playing the bashing card. Of course, they can freely write things like not enough French speakers playing for les Habitants, the well storied Montreal Canadiens. It was OK to attack Saku Koivu when he didn't address the fans in French a few years ago.

    Too bad crash test dummies like Réjean Tremblay and those of his ilk can't wait to attack the non-francophones of the Habs, their moronic booing of the American national anthem at the Bell Centre last spring to the point where the fans had to be reminded by the P.A. announcer of the Habs players who are American by name.

    Don't be surprised if Carey Price is eaten until his bones are licked clean by French media criticism not to mention endless booing by the fans. The result will be Price will be booed out of town and there will be no #1 goalie for the team. Right now, both their goalies are Western Canadians--Georges Vézina, Jacques Plante and Patrick Roy are now just home-grown legends of history. Lest they forget George Hainsworth, Gump Worsley (hey, he was home-grown!) and Ken Dryden for their contributions?

    By the way, speaking of Worsley above, what does French Quebec think of him and other accomplished Quebecers like William Shatner, Margot Kidder and the late Oscar Peterson? I never saw French Quebec make oooohs and aaaahs over them like they do Céline Dion!

    Maclean's magazine has nothing, but absolutely NOTHING to apologize for. That Quebec has earned its reputation is NEITHER Maclean's fault NOR its responsibility!

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  4. Call it what you will, and regardless of the iconic Quebec symbol used to portrayal it, exposing Quebec as corrupt in the public eye is so damned welcome! What goes on Quebec is akin to a violently abusive spouse that the neighbors are unaware of, and the local police turn a blind eye to. And this abuse has been going on what, 35 years now?

    Corruption is so deeply embedded in this province, the word "corruption" is synonymous with the name "Quebec" at this point, the dictionary should use it as a synonym! Why do you think the roads are crumbling here? Easy answer: use sub-standard materials used, sub-standard workers and officials pocketing 90% of the money. Hospitals overcrowded and people dying in emergency waiting rooms? Again, secretly embezzle tax payers money and put it the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats instead the hospitals or staff. Repeat same formula for schools. Repeat it for animal protection (or lack of in this province). This province is in a sick state, it's been driven to third world status because of the out of control corruption.

    And at the root of the spousal abuse I used as a analogy is the racist, xenophobia and hateful government laws and restrictions against the English community. How the hell on earth, in a country like Canada, can you tear and rip apart basic human freedoms and rights? Like forbidding sending your child to an English school. Like having an embargo ban (online and in stores) on children's toys that speak English phrases. The threat of going to jail for having a sign with English lettering on it, etc, etc ad nauseum.

    Don't anyone DARE try and cry "poor innocent Quebec is the victim...", "This is Quebec bashing...". Quebec society as it stands, and its governments, are criminal. It's criminal behavior that NEEDS to be exposed to the world. The activities of Quebec cannot continue, someone or something has to step in and say enough is enough. It ends here, it ends NOW. Stop focusing on referendums and hateful language laws, and get governing and running this province. If that cannot happen, the federal system has to step in.

    I say GOOD, I'm glad this is getting attention. I just hope it gets the attention of other Canadians and persons around the world. I want to see Quebec caught red handed doing what it does.

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  5. The article, while superficial, does make
    its' argument and the BHC as one of the most
    recognized symbole of this province is (of
    course) fair game.

    THe last paragraph being particularly
    accurate:

    "Every society has its critics: successful ones thrive on them. But constructive criticism in Quebec, given the francophone majority’s perception of itself as an embattled minority, all too often leads to a closing of the ranks against what is invariably described as “Quebec-bashing.” If from outside, it is put down to ignorance of Quebec’s particularity; if from a non-francophone Quebecer, a failure to identify with the goals and values of the majority; if from a francophone, a traitorous readiness to advance on the backs of his fellows. One half expects to hear the same in this case."

    Also found one of the comments insightfull.

    "je suis quebecois de souche, j'ai vécu plus de 10 ans dans d'autres provinces canadiennes. Je suis maintenant de retour au quebec depuis 2 ans et je dois dire que parfois j'ai le gout de repartir du quebec pour c'est raison politique de merde et le manque de respect et l'arrogance que les leaders quebecois influent sur leurs peuples...et je dois dire que plus ca va, plus j'ai honte d'etre quebecois...voir encore avec la commission bastarache...quelle joke, c'est un grand cirque pour contourner la vérité...tout le monde sait que charest ment et qu'il y a de la corruption, ca pu au nez. j'ai toujours dit; le gouvernement du quebec est trop grop, control trop et pour etre francs trop proche du communisme...c'est quoi, dans 20 ans on va etre rationner sur notre bouffe???

    Je crois au quebec libre!!! pas par la séparation mais par l'effondrement du gouvernement provincial actuel...le peuples a besoin de reprendre control sur CA PROVINCE."

    DD

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  6. "Un ghetto francophone?"

    by Gaétan Frigon
    President of the Société des alcools du Québec and Loto-Québec.

    http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/201009/23/01-4325963-un-ghetto-francophone.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_la-presse_793_section_POS2

    "L'idée était d'empêcher nos jeunes d'apprendre l'anglais trop vite de peur qu'ils ne s'anglicisent. Mais il est temps que notre vision de la langue anglaise change. L'anglais d'hier que nous avons si longtemps combattu n'existe plus. L'anglais d'aujourd'hui n'est plus la langue du vainqueur britannique, mais plutôt la langue internationale imposée par l'hégémonie américaine depuis la fin de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Le Québec d'aujourd'hui doit s'adapter à cette réalité au risque de perdre tout avantage concurrentiel dans ses relations avec les autres pays. "

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  7. A few thoughts.

    1 - The hoopla about the cover is pure nonsense. And a deflection from the real issues at hand.

    2 - Quebec Bashing! Are you kidding me? Who has been howling like a mad dog in the National Assembly about corruption these past 18 months or so. The PQ, and the QS. Now one of the English magazines points out the corruption in the province and it's labeled as Quebec Bashing! It's okay for franco-quebecers to slam each other, but if anybody else points out the same thing, they are called Quebec Bashers. And even crazier, the great leader of the Bloc Quebecois labels it as xenophobia. Look who's calling the kettle black!

    3 - The french media. Now here is another great example of biased reporting. On Friday night, the SRC National news began their report with biased words even before they ran the story. The first few words out of the Anchor monkeys mouth was... the Toronto magazine McLeans...
    Ya great. How is this story going to be presented? Not the Mcleans magazine! Not the National publication Mcleans. But the TORONTO Mcleans is bad mouthing us. And that dear folks was how the story was handled. Not a word on what the content was about. Not a word on if the content had any bases. But Quebec Bashing. Oh yes. English Canada hates us. I got news for you. You guys hate yourselves far more that anybody else in this country does. Can't say TVA handled the story any better either. But at least it wasn't top of the newscast. They spent the top of their 10pm newscast talking about the accusations of corruption in Quebec with that Bastarache Commission hearings. I wonder where or where, a TORONTO MAGAZINE would get any such ideas of corruption going on in Quebec. They must have somebody on staff that knows French and has been following the whole ugly mess this province is in.

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  8. Perhaps a better question would be to ask WHY Quebec has such a corrupt and dysfunctional government? The legacy of its former all-powerful Catholic church? The revenge of the cradle? French-Canadian culture? The nationalist question? What exactly is it that gives Quebec useless pork-barrel projects like Olympic stadium, Mirabel airport, endless biker wars, Oka, the FLQ, crumbling infrastructure,etc...Does the nationalist question take precedence over integrity? Wasn't Quebec the last province to give women the right to vote, etc? Is Quebec just a bad seed? The Toronto guy.

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  9. Selon Michael Ignatieff, l'article du Maclean's est du Québec bashing :

    http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201009/27/01-4327030-le-reportage-de-macleans-du-quebec-bashing-selon-ignatieff.php

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  10. "Selon Michael Ignatieff, l'article du Maclean's est du Québec bashing :"

    Who cares what Michael Ignatieff says? He is just posturing for votes in Quebec.

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  11. Mississauga Guy said...

    The French comments forwarded by DD at 8:22AM is disconcerting, because the «pur laine» now are getting fed up, to the point where the scandals are a soap opera on the French TV news. Even they are getting embarrassed by the whole thing, but this is why I left Quebec half my life ago.

    My brother, who still lives in Montreal, recently received the new assessment value of his house, and now he's cringing wondering how much he's going to be slapped for property tax when he gets his first post-assessment bill.

    A buddy of mine, also in Montreal, lives in a condo 3/4 the sq footage of mine, and his property tax is almost double what mine is. The roads in my Mississauga neighbourhood were recently repaved--completely, and the sidewalk was restructured on the curbs to better channel rain water. Last year the wastewater pipes were redone. A year or two before that our sourcewater piping was redone and a small bridge around the corner from my place was reinforced with new and better guardrails within the last five years. All this in the last five years, and I've only lived in Mississauga for 20 years! Our family home in Chomedey, Laval for 30 years saw only filling potholes in 30 years. People I know living there, after 40 years are getting their sourcewater piping replaced, no wastewater replacements yet! Potholes take forever to refill, if done at all. I see roads with patchwork on patchwork. Only one main road was completely torn up and repaved in our 30 years in Chomedey, and it was in wretched shape before that happened. One bridge collapsed over the Laurentian Autoroute (in 2000). On a visit to Montreal a few years ago, they finally reworked that terrible interchange in the Pine Ave./Park Ave. area. There was a crater on the road beforehand and my car almost was swallowed by it!!!

    So the above is a tale of two cities; one charges formidable taxes for little return, the other a much better bang for the buck. Oh, by the way, the City of Mississauga is still debt-free. No bonds issued. Montreal and Laval?

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  12. Sounds like Maclean's obtained the image of the Bonhomme Carnaval deceitfully, which is not cool. They could have and maybe should have used the Quebec flag on the cover instead, but I'm pretty sure the seppies would have had a hissy-fit about that too. The overbearing Franophone majority in Quebec does not want to hear any sort of criticism. They have been socially conditioned to react with dismissive contempt and hostility towards any dissent, particularly if the critique comes from 'the others'. Maybe Maclean's new full well what it was doing. Maybe Maclean's and has taken the gloves off and the article they published is the leading edge of an impending Canadian backlash toward Quebec. The signs of pent up frustration with this irritating, rogue province are slowly growing in the ROC. But then again, when it comes to Quebec, we Canadians are soft retiring pansies, who are afraid of confrontation. I don’t think we don't have the guts to collectively stand up for Canada and compel our politicians to stare down those treasonous nationalist cretins who yearn to destroy it. We get what we deserve. In the mean time, Quebec owns the Canadian agenda and is steering us further and further into the dark.

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  13. Sorry to say guys but ML screwed the pooch by using the BHC pic. The gist of the article, which i completely agree with, is now lost in the maelstrom of criticisms for having used this pic.
    There is a disconnect, from my perspective as a Quebecker (note i use Quebecker and not Quebecois; hey, according to the hardcore zealots I could never be Quebecois eventhough born in Montreal and speak french fluently ;) as the BHC represents joviality, winter, festive gatherings, and not remotely associated with $$$. Had they asked me I'd have used our Big Owe (sic) olympic stadium and filled it w/ cash.

    I just heard Andrew Coyne on TVA and he nails it on the head: if anyone is to apologise it is all the political class to the Quebec electorate.

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  14. Paris Guy dit: Poser la question c'est y répondre, le Canada anglais (surtout Toronto) aime bien se penser moralement supérieur aux autres (pensons aux américains) et plus particulièrement aux Québécois qui à leur grand dam forment une nation assez populeuse pour avoir droit de cité dans ce triste pays qu'est le Canada. Oui, c'est du ''Québec bashing'', je vous mets au défi d'écrire des trucs cons comme: les noirs américains sont plus souvent en prison parce qu'ils sont noirs et l'alcoolisme chez les Premières nations est dû à leur condition d'autochtones. C'est du racisme, on en convient tous. Et bien, les Québécois, eux, ont peut les traiter de tous les maux de la planète au Canada, et personne ne s'élève assez haut pour remettre ces petits ''anglos zealots'' à leur place. La réponse: Oui, le Canada anglais est anti-Québec et raciste vis-à-vis celui-ci. Vous me faites pensez à la journaliste Jan Wong avec ses thèses complètement farfelues. À Virginia Tech, le tueur fou était d'origine sud-coréenne, personne n'a penser que les États-Unis n'avait pas suffisamment intégré ce dernier et qu'à cause de ça, il avait commis l'irréparable ? Pourquoi au Canada des arguments aussi cons surgissent dans la tête de soi-disant intellectuels ?

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  15. À Adski: Gaétan Frigon ''http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/201009/23/01-4325963-un-ghetto-francophone.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_la-presse_793_section_POS2''J'en ai personnellement fait l'expérience dans de nombreux voyages partout le monde où ma connaissance du français était totalement inutile, mais où j'aurais été perdu sans une connaissance approfondie de l'anglais. '' Ce monsieur n'a pas quitté son cercle de petits hommes d'affaires car malheureusement pour lui, il y a encore un grande majorité de gens, même en Chine qui ne parlent pas un seul mot d'anglais. Apprendre l'anglais c'est utile si on en a besoin, c'est tout ! Petite question: Les anglophones apprennent quelle langue de façon générale ? Et les anglophones du Québec qui n'apprennent pas le français, vivent-ils dans un ghetto ? si vous habitez à Oshawa et vous travaillez chez Ford, à quoi vous sert une autre langue, mis-à-part vous enrichir personnellement ? Je ne crois pas que les Québécois soient anti-anglais. Par contre, ils n'ont pas à être pro-anglais. Ils sont qui ils sont, c'est tout. Les vietnamiens apprennent le vietnamien avant l'anglais et leur vie se déroule en vietnamien et non en anglais. Même chose en Chine, je mets au défi un des ''anglo zealot''du blogue à me trouver un exemple ou des chinois vont à l'école en anglais avant d'avoir appris le mandarin (et évoluer dans cette langue) ? Bonne chance !

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  16. “même en Chine qui ne parlent pas un seul mot d'anglais”

    Faux.

    http://www.thestar.com/article/297610

    “Mad about English”. Un article sur la Chine.

    “China's Ministry of Education says there are more than 100 million students studying English in elementary, junior and senior high schools, as well as college. Across the country, English study is compulsory from the age of 9. But in Beijing and many other urban areas, students begin learning it from the age of 6.”

    ------------

    “Les anglophones apprennent quelle langue de façon générale ?”

    J'ai aucune idée. Je ne suis pas anglophone. Il faut que tu pose cette question aux anglophones.

    -----------

    “Et les anglophones du Québec qui n'apprennent pas le français, vivent-ils dans un ghetto ?”

    Pas du tout. La statistique de l’Amerique:

    Anglais (330,000,000)
    Espagnol (330,000,000)
    Portugais (191,000,000)
    Francais (6,000,000)

    En plus, Montreal est moitié français, moitié non-français.

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  17. Chénier dit: Donc Adski, selon la dernière ligne que vous avez écrite, les anglophones du Québec n'ont pas à craindre leur disparition comme ils le chantent sur toutes les tribunes ? L'article du Foreigh Affairs sur les Chinois qui apprennent l'anglais est justement écrit par un organisme américain, vous savez ces américains qui n'apprennent pas d'autre langue parce qu'il pense que la leur est le summum de l'ouverture sur le monde. Rien n'est plus factice. 100 millions sur une population de 1 341 403 687 habitants(http://www.populationdata.net/index2.php?option=pays&pid=43&nom=chine), ce n'est pas grand chose, vous en conviendrez.

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  18. Chénier dit: L'ouverture d'esprit des anglophones se manifeste de quelle façon ? Apprennent-ils la langue de l'endroit qu'ils visitent ou l'endroit ou ils habitent ? L'ouverture sur l'autre n'est pas quelque chose à sens unique !

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  19. "les anglophones du Québec n'ont pas à craindre leur disparition comme ils le chantent sur toutes les tribunes ? "

    Je crois que non. Mais ça ne veut pas dire que les actions juridiques contre la langue anglais (loi 101) sont justifé. Elles ne sont pas.

    Des anglophones peuvent parler de la disparition de leur institutions qui sont constamment aggressés ou menacés par petites individus comme P.Curzi qui milite pour une extension de 101 au cegeps/ecoles priveés/garderies, mais ils ne craignent pas leur disparation en general. Nous sommes loin de ça, partiellement parceque la loi 101 a échoué de "nettoyer" le Quebec des éléments indésirables.

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  20. For Chenier, there are two points:

    1. If 100 million is less than 10% of 1.3 billion, so what? Still that 100 million is more than 12 times of total French Canadians. Look at the big picture.

    2. English communities in North America are certainly more open than Quebec. There is no prohibition of putting signs in whatever language in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. As well, there is no prohibition of the usage of such language in work, study or other non-government environments.

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  21. My two pence:

    The usage of Bonhomme Carnaval as cover is certainly done in bad taste, not to mention probably illegal if the image is obtained under a false pretense. The character does not have anything to do with the piece, it is not even a representative of Quebec. I hope that the organizer of the Winter Carnival gets the money it deserves from the magazine if there is a foul play in the process.

    Having said that, Quebecers should look at the news beyond the cover. The Toronto Guy is right in the sense that the truth is the ultimate defense. Allegation of Quebec bashing is just a smoke screen that does not address the the accuracy of the feature. Attack the content of the feature, not its packaging. Can Quebecers - federalists and separatists alike - do that?

    Frankly I have my doubt. Based of what I see here and anywhere, there will be hissy fit and rhetorics, but no one will actually rebut the news with facts that proves otherwise.

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  22. Chénier dit : Troy, les statistiques ne sont pas votre fort. 10% de chinois apprenant l'anglais n'équivaut pas statistiquement à tous les Québécois qui apprennent l'anglais à l'école, quel est votre argument ? Deuxièmement, je ne connais pas les juridictions concernant l'affichage ailleurs mais il me semble avoir entendu parler d'Howard Galganov qui distribuait un document qui s'intitulait :''« How to wipe out the franco-ontarian language and culture »''(http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/ottawa-est-ontarien/201003/22/01-4263235-galganov-distribue-un-nouveau-document-provocateur.php) Douteux... Troisièment, je cherches toujours l'affichage en français à Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, St-John's, Vancouver. Finalement, jetez un coup d'oeil à ce site http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/Langues/lois-linguistiques-index.htm, on y découvre tous les états ayant des lois à teneur linguistique. En voici un exemple, en 2001, l'État de New York :''

    New York Consolidated Laws

    Article 1

    English shall be the official language of the government of the state of New York, to provide for the stability and cohesion of the people of this state.

    Article 2

    The state of New York shall conduct all of its official business in English, which shall include:

    a. All laws.
    b. All court business.
    c. Voter registration, ballots, and voter instructions.
    d. All tax forms and instructions.
    e. Driver`s licenses and driver tests.
    f. All official ceremonies.

    Article 3

    The legislature shall enact legislation to ensure that the role of the English language shall be the common language of this state, to be spoken, written, and understood by all.

    Article 4

    The legislature shall preserve, protect and perpetuate the English language, and not supersede any of the rights guaranteed to the people by the constitution of the state of New York.

    Article 5

    The legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the English language or the role it plays as the common language of the state of New York.

    Article 6

    This act shall take effect immediately.''

    Et également ''The English Language Unity Act of 2005 must be approved by the House Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce Committees before it can be considered by the full House.

    In 1996, a similar bill, "The Bill Emerson English Language Empowerment Act," was passed by the House of Representative by a vote of 259-169. While the Republican-backed bill won the votes of 36 Democrats in the House, the Senate failed to debate the bill before the end of the session.

    As of June 2005, legislation similar to The English Language Unity Act of 2005 had been adopted by 27 states. Over the last six years, Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming have enacted some form of official English legislation. http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/officialenglish.htm

    Bouche-bée ? (open-mouthed ?)

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  23. @ Chenier Sep. 28 at 9:38 PM:

    The 'New York Consolidated Laws' you list apply primarily to the government of the state. What Troy wrote is still true:

    "There is no prohibition of putting signs in whatever language in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. As well, there is no prohibition of the usage of such language in work, study or other non-government environments."

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  24. @Chénier

    Bravo pour tes petites recherches.Faut pas oublier non plus que nous sommes ici dans un repère de zélés et ils ne te donneront jamais raison.Je crois que les prochaines années seront déterminantes pour l'affirmation des Québécois et qu'il faut dès maintenant mettre nos énergies ou elles auront un impact réel.

    J'ai écrit plusieurs fois sur ce blogue et je crois que nous ne réussirons a convaincre personne ici ou les mots ont peu de force.Continuons a renforcir nos lois,c'est la seule solution.

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  25. To Anon.(Dartagnan) at 11:02 AM:

    Calling other people on this blog 'zealots' is like the kettle calling the teapot black. All you write about is how you're going to screw anglophones even more in the upcoming years. You're the biggest zealot (and bigot) on this blog.

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  26. 11:02 AM, comme tu le dis il est important de mettre nos énergies où elles auront un impact réel. Justement, est-ce que ça vaut vraiment la peine de participer à ce blogue ? Car j'ai parfois l'impression de discuter avec des décrocheurs ou des ados attardés tellement le débat est peu relevé et répétitif.

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  27. I don't see the big deal about the Maclean cover. It's like using Ronald McDonald with a cheeseburger full of cash to talk about American corruption. The bonhomme is just a mascot! It's no worse then the Journal de Montreal putting Halak's face on Jesus.

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  28. "I don't see the big deal about the Maclean cover. It's like using Ronald McDonald with a cheeseburger full of cash..."

    Essayez-le juste pour voir.Vous devez être millionnaire parce que le clown McDo est une image hyper protègée contrairement au christ.

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  29. "You're the biggest zealot (and bigot) on this blog."

    Thank you so much,i really do my best!Me and my family are immigrants and millitants for a French Montreal in a sovereign Quebec.

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  30. "Me and my family are immigrants"

    Yeah, right.

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