Thursday, October 7, 2010

Language Cops Strike- Hilarity Ensues!

Readers of this blog probably don't need to be advised of the latest move by Quebec's French language cops in their ongoing effort to defend the security and integrity of the French language.

Just when you thought the Office québécois de la langue française, (OQLF) couldn't get any more petty and vindictive, they quickly put paid to any such notion.

Living up to the tenet of the organization's motto- "TOUTES RÉSISTANCE EST INUTILE!," the OQLF demanded that an English school board change its computer keyboards to French versions. The idea that the words SHIFT and ENTER represent a clear and present danger to Quebec society's ability to maintain its purity, would be laughable, if not so sad.

But the $5,000 cost seems to be of little concern to the school board in question, as its spokesman desperately tried to downplay the whole incident. Obviously there are other pokers in the fire. And so the Riverside School Board is replacing the offending keyboards and plastering  stickers over English keys on laptops.   CBC Story

The story has achieved a bit of traction and has hit the CBC National television news when Peter Mansbridge asked viewers, tongue in cheek, if they were interested in buying the perfectly good keyboards. Video of the CBC News story

Of course the OQLF is used to being humiliated by Anglos, but to them, it's basically 'water off a duck's back.'
There's little doubt, that there's going to be some blowback in the French media, once the story crosses the language barrier. The French media doesn't usually appreciate having this beloved institution held up to scorn and derision, especially by arrogant anglos. Likely to defend the OQLF in dead earnest, they will surely increase media attention in the English press. New York Times, anyone?

The idea of forcing an English school board, where almost all head office employees are English, to operate in French, is one of the more vindictive applications of the dreaded Bill 101 language law. It's the same principle that forces English television stations to advertise their English shows in French when using outdoor billboards. I suppose there is a logic there, twisted as it would seem.

Ever since the the adoption of Bill 101, the pettiness in the treatment of the English language has been a hallmark of the OQLF, which treats English as an enemy combatant, subject only to the fair rules of war.

When the Quebec school system was reorganized into English and French, non-confessional school boards, the old Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal needed a name change, but was refused its first choice, the 'Montreal English School Board.' And so today the board operates under the name that was approved, the 'English Montreal School Board."...Can you figure that one out?

Every time I hear stories about the application of the language law in such an arbitrary and  petty manner, I am reminded of the side mirror outside my passenger door on my car.

"OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR"

How come no stickers on the mirror?

How come a poor watchmaker in Hudson or a cash-strapped English school board is harassed by the language cops while giant car companies have no obligation to be in compliance with Bill 101?

Although the majority of dashboards in our cars are filled with pictograms and the computers toggle between French and English, there remains a 'shocking' amount of English on our instrument panels.
Why? Why? Why?

I'm sure the car companies have some sort of exemption, probably because the exorbitant cost to 'bilingualize' the dashboards would have to be passed on to reluctant consumers, but that  hardly seems an excuse.
The unequal treatment whereby the small fish are terrorized and the big ones go about their business with impunity gives rise to disrespect.

I am reminded of my only brush with the OQLF, some twenty years ago, when our company head office was visited by a language inspector bent on insuring that we were operating under the doctrine of Bill 101.
When employees were informed that the inspector was about to start his rounds, they all toggled their computers over to the English version of the software that we were running at the time. It was just a matter of pressing the F12 key to switch between English and French.
When the inspector asked some of the French employees why French wasn't available, they just shrugged their shoulders and told him that it was okay, because they were used to the English system.  Ha Ha!!

When we received a registered letter from the 'Office' informing us of our non-compliance with the law, we dutifully wrote back telling them that our software was indeed French compliant and that the inspector should have 'known' that fact, had he done a thorough inspection!

We never heard back from the 'Office' and had a good laugh until our software company phoned us and angrily told us that they were now the subject of an audit by the OQLF because of our actions..... err.....sorry about that!

51 comments:

  1. "How come a poor watchmaker in Hudson or a cash-strapped English school board is harassed by the language cops while giant car companies have no obligation to be in compliance with Bill 101?"

    Simple...it is easier to pick on the smaller group who may comply rather than the larger group who has no concern.

    "I'm sure the car companies have some sort of exemption, probably because the exorbitant cost to 'bilingualize' the dashboards would have to be passed on to reluctant consumers, but that hardly seems an excuse"

    The don't have to give an excuse..Quebec is such a small part of their market they deem it insignificant. You cannot regulate an entity that doesn't give a shit. If you try they will simply cut you out of their plans and the dealer in Trois Rivieres will lose jobs and their franchise. Remember what happened to the WalMart in one community when big unions stepped in..They simply pulled the plug and took the pin out of their map of stores. The OQLF knows this and won't take on the big guys as these people will tell them to take a hike.

    The OQLF is a joke as is the whole province of Quebec.

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  2. They (OQLF) only regulate those that succumb to their regulations. The english school board is funded by the province so must obey. Too bad, as in other provinces, anglos would have the right to direct their taxes to their school board of choice. Then, perhaps, the english system which is obviously superior to the french school system could thumb their noses at the government. Of coures, as we all are becomming to know, Quebec is a facist province with disriminitory laws against minorities. Total bigots.

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  3. What do we expect? This province is the laughing stock of North America. If all this energy and money was spent on reducing corruption in the gov't, helping to reduce poverty, creating jobs, Quebec would be a great place to live. Instead we live in a Nazi state.....

    As much as I love Montreal, I hate this province. I do not consider myself a Quebecker and never will. What an embarassing display of public funds. Can someone please save us from this insanity??

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  4. "What do we expect? This province is the laughing stock of North America."

    Les américains ne sont pas en position de se moquer de qui que se soit par les temps qui courent.
    Et n'ayez crainte car nous ne vous considérons
    pas comme un Québécois,évidemment vous ne le serez jamais.
    Nous le répètons au cas ou vous ne seriez pas aux faits : Vous êtes un citoyens de deuxième classe aux yeux des Québécois mais aussi des américains.Quelle fâcheuse position que de n'avoir aucune identité.

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  5. What 'nous,' asshat? It's just you. I hate language zealots thinking they speak for everyone. Sorry. You only speak for the brainwashed.

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  6. Kudos to the Editor for his Star Trek shout-out. Live long and prosper.

    I agree completely that the OQLF dares only to bother the small players. Once one deals with heavy or specialized equipments, they (OLF) do not have the balls the deal with it.

    In the construction industry, for example. Majority of the tools and equipments are unilingual English, except things that can easily be corrected by sticking a sticker. Otherwise, look at the warnings and instructions on the equipment (cranes, backhoes, bulldozers). All are English. That is because vast majority of construction equipments are made in, or destined for, the United States. There is simply no other alternative. To demand otherwise is exceedingly silly because it will mean a construction industry without equipments. All of this while significant majority of constructon workers in Quebec are Francophones, with substantial portion of them are unilingual.

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  7. Mississauga Guy said...

    Editor,

    You had to get me started! To answer your question re the big corporations vs Joe Bloe: The pipsqueaks are easy targets, so the OQLF leans on them.

    In February 1998, 60 Minutes did a piece on the language Nazis. Morley Safer and the late Mordechai Richler bantered for almost 15 minutes on the air about the nonsense, from company name changes to a Lebanese restaurateur who had to take out the words "TAKE OUT" from his sign, a downtown tourist store selling souvenir trinkets with a handwritten sign "CUBAN CIGARS SOLD HERE" (obviously for American consumption, not Quebec's), and a parrot that said "hello" in English.

    Safer put OQLF liaison to the English speakers of the world, Gérard Paquet, on the hot seat with Paquet lying through his teeth about there never having been a complaint filed by some Franco Pepsi and May West welfare bum about a parrot who greeted patrons in English. Richler and Safer bantered about whether they shot the parrot or forced it to go to French parrot school.

    Richler pointed out to Safer how Schwartz's Deli had to change its name to Charcuterie Hebraïque de Montreal Chez Schwartz because of the dreaded apostrophe, yet MacDonald's and other big American franchises like Blockbuster and how Dunkin' Donuts didn't have to become «les beignes qui tromphe» or Burger King becoming «le Roi des Hambourgeois». Heck, I was surprised that two Quebec shoe stores, Yellow and French didn't have to become Chausseurs Jaune and Chausseurs Français; Chausseurs Yellow and Chausseurs French was acceptable. I'll never forget the brewhaha over «La Ouéhâsse» for Mark's Work Warehouse (as I learned the real name after I left Quebec for the real world).

    I remember when the Pepsi Cola Company came out with a decaffinated product called Pepsi Free. I had already defected to the real Canada when that product came out, and I chuckled looking at the label because I wondered how it was going to be named in Quebec, because Quebec is NOT Pepsi-free!!! The choice was «Pepsi Déca», I guess a shortened term to disclose it's decaffinated. It didn't take long to go off the market anyway!

    Simply put, just about any Anglophone can write volumes about petty attacks by the OQLF. It's nothing new, and sadly, these francofascists are going to have to find make-work projects or lose their jobs and their precious RREGOP pension that costs the private sector and taxpayers billions of dollars to support.

    Compared to Quebec, politics in Ontario is about as interesting as watching paint dry on walls, and I'm very grateful for it. From my youth, I made known my aspirations to leave Quebec to my late parents. My mother told me there is no perfection anywhere, but Ontario is one giant leap closer to perfection than Quebec will ever be.

    Vive le Québec libre, and please libr'ate yourselves from my country ASAP. I'll be more than delighted to do whatever I can to make this possible!

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  8. Anonymous 1:43AM: "The OQLF knows this and won't take on the big guys as these people will tell them to take a hike."

    As CAE (8585 Cote-de-Liesse) did a decade ago (a couple of my friends went to work there right after we graduated, so they witnessed it first hand). This flight simulator producer, located in Lachine industrial park close to the Dorval airport, was harassed by the OQLF to the point that even the then Prime Minister B.Landry himself stepped in to pressure the CAE management to francise its operations. Pushed to the wall, CAE finally told Landry to back off or else they shut down its operations in Quebec and relocate to another province. Landry duly obliged and backed off and CAE never heard from him or the OQLF again.

    So when money is involved, language laws cease to matter. As in the case of the "Ici on commerce en Francais" campaign, which tries to tell the client (who is supposed to always be right) how to behave vis-a-vis the service provider. The campaign failed precisely because it tried to reverse the natural order of things in the client-seller relationship. Needles to say, in any establishment that has the "Ici on commerce en Francais" sticker (like Banana Republic on McGill College, or Indigo-Chapters in the Dix-Trente shopping complex), I am always served in English without any problems.

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  9. Les américains ne sont pas en position de se moquer de qui que se soit par les temps qui courent. Et n'ayez crainte car nous ne vous considérons pas comme un Québécois,évidemment vous ne le serez jamais. Nous le répètons au cas ou vous ne seriez pas aux faits : Vous êtes un citoyens de deuxième classe aux yeux des Québécois mais aussi des américains.Quelle fâcheuse position que de n'avoir aucune identité.

    We know, we know already. You and your comrades are Franco-supremacist bigots. This is reason why more and more Canadians want you to separate and take your debt and backward, hypocritical ways with you. You're embarrassing us all.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Vous êtes un citoyens de deuxième classe aux yeux des Québécois

    And Canadians see people like you as unwanted, aberrant fascist North Americans who don't belong. If you give no respect, you will get no respect. Tu comprend, mon petite Quebcois? Vous est rien dans America nord et vous existez en raison de notre bonne volonté

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  11. @adski:

    Vous n'êtes pas très a l'affût des nouvelles.

    http://argent.canoe.ca/lca/bourse/quebec/archives/2009/08/20090828-134816.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. "What 'nous,' asshat? It's just you. I hate language zealots thinking they speak for everyone. Sorry. You only speak for the brainwashed."

    Et que pensez-vous de ceci?:


    "This is reason why more and more Canadians want you to separate and take your debt and backward, hypocritical ways with you. You're embarrassing us all."

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  13. "Vous êtes un citoyens de deuxième classe aux yeux des Québécois"

    As a bilingual, Quebec trained physician I don't think of myself as second class. Certainly not second to the likes of you, you racist clown. Your comments are very telling, but you don't understand the implications. Yes you look down on me despite my impressive education, multiple language skills and generally happy disposition (sorry about the bragging), because I have an accent when I speak French. I can assure you your mother doesn't mind my accent when I'm treating her. You're simply jealous of all I have accomplished and can accomplish because I did not close myself off to the world and speak badly of everyone who has it better than me. You are jealous because you are stuck here and I am free, free to go to parts of the world that speak English or French without difficulty or contempt.

    Also, Americans laugh at Canadians and make jokes about our accents but don't generally look down on us. The ones that do, are like yourself, ignorant assholes who make up a minority of the US. Smart Americans admire Canada’s low crime rate and free health care. The smart Americans who make fun of Canada are also Jealous.

    Around the world Canada is synonymous with freedom and prosperity, even more so than the US. Around the world, Quebec, if people have ever heard of it, is synonymous with nothing, because nobody cares. I can't list a single Province in France (unless Champagne and Chardonnay are considered provinces in that country!). Quebec is small potatoes, a seemingly useless line on a map to everyone except the 8 million who live in Quebec and the 25 million in the ROC who see their taxes wasted on the OQLF and replacing perfectly good keyboards. Montreal on the other hand is known because of our great festivals, the Grand Prix and of course, because of McGill.

    Get off your high horse you stupid loser. I am a first class Quebecer and if you don't want me I'll take my million dollar Quebec (err, Alberta) funded education and go treat someone else's mother!

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  14. As an aside, I do believe that current language legislation allows English-language media outlets to advertise in English. If an English TV station advertises in French, it is by it's own choice (hence CFCF's weird hybridized billboards of recent years)...

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  15. And what if the English school board, and everyone else affected by these laws, refused to comply any longer?
    Seriously, enough is enough. Tear up your French sign, spray paint a stop, speak your language and piss on 101.

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  16. "TOUTES RÉSISTANCE EST INUTILE!,"

    Ironic. "Intégrez-vous!" we often hear the zealots clamour but the above line is oft used by the Borg which only carries out thorough assimilation. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  17. @Dr. Dave: Seriously WOW. Just WOW! I'm a Francophone but you message reaches my thoughts. I couldn't have said any better. You are brilliant!

    - Geneviève

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  18. "Yes you look down on me despite my impressive education..."

    Et vous ajoutez...

    "I can't list a single Province in France(unless Champagne and Chardonnay are considered provinces in that country)."


    Hmmm...

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  19. Hey, I have an idea. Lets reverse what Francophones say to us all the time, "get out of Quebec if you do not like it here", well if separatists do not like living in Canada, then just move back to France . Then again, even people in France think you separatist are trash, and look down on you and make fun of your mediocre attempt to speak french.

    ReplyDelete
  20. @Dave

    Your points make sense, but the bragging is tacky. So McGill Med, though...

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Geneviève

    Certains racontent que vous êtes la fille d'Elvis Gratton.Je n'en crois rien car votre prénom serait plutôt Lynda.De plus,si vous cherchez un medecin de famille il existe des façons plus nobles d'en trouver un ; pas nécessaire de racoller sur les blogues.
    Dr.Dave n'est qu'un pseudo car les vrais toubibs
    n'ont pas de temps a perdre sur le net.

    ReplyDelete
  22. "Then again, even people in France think you separatist are trash, and look down on you and make fun of your mediocre attempt to speak french."

    Je vous ferez remarquer que les américains
    (ce ne sont pas les seuls) vous trouvent stupides et retardés d'être encore des sujets de la reine d'Angleterre et qu'ils trouvent votre façon de parler anglais assez...laughable.

    ReplyDelete
  23. "Yes you look down on me despite my impressive education, multiple language skills and generally happy disposition..."

    Comme des centaines de chauffeurs de taxi a Montréal.Comme le dit si bien Jean Chrétien :
    Que voulez-vous?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Les américains ne sont pas en position de se moquer de qui que se soit par les temps qui courent.
    "Et n'ayez crainte car nous ne vous considérons
    pas comme un Québécois,évidemment vous ne le serez jamais.
    Nous le répètons au cas ou vous ne seriez pas aux faits : Vous êtes un citoyens de deuxième classe aux yeux des Québécois mais aussi des américains.Quelle fâcheuse position que de n'avoir aucune identité."

    Dude let me guess, you're probably some hate filled bigot who never paid taxes or worked in his life? Do me a favor, go get a job and pay taxes, then tell me how you feel that your money is funding garbage institutions instead of being invested to better the population? Tell me how you will feel when your tax dollars are not going to the hospitals when you're the one on a long ass waiting list? You probably won't care right? As long as you live in French, you won't care to be dirt poor and sick. lol.

    Trust me, I do not want you to call me a Quebcker because in my mind and in my heart I am not a Quebecker. I am a proud Montrealer who lives in Canada.

    As far as my identity goes, I speak four languages and I was born in an Italian family. I can teach you something about culture. Your french fries and cheese curds take a back seat to my penne arrabiatta and montelpuciano d' abruzzo.

    ReplyDelete
  25. "Je vous ferez remarquer que les américains
    (ce ne sont pas les seuls) vous trouvent stupides et retardés d'être encore des sujets de la reine d'Angleterre et qu'ils trouvent votre façon de parler anglais assez...laughable. "

    I think that Americans understand very well that Canada's connection to the queen of England is only historic and symbolic. Nothing else.

    And how would you know what Americans think anyways? Do you talk to them on regular basis? Do you talk to them ever? No, you don't. You couldn't even if you wanted to, because they don't speak your language, and you don't speak theirs.

    The only thing you know about Americans, and about the world in general, is the regurgitated, second hand stuff you get from separatist sources. Stuff carefully packaged and dished out for you to take at face value because you don't know the world beyond your Hochelaga Maisonneuve district.

    So you have a rather narrow view of what Americans think, and what the world thinks. In fact, you have no idea.

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  26. "vous trouvent stupides et retardés d'être encore des sujets de la reine d'Angleterre et qu'ils trouvent votre façon de parler anglais assez...laughable. "

    Je suppose que cela s'applique à vous aussi, puisque le Québec fait encore partie du Canada. Je me demande comment vous parlez bien l'anglais lorsque vous quittez le Québec doit être "laughable", puis de nouveau vous n'avez probablement jamais quitté LBP, peut-être bien que vous avez été à la République dominicaine, où la plupart des Français vont être avec les siens.

    Quoi ça fait d'être peur de ne pas être en mesure de se déplacer librement à travers le monde parce que vous êtes unilingue et ne peuvent pas communiquer. God, il doit être terrible de vivre comme ça.

    En fait, je ne le prenez pas personnellement si quelqu'un se moque de mon "EH". Au moins, ils peuvent toujours me comprendre et je peux m'asseoir et boire une bière avec eux.

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  27. "I think that Americans understand very well that Canada's connection to the queen of England is only historic and symbolic."

    Alors,pourquoi payons-nous si cher pour un gouverneur général du canada?Ce sont des symboles qui coûtent beaucoup plus cher aux contribuables que les symboles sur nos claviers et surtout moins utiles.

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  28. "...my penne arrabiatta and montelpuciano d'abruzzo."

    Grassa cucina, magro testamento.

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  29. "Your french fries and cheese curds take a back seat to my penne arrabiatta and montelpuciano d' abruzzo."

    You have that right my friend. The separatist asshold is so f'ed up he probably only eats poutine or tortiere.

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  30. "So you have a rather narrow view of what Americans think, and what the world thinks. In fact, you have no idea."

    Wow!Un polak qui vient dire ça au Québec,faut le faire quand même.C'est surement de l'humour...polonais.

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  31. I'm not printing anything more relating to this obvious troll.
    Let's move along...

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  32. The english montreal school board, along with most English created institutions are not geared for self survival. With the student enrollment declines in the Elementary and non adult High schools. The English Schools boards of quebec, especially in Montreal and western quebec should look at hiring staff whose kids are eligble for english schooling in quebec from outside quebec. One or two elementary schools would be saved in both English (island of mtl) school boards.

    They should just say that they are trying to comply and then just ignore them and have a few token laptops around with the stickers.

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  33. "@Geneviève

    Certains racontent que vous êtes la fille d'Elvis Gratton.Je n'en crois rien car votre prénom serait plutôt Lynda.De plus,si vous cherchez un medecin de famille il existe des façons plus nobles d'en trouver un ; pas nécessaire de racoller sur les blogues.
    Dr.Dave n'est qu'un pseudo car les vrais toubibs
    n'ont pas de temps a perdre sur le net."

    Tiens donc, ça fait deux fois que vous me traitez de la sorte. Enfin, je suis pas mal certaine que c'est vous puisque vous êtes un des rares (on vous reconnaît par l'écriture) qui se cache sous "anonymous" seulement.

    Vous savez, si mon prénom était réellement Lynda, je serais probablement une Québécoise fière de l'être, pro-francophone, avec une attitude de BS (tout lui est due mais ne fait rien pour redonner à la société et n'a aucune classe) et je me saoulerais la gueule à la St-Jean en criant VIVE LE QUÉBEC LIBRE.

    Or, il en est tout autre.

    Mon prénom est réellement Geneviève, je ne me cherche pas de médecin de famille (j'ai compris que pour avoir un vrai service maintenant il faut payer, alors je vais dans les cliniques privées), je suis MONTRÉALAISE qui habite au CANADA. Je n'ai rien en commun avec le Québécois typique à la Elvis Gratton et si le Québec fini (hahaha) par se séparer (et que Montréal reste dans le Québec -car elle pourrait bien rester au Canada comme on a vu des situations similaires en Irelande-) je déménage à Toronto.

    Je comprends réellement les anglos d'en avoir marre du chialage des Québécois pures laines "francofacists" qui ne font que demander d'Ottawa (et du reste du Canada) sans jamais rien donner en retour autres que des dettes et du braillage.

    Donc, dans le fond, l'Elvis Gratton, c'est peut-être vous, non?

    -Geneviève

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  34. Would she be considered an Elvis Gratton too?

    http://www.nbc.com/the-apprentice/candidates/stephanie/

    The girl grew up in St-Pierre, both parents were drug addicts who died of AIDS. She escaped from poverty by learning English, finishing McGill, and then moving to the US where she became quite successful in the banking sector.

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  35. I wonder what is the basis of the separatists call me (or us) non-Quebecer?

    1. Revenu Quebec considers me a Quebecer since I have to file my taxes using their system and they do demand that.
    2. Directeur de l'Etat civil du Quebec considers me a Quebecer. Otherwise, how am I authorized to endorse documents issued by that office?
    3. All people in hospitality industry consider me a Quebecer, even when I was in Charlevoix / Saguenay. When I identified myself from Montreal, they agreed that I was a quebecois.

    Hospitality industry: hotels, restaurants, casinos, tour operators, among others.

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  36. I'm not sure 100%, but I think Bill 101 does allow English (and other languages) of cultural based status (TV, Radio, Newspapers, etc) to be acceptable in English only. I have seen "The Gazette" and several Montreal English radio stations advertise in English only. CFCF-TV (CTV) on the other hand seems to advertise in some sort of hybrid English/French ads using terms that both anglos and francophones can relate to. I believe this is more of a marketing ad campaign idea. Not really related to what Bill 101 allows.

    As for the Keyboard mess? This is really the language police stepping out of line. English School boards are suppose to be run by the English community. And are actually suppose to teach English by promoting it's use. The governing Liberal (Quebec) party needs to pull those language police clowns back, and set them straight.

    But, we are talking abut the Quebec Liberal party here. They will do nothing for the minority groups that put them into power. Thanks again A-holes!

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  37. @Geneviève

    Vous devriez vous intéressez un peu plus a vos classiques.Elvis Gratton est un très petit Québecois qui rève de devenir Amarrricains et se trimbale avec sa feuille d'érable collée sur son coeur.Allez faire un tour au club vidéo au coin de la rue et vous pourrez enfin comprendre
    votre mentalité profonde.C'est un film triste et hilarant a la fois.

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  38. "Would she be considered an Elvis Gratton too?"

    Oui,c'est exactement cela.C'est en quelque sorte le rêve matérialisé et inaccessible que Lynda ne réalisera jamais par manque de potentiel et/ou de talent.Qui préfère cracher sur sa nation plûtôt que sur elle-même.Vous avez tout compris.On pourrait escamoter le nom de Lynda par un autre nom comme Mary ou Geneviève.

    Le résultat est une projection de son propre mépris et de ses propres échecs sur autrui en évitant soigneusement de s'éclabousser au passage.Par contre leur rêve inaccesssible,leur tendance (presque maniaque) a magnifier et a idolâtrer l'étranger demeure intact ainsi que leur complexe d'infériorité.

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  39. "...after I left Quebec for the real world..."

    Mississauga,the bedroom of toronto?.Toronto the backyard of Buffalo?, the real world ? Ouch!!!

    I'm sorry to say that but i prefer Montréal.

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  40. Hahaha. Bon sang que vous êtes ridicule, "Anonymous". Vous jugez comme c'est pas possible à travers votre chapeau alors que vous ne connaissez tellement rien. Mais je dois avouer que vous êtes hilarant.

    Ayez-le votre p'tit Québec indépendant et crevez avec.

    En attendant, le Québec fait encore parti du Canada que vous le voulez ou pas.

    -Geneviève

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  41. @Geneviève

    Voici un lien qui devrait éclairer votre lanterne concernant la situation du Québec au sein du canada.C'est un court résumé que vous devriez comprendre assez facilement.

    Les Québécois dignent de ce nom n'ont jamais été et ne seront jamais canayens.


    http://www.histori.ca/peace/page.do;jsessionid=61FC605952BDA852B886308FA86CFC51.tomcat1?pageID=259

    Vous devriez cliquer sur les liens connexes,ils sont aussi très instructifs.

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  42. " "...after I left Quebec for the real world..." "

    "Mississauga,the bedroom of toronto?.Toronto the backyard of Buffalo?, the real world ? Ouch!!!"

    "I'm sorry to say that but i prefer Montréal. "

    Going by the analogy of 'Mississauga the bedroom of Toronto', Montreal is then the cesspool of North America. Quite literally, what with all its corruption, violence (as of late!), racism, unabashed hatred and xenophobia, heaviest smoking pollution in the world, crumbling infrastructure and plain dirty, filthy and dysfunctional as a city.

    Sorry, but living in a clean, tidy and modern bedroom sounds far more appealing than living in a pit of feces.

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  43. Anonymous said...@October 9, 2010 7:58 PM

    "Vous devriez cliquer sur les liens connexes,ils sont aussi très instructifs."

    Why would anyone read further about fantasies
    such as "night of the long knives".

    FACT - It was Levesques who first betrayed
    the other premiers (they had agreed to not
    negotiate individualy) by meeting Trudeau
    alone, trying to secure a special deal for
    Quebec. He was instead outwitted (losing
    Quebecs' historical veto).

    Much better to create the fantasy than
    admit to being an arrogant moron who'd
    been "suckered".

    DD

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  44. Mississauga Guy rebutted to Anon @ OCTOBER 9, 2010 5:23 PM...

    Mississauga is the backyard to NOBODY! How many municipalities in Quebec, or the rest of Ontario for that matter, have ZERO debt--ZERO? Please name one. Interestingly, most Ontario municipal elections are coming up two weeks from now, on October 25th, and Hazel McCallion, the mayor of Mississauga since 1978, that's now 32 years and ELEVEN consecutive electoral victories, is running again AT THE AGE OF 89--TURNING 90 next Valentine's Day. If she lives out her term, AND SHE WILL, she'll be 93 years old. She has 16 opponents this time, the most since she has been running, and I can tell you right now she's going to beat them all!!! If she wins again, AND SHE WILL, this will set a new WORLD record for most consecutive electoral wins by ANY politician--12!!!

    How's Montreal's long-term debt. How do Montreal taxes compare with Mississauga taxes? I own a 1200-sq. foot condo in Mississauga where my combined Municipal, School and Regional taxes are about $1500 per year. A buddy of mine last year, for a 900 sq. foot condo in NDG paid almost $3,000!!! I'm sure his property was reassessed at a higher amount, so I'm sure next year he's in for a shock!

    Incidentally, all the roads in my neighbourhood were completely repaved this summer after the wastewater pipes were all redone in the spring, our source water piping was redone two years ago, and a bridge on the street around the corner from me going over a ravine along the back of my property was completely redone. In those three years, my property tax has barely moved. In fact, in one of those three years it went down $10! BEAT THAT, QUEBEC! BEAT THAT, MONTREAL! How much long-term debt is Montreal supporting (with interest paid out that doesn't help Montreal taxpayers one iota)? EVERY DIME IN MISSISSAUGA TAXES GOES TO PAY FOR SERVICES, NOT DEBT. What percentage of your tax revenues goes to pay for the debt? Hmmmmm?

    Hazel McCallion collects what is required for Mississauga services, and NOT ONE PENNY MORE! BTW, her salary is the second lowest of over a dozen municipalities serving the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). Mississauga 1, Montreal 0!!!

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  45. @ Mississauga

    Madame Journeaux est née au Québec (Gaspé) et a été éduquée chez nous,dabord a Québec et puis Montréal.Pas surprenant qu'elle soit si performante...c'est une Québécoise!

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  46. @ Anon./Dartagnan:

    "Madame Journeaux est née au Québec(Gaspé)"

    Looks like you have been playing with Wikipedia. It is surprising that you would refer to Hazel McCallion as a Quebecoise. She is obviously not pure laine. Her mother must have been of British ancestry because Hazel and her brothers and sisters were given English names.

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  47. "Looks like you have been playing with Wikipedia."

    Certain,sinon a quoi servirait cet outil?
    En d'autres termes Mme.Journeaux a été assimilée.Il y a une grande marge entre pure laine et aspirée par une autre culture.

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  48. Mississauga Guy:

    I'm sure you've heard the expression "...through rose colored glasses". That is the ignorance of the Quebecois, and sadly even a fair number of Anglophones who stubbornly remain in this province.

    The province of Quebec, along with Montreal within it, has become a literal cesspool. The Francophone Quebecois put on their rose colored glasses and see a utopia: A place where French language and culture rein supreme, and everyone else is crushed beneath their feet. They live in a world of shit, but it's a FRENCH world of shit. So long as it's French only, living in a toilet suits them just fine.

    Now the Anglophones put on their rose colored glasses and see the glorious past: The late 1960's, when Montreal hosted Expo '67, when there was an explosive economic boom and growth and the city was built-up overnight, the building of the Metro, the summer Olympics on their way, Montreal the economic engine of Canada, Montreal the center of the world at one point even! They pretend we're still the middle of the greatest that was 1967, pretending to themselves the world of shit they live in now is not really there. Oh, but it certainly is, they just refuse to acknowledge it's there.

    Then there are the few like myself, that refuse to put on those rose colored glasses and see Montreal for what it is *NOW*, and the disaster it's headed for in the very near future. I know I live in a world of shit and now making plans to get out. Living in Montreal my whole life has affected me as a person, I cannot be happy in a place like this. I always hoped it would one day change, but it continues on, getting worse even. Ontario is far from perfect, but it's leaps and bounds above and beyond the mess that is Quebec. I'd like to focus on living life, and not all the daily shit that is stirred up in Quebec.

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  49. "I'd like to focus on living life, and not all the daily shit that is stirred up in Quebec."

    Alors pourquoi intervenir sur ce blogue de façon quotidienne et régulière?Je crois que vous avez quelque chose a régler avec le Québec sauf que le Québec s'en fout complètement.Vous êtes un "reject",acceptez-le et vivez votre "vie" d'ontarien.

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  50. @ Anon./Dartagnan:

    "En d'autres termes Mme.Journeaux a été assimilée."

    She chose to speak the language of her mother...not uncommon. There was historically a significant Anglophone population around the town of Gaspe.

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  51. Tolerance zero pour les racists de l'oqlf!

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