French versus English Volume 21

Roads Department's banalization of English
Returning to Quebec from a road trip to Toronto, it didn't take more than a few feet past the border to remind me that in this province, language is more important than anything.

Apparently, those in charge of Quebec road signs have a perverse sense of humour.
It's seems that to them, it's not only important to demonstrate that French is the dominant language in Quebec but also, that English is no more important than Spanish and Portuguese!
I have nothing against the Spanish and  Portuguese, but there are only about 60,000 Spaniards and 20,000 Portuguese in all of Quebec!
There's over 250,000 Italians and about 130,000 who speak Arabic. There's 90,000 Germans and over 80,000 Jews.
How come no greeting for them?

Idiots!

Alberta forced to pay for French court challenge

 Over a year ago, back in October 2009, I told readers that a case of a unilingual speeding ticket was headed to the Supreme Court because the citation wasn't written in French as well as English. Read that story
The story is back in the news as the case winds it's way through the judicial system. The latest update is that the Supreme Court has decided that the case is so important its appropriate that the government fund the legal expenses of the complainant LINK 

Not all  francophones are pleased over the prospect of bilingual tickets and some argue that Quebec should get rid of the English portion on tickets. Here is a letter writen on the website of  imperatif-francais that argues for this change. Perhaps they should submit a brief opposing the Alberta plaintiff and argue that he should lose his case in the highest court

British Columbia downgrading French language instruction

"Teachers are sounding an alarm about the future of French-language instruction in B.C. schools if the provincial government proceeds with curriculum revisions next year intended to recognize and value all languages.

They say they're worried the new "additional languages" curriculum -- so named to promote inclusiveness -- will make French the equivalent of other languages and erase its privileged place in B.C. elementary and secondary schools as one of Canada's official languages." LINK

Bilingualism loophole used in drunk charge

"A New Brunswick judge acquitted a francophone man of a drunk-driving-related charge because the police did not offer him the option of being arrested in English,.....

.....In the French-only ruling, Provincial Court Justice Yvette Finn lambasted the police for not respecting Mr. Robichaud's rights to be served in the language of his choice, even though he clearly understood French. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives special status to New Brunswick's bilingualism, rights that are "inviolable," she wrote." LINK

Lack of French at Vancouver Olympics the fault of Quebec songwriter

 Blowhard VONOC chairman John Furlong couldn't leave bad enough alone in regards to the painful lack of French at last year's Vancouver Olympics opening ceremonies.

"An explanation about why there was almost no French spoken at the opening ceremonies of last year's Vancouver Olympics is being picked apart and pilloried in Quebec. The pile-on has continued today onto Games CEO John Furlong. In a new memoir, he writes that the ceremony lacked French content because Quebec nationalist hero Gilles Vigneault refused to let organizers use his song "Mon Pays." LINK

Mr Furlong demonstrates his utter ignorance of the true nature of separatists if he actually believed Mr. Vigneault would allow his work to celebrate the concept of a strong and united Canada internationally.

If Mr. Vigneault is responsible for the lack of French at the ceremonies, who, according to Mr. Furlong should blamed for the rest of the snore-a-thon?

Battle between French school and French immersion

 One of the very few places in Canada where French education is in hot demand is in the Ottawa area where French immersion classes are all the rage. The classes are tremendously popular with anglophone parents wishing to bestow the gift of bilingualism upon their children.

But the classes have proven wildly popular with Francophone families wishing to give their own children a French education with a strong background of English.
This has enraged Francophone school boards who are furious at the idea of losing students to English schools, even those offering French immersion and so they've embarked on an expensive public relations campaign to win back students.

"That is the gist of the public relations campaign launched earlier this year by the umbrella group that represents the province's 12 French Catholic and public school boards. The $1-million campaign, which was launched during kindergarten registration, aimed at informing those eligible for French language schools -- largely, students with a parent whose first language is French or who were educated in French -- of their rights. The campaign also points out that French schools and French immersion schools are very different things. The French Catholic board, for the second year, ran a campaign with the controversial slogan: "A real French education for your child." LINK

Much ado about a birth certificate

It was a human interest story par excellence, the battle of a poor immigrant vainly attempting to secure a French birth certificate for his child after a government snafu.

The battle of Kamal El-Batal was so interesting that it was the subject of a segment on 'Mongrain,' a nationally televised French talk show.

It seems that Mr. El-Batal was offended that his family was classified as cursed anglos in the government's computer and so try as he did to get a French document for his son, the certificate was continually spit out in English.

A persistent bugger, his effort and zeal to repair the affront was an extraordinary story and excited public interest.

But of course, being the curious sort that I am, it struck me as a huge overreaction, not something an immigrant was likely to do. 

And so, a little checking revealed that Kamal El-Batal is not the simple immigrant portrayed in the story, but rather an experienced peekiss hard-liner who ran (and lost) as a PQ candidate in the last election.

Mr. El-Batal is also no stranger to complaining, he also won a $15,000 judgment in Quebec's human rights tribunal for racist hiring practices at the Quebec's agricultural co-operative. LINK

It seems that the minister responsible for the department that issues the certificates, fell for the political ruse, hook, line and sinker. 

Michelle Courchesne even phoned the PQ stalwart to tell him of her intervention. Well-played! Ha ha!
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