Friday, July 15, 2011

French versus English - Volume 31

Translated high school exam panned for English historical inaccuracies
“Nationalism in Quebec is not propagated in a haphazard way by individual teachers. It starts at the ministry level and it permeates the textbooks.” We can now add official history examinations to that. For over 20 years, Quebec has been producing dubious nationalist history in its compulsory examinations...... 

An essay question asks students to write about demographic changes that occurred in the 20th century in terms of immigration, migration within Quebec, and natural growth. In a telling omission, the consequences of Bill 101, which reduced Quebec's population and is recorded as the largest internal migration in Canadian history, are not to be considered by the students.
While this is supposed to be an examination in English, some of the documents are in French and historical English names have been changed to comply with Bill 101. L'Estrie in 1880 was in reality the Eastern Townships; and Rue Saint-Jacques, Canada's financial centre in 1920, was in reality St. James Street. In addition, the examination uses words that are not English. One question asks students to identify forms of cultural expression associated with currents of thought such as "agriculturalism" and "cooperatism." Neither the Google, Oxford, nor Webster dictionaries recognize these as words. LINK  Alternative link*    REACTION    
Politicians a No-show to Canada Day Parade
“Even as tens of thousands of people poured into the city to watch this year’s massive Canada Day parade, Montreal’s Mayor Gérald Tremblay decided he had better things to do on Canada Day than help the city celebrate the nation’s 144th birthday. While many considered the mayor’s absence to be politically insensitive,  others were quick to notice he wasn’t the only one who missed the big parade. Apart from city executive committee members Alan DeSousa and Mary Deros, Liberal MNA Justin Trudeau seemed to be the only Canadian politician in the city’s political establishment who was willing to meet and greet ordinary Canadians during their national holiday celebrations.
Read the rest of the story in the SUBURBAN
Elton John rocks Quebec city
Much to the chagrin of French militants, Elton John rocked Quebec City with a record attendance for his show at the annual music festival in Quebec city. As you can see from the photo below the show was so popular that many were forced to watch the show on the big screen, from behind the stage. Over 100,000 people attended, this in a city of 450,000 people.

The festival opened to a wildly successful French show, entitled Quebec-Paris, proving that most Quebeckers are comfortable enough in their own skin to enjoy the best the world has to offer, regardless of language.
Congratulations to organizers for respecting the intelligence of the audience!


(photo karl tremblay / JOURNAL DE QUEBEC / AGENCE QMI)

Read a story about the concert in French ... LINK{FR}


Couple awarded 12K for no French on Air Canada Flight
Michel Thibodeau, along with his wife  who flew on Air Canada flight and was served exclusively in English will receive $ 12,000 in damages and an apology from the airline.
The court also ordered the carrier  to
establish, within six months, a system "to identify, document and quantify possible violations of its linguistic obligations," LINK{FR}




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If you are desperate you can use a proxy server, which in my mind remains legal as long as it is not blocked. I've provided a link which might work, but again suggest that if you're a heavy user-PAY!

NOTE TO READERS:

I SHALL BE TAKING A SUMMER BREAK AND  WILL RESUME BLOGGING BY AUGUST 1, THE LATEST.

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SO BE IT!

REMEMBER FREE SPEECH AND DISSENT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DEMOCRACY. RAGE IS AN EXPRESSION OF LEGITIMATE OUTRAGE.
and so GENTLE READERS, I will leave you with that immortal poem by Dylan Thomas, one that you very likely know, but haven't heard in a while;

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, 
 
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
 
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night. 
 
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, 
 
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

____________________________________________________________________________


82 comments:

  1. "Couple awarded 12K for no French on Air Canada Flight"

    I hope this sad couple (try to guess where they are from...) will use that money to enroll on an intensive English course instead of giving hard time to the plain crew.
    Pathetic and kébékuà-style.

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  2. "try to guess where they are from..."

    Un pays avec 2 langues officielles peut-être?

    Moi j'trouve qu'on fait pas mal de fric avec les anglouilles et pas juste avec air canaya.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "I hope this sad(happy)couple..."

    ...Auront un service en Français la prochaine fois.Sinon ils feront le tour du monde gratuitement.Hahahahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good article, Editor. The whitewashing and sanitizing of history is very common around the world. All nation-states (and some jurisdictions as well provided they have enough autonomy) do it, although the jurisdiction of Quebec seems to be taking it to a new level.

    The truth plays second fiddle to the myth, because the truth is sometimes inconvenient, and hardly ever as flashy and appealing as the myth. And the truth wouldn’t rally the credulous masses around the elites as much as the myth does, so it's of no use to the elites, and thus not very welcome in the classrooms.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Michel Thibodeau, you are scum of the earth, move to Kebec where you will fit right in.

    The great phony bilingual scam. Its all about jobs and money…

    The simple facts are as more francophone’s get hired for all government positions less and less English speakers are working for their own governments across the country. Don’t believe me; Go check the stats for yourself. Francophone’s are over-represented in all levels of government including hospitals, law, policing...etc. No fairness, no representation by population. They call it bilingualism, yet the term is never defined on purpose and believe me it doesn’t mean fluency in 2 languages in Canada, at least to the French it doesn’t. No political party will speak for the English speaking majority in this province and country. Practical bilingualism, where numbers warrant… is never defined on purpose. In Ontario it now means segregation. The French (they are actually metis, not french)) are demanding French only facilities all over the province, not bilingual, French only.$ Bilingualism is really nothing more then a hiring quota for francophone’s and that is a fact…just ask yourself, why are francophone’s over-represented in all government jobs and how come more and more positions are being designated bilingual all the time?



    Go learn our proud, real BNA and UEL history. These were the builders of our country since 1763, not this phony, revisionist lie, spin, nonsense, this bilingual, multicultural,2 founding nations, linguistic duality lie, spin, propaganda that we’ve been living with since Trudeau and Kebec (original spelling) forced this upon the nation. We’ve been part of the British Empire since 1763 and officially and English speaking country for over 200 years, again just the facts...We were never a bilingual country. This is one big expressive lie/fraud that’s been going on for over 5 decades now.

    So while Quebec bans the English language (bill 22, bill 178, bill 101…). While ethnic language cleansing is going on in Quebec, the rest of the country is forced to fund whatever the French demand. This is going on in every province. Go check.

    Time to end this phony, expensive hiring scam.

    ReplyDelete
  6. According to this, he's a scam artist. This is apparently not the first time Michel Thibodeau pulled this type of stunt

    http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/07/14/barbara-kay-michel-thibodeau-needs-a-case-of-7up-and-to-grow-up/

    ReplyDelete
  7. "According to this, he's a scam artist. This is apparently not the first time Michel Thibodeau pulled this type of stunt..."

    Et la cour lui donne raison.Air canada devra s'ajustée et respecter la loi.Bravo Michel!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes, Bravo Michel: you succeeded in being hated and despised by whole Canada, giving your fellows (=kébékuo' race) what they deserve: a bad reputation throughout Canada and the worst of the treatments when they are out of kébék. Bravo!

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  9. "...a bad reputation throughout Canada and the worst of the treatments when they are out of kébék."

    Pour l'instant,c'est air canada qui risque de perdre des clients.Les agents de bord sont supposés servir les CLIENTS dans leur langue.
    Le canada a 2 langues officielles...Air canada a un problème et doit prendre les mesures nécessaires pour corriger la situation.

    Le jour ou il en coûtera plus cher en infractions que de former leur personnel a bien servir les Québécois,ils devraient ajuster le tir.

    Point a la ligne!

    ReplyDelete
  10. @westallophone

    Not all francophones support people like Thibodeau. Some obviously can't stand the guy. This is from the LeDevoir comment board about the Air Canada thing.

    Mathieu_Tremblay
    Inscrit
    mercredi 13 juillet 2011 16h33
    Méchant niaisage!
    Ayoye... se sentir insulté parce qu'une agente de bord vous propose un café en anglais... merci de nous faire passer pour une belle gang de bébés gâtés. Je ne comprends pas pourquoi on pourrait avoir droit à un service en français ailleurs qu'au Québec.

    ReplyDelete
  11. In defense of Thibodeau, the guy is just milking the absurd system that was put in place by the Liberal party in the 1970's. Of course it doesn't absolve Thibodeau in any way, but people who thought they could appease Quebec with the OLA made a very wrong prediction.

    Today, we have people like press 9 who milk the OLA (as in demanding to be spoken in French anywhere in Canada), yet still remain committed Quebec nationalists and Canada bashers. So it looks like Trudeau was a little too optimistic, and maybe a little naive.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @adski

    Est-ce le premier Elvis Gratton que vous rencontrer?

    "Je ne comprends pas pourquoi on pourrait avoir droit à un service en français ailleurs qu'au Québec."

    Parceque vous êtes un CLIENT de air canada et le canada a 2 langues officielles.Le "coffee" n'est que la pointe de l'iceberg.

    ReplyDelete
  13. "...a bad reputation throughout Canada and the worst of the treatments when they are out of kébék."

    Ça y est!Vous avez réussi,bonjour les problèmes d'insomnie.Merci Westphallofun!

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Le canada a 2 langues officielles"

    False. Out of touch with the reality. Invented. Fantasy world.
    On one hand, francophones say "we are not Canadians, we hate Canada, we have nothing to do with Canada". On the other hand, they want to be treated as Canadians even if they do not consider themselves as such. They want all the rights, but still berating the source which hands out these rights. They berate Canada, BUT at the same time they want to be spoken to in French in Halifax or in Calgary and equally treated even upon bashing Canada. What happened to Mr. Michel is the natural bouncing-back of the indoctrination swallowed, taught and propagated by francophones for many years, i.e, we have the right, we are entitled to shit all over Canada, but without consequences.
    You are treated how you will treat the others, you smash Canada and Canada smashes you.
    No sympathy at all.
    Go Air Canada Go!

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  15. Haïti chérie dit: J’ai bien hâte que les anglophones s'ouvrent également à ce qui se fait de mieux dans le monde {en référence à Elton John...}. À CHOM, je cherche la musique autre qu'anglo-saxonne... Quand aurons-nous du Tabou Combo et autres phares de la musique haïtienne ? Pourquoi pas Félix Leclerc aux stations anglophones de Mtl ? Pourquoi toujours aux mêmes à s'ouvrir aux autres ? Vous Westallophone quand venez-vous nous rendre visite à St-Michel écouter le kompa ? Je n'ai qu' à souhaiter que le Québec devienne un nouveau pays pour le monde !

    ReplyDelete
  16. @Westallophone

    The OLA is a Canadian program, as are the equalization payments and the many deals that Ottawa cuts for Quebec (guaranteed market shares for agricultural products, favoritism in bidding for contracts etc...). Quebec nationalists don't seem to have a problem with these. In fact, I've never heard a single nationalist say: to underline our scorn for Canada, we should opt out of these programs...something that would be a logical consequence of their views. But they seem to be all quiet on this. It seems like Canada is no so bad after all...

    This reminds me of an exchange I read on some forum where one guy was spewing out his separatist enthusiasm, but when one guy from Canada said that he wants Quebec to go, the separatist guy said something like: "not so fast, we should still maintain an association". By "association", he undoubtedly meant the Canadian programs that favor Quebec.

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  17. Haïti chérie dit: Tout à fait normal qu'Air Canada offre un service en français, le français n'est pas une langue officielle égale à l'anglais au Canada. Je n'ause même pas imaginer le tableau si l'agent de bord aurait été unilingue français et le client un anglophone de Mississauga... Le drame national couvert d'un océan à l'autre par le Suburban et The Gazette ! De quoi faire sortir la chemise brune des blogeurs de No Dogs !

    ReplyDelete
  18. @haiti cherie:

    You shouldn't judge "openness" by radio content. The reason why francophone radio plays a lot of English songs has nothing to do with openness. The radio doesn't play "anglophone" content, as they refer to it - "le top 10 'et (hit) anglophone"... it plays American content, because it's popular and broadcast all over the world. So they do it not to be left behind, and not because they're open minded. Notice that they never play anything non-anglo non-franco.

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  19. adski,

    Your comments exactly underline my pessimism about the separatist movement. You see, I know see the separatist movement as a not-very-serious undertaking. The separatists want all they want without sacrifice on their part. They want to be "the masters of their lands" wihtout actually losing what benefits they gain from Canada. Just read the questions in their referenda. Both of them did not mention anything about separation and independence, just sovereignty.

    In that case, then, I came to the conclusion that the separatists do not actually have the audacity to proclaim an independent and separate country. They know the consequences and they know how it will affect their lifestyle and their livelihood. We are all aware, and I am certain that they are also aware, that an independent Quebec can not and will not maintain the level of prosperity the population enjoys.

    And so you have it. We have a group of people who claims that Canada is not their country, that Canada should have its hands off provincial affairs, that they want have nothing to do with Canada on one hand, but on the other hand keep on demanding that Canada pays attention to them and their needs. One comedic example was when Mario Beaulieu - a man who wants the whole province to be unilingual - criticized the Vancouver Olympics for not being bilingual enough.

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  20. @Westy

    "Les Québécois sont des canadiens."

    False. Out of touch with the reality. Invented. Fantasy world.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Why do I have the feeling that if Quebec ever became an independent country and had a state-supported airline, not only would the flight attendants probably only speak French, but they would be required to only speak French?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Edward,

    I am not so sure about that. I have a hypothesis that the French language in the independent Quebec would be even more threatened that it is now within Canada. The assumption is that the new country is really independent and separated, not in the sovereignty-association BS.

    Even though the separatists never admit it, the OLA does help preserve the French language, particularly in the new economy where goods and information flow more freely. With OLA, products sold in Canada need to be bilingual. As well, services provided by federal entities too. Canada has 33.3 million of population and currently world's 14th largest economy with $ 1.6 trillion in GDP. Therefore, Canada has the economy of scale.

    Ceteris paribus, independent Quebec would have 7.8 million of population and $ 302 million in GDP. I think it can be expected that the new Canada-without-Quebec would not want anything to do in French. So we would have an island of French with small economic power, surrounded by complete ocean of English. Would you think that French would prevail?

    Once Quebec is separated, if it still wants to have trade relationship with Canada and the United States, Quebec will have the burden of language. Companies may not want to sell in Quebec if the French language requirements is perceived to be unnecessary cost. As well, Canada and United States may not care for Quebec products if they are not sold in English.

    Point is, the pressure to the society to be able to communicate in English will be more than it is now. It does not mean that the new Quebec would completely abandon French, but it would need to be like the Netherlands where 90% of the population speaks and writes good English. Certainly need to be more than that since Quebec's population is lower and it is more surrounded by English territories.

    In any way, the dream of a unilingual Quebec is truly an impossibility, independent or not.

    ReplyDelete
  23. One more comment on this subject. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking to MAINTAIN your native language, whether it be francophones in the ROC or anglophones in Quebec. (As I learned in another message board, it's perfectly possible even for adults to lose fluency in your native language if you don't practice it enough.) But if some francophones are (according to pro-BNA/UEL Anom.) demanding French-only services without learning English---isn't that what Quebecois have been complaining about Anglos in Quebec?

    P.S. In a bilingual country citizens are entitled to receive services in the language of their choice. (And yes, I already know that Quebec is not bilingual.) What I am referring to is at least trying to learn or speak the native language. Not to try at all---whether you are French or English---makes you look like an @$$hole.

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  24. @ Haiti cherie,

    CHOM is an English language radio station...haven't you heard? It doesn't play much French music because it would lose listeners. Most French music is crap.

    ReplyDelete
  25. "...haven't you heard? It doesn't play much French music because it would lose listeners...

    Pas besoin de nous pour perdre des auditeurs,ça fait 40 ans qu'ils passent les mêmes tounes!

    De plus,moi je n'écoute que Lady GaGa pour ses textes géniaux et bien sûr,ses talents musicaux.(Ironie)

    Désolé,mais la belle époque des groupes pop anglos est terminée,idem pour les amerlocs.

    ReplyDelete
  26. > I have a hypothesis that the French language in the independent Quebec would be even more threatened that it is now within Canada. [...] Once Quebec is separated, if it still wants to have trade relationship with Canada and the United States, Quebec will have the burden of language. [...]In any way, the dream of a unilingual Quebec is truly an impossibility, independent or not.

    Completely agree with you, Troy.

    ReplyDelete
  27. @ Press 9 for A**hole,

    "Désolé,mais la belle époque des groupes pop anglos est terminée,idem pour les amerlocs."

    Yeah, right. That's why Arcade Fire (from Montreal of all places) is the top band in the world.

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  28. "Yeah, right. That's why Arcade Fire (from Montreal of all places) is the top band in the world."

    Justin Bieber too.

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  29. "...is the top band in the world."

    Think big s'tie!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Troy: "Your comments exactly underline my pessimism about the separatist movement."

    Troy, any rational person would have suspicions. For one, why hasn’t it happened already? It’s been 50 years already in a situation where all they need is a 50+1% decision in a general referendum, with 80% of the population up for grabs. Second, why are they in a habit of shunning the hard question? Why avoid the word “independence” and stress an “economic partnership” with the very country they are so desperately trying to leave? Third, why isn’t there a complete dissociation from Canada, but a continual exploitation of the federal system? Why doesn’t anyone say: we should be independent, hence we shall opt out of the transfer payments …and we don’t need their market shares either, thank you very much… Fourth, why the rhetoric of blackmail? That if Canada continues to be “indifferent” about Quebec, Quebeckers will just “have enough”. Why should the separation of Quebec be based on Canada’s behavior in the first place? Shouldn’t one want his/her country because he/she wants his/her country regardless of what anyone else says or does? Shouldn’t this feeling of nationhood come from within, not from without?

    So yes, there are very solid grounds here for suspicion.

    ReplyDelete
  31. From a separatist perspective, the perfect question for the next referendum would be: "Do you want to have your cake and eat it, too?"
    It's essentially what Quebecers seem to want: all the benefits of being a separate country, plus all the benefits of being a Canadian province, with none of the responsibilities. Thus, the sovereignty-association concept aimed at sucking more cautious Quebecers into voting in favour of a disaster in the making. I'm sure flakes like Press 9 For Drivel would be all over it.

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  32. Why do federalists keep pounding away at the conspiracy theories of an apocalyptic independent Quebec? These doomer fantasies simply don't work anymore...

    ReplyDelete
  33. Edward J. Cunningham said...

    "What I am referring to is at least trying to learn or speak the native language"

    The ONLY languages NATIVE to "Quebec" are:
    Inuit
    Abenakis
    Algonquins
    Attikameks
    Crees
    Wendat
    Malecities
    Micmacs
    Mohawks
    Innu

    My apologies to any of the First Nation
    missed. Which were you suggesting?

    DD

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  34. @Edward J. Cunninglingus

    "demanding French-only services without learning English---isn't that what Quebecois have been complaining about Anglos in Quebec?"

    Une question pour vous monsieur le génie :
    Laquelle des deux langues risque d'être assimilée par l'autre?

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  35. "I have a hypothesis that the French language in the independent Quebec would be even more threatened that it is now within Canada. [...] Once Quebec is separated, if it still wants to have trade relationship with Canada and the United States, Quebec will have the burden of language. [...]In any way, the dream of a unilingual Quebec is truly an impossibility, independent or not."

    It's all for sake of conversation, but I've got a hard time understanding your argument. You say an independant Quebec would have the "burden of language" as you call it. Well it already has "the burden of language". Quebecois have been conducting business with Canada and to a greater degree United Stated for a very long time and I don't see how it would change regarding language just because a new imaginary line is drawn on world Atlas. Perhaps I'm missing something here.

    As for "compagnies étrangères" that wouldn't be willing to submit to language laws in an hypothetic independant Quebec, I highly doubt it. First these laws already exist. Second, I'm eager to know the name of 1 single company willing to cut itself from a 7-8 million people market for the sake of refusing language translation on its products. It'd be quite foolish.

    Regards,

    Leo

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  36. "company willing to cut itself from a 7-8 million people market for the sake of refusing language translation on its products. It'd be quite foolish."

    No company would give up on Quebec as a dumping ground for its products. All companies would continue to sell products in Quebec and provide bilingual (or even French only) labels, if that's what it takes.

    But what about production and business operations? Would a US or a Canadian business lean towards a location with language laws, or towards a location without language laws?

    Yes, there are American companies and Canadian companies in Quebec today. I heard the US companies move in to Quebec under a condition that top management is exempted from Bill 101 (language of work and schooling for their children). Many Canadian companies stay (the crown corporations like Air Canada for example) because they are forced to do so by the federal government (Air Canada wanted to move out to Winnipeg for a long time now). In all cases (whether US or Canadian), the government also provides special financial incentives, at the expense of the taxpayer, so as to offset the deterrence posed by Bill 101.

    But even with the incentives and exemptions, there are probably many businesses that still opt to stay out of Quebec after weighing all the pros and cons.

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  37. Leo,

    What you are missing is the 'protection' that OLA provides for the French language in Canada. Remember that OLA blankets commerce and trades in Canada almost comprehensively. Like I wrote, my assumption in the case of Quebec separation is that OLA would be abolished and Canada would be unilingual English like the United States.

    For the first point, federally chartered companies in Canada are obligated to provide services in both official languages. Look at Air Canada case above. The extent of services provided varies from one industry to the other, I believe. Therefore, once Quebec is separated, I would think that the privilege of having a bit of business with ROC in French will disappear for Quebec-based business.

    For the second point, while companies may not abandon the market completely, surely prices will not be the same. As of now, we all know that prices of goods in Canada are higher than in the United States (before taxes and currency equivalent). There are a number reasons for it but one of them is indeed that goods in Canada must be labelled in two languages. That makes goods from the United States (a market ten times bigger than Canada) must be repackaged. Now, if companies must do that for a market of just 3% the size of Can-Am market, imagine the extra fees that the would pass down to consumers.

    Just remember the debacle over white margarine. While white margarine was the norm, it became outdated. Quebec was the last jurisdiction to have white margarine mandatory. After every other province allowed yellow margarine, producing white margarine for Quebec turned to be economically not feasible. See this analogy and change white margarine with French packaging.

    And remember that we have not touched the very high possibility of businesses leave Quebec and for Quebec being treated as foreign country for Canada-based companies.

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  38. I just looked in at your blog for the first time in a while and I was struck by the number of ignorant anglophones who responded to this post, and others. For example, Westallophone and, of course "Anonymous". Do these people live anywhere near Quebec ? Did they graduate from high school ?

    As the Supreme Court of Canada pointed out in the secession reference case the rule of law is a fundamental element of Canadian democracy. This fellow Thibodeau was perfectly within his rights to make a claim against Air Canada and the result is absolutely correct and appropriate. Frankly, anyone who flies Air Canada is familiar with their uneven service and the sometinmes surly attitude of their staff who are, after all, in the business of serving Air Canada's customers. They need a good head slap now and again. I wonder what some of the fringe merchants who responded to this post would say if the complainant were an anglophone who could not get service in english on an Air Canada flight? It's happened to me several times. I just switch to French because I am always looking for an opportunity to use it. And I want my drink, not an argument.

    Some of you really are pathetic hypocrites. Various commentators on this and other posts love to rail indignantly against ethnic nationalism in Quebec and those damn separatists etc. and then they adopt exactly the same line of ethnically biased gibberish in their own comments. People like westallophone are just francophobic mirror images of the sort of anglophobic comments which are so popular at the sovereignist blog vigile.net.

    I hope the francophones who read this blog appreciate that, regrettably, we anglophones have to endure our proportionate share of nutbars on talk radio programs and blogs like this. Yes, everyone is entitled to their opinions - but not all opinions are of equal value, as "Anonymous" has so effectively demonstrated, above.

    Bon Weekend

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  39. @ Sandy Mctire,

    How much English service is available in Quebec? Not very much.

    Thibodeau is nothing more than a nitpicking troublemaker. He also complained about a lack of bilingualism on OC Transpo buses in Ottawa, but I take these buses regularly and I can assure you that everything is bilingual.

    There are some harsh comments appearing on this blog, but these are often in response to inflammatory posts by the likes of French language zealots like Press 9.

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  40. Sandy McTire, it’s true, Thibodeau was “within his rights”, but does that justify his dickead behavior? If you act in an absurd way and you’re “within your rights” all at the same time, doesn’t it mean that the framework is absurd? (OLA, I’m looking in your direction)?

    I’m actually surprised that there aren’t more Thibodeaus exploiting the absurdities inherent in the concessions made by Ottawa to appease Quebec. If Air Canada (a federal crown corporation) were to be sued by a lot of people for millions of dollars, maybe the feds would realize what horrible mistake Trudeau has made with the OLA, and take a closer look at this law.

    Also, I must say this, I can’t help but notice a lot of hypocrisy on this issue coming from Canada’s Francophones. On one hand, they rightly mock the OLA for what it is - a sham to please Quebec, on the other hand they take it literally and expect that Canadians adhere to it (and throw tantrums when they don’t).

    As for Mr.Thibodeau, congratulations: http://www.cradkilodney.net/dickhead/

    You win the top prize.

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  41. To Sandy McTire,

    I know an Anglophone who works for Via Rail in Montreal and he says that all meetings are held in French only, despite the fact that the company is federally chartered. Perhaps he should sue Via too.

    You seem to have a fairly surly attitude yourself. Maybe you could use a slap in the head. Quislings of your kind are the reason why Anglos are in such a terrible predicament in Quebec these days.

    ReplyDelete
  42. "Quislings of your kind are the reason why Anglos are in such a terrible predicament in Quebec these days."

    Pas si vite avec vos insultes l'ami!Je suis un pure-laine et Sandy est le genre de personne qui a su s'adapter a son environnement francophone sans perdre sa langue maternelle.Je la trouve fort sympathique et ouverte sur la différence...Une soeur anglo-Québécoise comme on les aime!

    Merci Sandy!

    ReplyDelete
  43. @ Adski : you don't seem to understand how our legal system works. There is only one set of rules and everybody has to conform to those rules, including Air Canada. There is no unwritten Code of Absurd Behaviour that trumps federal and provincial laws. If there were such a Code I'm sure you would be among the first to be arrested and imprisoned for your numerous absurd comments to this blog.

    @Anonymous : I am very happy to learn that you know one anglophone who actually lives in Quebec. That's a start. But please tell him that there is no legal requirement that internal business meetings conducted by federal corporations must be conducted in english, before he embarrasses himself by filing a complaint.

    I note that, as suspected, you don't live in Quebec. Anglos in Quebec are not in a "terrible predicament". Rubbish. We don't need your misinformed attempts to defend us, either. Keep your nose in Ottawa. Try volunteering in a food bank if you feel the urge to help your fellow citizens. That would do a lot more good than wasting everyone's time on this blog with your narrow minded francophobic comments. Better still, learn to speak French. It might broaden your outlook. But probably not. If you think I am a "quisling" (how quaint! I haven't seen that word used for 30 + years) because I made an obvious point about the rule of law and I don't abide francophobia or anglophobia then you are likely beyond help.

    ReplyDelete
  44. "Imagine if I went to the Quebec human rights commission."

    Alors,comment vous sentez-vous dans la peau de centaines de milliers de Québécois qui ont subi des traitements encore bien pires que les vôtres de la part des anglos au cours de notre histoire et ou notre langue était pratiquement interdite?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Nutbars, Sandy? Really? That's a bit of the pot calling the kettle black. You seriously think Thibodeau, who evidently is fluently bilingual, was "damaged" to the tune of $12,000? More like $2.50, and only if he didn't actually get the 7Up. These grasping opportunists are in it purely for the money.

    ReplyDelete
  46. "Alors,comment vous sentez-vous dans la peau de centaines de milliers de Québécois qui ont subi des traitements encore bien pires que les vôtres de la part des anglos au cours de notre histoire et ou notre langue était pratiquement interdite?"

    Oh, get over it. Just because an injustice was done to your 'nation' does that mean that it is OK to do it now to other people? Is that your reasoning? And, actually... was French banned half a century ago? Was there an 'Imperatif anglais' that would impose English in public spaces (but in private)?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Sandy McTire: "This fellow Thibodeau was perfectly within his rights to make a claim against Air Canada and the result is absolutely correct and appropriate"

    Absolutely correct and appropriate? Is someone who denounces a store owner on the basis of Bill 101's sign provision also acting in an "absolutely correct and appropriate" way?

    How much lower can we sink as a society? There isn't much lower left to go if we start judging our behavior based on a set of arbitrary rules put in place for political reasons, instead of basing it on common decency and good manners.

    How low has Quebec (and Canada) sank since the 1970's when contemptible acts such as ratting fellow citizens out to the government (the OQLF), or rude behavior plus mid-air disturbances on an air plane, were turned into into a virtue and a citizen's duty? How much lower can we go if we sanction rude (and dangerous since it was in the air) behavior and reward it with compensations of several thousand dollars?

    We as a country have sunk very low indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  48. @ Anonymous:

    "Thibodeau is nothing more than a nitpicking troublemaker. He also complained about a lack of bilingualism on OC Transpo buses in Ottawa, but I take these buses regularly and I can assure you that everything is bilingual."

    Compare this to the STM transit system in Montreal, where a bus driver called the police when a passenger had the nerve to ask for directions in English. Did that passenger receive any compensation for the resulting trauma? Hardly.

    ReplyDelete
  49. "Alors,comment vous sentez-vous dans la peau de centaines de milliers de Québécois qui ont subi des traitements encore bien pires que les vôtres de la part des anglos au cours de notre histoire et ou notre langue était pratiquement interdite?"

    So you admit to Quebec society actively discriminating against and targeting anglophones, and see it as a justifiable revenge? And revenge for what exactly, the mythical fat woman at Eaton's? Or that the British conquered New France some 400 years ago?

    How exactly is this connected to me specifically? Perhaps by your logical, I should discriminate all persons who are German, including children, as "revenge" for what happened to some of my distant relatives in the holocaust.

    No, this is plain and simple...it's an excuse to hate another culture and anyone that is different from you. Sadly you have been taught you, as a Francophone, are superior by your birthright and should step on anyone who is not.

    I have to say its this attitude and reality that has made QUEBEC A STAIN ON CIVILIZED SOCIETY OF THE WORLD. I cannot think of any where else in the world, any place that claims to be democratic and civilized, that acts the way Quebec does. Not one.

    Congratulations, you can be proud that your unique in that sense.

    ReplyDelete
  50. "I cannot think of any where else in the world, any place that claims to be democratic and civilized, that acts the way Quebec does."

    Alors,je crois que vous ne voyagez pas beaucoup.
    Aussi,Je vous suggère de regarder un peu plus les infos a la télé (ou sur le web) et vous serez a même de constater que notre société fait bonne figure en regard aux traitements réservés a sa minorité anglophone.Beaucoup prendrait votre place sans aucune hésitation.

    ReplyDelete
  51. "QUEBEC A STAIN ON CIVILIZED SOCIETY OF THE WORLD."

    Et comble de malheur,vous y habitez.Vraiment pas de chance mon ami ;)

    ReplyDelete
  52. "Congratulations, you can be proud that your unique in that sense."

    Il ne vous est jamais passé par l'esprit de prendre quelques cours de français afin d'améliorer votre condition au sein d'une majorité francophone?

    ReplyDelete
  53. "Il ne vous est jamais passé par l'esprit de prendre quelques cours de français afin d'améliorer votre condition au sein d'une majorité francophone?"

    Have you ever thought of enrolling on an intensive English course, the language of the majority, in order to improve your condition in an English-speaking country?

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  54. (Part 1)

    OK. After reading abour "poor" Mr. Thibodeau, and ignorant comments supporting him from Anglo Apologists such as Sandy McTire, I'd like to share a personal story.

    Something happened to me just two years ago, and if it were any place in the world other than Quebec, I would have reported it to a human rights commission. Maybe I still should...

    I worked for one of the largest companies in Canada. Its head office is out west and that's who workers in all provinces contact when they need support from HR, health services, and other forms of assistance. All except Quebec, where Quebec employees must deal with a separate (duplicate) entity out in Rimouski. Still, I made do, and was a model employee. Things were fine until one day without warning, my life got turned upsidedown. My father, who was the center of my family and my life, was diagnosed with the most severe and aggressive forms of brain cancer and given less than a year to live.

    Devastated as I was, I still stuck it out and stayed at work for several months. That is, until towards the very end of my father's cancer and he began dying. I fell into a very deep and major depression, and needed to take sick leave from work at this point (actually on advice from my doctor, who even documented it in writing).

    Now here's where my story gets interesting. In order to follow through, I had to deal with health services in Rimouski, Quebec. First thing I get are a complex series of medical forms for my doctor, and a psychological profiling questionnaire with essay question for myself to fill out, over a 10 pages long--IN FRENCH ONLY. I immediately contact health services in Rimouski for English forms, and got this reply. And I quote:
    ---
    "Because of law 101 in Quebec, our letters are in french. So, I'm not bilingue. I'm sorry!"
    ---
    They even refuse to correspond with me in English by e-mail or over the phone, except to relay that above message.

    No problem I thought, I'll contact my manager who's native tongue is French. His initial response is he'll help me translate them. That is, until the people in Rimouski found out a day later. He contacted me back with sudden change of tone and told me under NO circumstances is he allowed to assist me in translating the forms--since I was hired in Quebec I'm expected to understand the French forms myself!

    And if that were not bad enough, I am next instructed I am not allowed to answer the questions in English. They must all be written in French, or the forms will be invalidated. The same rule had to be applied to my doctor, everything in French or else! (oh, did I mention the people in Rimouski spoke and understand English perfectly? This was all about punishing me and putting me in my place over the language I spoke and most comfortable in).

    ReplyDelete
  55. (Part 2)

    Now understand at this point my father had finally died, and my depression grew far deeper, and this was driving me to the very edge, yet there was no sympathy from the Quebec division of health services. Yes, health services. Luckily I had a close friend sit down and translate all the forms, and help me translate my answer into French. Had it not been for her, I probably would have just given up out of all the added stress caused by the people in Rimouski.

    And this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of mistreatment I got for being an Anglophone who dared asked for English forms. Regardless of what I submitted, or how to the letter I followed their instructions, I was continually harassed by the Quebec division of the company. Even my doctor commented that I was being told to jump through unnecessary hoops, and how in all his years no patient's company ever asked so much of him and his patient. And this was over a very simple matter, nothing complex: A parent in their final days of life, employee finding it difficult to continue at work.

    In my case it was blanently obvious discrimination, harassment and denying my basic human rights (and in the middle of the worst possible point in my entire life). Imagine if I went to the Quebec human rights commission. I'd undoubtedly be laughed at: an Anglophone discriminated against in French Quebec! Nonetheless, I wanted to share this story now that I no longer work for that company and some of what I went through.

    Oh, but poor Mr. Thibodeau and his 7up turning into a Sprite. Oh the humanity.

    ReplyDelete
  56. @ Sandy McTire,

    "I note that, as suspected, you don't live in Quebec. Anglos in Quebec are not in a "terrible predicament". Rubbish. We don't need your misinformed attempts to defend us, either. Keep your nose in Ottawa."

    I was born in Montreal and lived there for 47 years before moving to Ottawa 3 years ago, so I am quite familiar with the situation there. I still have friends and relatives who live in Quebec, so what happens there is my business.

    If the situation for Anglos in Quebec is not difficult, as you state, why have hundreds of thousands of them left the province during the past several decades?

    ReplyDelete
  57. "why have hundreds of thousands of them left the province during the past several decades?"

    Parcequ'ils ne voulaient pas vivre en français.
    D'autres questions aussi faciles?

    ReplyDelete
  58. "Parcequ'ils ne voulaient pas vivre en français.
    D'autres questions aussi faciles?"

    Never ever.
    You will live in your language (or sort of language), I will live in mine.

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  59. NOTE TO READERS:
    Blogger has made a software update which is not completely bug-free. As you may have noticed, some comments have been lost, only to return later and some are going into the SPAM folder.
    Please understand that while I'm on vacation I've removed comment moderation and your entry should appear immediately.
    If not send me an email which I am monitoring closely via push mail.
    As for the comments submitted I'm reading all of them but infrequently as I'm trying to take a break.
    Happy vacation !

    ReplyDelete
  60. @West phallo drone

    "I will live in mine."

    Aucun problème alors.Bonne chance!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Press 9 said:

    "Je suis un pure-laine et Sandy est le genre de personne qui a su s'adapter a son environnement francophone sans perdre sa langue maternelle.Je la trouve fort sympathique et ouverte sur la différence..."

    Congratulations Sandy! You have received compliments and approval from our resident separatist troll, Press 9, who despises Americans, Anglo-Canadians and especially Anglo-Quebeckers.

    ReplyDelete
  62. @ Anonymous aka Press 9:

    "why have hundreds of thousands of them left the province during the past several decades?"

    "Parcequ'ils ne voulaient pas vivre en français.
    D'autres questions aussi faciles?"

    Many Anglos who left Quebec were fluently bilingual. They moved to greener pastures because they faced discrimination and harassment in the workforce and elsewhere in Quebec. It didn't matter if they spoke French.

    ReplyDelete
  63. "Press 9, who despises Americans, Anglo-Canadians and especially Anglo-Quebeckers."

    Correction:

    Press 9, who despises American mindset,a lot of Anglo-Canadians and some Anglo-Quebeckers.

    Merci,thank you,gracia!

    ReplyDelete
  64. "(oh, did I mention the people in Rimouski spoke and understand English perfectly?"

    Hein ???

    Alors c'est que vous avez une attitude vraiment désagréable et que j'aurais probablement agi comme eux.

    ReplyDelete
  65. "you don't seem to understand how our legal system works. There is only one set of rules and everybody has to conform to those rules, including Air Canada. There is no unwritten Code of Absurd Behaviour that trumps federal and provincial laws."

    Well, Sandy, as I said, I do agree with you that Thibodeau was "within his rights" in terms of linguistic rules imposed on Air Canada by the federal government. So I know how works "our" legal system (read: the system that was imposed on the ROC in an attempt by Ottawa to appease Quebec). What I'm saying to you is this: even though douchebag behavior might not be against the law (although in that instance it might have violated the flight code), it is nonetheless douchebag behavior.

    And yes, there is no unwritten Code of Absurd Behaviour, but there is an unwritten code of absurd behavior (small letters). It is an unoffical code by which we judge, regardless of what is legal what isn't, whether someone behaves like a douche or behaves appropriately. You can call it ethics, manners, moral code, whatever. So, if you start shit on an air plane over a can of 7up served to you by a stewardess in English, I do not care in the slightest what Air Canada is supposed or not supposed to do. And even if I agree that they should have been able to serve the drink in French, that still doesn't change the fact that Thibodeau acted like a douche.

    I cannot explain this any clearer than this. You should see my point right now, although you seem to be unfamiliar with the unwritten code of proper human interactions which frowns upon being a douche, and you seem to prefer to follow laws like bill 101 as a guide (which, contrary to the code of ethics, encourage douchbag behavior like informing on your fellow citizens). So maybe we shouldn't expect much from you.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Saviez-vous adski que selon nos lois sur l'immigration,nous devons accepter de laisser entrer au Québec des individus tel que vous?Sachant pertinemment qu'ils nous chieront dessus dès leur demande acceptée.Vous avez dit comportements de douchebags?

    Soit dit en passant, si tous les anglos du Québec avaient un comportement comme celui de Sandy,il n'y aurait pas beaucoup de plaintes chez Air Canada et je serais le premier a vouloir assouplir la loi 101.Ce sont les adski de votre espèce qui nous motivent a agir de la sorte et détester le type d'anglo (d'adoption) que vous êtes.C'est-a-dire,méprisant et irrespectueux.

    ReplyDelete
  67. adski dit:

    "although you seem to be unfamiliar with the unwritten code of proper human interactions..."

    L'image qui me vient a l'esprit est un paraplégique essayant de nous donner des leçons de dance...Totalement Hallucinant!

    ReplyDelete
  68. "...why have hundreds of thousands of them left the province during the past several decades?"

    Like you said : "Get over it".

    ReplyDelete
  69. Yes, a jerk like Thibodeau is "perfectly within his rights", and someone who calls him a douche is "méprisant et irrespectueux". Quebec is indeed a parallel universe.

    Yes again, if all Canadians were like Sandy McTire, Quebec could breathe a sigh of relief. Although I doubt that would change their behavior too much. I think they would just start asking for yet more. The demand-concession cycle can so easily become endless.

    Yes the third time for immigration. I know, ideally you'd like all the immigrants to suspend their values (and common sense) and drink from the bill101/OLA kool-aid. Alas, you're not going to get that. Tough luck.

    ReplyDelete
  70. @Adski et ses clônes francophobes

    Méprisant et irrespectueux sont les qualificatifs pour l'ensemble de votre oeuvre,pas pour le cas de Thibodeau précisément.

    ReplyDelete
  71. "Press 9, who despises American mindset,a lot of Anglo-Canadians and some Anglo-Quebeckers.

    Merci,thank you,gracia!"

    Despises the American mindset yet blatantly supports the very American mindset of suing a company for any old reason, no matter how trivial it may be.

    Heres an interesting article that appeared in Le Devoir recently. Enjoy!

    http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/327655/franco-ontariens-notre-avenir-n-est-pas-menace-m-duceppe

    ReplyDelete
  72. "...why have hundreds of thousands of them (Anglos) left the province during the past several decades?"

    "Like you said : "Get over it"."

    There is a key difference here. The exodus of Anglos from Quebec is still happening now, unlike the past injustices against Francophones which may have occurred 50, 100 or 250 years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Et l'excellente réponse de Rififis (qui traduit parfaitement ma pensée):

    Il y a quelques années je travaillais dans un bureau d'une compagnie très connu à Montréal. J'avais deux collègues franco-ontariens, lorsque l'on s'adressait à eux en français, ils nous répondaient en français. Mais lorsqu'ils se parlaient entre eux, c'était toujours en anglais. Ce dont ils discutaient en anglais, c’était sur le travail et la difficulté à comprendre l’obstination des québécois gauchistes et réactionnaire à l'anglais

    (C’était du temps ou un propriétaire d'un restaurant à Montréal était poursuivit par l'Office de la langue française, parce qu'il refusait de traduire ses menus en français selon les modalités de la loi de Robert Bourassa, même si eux l'attribuaient à la loi 101 du PQ.

    Tout cela pour dire Mme la ministre que les frontières imposées par les anglais au cours de ces 2 dernier siècles n’ont pas seulement fait sombrer dans l'oubli et l'indifférence les différentes communautés franco-machin-jamais-vraiment-canadian, qui sont toutes en mode survies, elles mettent seulement la table à l'immersion identitaire avant l'immersion linguistique.

    N'oubliez pas Mme la ministre déléguée francophone de service que sans le poids démographique de la population du Québec et la volonté du Canada de se défendre l’effacer, vous n'auriez même pas d'emploi.

    Cela dit, on comprend bien votre désespoir (ou plus certainement votre ineptie), vous n’êtes qu’une victime comme toutes les membres des cultures qui ont précédés les loyalistes britanniques qui se font appelés canadian.

    Mais nous ne sommes pas les seuls victimes de l’usurpation de notre identité, il y a bien les Coptes, minorité ostracisée d’Égypte, descendants des bâtisseurs des pyramides et leurs envahisseurs arabes qui eux se font appelé Égyptiens.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Yikes ! I turn off my computer for a few days and you folks are at it again.

    @ Adski's re your further attempts to enlighten us all on your Code of Douchebag Behaviour, thank you for making my point. It seems you have an unwritten Code in your head which you believe is widely understood by your fellow citizens, even though mental telepathy skills are not commomly found in our species. But no doubt you are encouraged because some other commentators appear to agree with your Code. I suggest caution because those who agree with you may be more motivated by the fact that this case involves a francophone douchebag. (Say, what is a douchebag, anyways ? You and that fella Anonymous, or is it anonymous, keep using these quaint insults). In fact, I think it would be more correct to call it Adski's Unwritten Code of Franco-Douchebag Behavior.

    I am relieved that you understand your Code can never be imposed on our fellow citizens. But somehow that doesn't stop you and some of the other bitter people like anonymous (and Anonymous) from joining in the chorus every time you see a transgression of your Code. Please know this : your closest parallel in the blogosphere are the anglophobic francophones at Vigile.net and the Societe St Jean Baptiste (and perhaps this angry young man Press 9 ?) who preach an Unwritten Code of ANGLO-Douchebag Behaviour. They don't like hearing english spoken, or sung, or written anywhere near them and will complain about it whether or not they have the right to do so. You are all peas from the same pod as far as I am concerned. A pox on all your houses. None of you are capable of, or interested in, overcoming the two solitudes. And when someone calls you out on your obvious ethnic prejudices you become indignant as if you are the good guys! I guess for some folks the unexamined life IS worth living.

    But the rest of us in Quebec are going forward, in both languages, and we are leaving the antique arguments and the attitudes of the francophobes and the anglophobes behind. I don't speak French because some silly bureaucrat in Quebec City wants me to. I do it because I am a free man and I choose to - out of first, respect for my franco-Quebecois colleauges and secondly, out of economic self interest. I want to do business with them.

    I am not a mind reader but I am willing to bet a large poutine that the words MUTUAL RESPECT can't be found in Adski's Unwritten Code of Franco-Douchebag Behaviour. More's the pity. Where is Aretha when we need her ?

    @ Anonymous re your 47 years in Quebec. Sure, you are entitled to be interested in what is happening in Quebec. But it is not your "business" to slang the behaviour of Quebecers from afar and opine on how they should improve themselves. You are not a real stakeholder. Should OC Transport take the comments of a french langauge Quebec blog seriously if they start preaching to OC about how to better serve their customers en francais?

    And re your question about interprovincial migration, note that a major reason many anglos left Quebec over a period of decades is that they were able to. Their knowledge of English and generally higher education levels gave them mobility in an economy that was expanding in the rest of Canada while Quebec's was in relative decline. (even today, Quebec has 23 % of the population but contributes only 18+ % of the Gross National Product) Many unilingual francophones would have left too but they were trapped in Quebec. Now, 3 + decades later, a generation of newly bilingual francophones are leaving Quebec for economic opportunities in the ROC and beyond. Conversely, anonymous, perhaps if you had spoken and read French well, you would not have had to leave Quebec and your relatives to fend for themselves. But - hey, ain't the internet great ! when we face a tricky Behaviour question involving the use of French or English we can always check out the No Dogs blog for some free advice. But on the other hand, you know what they say about free advice...

    ReplyDelete
  75. "Mais nous ne sommes pas les seuls victimes de l’usurpation de notre identité, il y a bien les Coptes, minorité ostracisée d’Égypte, descendants des bâtisseurs des pyramides et leurs envahisseurs arabes qui eux se font appelé Égyptiens."

    Please, oh please, do not compare yourselves to the ancient Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians in our particular scenario would be the natives and certainly not the founders of New France. You, my friend, are a descendant of an invading culture, just like we are.

    I do agree however that it is down right terrible that many Franco-Ontarians, or any Franco-Canadians for that matter, seem to willingly brush the language of their ancestors asside so easily.

    ReplyDelete
  76. "Il y a quelques années je travaillais dans un bureau d'une compagnie très connu à Montréal. J'avais deux collègues franco-ontariens, lorsque l'on s'adressait à eux en français, ils nous répondaient en français. Mais lorsqu'ils se parlaient entre eux, c'était toujours en anglais. Ce dont ils discutaient en anglais, c’était sur le travail et la difficulté à comprendre l’obstination des québécois gauchistes et réactionnaire à l'anglais" --> 'Study English', that's what they are saying.

    "(C’était du temps ou un propriétaire d'un restaurant à Montréal était poursuivit par l'Office de la langue française, parce qu'il refusait de traduire ses menus en français selon les modalités de la loi de Robert Bourassa, même si eux l'attribuaient à la loi 101 du PQ"--> No need for a translation. Study English and you will be able to read the menu.

    "Tout cela pour dire Mme la ministre que les frontières imposées par les anglais au cours de ces 2 dernier siècles n’ont pas seulement fait sombrer dans l'oubli et l'indifférence les différentes communautés franco-machin-jamais-vraiment-canadian, qui sont toutes en mode survies, elles mettent seulement la table à l'immersion identitaire avant l'immersion linguistique"--> Study English and you will knock down barriers.

    "Cela dit, on comprend bien votre désespoir (ou plus certainement votre ineptie), vous n’êtes qu’une victime comme toutes les membres des cultures qui ont précédés les loyalistes britanniques qui se font appelés canadian" --> Study English and stop whining like a sissy.

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  77. Westy le clown frappe encore.Pas encore au lit a votre âge?Allez hop au lit pépé!Il est ++ de 23h.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Hi Editor,

    One of your favourite Canadian politician is Jack Layton, the leader of the NDP. Today we learned the unhappy news that Jack contracted new cancer and therefore needed to step aside from politics for a while. Watching the press conference, he did not look good. Not at all.

    While I will not vote for the NDP if the life of the province depends on it, I think we need to extend our sympathy to Jack and his family and wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

    The good thing about that press conference is that the person Jack recommends to sit on his behalf is not Thomas Mulcair, but rather Nycole Turmel from Hull-Aylmer. Anybody know who she is?

    So Editor, I am looking forward for your comment on this matter, when you return.

    ReplyDelete
  79. "Westy le clown frappe encore.Pas encore au lit a votre âge?Allez hop au lit pépé!Il est ++ de 23h"

    Whatever. Nobody gives a fig about your posts.

    WESTALLOPHONE++

    ReplyDelete
  80. Wow this one phrase shows how retarded the french zealots are:
    "Laquelle des deux langues risque d'être assimilée par l'autre?"

    Any language evolves i.e. gets assimilated into something else, the zealots here still chase "anglicisme" from the french language, what awaste of energy, it's like trying to keep latin alive, you cannot freeze a language in time and legislate your zealotry. Grow up, and turn the page, despite what the zealot claim, language is not what we are.

    ReplyDelete
  81. "Grow up, and turn the page, despite what the zealot claim, language is not what we are."

    Alors monsieur pourri,qu'attendez-vous pour apprendre le français?Hitler serait fier de vous sans aucun doute.En passant,Zellers a un lot de chemises brunes (XXL) a demi prix,profitez-en!

    ReplyDelete