French versus English Volume 47

Danon Yogurt Tells Anglos & Ethnics not to bother applying for Job

Doesn't matter if you speak French perfectly, if it isn't your mother tongue, don't bother applying for this job posted by Danon.
See it here  Job Offer

It is the very first time I've ever seen a job offered with French as a mother tongue being a requirement.

This from the online ad;

LANGUES:
Français: Langue maternelle
Anglais: Courant 

Methinks that the employment agency that prepared the ad screwed up. I don't think it is legal to include 'Mother Tongue' in a job description.
That type of discrimination is usually exercised during the interview...Ahem..
(Thanks to Phil for the story)

As a commenter  pointed out, the job description has now been modified on the website to read:

• LANGUES:
Français: Courant
Anglais: Courant  

Danone has replied to this posting as follows;

Danone Canada also commented on No Dogs Or Anglophones's link.

"Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
You are correct in suggesting that “mother tongue” should not have been in the posted job description.
It is, in fact, never one of the criteria for a job application. In this case, the criteria regarding languages should have been “Fluent” in both French and English.
The field “mother tongue” is pre-formatted in our internal database within the General Information section, and it allows us to identify an employee’s mother tongue. The field “mother tongue” was inadvertently copy/pasted in the job description.

We would like to thank you as you have allowed us to not only correct our mistake but also to review our entire job posting process.

Danone has strong social principles and believes in welcoming diversity and allowing it to prosper."

Readers, I consider the matter CLOSED. 

The company has reacted responsibly.
Let's not have any talk of boycott ....

Ex-anglo rights activist joins CAQ

Nobody can question the dedication to Anglo rights of one William 'Pit' Bill Johnson, who has militated tirelessly on behalf of English rights in Quebec for decades. The ex-president of Alliance Quebec has written eloquently over the years, staunchly defending an alternate and inclusive view of Quebec society.

So it is signifigant that he has embraced Francois Legault's CAQ, a strong signal to the English community that it is okay to support the party and that fears of a latent separatist bent is unfounded.

While the Premier howls that the CAQ is a closet separatist party, the PQ is now adopting the line that the party is federalist.

By embracing Johnson, a strong federalist with an anti-Bill 101 pedigree, Legault, in one fell swoop, has displayed by his actions that his 'Rainbow coalition' really will set aside the sovereignty question to concentrate on fixing the economy and the failed 'Quebec Model'
Read Mr. Johnson's explanation on why he joined the CAQ  Montreal Gazette  Alternate Link

Speaking of Francois Legault, Here is a video posted on YouTube, of the leader of the CAQ struggling mightily in English.
It's a bit mean-spirited....so obviously I couldn't resist posting it!

As for speaking English, listen to this sound bite, where the importance of speaking English is underlined.

Guess who said it?

Quebec getting poorer- Quebec Prof

"A study from l'Université de Montréal's business school HEC Montréal has concluded that the income gap is widening between Quebec and wealthier parts of Canada – and that Quebec could be the poorest province in the country within a decade.

The research conducted by HEC's Centre for Productivity and Prosperity found that between 1978 and 2009 the net average household income gains in all other provinces outstripped Quebec's gains.

In 2009, the last year the study looked at, the average resident of Newfoundland and Labrador – traditionally Canada's poorest province – earned just $3,127 less than the average Quebecer, while an Albertan averaged $17,947 more than someone living in Quebec. Read the rest of the story

The fact that the study was prepared by a Quebecer of impeccable credentials augers poorly for the spin artists. I'm anxiously awaiting the explanations which will invariably blame you-know-who.
C'mon, Jean-François Lisée, you're up!

Here is a really good article in the National Post which says much about the economic problems of Quebec and eerily resembles much of what I wrote in my last post. I'm glad the story came out after mine, otherwise I might be accused of plagiarism! Link

Pierre Curzi - Nuttier than a fruit cake

In a piece that smacks of childish wishful thinking, Quebec's resident fantasist Pierre Curzi has pontificated on how Quebec can wrest more power from Ottawa.
Read it and weep over the fact that idiots like him can actually one day exercise power over us.

"There are two ways for the people of Quebec to obtain additional powers of the federal government. The first is to undertake the drafting of a Quebec constitution, irregardless whether it is a provincial constitution or constitution of a country. At the end of the drafting process which would define Quebec values ​​(French language, equality of men and women, secular state, etc..), democratic institutions and the powers necessary for the emancipation of Quebec, the new constitution would be ratified democratically by the Quebec nation and presented to English Canada. Canada would then be required to bargain in good faith with Quebec's constitutional powers enshrined in the first constitution of Québec.

The second way to get more federal powers would be to make several constitutional demands and to hold a referendum to determine which baskets of requests should be submitted as part of the negotiations with Canada.  

In this case, the caquistes could ask Quebecers if they want to repatriate their taxes or treaties like Kyoto. They could also provide citizens of Quebec  the opportunity to decide on the possibility of repatriating cultural sovereignty, justice, the maritime territory, the environment, unemployment insurance or old age pensions. Link{Fr}

Is it that hard to see the essential flaw in Mr. Curzi's argument?
Why on Earth would Ottawa negotiate any of this?

Quebec civil service sending nasty political messages

It seems that the civil service is now in the political message department, posting this rather nasty note to those recently arrived immigrants wishing to obtain information about obtaining a Health card, in English.

I find the whole thing nasty and objectionable and take particular exception to the part that says you can only participate in Quebec civic and social life in French. T'ain't so.

(Thanks to Frank for the story.)

Pauline Marois - Let the rich pay!

Pauline, Do the Math!

In an absurd piece of pandering, Pauline Marois promised to abolish the proposed Health Tax imposed by the Liberal government.
According to Madame Marois her measure will eventually return $950 million to taxpayers who will be able to inject the money directly into the economy.
To pay for the revenue shortfall, she intends on taxing the rich.

She told reporters at a news conference that a PQ government  would raise the tax rate on those making over $130,000 a year by 4% and by 7% on those making over $250,000 and by reducing certain tax credits such as certain capital gains and credits on dividends. Read the story in French 

But this is the same separatist math used by idiots like Mario Beaulieu intended to mislead and mesmerize.
You see readers, raising taxes on the rich by 4% or by 7% as she said,  may not seem like such a big deal, but it is when it is not really a 4% or 7% rise.

Madame Marois proposes increasing the tax rate on those earning between $130,000 to $250,000 from 24% to 28%, which in her book is a 4% increase and in mine (and anyone who can do math) a 16.6% increase. As for those who make over $250,000 Madame proposed that the tax rate be raised from 24% to 31%, a whopping tax increase of 29% instead of the 7% mentioned.

It means that someone making $130,000 will face a $5,200 extra tax bill and someone making $250,000 will face a $17,500 increase.

The rich already pay quite a bit.
The top 1.5% richest Quebecers pay 33% of the total tax collected and the top 20% pay 70% of all taxes.

In Quebec 40% of taxpayers of those filing a tax return pay nothing.

When asked by a reporter if the new measures would create an exodus of rich people out of Quebec, Madame Marois said that Quebec is still a better place to live than Alberta, because houses and education cost less. ARgghhh!!!  Link{Fr}

But hey, it makes good Press.
Think any of the mainstream media will do the math?

Daycare Strikers push greedy demands

As I told you on Wednesday, Quebec's unionized daycare workers are using a series of one-day strikes to terrorize parents into pressuring the government to give into their demands.
What are these demands?

The glorified babysitters, making between  $14.43 to $21.65 are demanding an 11% raise over three years .
In addition, they want between 11 and 13 paid holidays while the rest of we mere mortals must content ourselves to eight, so we can expect workers to be paid double time if they work on holidays like Valentine's Day or Remembrance Day.

The workers are also demanding 8-10 personal days and six weeks vacation.

There....did I make your day?
Those of you with university degrees making a lot less, you should have majored in Play-Doh!

By the way, in my article on Wednesday, I mentioned that the government subsidies each day care to the tune of $38 per child, per day. An article in La Presse indicates that the subsidy is higher, up to $58 a day. Link{Fr}

Amir Khadir-Too many English daycares

"Unless it is considered “indispensable,” the ability to speak English should not be a criterion for getting a job in this province, Québec solidaire president Françoise David told reporters on Saturday.

“We feel there are probably a lot of jobs where it’s not necessary to speak English,” said David, adding that the awarding of daycare centre permits be conditional to an assurance that “the predominant language in the education of young children be French."

“In Montreal at the moment we have plenty of family run daycares where French is not the predominant language,” she said. “And eventually we end up with children entering kindergarten who cannot speak French, which places them at a disadvantage to other children.” Read the rest of the story in the Montreal Gazette  Alternate Link

'Smoke meat' versus 'Viande Fumé.'

As you've all probably heard by now, Schwartz's, Montreal's iconic smoked meat restaurant is on the verge of being sold to a group that includes Céline Celine Dion's hubby/manager, René Angelil for a whopping 10 million.
For that price, it's obvious that the buyers are purchasing the brand, rather than just the restaurant and I guess it won't be long before we see  restaurants popping up in Chicoutimi and Quebec City.
As the restaurant climbs out of the kitsch and into the mainstream, it will face the inevitable language issues of Quebec.
First order of business will be to francize the name of business and get rid of that nasty apostrophe 'S'

Schwartz's = Chez Schwartz

Surely the OQLF will also be looking seriously at the issue of the restaurant's improper use of French in describing its plat-de-resistance as 'Smoke Meat' (which Francophone Montrealers have used for decades)
But perhaps a case can be made, considering that the French slang 'Smoke Meat' is different front the English 'Smoked Meat,' so perhaps the OQLF will allow the words to pass into the modern French lexicon.
Another issue is the translation of other favorites, like 'Karnatzel." In order to make the reference kosher for the OQLF (pun intended,) the restaurant will likely be obliged to add a French modifier to the Yiddish description,  hence 'Saucisse Karnatzel.'

As for the 'Nash' well, they'll have to work on a translation for that! (perhaps Grignote 'Nash')

The debate rages on as to whether Schwartz's is the best or not.

It is.....hands down.

All the other Montreal wannabes are good, but they don't quite get the spices and the texture perfect and that includes my favorite, Smoked Meat Pete's out in 'Île-Perrot, which I sometimes patronize because I'm out there on business often and Schwartz's is just to damn busy, crammed with tourists.

Don't go to Schwartz's if you're one of those people that orders dressing on the side, it is a guilty experience of decadence, akin to dining at Lafleurs or ripping into a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.

Don't order your sandwich 'lean' or you'll be taken for a Rube by the surely waiters. Schwartz's smoked meat is drier than the norm and needs the fat to complete the taste experience.

How to order. 'Sandwich - Fries - Pickles- Black Cherry.' That is the Schwartz's experience. Never forget the Cott's Black Cherry soda, it has been de rigueur for as long as I can remember.

Think I'm wrong about Schwartz's being the best in North America?

Read this account by an expert who has visited all the great North American delis and places Schwartz's head and shoulders above the rest. You can also watch famed jurist Alan Dershowitz biting into his first Schwartz's sandwich.  Great reading!

My favorite Schwartz's story;
One night after a hockey game at the old Montreal Forum we headed out to Schwartz's and as we were just about finished eating, four Calgary Flames (whom I will not name) were seated at our table (which are communal.)
Clearly out of their depth, they asked for the waiters recommendations and then ordered...gasp!... two glasses of milk and a side of mayonnaise for the sandwiches.
The waiter flinched, but after rolling his eyes, walked away and proceeded to loudly announce sarcastically to the entire restaurant that the hockey players wanted 'milk and mayonnaise.'
My eating partner was beside himself and could hold back no longer. Turning to the players he told them loudly that;
"If you put mayonnaise on your sandwich, I'll throw up all over you!" HaHa!

By the way, one of my favorite things at Schwartz's is the dry steak spice which they sell for a couple of bucks behind the counter and is well worth it.
Bring it home and use it on your steaks at your next BBQ and you'll be in for a treat.
Positively the finest, probably because they include coriander seed in the mix (the same spice as in the smoked meat.) Sprinkle a little on your meat (one side only) and grill. 
Add a little more at the table on the finished product. Simply the best. The real taste of Montreal.

May the Schwartz be With You.

Mea Culpa

Last week I had a bit of fun with a fellow who wrapped his new electronic electric meter from Hydro-Quebec with aluminum foil in order to block those 'harmful' rays.

I stated that I didn't know if these emanations caused any harm or not and I received quite a scolding, deservedly so, in several emails.
I should have checked my facts before saying something so stupid.

The so-called rays involved are in fact completely harmless.

"According to McGill Science and Society Director Joe Schwarcz, radio frequency studies are conclusive: the meters will not have negative health effects.

"We know that radio frequency cannot break chemical bonds and in order to induce cancer you need to break chemical bonds," said Schwarcz.

Poisson cited another concern, her feeling that Hydro-Quebec was ignoring her right to choose.

"I don't have a cell phone, I've never had one. As for WiFi, I will be switching back to cables because I have the choice," said Poisson. "With smart meters, you don't have the choice."

LINK  

Case closed......

Minister hits back at complainers

OTTAWA - The federal government is brushing off criticism of its plan to spend $7.5 million to celebrate the Queen's 60th anniversary on the throne.

There has been some grumbling from anti-monarchists, notably in Quebec, that the Diamond Jubilee would cost so much money at a time of deep budget cuts.

But Heritage Minister James Moore had an answer for those critics Tuesday.

He said the federal government had spent way more on other celebrations, and referred specifically to the 400th anniversary of Quebec City in 2008.

''These sums have always existed within the department for these kinds of events. Look, $100 million was spent on Quebec City's 400th anniversary,'' Moore told The Canadian Press. LINK

Touché, or as we say in English, Shaddup awready!

From Scotland, lessons on separatism
Here's an interesting article on a possible Scottish referendum written by Andrew Coyne for The National Post;

"Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?

That is the question Scotland’s separatist First Minister, Alex Salmond, proposes to put to Scottish voters in a referendum sometime in late 2014. Ten words, no subordinate clauses, its meaning incapable of confusion. Compare it with this little essay in obscurity:

Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Quebec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?" Read the rest of the article

Please have yourself a very nice weekend!