French versus English Volume 53

Hugo Shebbeare intimidated by language fanatics

Hugo has started a Facebook group to counter this movement and within four days has about 500 members. 

Why not join?    Montreal against the SSJB and OQLF.

Rich Asian immigrants spurn Quebec

"Nine out of 10 wealthy immigrants accepted into Quebec’s investor immigrant program never come to Quebec, federal immigration minister Jason Kenney said Friday.

“I do think it is peculiar that the province that was given power to select immigrants primarily to reinforce the French fact in Quebec is in fact flipping Asian people into Vancouver,” Kenney said during a meeting with The Gazette editorial board.

“In principle, the Quebec immigration program should be about immigration to Quebec.”

Kenney defended the investor program, which was the means by which Mohammed Shafia brought his family to Quebec." Read the rest of the story

DVD movies don't conform to OQLF rules

In the old days of videocassettes, French language films were marketed as standalone products. Today DVDs have alternate audio tracks, so multi-languaged movies can be sold in one package.

The trouble is that video clubs are getting into trouble because in some cases, the outer packaging is in English and distributors are not keen to change the artwork to satisfy such a small market.
This has the OQLF up in arms and they are actually threatening the video clubs themselves with fines.
The owners of the video clubs are powerless to change the packaging as this would probably violate copyright as well as being prohibitively expensive.

Hilariously, if the DVD included every language BUT FRENCH, an English only package would be legal!
Go figger. Link{Fr}

Ignatieff stabs Liberal party in the back

“Former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says Quebec will “eventually” become an independent country and that a victory for Scottish separatists in an expected 2014 referendum will launch a new effort by Quebec nationalists to fulfill their sovereignist dream.

CLICK HERE to watch the interview

Ignatieff, an author and academic who left the Liberal leadership post after his party was drubbed in the 2011 election, made the comments in an interview being broadcast Monday” Read more of the story here

I don't know what to Make of Ignatieff's musing on the BBC, asserting that Quebec's independence is inevitable.

His opinion is just that of one man, but significant because it confirms what most Canadian voters suspected, that he was untrustworthy when he led the Liberal party.

After all, running for Prime Minister of Canada without disclosing the fact that you believe Quebec separation is inevitable is surly a deal-breaker as far as the voters are concerned.

His statement leaves the Liberal party with a lot of egg on their face, the disclosure couldn't have come at a worse time.

While the Ignatieff comment, (notwithstanding his latter efforts to stand down from his assertion)  provides  the separatists in Quebec a passing moment of ironic satisfaction, they won't get much traction from the whole affair.

Not so for the Liberals. How many voters who put an X beside a Liberal candidate's name, now find themselves horrified at the betrayal, knowing that they voted for a leader who harbored secret and incompatible views with the Liberal party itself and those of its supporters.

That is why Bob Rae and the rest of the Libs are doing cartwheels to disassociate the party from the remarks.

But the cat is out of the bag and the damage done.

Certain things just can't be repaired.

Opinion poll shows Quebecers mistrust

 A poll taken by Le Journal de Montreal had some pretty sombre findings;

Do you believe that there are problems with corruption in the following; 
94% YES -Firms working in the construction industry.
87% YES -Municipal mayors.
85% YES -Quebec Liberal Party.
76% YES -Engineering Firms
76% YES - Government employees
65% YES -Parti Quebecois
36% YES -Coaliton Avenir Quebec

Do you believe that corruption can be eliminated in Quebec politics?
36% YES
55% NO 

Do you believe that the Charbonneau commission, the police or UPAC can get to the bottom of corruption?
33% YES

 45% NO 


Do you believe that corruption is limited to  a few politicians and entrepreneurs or is it widespread??
85% WIDESPREAD

10% LIMITED


Do you believe that members of Parliament are corrupt?

33% HONEST

55% CORRUPT 
     

Hate crime? What hate crime?

"The Sûreté du Québec says it’s still too early to call recent attacks on Jewish-owned summer homes in the Laurentians hate-motivated crimes, although B’nai Brith is urging the force to do so.

“What we saw says it could be hate-related,” said SQ Sgt. Benoît Richard. “But is it just kids being kids or is it hate-related?”

Police are investigating 14 break-ins that occurred April 12 and 15, two of which involved defacing the Val Morin buildings with swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti." Read the rest of th estory

Hmmm. "Kids being kids....."

Here's some news for Sgt Benoit.

The culprit is a local who is the same person who tagged other houses with swastikas last year.

How do I know???

Well the swatiskas are drawn backwards, exactly as was the case last year, making it likely that the perpetrator was the same and that he is a local. As a repeat offender, probably not a "kid being a kid," either.

Sovereignty gang off to inauspicious start

“Marois has assembled a new committee on sovereignty – a committee made up entirely of white francophones and mostly men. Of the 12 politicians, union leaders, intellectuals, artists and actors in the group, only three (including Marois) are women.

If the Parti Québécois’s dream of a future independent Quebec looks anything like this committee, it may be in for a shock when it wakes up to reality.

According to committee member Daniel Paillé, leader of the Bloc Québécois, the group’s job is to “convince a majority of Quebecers of the soundness of sovereignty.” Given this mandate, I think it is fair to shine a spotlight on who has been chosen to represent and define the parameters of the PQ’s “national project.” It is also important to highlight who is absent from the table.” Link (thanks for Frank for the Link)


"Will the Estates General on Quebec sovereignty fall flat? Monday, during the presentation of the document that will serve this summer as a basis for public meetings, only two media showed up. Last fall , however, the media extensively covered the debates surrounding the establishment of these Estates-General, in a context where the sovereignty movement was actually in danger of imploding. Today, internal dissent within the Parti Quebecois seems to be silenced and the urgency for action seems lower. Link{Fr}

Gilles Proulx's Freudian slip

 

Montreal sandwich named in top 12

No it isn't Schwartz's famous smoke meat sandwich, it the everlasting "Wilensky Special' that was named by Travel+Leisure magazine among the world's top twelve sandwiches.

“This tastes like the history of Montreal, especially the Mile End neighborhood. That yellow bread with grilled salami and bologna, served with Swiss or cheddar—and always with mustard—is just delicious.” —David McMillan, chef at Joe Beef

The sandwich and the restaurant "Wilensky's Light Lunch' are part of Montreal's colourful culinary history.

It's a decadent greasy delight, that once you bite into, you instantly know you shouldn't be eating it.

Don't plan a special visit around it, but if your in the area, give a shot.