Friday, April 27, 2012

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. 

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 MondayRead 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% N

Do you believe that the Charbonneau commission, the police or UPAC can get to the bottom of corruption?
33% YES
 45% N


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. 


121 comments:

  1. Scotland won't leave. Like Quebec, their politicos are making a whole bunch of promises that has the top brass at Whitehall scratching their heads saying "really? well, we certainly won't agree to that."

    And lets not forget, people vote with their wallets, not with their heads. I fully expect that all these nationalist Scots will head to the polls raging for an independent Scotland, waving the flag only to chicken out when it actually comes time to vote because they remember their £££.

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  2. Scotland might not leave the UK but like Quebec they'll take the devo max path. Slowly taking over federalist powers until there are none left to take!

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  3. Concerning the DVD's....

    Let's all give the OQLF another big hand in trying to destroy Quebec's economy. What few Video stores that are left are run by small mom & pop shops. So, let's hurt them economically. Good going. The one thing that can eventually kill the OQLF is Revenu Quebec. Because the OQLF's actions are certainly hurting the Revenue department.

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    1. The thing that will really kill the few remaining DVD Mom 'n Pop stores is if the post office ever gets their act together.


      I lived in Arizona for 16 years and the thing I miss the most is the DVD-by-mail service of Netflix. Unlike Canada where Netflix is only available through your computer, in the States you can also get it via the mail (once you select your choice online). Yes, they have the through-the-computer service as well but it only has 1/10th the selection that way. Via the mail, there are over 80,000 titles to choose from...and if you're a cinophile like myself, it is manna from heaven because there is virtually no DVD that they don't have.

      I suspect that when Netflix decided to open a Canadian branch, they looked at both the Canada Post service as well as its propensity to strike every other year and nixed the idea.

      Delete
  4. Une page FB anti-francophones de 487 membres mais toujours les 5 mêmes individus qui commentent,
    les mêmes que la page "anglo flag" dailleurs.

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    1. if it displeases you so much,,, you can always leave your comments on the myriad of other anglophobe & xenophobe webpages in the blogosphere.... Dans ta langue a par de ca..... incroyable...

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    2. ...provided he is able to write a valuable comment. I doubt it. I know the type: proud of his own ignorance.
      Thanks for your comment, Land of Tazmandoo!

      WA

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    3. Combien de membres de ce groupe y sont malgré eux (ajouté par...) ? ... :( ...Pathétique.

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    4. Indeed, your presence on this blog is "pathétique". I am proud of you!

      WA

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    5. to anonymous on 2012 6:19am, just like the editor has stated in his article, there are 500 members that have joined in a spam of 4 days and unfortunately for you, the number will keep rising accordingly:)

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    6. L'"anglo flag" est passé de 125 à 100 depuis un an...Quelle popularité!Du jamais sur FB :D

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    7. "Une page FB anti-francophones de 487 membres mais toujours les 5 mêmes individus qui commentent,les mêmes que la page "anglo flag" dailleurs"

      blah blah blah...and we get to see to same faces whenever there is a JPQ or SSJB rally.....

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    8. My Impoverished Scottish Grandma Was a RhodesianFriday, April 27, 2012 at 10:04:00 PM EDT

      Il n'a rien de "anti-francophone" la. Comment ca se fait qu'on peut avoir 5000 groupes de militants pour la langue francaise mais la minute que quel qu'un essaye de defendre les interets des anglophones de quebec, ca devient "anti-francophone"? Est-ce qu'on a le droit meme de de nous defendre contre la vague de propos anti-anglophone qui existe? Criss, il n'a pas de Louis Prefontaine, ni de Benoit Dutrizac anglo.Le debat est completement dans un sens.

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  5. "Une page FB anti-francophones de 487 membres mais toujours les 5 mêmes individus qui commentent,
    les mêmes que la page "anglo flag" dailleurs"

    Like on Le Pourboir: the same people writing (Côté, Bousquet, Simard...I know all them by heart) and repeating the same crap over and over. Different sentences, but same crap over and over. You fail!

    WA

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  6. "Let's all give the OQLF another big hand in trying to destroy Quebec's economy."

    Qui peut m'expliquer que vient faire la communauté anglo de Montréal avec la question économique.Croyez-vous vraiment qu'elle représente un atout?Consommer en Français ou en anglais,c,est le même argent,non?...Hmmm.

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    1. Yeah but the economy in Quebec is crap when it involves french only. it is basically the same but with a lower amount of cash.

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    2. Moody's abaisse la cote de l'Ontario :)

      http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Economie/2012/04/26/017-moodys-baisse-cote-ontario.shtml

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    3. Pourtant y'a beaucoup d'anglos en ontario.C'est quoi le problème?

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    4. The English community's hands are tied. People aren't allowed to operate businesses of over 50 people in English. This hurts the economy by basically telling entrepreneurial Anglos that there is no place for them to start business in Quebec, unless they want it to never grow beyond 50 people.

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    5. Pourquoi devrait t'il avoir un loi qui dit que vous ne pouvez pas operer un business en anglais? C'est discriminatoire.

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    6. Je suis d'accord avec vous que ce n'étais pas juste dans la passé pour les francophones quand tout passait juste en anglais. Mais, ca fait maintenant 35 ans qu'on a loi 101 qui a tout changé ça.

      Personnellement, je trouve la loi 101 beaucoup trop sévère. D'avoir un commission de la toponymie pour changer les noms de rue et rivières anglophones, etc a français n'a pas son place dans un société démocratique. Les anglophones ont contribuer a cette société. Si vous regarde la loi 101, il y a beaucoup des section inintelligent comme ca.

      En ce qui concernent le travaille, je comprend ce que vous dites concernant les entreprises avec plus de 50 employés mais pourquoi faudra-t'on pas avoir un compagnie ou il y a des anglophones qui peut travailler en anglais, les francophones qui peut travailler en français et les personnes bilingue qui l'accepte peuvent travailler dans les deux langues? Ca ne serait pas un solution plus intelligente?

      Mais honnêtement, je suis plus pour la liberté. Maintenant que les francophones ont presque tout les pouvoirs, c'est le temps de laisser les entreprises faire ce que vais l'aider réussir dans le market.

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    7. >Je crois que l'idée est que les entreprises peuvent bien opérer en anglais avec leurs clients, mais il n'y a pas de raison qu'ils soient obligés d'opérer en anglais à l'intérieur. Ça ne semble pas impossible, non?

      Je pense qu'on est d'accord sur beaucoup des points. C'est just a ce point ici que peut-etre on diffère.. Je pense que ca dépends de l'industrie.

      Vous savez, dans le bio-tech, presque tout le monde, même en france, travaille en anglais. Ca facilite la communication et la collaboration. Est-ce que c'est juste? Peut-être ce n'est pas égal, mais si on l'aime ou non, le fait est que la langue globale dans certains industries est anglais.

      Est-ce que chez Québécor les employés peuvent travailler tout en français? Oui, parce que presquent tout ces clients sont francophones. Même pour Metro et Jean Coutu.

      Donc, pour moi, ca dépends de l'industrie.

      Ce n'est pas égal et peut-être ce n'est pas juste a 100%, mais c'est la réalité.

      Toujours bon d'avoir un discussion avec vous, Yannick.

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    8. Yannick, perhaps some affirmative action laws would be helpful. For example, if we had a law that said that so long as a person spoke at minimum French or English, they could not be excluded from a job. Further, we could implore French businesses to hire Anglos who need to improve their French and Anglo businesses to hire Francos who need to improve their English. We could all benefit.

      Personally, I'm more for a model where we can make money in whatever language we choose or need to but I guess another language law in Quebec couldn't hurt, right?

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    9. @ mdblog:

      Basically, Bill 101 is a big affirmative action law. It has done its job. It really should be repealed because it is holding the Montreal and Quebec economy back.

      You know, I try to be a moderate in these matters, but the more and more I read Bill 101, the less and less I support it.

      And, as for a language model that would work in business, somewhere along the line, people forgot that businesses are there to make money, not try to achieve some sociopolitical language policy agenda.

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    10. Well, maybe if you're looking at it from a worker's point of view, Yannick, you might say that. However, let me assure you, when someone starts a business, it's to make money. It's not so that his workers have food. (That's why a certain time, unions were useful. It allowed us to attain certain rights.)

      Businesses are started by people who have to deal with competition. You don't beat the competition, you go out of business. Now that it's more of a global economy, there is more pressure. That is why companies set up in China: to save money and make more profit and be more able to ward off competition.

      With all the competition out there around the world, you can't have too much bureaucracy and too many rules and regulations or you will be shut down. So enough with putting up too many roadblocks for business to succeed. Businesses are mobile nowadays. They will just move to another jurisdiction where there's not as many hassles. That's what language warriors have to realize. Or we'll just be a society of poor depanneurs (I'm talking about Quebec).

      I am more of a centralist than most of the rightwingers on this blog, so it's good to hear from someone on the other side from time to time.

      BTW, did you see the exchange that Harper had with Mulcair (NDP), where Harper brought up the Nazis? Stephen Harper Jeered For Saying NDP Didn't Support Battle Against Hitler I am not a NDPer but Mulcair was a very strong cabinet minister in Quebec and I like his response to Harper's attack, lol. Mulcair 1 Harper 0

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    11. I normally write to you in French, Yannick, but I am not fully bilingual and the later it gets, the more drunk my French seems to get.

      You know when the free trade agreement came out between the US and Canada, I did a high school project where I stated that I didn't believe it would be a net benefit for Canadians because we mostly compete doing the same thing and they have economies of scale. Thus their companies could just take over many of our companies because their bigger companies are already serving their population, which is roughly 10 times bigger. I was more for Canada and Mexico being trading partners because they are more complimentary societies and at different periods of development and so it would end up being a net benefit to both countries.

      I don't know if the free trade deal did indeed work out for us. Companies are making more money, yes. People aren't though. Benefits are lower. There really are no private pensions anymore.

      I know everybody seems to believe in free trade, but honestly speaking, I believe more in managed trade, because as you say, it is a race to the bottom, to who has the least environmental standards - Harper seems to be working on that. He doesn't care how much damage we do. Just pump that oil out - who pays the lower wages, etc. I do believe government has to do it's part to protect its citizens but at the same time be aware of the need of businesses to compete. It is a balancing act.

      So when unions say that they will force companies to do something, this isn't the old days. That doesn't work anymore.

      Governments have to fill the void but in a balanced way. So when the OQLF says you need 6 employees to work on francisizing a business of 100 people or more and that you must makes reports to the government on a regular basis, it works against keeping companies here.

      Once again, let's, in Quebec just let francophones who only want to work in French do so but not disallow anglophones to work in English or put up really high barrier for allophones to work in whatever language they want. Companies don't really have to put up with that anywhere else. It really is a disincentive.

      As for Mulcair, he was an environmental minister in the Charest government and he stood in the way of Charest transfering land in Mont Orford Provincial park to private condominium developers. Mulcair didn't accept a transfer to another post in a cabinet shuffle and resigned instead. Most of the Quebec population was on Mulcair's side. In the end, Charest didn't transfer the land to the condominium developers.

      Another interesting thing about him. He used to be a member of Alliance Quebec (an English rights group) but later on in life was a member of the OQLF (protection of French). So, he probably has an interesting perspective on things.

      Just as an aside, him and Bob Rae were trading insults Bob Rae, Thomas Mulcair trade jabs as NDP readies ads. I don't know who was better, lol.

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  7. Thank you Editor, complaints for criminal harassment are coming, and one against the SSJB and Bloc (since Maria Mourani is a sitting member in Parliament!).
    Anti-Franco(!?), que du mensonge afin de justifié l'intimidation.
    Notre point de vue - our point of view, and what we are tryng to stop, is described here in La Presse: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/debats/le-cercle-la-presse/actualites/201204/23/48-158-la-chasse-aux-anglos.php (La Chasse aux Anglos!)
    It is a bilingual page, but that'll never be enough for those who wish to justify treating anglos as the enemy:
    From the page itself:

    Montréalais contre la discrimination basée sur langue (l'anglophobie) de la SSJB, MMF et l'OQLF

    Today, we are continuously faced with organisations such as the Société St-Jean-Baptiste as well as Government agencies such as the Office québécoise de la langue française, whose main purpose should be solely to improve the use of the French language in Quebec, however there is overwhelming evidence that the gaol is to harass the English community, or immigrants and Allophones all in the name of protecting the French language.

    C'est triste comment l'autre langue officielle est sous forme d'attaque....sans cesse.
    SVP Aidez-nous d'arreter la brimade du MMF/SSJB/OQLF/RRQ. Ceux qui ne parlent pas anglais semble en guerre contre l'autre langue officiel canadien et veulent un Québec français uniquement, malgré l'échec cuisant du nationalisme. On dirait que ça les déculpabilisent de ne pas être capable de parler deux langues :/ Projéter l'unilinguisme envers une ville avec un population en majorité bilingue, sinon trilinge ? No more nonsensical Losership telling us how to live and speak.

    We as a society know that the intent isn't to protect the French language but in order to ensure the French dominance in the province of Quebec - following the outdated "Maîtres chez nous" mentality. Il est devenu évident que le harcèlement psychologique/verbale/médiatique, ou de mâter ceux que ne sont pas d'accord avec la loi discriminatoire 101 par l'OQLF est la mode d'emploi - il faut dénoncer ces organismes ensemble. We must rebuild this province together to alleviate our crippling debt, without linguistic division of the populace.

    We all agree that the French language is a beautiful language, an asset to our Canadian culture, as well as helps differentiate us from our American neighbours, and continues our historical traditions, e.g. Dieu et mon droit! We as a society also know that by harassing the English community, we are also hurting our economy, hurting our worldwide view, as well as causing a division between citizens that does not need to be there. N'écoutez plus ceux qui vous disent il faut parler français seulement au Québec, car nous ne vivons ni dans un ghetto francophone, ni unilingue à Montréal ! We must stop thinking about our individual rights to be spoken to in English or French over taking care of citizens, clients or patients. We must believe that if we are dealing with customers, clients or patients, we should try to address them in the language they feel most comfortable in NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. It's called customer service !!!

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    1. You are fighting a noble cause. I'm sorry to hear that you have not been treated fairly upon coming to Montreal because of various anglophobes and anti-anglophone groups. I feel that the target you're going after is too large, though. Most francophones - I saw a poll where 90% of francophones - support Bill 101. Even if it is a discriminatory law, francophones have been brainwashed into thinking it is a positive law and the media and politicians have fed this feeling.

      I think it would be more effective (and you would get more support) if you went after the most discriminatory aspects of Bill 101 instead (kind of what the Equality Party used to do) so that people would know that you are not against francophones, which form 80% of the Quebec population. I think I personally would be more able to support you, if that's what you end up doing.

      I have to say that I am somewhat hesistant, as I am sure alot of other are, because of how unbalanced the other side is (i.e. Beaulieu and Provost, etc). People don't want to be attacked, harassed, or intimidated or have violence used against them. We don't live in a 3rd world country but they are using 3rd world tactics.

      Just a suggestion though: Maybe you should start up a group such as the defunct Equality party, in order to defend the rights of all or a group such as Alliance Quebec. I am sure you would be able to raise money from within and outside of Quebec (there are alot of ex-Quebeckers throughout Canada and the world).

      I wish you good luck and thanks for standing up for our rights.

      RM

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    2. Nous le trouvons tous audacieux et nous lui souhaitons tous les meilleures chances dans son combat mais...C'est un peu comme une corrida,c'est toujours triste de voir un taureau se faire décapiter en public.

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    3. Violence is the solution of losers. It's very easy to type anonymously about violence, hiding behind your keyboard. It's more courageous to let yourself be know and stand up for what you believe in, as Hugo does. That's one thing I have to give him credit for.

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    4. Du calme M.Rabbit,il s'agit d'une métaphore,personne ne se fera décapiter au sens propre.

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    5. Hugo, first of all, I support your position 100%, don't think otherwise. The people you were working with at your government job cheated you and you have all the rights to lash out. Unfortunately, the police, I don't think anyway, will adequately protect you because too many of them are sympathizers with the language fanatics. Howard Galganov paid out of pocket for bodyguards.

      The best alternative, from the standpoint of government representation, is something like the Equality Party of the late4 1980s, but stupidly, the community it represented, abandoned it by the 1994 election. As far as I'm concerned, minorities in Quebec have ZERO representation! Kathleen Weil, Geoffrey Kelley et al are a bunch of Judists and Quislings, yes-men and women who vote the party line, no questions asked.

      The last politicians in Quebec with any gonads were Herbert Marx, Richard French and Clifford Lincoln, three cabinet ministers who stood up to Bou-Bou Bourassa and said NO to bill 178. That's now almost ¼ century ago. John Ciaccia, another non-Franco MNA was a Quisling who stood alone and went with the law his constituents were blatantly against. Marx, French and Lincoln said NO and stepped down the same day. All cabinet appointees of Bourassa's, three of the best the Assembly had at the time.

      There is no minority representation in Quebec, and nothing to test John James Charest's resolve in terms of the minorities because the minorities keep voting for them. It's absolutely foolhardy.

      Too, over ¼ million minorities, yours truly included, left, and speaking for myself anyway, I will NOT return (to live in Quebec). I feel now with that large number gone and the complacency of too many who remain, why return to a sinking ship? Simply put, Quebec is doomed because its productivity stinks, and it's only going to get worse. Add to that the aggravation of the sociopolitical engineering against the minorities who were the most productive members of Quebec society (and many still are). Sadly, I don't see the Anglo community adequately supporting you, partially due to lack of numbers as a percentage of the population, but worse still due to indifference, or at best, too many armchair supporters. Moral support is not enough. I knew this when I made up my mind to leave while still an adolescent in the mid 1970s. Our community talked a good fight, but big talk and no action is inert. I wish you the best, but beware of the indifference you'll be facing from your own community.

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  8. Together, we need to work to rid our society of this harassment so that we can work to bring our communities and economy back to what it once was. Il faut attirer le monde à Montréal avec la joie de vivre, and put anglophobia in the past - il est grand temps les amis.

    We need to take a stand and let the Government know that we are not only here but need to be respected as a vital and important part of Quebec's society. We need to be considered an asset and no longer a danger. Avec un million d'anglophones qui habitent dans notre province, nous devons les laisser vivre en paix chez eux, à la place de les traiter comme un menace - surtout quand ils sont 80% bilingues déjà.

    Together we must dedicate our efforts to stopping the harassment once and for all.

    À lire - References:

    Tensions linguistiques en haut lieu | Denis Lessard | Politique québécoise

    Lise Ravary: J'habite un quartier plate de Montréal
    quebec.huffingtonpost.ca

    Huntingdon conteste la loi 101 | Pierre-André Normandin | National
    www.cyberpresse.ca

    L'échec cuisant du nationalisme | Celine CooperHabitant au Québec, l'auteure est candidate au doctorat en sociologie et études d'équité à l'Institut d'études pédagogiques de l'Ontario, à l'Université de Toronto. | Opinions
    www.cyberpresse.ca

    17:48
    L'anglophobie du PQ | Chroniqueurs | Opinion | Le Journal de Montréal
    www.journaldemontreal.com


    The members who have started up the page are those that refuse to accept 2nd class citizenship and state-sanctioned harassment by the OQLF since they have been targeted by members of the RRQ-SSJB, and their deliberate misinterpretations - apparently Marois is trying to get all buddy-buddy with the Chateauguay mayor, the protest on May 7th is going to be quite big from what we can see. Francophones and anglophones, for the most part are Pro-Bilingualism in Chateauguay, it is only the OQLF and MMF that are stirring shit up after a SINGLE complaint - simplement des gros bébés lâches mauvaits perdants anglophobes toujours !
    De dire que c'est anti-francophone est un jeu de bouc-émissaire - fuddleduddle Anonymous Apr 27, 2012 05:34 AM.
    About half of the group is francophone and you can see many on the page for yourself, who have commented, they know that Gouvernemama is the enemy, not us, despite all the propaganda from the Losership of the PQ, PLQ, Lisé, Proulx, Curzi, etc

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    1. Yes! The enemies are NOT the francophones, but the Losership (thanks for this new word Hugo!)... and thanks for your amazing contribution!
      As Geltrud Stein said:"there is nothing in that nothing (=Losership)".

      WA

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    2. You go Hugo! Good stuff.

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    3. À bas la loi 101!Retournons en 1977!...Hein?!?...Qu'est-ce que je viens de dire?Oups désolé.

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    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. "About half of the group is francophone..."

    Nous les connaissons,nous savons quel genre d'individu ils sont.Ce genre de polpulasse n'est pas un phénomène nouveau,ils font partie de notre histoire.Quelle famille n'a pas son (ses) mouton noir?

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    1. Vous les connaissez mais ils savent que vous êtes une honte pour eux, d'ailleurs qui voudrait s’associer a des bums de séparatistes commes vous. c'est toujours le mêmes faces de BS JPQ que vous voyez à la Télé, tels que l'osti d'laid avec les cheveux long pi le nez pointue à caractère d'heroinoman délinquant qui lui reste probablement une moitié cellule vivantes dans la brioche sec(celui qui se plaignait du fait qu`howard Galganov les comparait au KKK dans un reportage)ou le gros tâ de marde néandertalien mentalement attardé et à caractère de gorille, qui disait à deux anglophones de prendre la 401 durant une confrontation à MTL pas longtemps passé.

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    2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    3. Celui qui voulait pendre Madame Marois et qui s'est fait ramasser par les autorités policières?

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    4. Exactement!Ce qui m'amène à me demander qui sont les "bums".

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    5. how's life spending your entire days replying to yourself, Sasquatch..

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    6. Sasquatch...ewan ?

      Vous avez oublié le point d'interrogation.

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  10. Montreal used to be a draw for top, talented immigrants from all over the world before Ugly Quebec Nationalist policies were inacted by successive Liberal and PQ governments. Now we are literally air-lifting illiterate Haitians and North Africans here who's only "skill" is being able to communicate in French (or a variant of). Point this out to a Nationalist and their eyes glaze over, their only goal, Darwinian in nature, is the survival of their "culture", come hell or high water. They'll try their best to indoctrinate these new immigrants and their children in SSJB approved training camps (French Public school system) with their standard French = Good, Anglais = Bad fables, but most of what they say will fall on deaf ears. I should know, I had to endure many disagreements with my so called teachers over falsehoods peddled in our classes. Playing the historical victim card and perennial loser isn't always the best way to get people to join your team.
    Rich Asian immigrants are a savvy lot. They will not invest their money and lives in a place that openly discriminates against people (English speakers) and they will definitely NOT invest or immigrate to a place to shore up a dying peculiar language that no one else in North America speaks or understands (even after 400 years, go figure). Global immigration has evolved over the past 40 years. Word gets around, economies change. People immigrate primarily for economic reasons. Quebec was once Canada's main gateway for immigrants, most of whom would stay and contribute. Not the case anymore. I've observed Immigrants from my particular ethnic community that now treat Quebec as a sort of way station or bus terminal. They quickly realize, or have been told, that there is no future here for them. They are expected to work hard and pay taxes for the privilege of being stepped on or being passed over for promotion by a less qualified local. Most hightail it out of here to points West and never look back.

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  11. "Now we are literally air-lifting illiterate Haitians and North Africans here who's only "skill" is being able to communicate in French (or a variant of)."

    Je crois que je vais faire parvenir une copie de ce commentaire venant tout droit d'un autre siècle,à la ligue des noirs du Québec.Hé oui les rednecks sont toujours bien vivants.

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  12. Effectivement c'est assez surprenant de voir un tel commentaire de nos jours.

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    1. "Now we are literally air-lifting illiterate Haitians and North Africans here who's only "skill" is being able to communicate in French (or a variant of).......
      Je crois que je vais faire parvenir une copie de ce commentaire venant tout droit d'un autre siècle,à la ligue des noirs du Québec.Hé oui les rednecks sont toujours bien vivants."


      Sorry, can't let this pass.

      Nothing racist at all in asserting that immigrants from Haiti and the Maghreb are being given preferential treatment and fast-tracked because they speak French.

      If they did not speak French, would they be given the opportunity to come here in so many numbers?
      Immigration to Quebec is largely based on language first, skill second.
      It is the truth that you wish to hide.
      No racism in this comment, move along.

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    2. Me thinks he struck a nerve...

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    3. J'avais cru comprendre qu'ils étaient analphabètes et incompétents.C'est mon erreur.

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    4. Ok, peut-être c'est du façon inélégant qu'il a exprimer ses sentiments. De dire que "...we are literally airlifting illiterate Haitains and North Africans..." n'est pas la vérité. Je pense que la majorité des immigrants peuvent lire et écrire et je ne pense pas qu'on va là bas avec un hélicoptère pour chercher ces personnes.

      Ses sentiments serait mieux réussis s'il a dit que c'est les compétences des immigrants qui est plus importants que la langue. Il y a certain autre personne qui pense que c'est la langue qui est plus important. Pour moi, c'est un mélange de deux. Il faut aller cas par cas.

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    5. "Pour les francos, il faut parler tout le temps à des gens qui ne parlent pas notre langue, donc pour les services c'est important."

      35 years after the passage of 101, your concern should be not with people's ability, but rather with their (un)willingness. It is now a much more serious issue.

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    6. The Cornwall hospital already has a significant number of Francophone nurses, many of whom don't even live in Ontario.

      The problem is that in many cases bilingualism is given priority over all other qualifications, so the overall best candidate for the job is passed over.

      In Quebec, hardly any Anglophones or other minorities have jobs with the provincial government. They comprise 20% of the population but have less than 1% of the jobs.

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    7. Radical idea, how about we try this for 5 years. Instead of language, we make education and skills the primary criteria? Let's give the carrot to those that had the disipline to stay in school and to make the sacrifices and do the hard work it took to obtain a degree. I'll bet you that regardless of their language skills coming into Quebec, these folks after 10 years will be more successful, bilingual, have greater wealth and be less of a burden on society than those that we let in simply because they can speak French/English. Hard workers that set goals find ways to succeed, cream always rises to the top. If I'm wrong, we could always revert back to the current system.

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    8. Brainiac, a unilingual Mandarin Dr would not dare practice medicine in Canada. Read what I wrote. You obviously don't know any immigrants or have been exposed to any.

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  13. I listened to Ignatieff's BBC interview and his statements struck me as contradictory. In the first half he suggests to the British parties to take Scotland seriously and make "offers" to the Scots and gives Canada as an example for the UK to follow in keeping the "show on the road", but in the second half he says that devolution of power is separation in slow motion and again gives Canada as an example of two societies effectively drifting apart and becoming two separate entities. So the show may be on the road, but it's swaying right and left.

    Ignatieff is a politician with a typical Canadian mentality. The mentality is: keep the country together AT ALL COSTS. But what if the costs are too high? What if one side gets used to concessions and grows in entitlement? Was 1995 a "near death experience" for Canada, as Ignatieff phrased it? Couldn't it have been a birth experience of a new and better RoC instead? Ignatieff can't think in those terms, because he's a typical Canadian politician whose priority is to placate secessionists.

    I think that Canadian experience teaches a different lesson. The lesson is: do NOT enter into any appeasement schemes with people who are obviously looking to screw you. Be nice to them, but be tough and unyielding. If they want to go, let them go, and make sure they know it's a separation not "sovereignty-association". Two independent countries instead of one, meaning no more special treatment or help. Cold and calculating international relations replace asymmetrical and concession-ridden internal relations.

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    1. "A few Anonymouses on this blog, and many in news stories' comment section, believe that the official language act of Canada (and of New-Brunswick) is one such "appeasement act". I would vehemently disagree. I would argue that it finally gives equal treatment to francophones."

      Yes, I do consider the official language thing an appeasement act. And many people in the RoC do too. But the fact that it's absurd and ridiculously expensive is not the worst thing about it. You know what is? The fact that neither it nor anything else has managed to satisfy the greedy beast. The beast keeps asking for more and more and more and more.


      "It's those who think secessionists have a point when they say that a French Quebec will never be at home in Canada, those are the ones the politicians have been trying to sway."

      It's ESPECIALLY these people who pretend like they would stay in Canada if only Canadians did more and more and more and more that have to be shown the middle finger. These are the people who USE those who "want out" to get the "booty" (R.Bourassa's term, not mine).

      The choice is: take Canada for what it is, or join those who want out. Canada's done enough in the 5 decades. It's now tired and reeling from the constant shit disturbing perpetrated by QC. It's time for Canada to move on, with or without QC.

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    2. But can't you see that the RoC is simply tired? Have some decency and leave them alone already.

      QC can leave the federation if it must or stay if it wants. But it should stop trying to mold and change the rest of the country. The rest of the country has the right to its English unilingualism and even their biases.

      If you can't tolerate it - leave. It's cool. It didn't work out and no hard feelings.
      If you can tolerate it - stay. It's cool. Two entities can coexist in a federation without necessarily loving each other.

      But for heaven's sake, stop interfering with them. Focus on QC. Stop looking at the RoC. It's a big country, multiracial and multicultural. You can't constantly demand that you should feel comfortable anywhere in this vast country, only because your province graciously stays as a part of this country. There are thousands of places in the RoC where a Quebecois who does not speak English or is not willing to speak English will feel very uncomfortable. And that will never change.

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    3. Me thinks Yannick struck a nerve.

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    4. @ Yannick,

      Perhaps you can pressure the Quebec government to relax the section in Bill 101 that states that unilingual Francophones cannot be blocked from any jobs because of their lack of English/bilingualism. But I suppose in your mind, bilingualism should only apply to Canada outside Quebec.

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    5. @ Yannick,

      Those jobs are illegal according to Bill 101, and unilingual Francophone applicants can complain to the OQLF.

      I recall a ticket booth at a Montreal metro station where there was a sign indicating that the employees were not obliged to communicate in any language other than French, as per Bill/Law 101.

      The city of Gatineau/Hull recently offered to pay bilingual employees a bonus, but this was met by an uproar amongst Quebec French language zealots, who said that it would be discriminatory towards unilingual Francophones.

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  14. Exactly Adksi, Iggy follows Neville Chamberlain's mistake, when he should be following (Sir Edward) Eddie Marsh and Churchill's methodology. Never surrender to complacency and appeasement.
    QC is in a severe negative dependence situation vis à vis the RoC, and ridding the province of discriminatory legislation is the way out of it.
    Did you see this article from Bernard Mooney, btw:
    Shunning Entrepreneurship - Bernard Mooney's comments (which you cannot find on lesaffaires.com for some reason?) 'La pénurie dont on ne parle pas':
    https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=eec3c3f804fb0d55#cid=EEC3C3F804FB0D55&id=EEC3C3F804FB0D55%21235
    (basically, he is saying the Neé pour un petit pain complex in different words)

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  15. Never surrender to complacency and appeasement.

    Exactly, and keep up the great work Hugo! Speaking of complacency, have a look at what our government is hiding from us:

    Fukushima Is Falling Apart: Are You Ready … For A Mass Extinction Event?

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    1. What amateur crap site did you post a link to? It has a section where they deny the Holocaust, where the say that 9/11 is an inside job, where Fukushima is going to kill everyone in the world etc. A conspiracy theory website for uneducated dimwits who know nothing about the world. It takes all kinds...

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    2. Thank you DD :)
      Several things are incorrect with the report, which happens when they condense things:
      I am not the one who created the groups, and even with the stupid threshold at 50%, you have every right to publish in EN. This blog covered this already in previous posts...

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    3. @ DD

      From website you posted a link to:

      "There are numerous outstanding articles and books that do an excellent job of debunking the so-called Holocaust... I take a rather atypical analytical approach, making use of psychology, metaphysics, mysticism and magic, Talmudic traditions, Kabalistic gematria, literary deconstructionism and revisionist historiography."

      He bases it partly on mysticism and magic? Incredible! A true academic indeed...

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    4. @Roger Rabbit

      It's kinda like this blog, you just have to ignore the ignorant BS, and concentrate on the important stuff. :) The Max Keiser show is on Iranian and Russian TV so...

      More news from Japan re Fukushima

      The important part is in Enenews:

      US Senator Issues Press Release on Fukushima Spent Fuel Pools — Urges Japan to accept international help — Warns situation worse than reported after touring plant

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    5. @DD

      Okay, well, I can't say I share your view or even the view of the energy news website you linked to (which is really a personal 1 man blog) I don't think Fukushima is going to blow the world to smithereens but I would be willing to listen to someone who says that Fukushima is more dangerous than we think, especially to the people of Japan, if compelling evidence can be produced.

      Just glad to know that you agree that there is alot of ignorant BS on the internet :)

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    6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    7. "...more english while Quebecer think there is too much english..."

      "...we're not a bunch of morons..."

      Êtes-vous bien convaincu que c'est un bon stratège ?

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    8. My Impoverished Scottish Grandma Was a RhodesianFriday, April 27, 2012 at 10:26:00 PM EDT

      C'est une excellente strategie. Il faut comprendre que la strategie de nos adversaires est de continuellement promouvoir le myth que l'anglais est en train de menacer le quebec. Face a une telle strategie, on n'a pas de choix que de pousser l'anglais autant que possible. Ce n'est pas les anglophones qui ont choisi de faire un comabat linguistique. Pour long temps temps on a essayer de rendre a Caesar se qu'il appartenait a Caesar, mais on est en train d'apprendre que ce ne serai jamais assez.

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  16. that Bob is not an anglophone, that's a troll trying to write EN - bait fail!

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  17. La situation de la communauté anglophone du Québec est similaire à un individu coincé dans du sable mouvant:Plus il s'agite plus il s'enfonce.

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    1. Ce qu'il y a de plus triste là-dedans, c'est que tu vois ça et que tu t'en réjouis.

      Dommage. Si (éventuellement) on réussit à écarter suffisamment vos injections envenimées à ce débat, peut-être parviendrons-nous à bâtir une meilleure société ayant à la base une vraie tolérance et équité linguistique durable.

      L'indifférence du peuple québécois malgré vos efforts ces derniers temps à attiser une colère viscérale ethnolinguistique collective démontre clairement que le problème appréhendé n'existe pas. Le problème, c'est bien vous, et non pas nous.

      De grâce, foutez-nous tous la paix et allez vous-en. Des citoyens francos/anglos/allos tous même passivement bilingues et qui ne s'entretuent pas, ce n'est pas un danger public. Loin de là, c'est une tentative (imparfaite, mais étonnamment fonctionnelle) de vivre en paix et en harmonie.

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    2. "Si (éventuellement) on réussit à écarter suffisamment vos injections envenimées à ce débat..."

      J'ai bien peur que vos efforts afin d'éradiquer le droit de parole à au moins 40% de notre population,soient vaines.Si la population du Québec était en désaccord avec notre position face à la situation linguistique de Montréal,l'OQLF se verrait dans l'obligation de réduire ses effectifs.Ce qui n'est évidemment pas le cas en ce moment.

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    3. Je suis tout a fait d'accord avec ça, Apparatchik.

      Le problème n'est pas d'origine anglophone: il n'y a pas de demonstrations pro-anglicisation, et le point de vue des Anglo-Québecois n'est pas qu'ils veulent promouvoir l'anglais en tant qu'autre langue officielle du Québec, mais qu'ils se sentent discriminés contre par le stratégie du OQLF: ''protèger la langue française'' en essayant d'eliminer l'anglais et les anglophones à tout prix. C'est une stratégie hostile et défavorable.

      Et malgré tout cela, c'est une tâche impossible: éradiquer l'anglais du Québec. L'anglais est la langue de la commerce a travers le monde entier, partout dans le monde tu peut trouver quelqu'un qui l'a appris grâce a son utilité universelle. Le Québec fait parti du Canada, un pais principalement anglophone. Le anglos au Québec sont peut-être une minorité, mais ils font quand même parti de la classe la plus productive et bien instruit au Québec.

      La meilleure stratégie serait d'integrer les anglophones, pas les aliéner. Par contre, le position du gouvernement, leur extremistes souverainiste-anglophobe et leurs disciples inculte est de considerer tout ce qui n'est pas francophone pur-laine comme ennemi.

      For them, there is no middle ground, you're either an anglo federalist that wants to destroy Québecois culture or a loyal upstanding seperatist unilingual francophone with a biased and substandard education. Remember that this is the government that implements souverainiste dogma in their high-school education system, and deliberately provides sub-standard English- as-a-second-language education in order to discourage the acquisition of a second language that isn't French. It's like arguing with the Church about theology, they are so deeply steeped in their own dogma that giving the slightest amount is inconceivable.

      ''The only good anglo is a dead anglo.''

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    4. >Si la population du Québec était en désaccord avec notre position face à la situation linguistique de Montréal[...]
      Toujours drôle cette notion voulant que les régions aient un droit de parole sur ce qui se passe à Montréal, pourtant si loin d'eux. Pendant 2 siècles, les gens des régions ne s'en foutaient pas et pourtant c'est en 2012 que la situation est devenue inquiétante? S'il vous plait...

      Ce n'est qu'une tempête dans un verre d'eau fabriquée dans un but intéressé par nul autre que vous-mêmes. Ajoutons à ça une indifférence de francophones blancs qui s'en foutent éperdument car ils ne connaissent pas assez vos saloperies ni les répercussions qui en découlent. Voilà ce qui explique en long et en large ce qui se passe chez nous.

      [...]l'OQLF se verrait dans l'obligation de réduire ses effectifs.Ce qui n'est évidemment pas le cas en ce moment.
      Depuis quand l'attribution d'argent, de contrats, et de ressources dans un secteur particulier par un gouvernement supposément corrompu (vos accusations, rappelons-le) reflète-t-il les besoins réels d'une population? Décide-toi, hostie.

      ''protèger la langue française'' en essayant d'eliminer l'anglais et les anglophones à tout prix. C'est une stratégie hostile et défavorable.
      Effectivement. Et leur mouvement a toujours eu ce fond haineux. Il faudra continuer à l'exposer et au bout de quelques décennies, par un processus graduel d'indifférence à grande échelle, notre société aura-t-elle enfin capable d'exciser et de répudier cette partie honteuse de notre ADN collective. Déjà bon nombre de nos jeunes n'en font plus tellement un enjeux: ce ne sont que les ennemis réels du peuple (et leurs accointances, soit la SSJB, JPQ, RRQ, IF, IPSO, MLNQ) qui retiennent un intérêt à tuer toute paix sociale dont on jouit.

      [...] this is the government that [...] deliberately provides sub-standard English- as-a-second-language education
      Note the rumblings from pissed off francophone parents (in the "régions", no less) demanding quality English-language instruction have been growing louder in recent years. Ultimately, all peoples will choose function over fanfare, and I expect that these parents' demands will ultimately be satisfied one way or another. Correspondingly, the separatist anglophobe clique will necessarily (albeit gradually) assume an increasingly less relevant role in our society. (Good riddance).

      >It's like arguing with the Church about theology, they are so deeply steeped in their own dogma that giving the slightest amount is inconceivable.
      Wait a (sometimes long) while. Sooner or later, a dose of interfaith integration and comparative religious study will replace totalitarian mind control.

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    5. >''The only good anglo is a dead anglo.''
      Nonsense. If we genuinely favor diversity while wishing to strive toward integration, we need to talk the talk and walk the walk. This is as true for one side as it is for the other.

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  18. Editor,

    Sorry, but I did not catch Gilles Proulx Freudian slip. Care to enlighten?

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    1. Proulx says that “the reputation of educational institutions has been greatly stricken (wounded or diminished) … the value of diplomas does not compare to those from Yale or McGill… (Oops! Whoopsie! Back-pedal!!) Errrm, well, I exclude Quebec… with a number of universities….”

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    2. The Cat,

      Thank you. I did not quite catch the meaning. I just thought it was natural that McGill was pooled together with Yale.

      Delete
  19. I've been following this blog for years. This comment is my second. Please don't feel like I'm trying to lecture or change your views but more to let you understand the animal your dealing with.

    I was born in Montreal in 1961. My parents immigrated to Canada in 1956. I have brothers & sisters that are 6 to 10 years older than I am that were born in Italy. I lived part of my youth in little Italy where most of the Italians settled when they first came here. Having had older siblings growing up, I was exposed to the elements at an early age.

    My father’s first job was in the Outremont district, I hope I spelled it correctly. He learned to speak both languages over time. I remember my father telling his stories to family members on how he kept a low profile at work, basically speaking as little as possible for fear of crossing the wrong racist (French) person. His trips to & from work were at times were challenging. He was frequently harassed & called a WOP & spat on along the way. There was the occasional bulling where he would have to run home. My Father contacted the Police but nothing changed. He started changing his routes daily to get to work. My father was not alone in this environment. I heard similar stories from others.

    Years later as my brother’s got older the same kind of crap continued with them. I remember my brother coming home from school with bruises & his clothes ripped because of attacks. As a parent the only thing my dad could do was call the Police. Nothing changed. The Police would always tell my dad that they were minors & there wasn’t much they could do. Some of these minors at the time lived just a few houses away. I never understand why this was happening at the time until I got older. As my brother got older, still a minor, he created a group which could now defend themselves from these situations. The table had turned. Now when the Police came over my brother was driven away in the patrol car. He was a minor but not French.

    Growing up I also endured some share of racism. In the late 60’s still living in the same place I was in my 4th or 5th year of elementary school. I remember going to school & having the local French kids calling us WOP’s & spitting at us from the second floor balcony while their parents sat there & watched. We also had several African Canadian families living in the area at the time. They endured their share of the “N” word. This shit happened all the time. It was a way of life at the time, so I thought.

    The point I’m trying to make here is that you’re beating a dead horse. This has been going on before the PQ was born & will continue long after you & I are gone even if Quebec remains part of Canada. You can’t train a scorpion to be a rabbit, it’s a predator. From the government to the police in Quebec no one will help any non Francaphone on this issue. It’s been going on for over 50 years & will continue. I strongly believe, my own opinion, there’s a certain degree of racism in every French Quebecer. The Journal de Montreal over the years had published, on 2 occasions that I know of, who the most racist nationalities living in Quebec were. On both studies the French Quebecer came out on top as the most racist. Do you think the J de M at the time called only the separatist Quebecers for the study? I bet not.

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  20. My biggest disappointment comes from our Federal Government for turning away at what’s going on here. I read about Hugo & what he is trying to do. Sorry Hugo your fight is all wrong. If you want to get any attention in the matter you have to take the fight outside Quebec. You’re out-numbered out here. Take the same approach that they take, but outside Quebec. Teach everyone outside the Quebec border, US or Canada, the hate the French have towards the English. I’m not talking only about the separatist but the French people general. The so called good ones you all believe to exist are pretty-quite if you ask me. When was the last time anyone came across an all French group that publically denounced what is goes on? I bet if Hugo took this approach he would rattle their cages. As long as the fight remains here, you don’t stand a chance. Good luck!!

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    1. Anonymous, it's not so much a matter of Francophones denouncing what's going on, many of them are drop-dead ignorant about it. I have many Francophone, unilingual acquaintances that I get along with because I am a bilingual. Some of them are seperatist because ''it's the cool thing to be'', or they received a lovely course in Quebec dogma at some point in their schooling, but nevertheless we get along fine as long as we don't mention politics.

      None of these people have any idea what I'm talking about when I say that anglophones and non-francophones are heavily discriminated against. My own girlfriend, a francophone unilingual whom I've been with for three years, refuses to talk to me about the issue because she (and many others) believes that I'm simply paranoid.

      These people actually believe that Bill 101 is protecting them above all else, rather than discriminating against minorities. That doesn't mean they're doing so maliciously! Because of their ingrained dogma and the propaganda that the Quebec media spews at them constantly, they well and truly believe that they are threatened by anglophones and foreign immigrants.

      It is simply a lack of caring or understanding on their parts. The ones who are militantly anglophobe are extremists, uneducated extremists whose only forays outside the country were at the enclosed resort in Cuba, purely anglophone countries (UK, USA) or predominantly francophone countries (France, Algeria). These individuals simply have no idea what the outside world is like, none whatsoever! They believe that English isn't widely used apart from in the RoC, US and UK.

      Those who just don't care are apathetic because it doesn't affect them, or they simply don't understand the ramifications of such discriminatory laws. They'll never have to suffer the abuse and discrimination that anglos do, so why should they care?

      I have rarely been discriminated against because my French is excellent and I am a likeable person, but that doesn't mean that I don't feel the impotent rage at the situation of anglo-Québecers. We are ''less Québecois'' than the pur-laines simply because our mother tongue isn't French? Fuck that.

      Also, as for the Federal government not getting involved, while it is unjust, it's to be expected. The current Conservative government isn't exactly friendly to the needs of the common people unless those common people own a corporation, plus, Québec voted primarily NDP in the 2011 elections, Harper sees no reason to help us. Even if he did, Québecers would simply see it as federalist aggression, and it would garner more support for the seperatists.

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    2. Must read article in the Gazette by Montreal Lawyer Peter Blakie. Offers a sobering assessment to English Speaking Quebec on the political realities we face living in a Sea of Francophones. A total repudiation of the Liberal Party of Quebec.

      http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/reality+check+language+front/6531801/story.html

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    3. Blaikie's partly right. But also partly wrong.

      He forgets that there's an emerging class of young francophone professionals (many of whom shouldn't be unknown to him) who are proud of our language, heritage, and culture, but who don't view integration with the wider continent around us as being in any way incompatible.

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    4. I think the article is spot on, and fits my experience. Especially this line, something that I repeated many times on this blog:

      "With rare exceptions, and with varying degrees of passion, all Quebec francophones are nationalists. An even rarer exception is the francophone who is truly a Canadian federalist. On the verge of extinction is the Québécois pure laine with the courage to profess that belief publicly."

      As I said before, even the most bilingual, traveled, and politically federalist francophones are still at least mildly nationalist, and still obsessed with language.

      Apparatchik, you break out of this because your background is mixed, so you had been brought up with 3 different perspectives. For a franco pure laine, it’s much harder.

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    5. In principal, I think it is good to have an anglo/allophones party if it means that it will draw attention of the political powers to the fate of non-francophone communities. That is that, because to be honest there would be no chance at all that the party would be able to do something meaningful in the way of policy making. That party will act like the Bloc in the Parliament in the 80s and 90s (bad example, I know).

      The first one that will react certainly is the QLP. The new party will bite deeply into QLP's votes, the votes they took for granted forever. Hopefully by then, QLP and CAQ (if it remains soft nationalist) will pay more attention to non-francophones. PQ can not cater to the group without betraying their core constituents.

      However, just like the Bloc, this hypothetical party is prone to suffer the same fate. It may be a party without real purpose. It can never reach the critical mass needed at the National Assembly. And just like the Bloc, I think that it will just sadly fade into obscurity.

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    6. >As I said before, even the most bilingual, traveled, and politically federalist francophones are still at least mildly nationalist, and still obsessed with language. Apparatchik, you break out of this because your background is mixed, so you had been brought up with 3 different perspectives. For a franco pure laine, it’s much harder.

      "Mildly nationalist", "more-than-average nationalist", "potentially nationalist", "occasionally nationalist", "nauseatingly nationalist"... this could go on for quite a while.

      While I of course see the point you're trying to make, part of me thinks it's ludicrous to start subdividing French-Canadian-descended people (or anybody, really) into countless virtual so-called nationalist 'bins'. The more carefully one peers into any seemingly monolithic group, a large number of individual variants emerge; as such there are almost as many variants as there are members of the group, and the monolithic facade comes tumbling down. The extremist blowhards on both sides of this divide do their darndest to conveniently manufacture a monolithic us/them dynamic because, let's face it, war is a friend of binarisms... not to mention it's paid handsome political dividends in the past. The point is to deliberately discourage any kind of direct contact between the lowliest of either group, lest they discover how artificial this supposed fence really is.

      At the same time, I don't know that the people you consider "mildly nationalist" are "obsessed" with language in the same way our self-appointed thought leaders (e.g. SSJB/RRQ/Curzi/Lisée) are. There is a world of difference between wanting my own kids and grandkids to keep my cultural traditions alive and ensuring that happens by endorsing and acquiescing to the idea that yours should be severely restricted. There is a world of difference even between a "Québécois" thug lobbing dog shit at a convenience store and a francophone who privately takes the owner aside and gently points out a violation (or even offers his help to said hapless merchant to translate an "offending" sign, as I admit I once did as a youngster). Wanting to preserve a part of a culture isn't exclusive to French-Canadians, nor is taking pride in a language well spoken something completely foreign to them -- or anyone else, for that matter.

      I don't know to what extent my seeing it this way is necessarily a product of my "tri-cultural" upbringing. Sure, having three different perches might help flesh out the details at times, but even with pedestrian observational skills, bullshit is bullshit irrespective of place and time. I'd like to think that there are moderates the world over who look and sound nothing like me but who make it a lifelong effort to be good "citizens" while not taking themselves or their environments too seriously.

      If you think about it, an anglo/franco/allo mutt like me in Montreal actually belongs to three groups that in one way or another are "in grave danger". And yet I have followed a constructive integration model and I know I'm further ahead than I would've been had I followed the defensive one the séparartiste narrative prescribed.


      > [...]to be honest there would be no chance at all that the party would be able to do something meaningful in the way of policy making. That party will act like the Bloc in the Parliament in the 80s and 90s (bad example, I know).

      Not that bad an example, since it'd properly take the form of a protest party rather than one that genuinely aspired to mainstream support.


      >En principe la CAQ devrait être le parfait compromis...
      J'aurais bien voulu. Hélas, une autre occasion râtée...

      Delete
    7. Thorn In The Side Of Distinct SocietySaturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:51:00 PM EDT

      I think Blaikie's message is quite clear, park your vote at home English Quebec, no one in Quebec City is your "friend". To even court your vote publicly has become political suicide in Quebec. A new party with a Montreal centric view is in order. It'll have to be grassroots, and it'll have to begin at the municipal level and it'll have to have bold policies that have wide ranging appeal. The CAQ had potential but they are just as pro-Bill 101 and anti-English as the Peqs and Libs. Stop voting Liberal, stop donating money to them, they want you gone just as much as the PQ. The tail has been wagging the dog far to long in Quebec. Montreal has the numbers, Montreal should be driving it's own policies.

      Delete
  21. "These individuals simply have no idea what the outside world is like, none whatsoever!"

    Même avec le web?...Hmmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Surtout avec le web.

      http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biais_de_confirmation

      Delete
  22. "Biais de confirmation"

    Et ceci s'applique seulement aux hosties de séparatistes,bien entendu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. à tous ceux qui sont trop aveuglés par leur propre dogme pour s'ouvrir à une piste de réflexion qui leur serait nouvelle...

      Delete
  23. I left Quebec many years ago and live in Omtario where I enjoy the cultural, racial and religious diversity and where language is utterly irrelevant. Those of you who choose to remain in Quebec will continue to endure bigotry if you are not a francophone Catholic and you will wake up every day to yet another language story. If you a masochist, stay in Quebec knowing that it is impossible for you to realize your full potential. Nothing is ever going to change in Quebec until the allophones become a significant percentage of the population and participate in Quebec political life as Anglophones and overturn the fascist language legislation. Unfortunately, it will be too late for Quebec will have slipped into an economic morass from which it will never be able to emerge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Egad... that sounds pretty miserable.

      Couldn't we instead go through a period wherein we realize that language isn't everything but rather one (albeit important) part of who we are and perhaps embrace a more secular approach to language policy just as we did with regard to religion half a century ago?

      Delete
    2. No, no, don't you know how it works Apparatchik? All the people who left Quebec are supposed to tell the people who stay in Quebec how miserable they're going to be. lol

      Delete
    3. I haven't decided whether I find it tiring, obnoxious, or laughable how many people are all too willing to tell me how oppressed, affronted, disrespected, stunted, endangered, unfulfilled, or insulted I need to be feeling... lest I be unable to think for myself... or lest I be left in any state of doubt.

      Delete
    4. Well, here you are spending your time on a blog describing on a daily basis how oppressed, affronted, disrespected, stunted, endangered, unfulfilled or insulted Anglophones are in Quebec. Do you enjoy spending your energy in this way? Face it, more than 250,000 Anglophones have left Quebec because they prefer to live life in a positive fashion. If you are too weak to move somewhere ese where you can live a normal life without dissipating your energy in a negative way, that is your problem, but ou are deluding yourself if you think that Anglophones in Quebec live normal lives.

      Delete
    5. What I find funnier is day after day some former Quebeckers come on this blog to say how happy they are that they are no longer in Quebec and to be living wherever they are now. I have a feeling that's not 100% true. If I was happy somewhere else, why would I go on a website that, as you describe it, describes how disrespected anglophones in Quebec are instead of just enjoying my new life?

      It's true there are problems that are in this society as there are problems in other societies. It doesn't mean that there aren't positive aspects to living here. Alot of anglophones in Quebec do live normal lives, especially now that most are bilingual.

      There are problems everywhere, even in Ontario. Is everything great there? There are no racial tensions? People don't say that there are sections of the GTA that is too Chinese or Indian? There are no gun problems?

      Even if we do complain on this website about certain things, on the whole, most of us do like it here.

      Delete
    6. Watching Moving On, a documentary about exiled anglo montrealers, I was surprised with one thing : according to one of the characters, they were not always welcomed when they moved west. So they tend to keep quiet about where they were from. This is something I did not expect to hear.

      Moving On : http://vimeo.com/3582560

      My personnal feeling is that many exiled anglo montrealers resent having to leave. Their first choice would most probably be to have been able to stay in Québec but they felt that they could not, they felt that they were forced out, hence the (rightful) lasting resentment.

      Delete
    7. "What I find funnier is day after day some former Quebeckers come on this blog to say how happy they are that they are no longer in Quebec and to be living wherever they are now. [...] If I was happy somewhere else, why would I go on a website that [...] describes how disrespected anglophones in Quebec are instead of just enjoying my new life?"

      In this category, Mr. Sauga wrote what is, in my eyes, a piece of anthology : http://nodogsoranglophones.blogspot.ca/2012/03/is-oqlf-making-it-up-as-it-goes-along.html?showComment=1331701816317#c4922929454966991844

      Delete
    8. [...]here you are spending your time on a blog describing on a daily basis how oppressed, affronted, disrespected, stunted, endangered, unfulfilled or insulted Anglophones are in Quebec [...]

      Actually, if you read me a bit more carefully, you'd realize that my premise is just as much about how our ethnolinguistic political disease harms anglophones as much as francophones. My individual staying or leaving is immaterial since I am functional both in English and French -- and I actually WANT to live a multilingual existence. My issue has more to do with how we (especially in Montreal) already HAVE the infrastructure to enjoy a thriving bilingual society where both languages are equally respected. My disappointment stems from how instead are obsessing over petty non-issues rather than making it a government strategy to robustly integrate the two solitudes. If it could work anywhere in the country, it'd be here. Organically. Instead, we're caught between bombastic separatist extremists and meek behind-the-scenes wheeler-dealing suits. Sure, I can leave, but that won't change my belief that we -- COLLECTIVELY -- can do better. I can't speak for anybody else, but I suppose I'm a just strange animal that rejects flag-waving nationalism yet embraces unadorned grassroots patriotism.

      >Even if we do complain on this website about certain things, on the whole, most of us do like it here.

      Mostly agree. I want us to look forward, not backward. There is a danger that a group representing 2% might eventually disappear. But being a minority isn't an automatic death sentence, and that's where I think we keep going wrong. (So much so that I now think it's deliberate.)

      Jews, for example, represent probably less than 1% of the population. Yet they've both survived and thrived for millennia despite the fact that most of the peoples who've dealt with them have at various times employed both passive or rather energetic eradication policies. And yet Jews are still here! In comparison, once-mighty civilizations (e.g. Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman, Aztec, Byzantine, etc.) live on today only as distorted facsimiles of their former selves.

      In my view, looking at it through this perspective makes some of our francophones' perpetual whining about Durham's report and recent Anglo-American world dominance pale in comparison. Bunch of sissies.

      >My personnal feeling is that many exiled anglo montrealers resent having to leave.
      That's the difference between (genteel) exile and deliberate migration. Now imagine how it would have been had we pursued a more moderate rehabilitation of French in the 60's and 70's. Those exiles might have learned French eventually (their kids almost certainly would have), and chances are, there would be less resentment and more understanding all around. It's even sadder than the massive French-Canadian migration to New England (ca. 1880-1930) because it was deliberately orchestrated by young turks with a vengeance rather than be the side effect of rabbit-like overpopulation and the resulting scarcity of economic opportunity.

      I just can't get over how two languages represented equally on a sign (such a small gesture, when you think about it) elicits howls and rabid protests about assimilation by the same people who refuse to even properly educate (let alone immerse) their children in a second language. Idiots all around.

      Delete
  24. "Le problème, c'est bien vous, et non pas nous."

    Plus ça change...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Désolé... mais ce n'est pas nous qui manifestons en masse devant des dépanneurs appartenant à des immigrants. Vous ne nous verrez pas non plus nous promener des drapeaux de patriotes dans la main devant la caisse de dépôt en décriant la présence de 2 cadres anglophones venus d'ailleurs qui sont là depuis avant une fusion avec cette société publique québécoise. Vous ne nous verrez pas nous déchirer la chemise lorsqu'on nomme un entraineur anglophone parce qu'on vise les résultats avant la forme. Vous ne nous verrez pas terroriser des nouveaux venus qui se trouvent à ne pas être d'expression française.

      Oui, des voleurs, des idéologues, des fraudeurs et des arrivistes, il y en chez vous comme il y en a chez nous. Telle est la nature humaine.

      Chez nous, vous trouverez aussi du monde qui ne croit pas à deux solitudes mais bien à 2 groupes bien intégrés. Vous trouverez des gens qui ne s'offusquent pas de vivre et laisser vivre. Vous nous verrez fièrement brandir notre québécitude et canadianisme du même souffle. Chez nous, vous avez la stabilité politique et économique. On cherche à unir, pas à diviser. À bâtir avec ce qu'on a, pas à démolir pour la seule raison que ça n'a pas été bâti par "le bon monde" d'un groupe ethnolinguistique particulier.

      Delete
    2. Le jour où je vois votre complexe séparato-extrémiste cesser de se réjouir de sa propre mesquinerie et d'accepter la situation du Québec sur le continent nord-américain, peut-être commencerais-je à avoir du respect pour la cause que vous faites semblant d'avancer.

      Delete
    3. "Désolé... mais ce n'est pas nous qui manifestons en masse devant des dépanneurs appartenant à des immigrants"

      Des immigrants ou de supposés nouveaux citoyens Québécois?

      Delete
    4. Entre l'arbre et l'écorce, parait-il.

      Delete
  25. ‎"Le premier grand mouvement socio-écologique est-il en train de naître dans la Belle Province ?"


    http://www.parismatch.com/Actu-Match/Monde/Actu/Le-Quebec-en-ebullition-392989/

    ReplyDelete
  26. Pour nos amis de Sept-îles :

    http://tinyurl.com/89hmmae

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.fm93.com/audioplayer.php?mp3=130606

      poubelle ou sagesse?

      Delete
  27. Merveilleux!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-39Vve3iY

    ReplyDelete
  28. Jeanne Reynolds ?...Reynolds...Hmmm

    ReplyDelete
  29. An Update (and to those who think the Police are not helping crack down on the MPQ, see attachment):

    FB page of Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse

    Intimidation and Credible Threats of Violence are Unacceptable Over Differences in Political Opinion, in Public via a FB Group - members are Mario Beaulieu, head of the SSJB, and (were) Maria Mourani, Bloc Québécois, Member of Parliament. This type of group has been repeatedly made by the members of the Réseau de résistance québécoise as you can see in this signed PDF :

    https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=EEC3C3F804FB0D55&id=EEC3C3F804FB0D55%21236

    Please join the FB group that Mike Bradely created (not me Editor, please note) to denounce the intimidation of groups like the SSJB, MMF, RRQ and govt-sponsored OQLF:
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/275962695828596/ (almost 800 members now, in less than a week)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Une page FB ne sert à rien même avec 5k membres.Faites comme nous,sortez dans la rue.Attendez un peu,tout de même,car vous risquez de passer totalement inaperçus ces temps-ci.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Radicalization seems to have worked well enough for the 'Quiet Revolution', even if any sense of equality, social responsibility and other finer political sentiments that have been slated for extinction in Quebec, still manage to marginally survive in perpetual death throes. I propose we follow the example, only more efficiently. A massive media blitz on the evils of Quebec. A constant bombardment of negative press until mothers in the Yukon start to keep their kids in line with scary stories of Uncle 'Curly' Charest and his flatulent commandant Marois...we're talking CNN proportions here. When this undoubtedly succeeds, we can 'liberate' the province, redeucate it, and maybe pave some of the damn roads from the money we save from the abolished 'national' (yeah, right) assembly and all its monkey programs like the OLF.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I grew up in rural Quebec I am a product of Bill 101. I started English school in 1976 kindergarten. I speak French fluently yet I really have a hard time reading French forget writing it. most of the people that went to school with me have left the province since what they taught us in French class was not enough to get us by. I have never been able to pass 1 year of French. I am proud to be able to switch from one language to another in spoken form. I have mastered the Quebecois accent enough to be mistaken for a French person. When I ask for paperwork from the government or other organizations in this province in English I always get the same answer. NO you are in Quebec you want English paperwork move to English Canada. Now I know that I have the legal right to receive paperwork in my mother tongue. yet they keep sending it to me in a language I can't read. I was on workmans comp or CSST and they categorically refused to send me the paperwork in english. they cut me off from CSST for missing appointment. yet if they would have sent me my paper work in english. I would not have become homeless. and for the last 2 years I have been living way under the poverty line. in 2010 I made 1000$ in 2011 I made less than 4k. There are so many mistakes in my file it is not even funny. They deliberately changed my phone number so they could not reach me. my phone number was ok but the area code was 438 but they changed it to 418. I even contacted the ombudsmen for Quebec I made the official complaint yet there answer was that I never asked for the paper work in english and that my phone number was accurate. yet when i ask to meet with them to show them my file they refuse to do so. They make me feel like I am not a part of this society... How do you expect english people to learn french with 40 minute classes 5 days a week? In my household as a kid French was banned from being spoken in the house. I have lived in a few provinces in Canada yet I have never encounter so many problems as I do living in Quebec. What agencies protect our rights to be english?

    ReplyDelete