Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Pauline Marois- Let the Rich Pay!

On Monday, Premier Charest and Pauline Marois had a face to face debate and it was certainly more entertaining than the one held the night before that included Francois David, leader of  the Quebec solidaire, and Francois Legault, leader of the ADQ.

It was clear that Mr. Charest was the better debater and Marois continued her fanciful line of arguments, again ducking direct questions with off-subject and long-winded responses that veered off on a tangent.
Even the moderator, this time the very able Pierre Bruneau, called her to order as she ducked the question as to whether she would initiate a referendum in her first mandate.

Shucking and jiving, she avoided giving a direct answer even after three forceful interventions by the moderator asking her to PLEASE answer the question that was asked.

All this being said, I don't think Charest made up any ground and the minds of very few voters were changed.

What did intrigue me was Marois' insistence that she would cancel the $200 flat rate health tax, which she claimed was unfair to the poor. She insisted that her government would recover the money from the so-called 'rich,' those who made over $130,000 per year.

It's a popular notion among her constituency, after all, only 4% of taxpayers do earn over this amount and if they have to pay, well all the better for 97.2% of Quebecers who would get off scott free, under her proposal.

These privileged 4% already pay over 33% of the personal taxes collected in Quebec and for Pauline, it isn't enough!

Just for fun, Let's examine just how 'lucky' these taxpayers are and how much they'll get left with after the PQ adds another $6,500 to their tax bill, the amount each of them will pay as an extra tax in order to offset the $950 million she is short, by eliminating the universal health tax.   Link{Fr}

Here is the case of a Quebec taxpayer making $130,000 a year, who owns one car and a home with an approximate value of $375,000.

Taxes paid;

$46,000 ..............Federal and Provincial Income Tax
  $8,000 ..............Levies for Quebec Pension and employment Insurance
  $1,600 ..............Tax on gasoline, car registration and license
  $3,750 ..............Municipal Taxes on  home
     $300 .............. Welcome Tax (prorated over 10 years)
     $300 .............. alcohol and cigarette tax
$10,000 ..............GST & TVQ
  $6,500 ..............Marois' new health tax

$77,650 ..............Total taxes paid, 60% of income

$52,350 ..............After tax income.....40% of income

Readers should also consider that employers pay levies as well, in relation to each employee. This pays for medicare, and employer contributions to the QPP, CSST, Normes de Travail, Parental leave etc, etc.

For an employee making $130, 000, it works out to another $15,000 a year, money that would rightfully belong to the employee if not for the taxes.

Now my facts and figures are as accurate as far as a four hour search can be, they are decidedly rough calculations, but if I am wrong, I probably erred on the low side, considering all the other hidden taxes we pay.

Please don't send in nitpicking comments, I stipulate in advance that this is just a general study that is useful, because it shows just how much these so-called 'rich' people contribute.

The fact is that taxes in Quebec are stifling and every time our politicians come up with ideas to tax more, they shrink from their duty to spend wisely the money they confiscate.

Now Marois hasn't had her chance to muck things up further, her turn appears to be coming and by all indications, she will follow in the fine tradition of a tax and spender.

The PQ is no more guilty than the Liberals in overspending, but the scary part of Marois is that she is oblivious to the problem.

In every speech she has given, the emphasis is on cutting taxes and increasing spending.

Whether it is Charest, Marois or Legault who becomes the next Premier, spending will remain out of control because until serious measures are taken to reduce entitlements, cut back exaggerated subsides to private companies, cut the bloated bureaucracy and get control of runaway public pensions, Quebec will continue its course towards a Greek tragedy.

It can't happen here.
That's what the Greeks thought until three years ago and I bet the same applies to the Italians, Irish, Spaniards and Portuguese today, all living in a pretend world, ignoring the awful truth that the financial shoe is about to drop.

We are soon approaching our breaking point as well, maybe not in a year or five but it is approaching.

Pauline Marois, who views these financial problems through rose-coloured glasses is just the useful idiot to send Quebec past the tipping point.

The very essence of a separatist government and the uncertainty of an undeclared referendum, will become a veritable Sword of Damocles hanging above our financial heads.

In layman's terms it is a financial buzzkill.

In the end, Madame Marois will find out that she is in no position to tax the rich. There isn't enough of them and there will be relatively less in the future.

One last point before I go today and it is about another one of Madame Marois' promises, the one where francization rules will now apply to companies with between 10 and 49 employees.

In France, there is a law that imposes an incredible burden upon employers, once they grow to over 49 employees.
The result........Companies refuse to grow.
Read a fascinating article in BusinessWeek: Why France Has So Many 49-Employee Companies

The realty is that many, many companies, like in France, will stop growing or they will take extraordinary measure to avoid the 10 employee threshold, including sub-contracting and opening multiple companies, instead of one.

The government bureaucrats believe that they can control everything by fiat and that everyone will meekly go along with their nonsense.

The very best and simple example of this hardheadedness was the doubling of tolls on the Laurention Autoroute in 1985 from 25¢ to 50¢ in one fell swoop.
 Here, I'm actually quoting myself;
"...The toll plazas were old and weren't equipped with mechanical arms that came down to act as a barrier until payment was effected. The system was a simple red light/green light affair with a bell and flashing red light triggered in the case where a motorist stiffed on the payment. Supposedly, a police car parked in reserve would pursue and ticket the offender.
But the volume of scofflaws became enormous and it was impossible for the police to cope. At a certain point, it became hugely embarrassing to the government and action had to be taken in order to maintain public order. The government, had no choice but to re-build the toll plazas to incorporate barrier arms, but balked at the cost and more importantly feared the backlash that such an action would engender.
So they did the only thing that they could. They got rid of the tolls completely and went from a 25¢ toll to 50¢ and then to nothing.

Government types calculated that it would double revenues without ever considering consumer reaction."
Another planning fiasco that failed to take into consideration that people act in their own self interest and that paper predictions are almost always flawed. Perhaps our bean counters should remember the old adage-
"
Men Plan, God laughs.
" Link
The same thing will happen if Marois goes ahead with her anti-English, anti-Ethnic and anti-religion agenda.

It's called PUSHBACK and it's coming.


LATE DEVELOPMENT 
As you might have heard, Pauline Marois unloaded a bit of an unexpected bombshell yesterday when out of the blue, she announced that when elected, she will introduce legislation requiring those running for public office to pass a French test.
To me as an election observer and an ex-organizer it was not only telling, but frightening..

You see it means that her handlers who are steering her campaign are confident that this line is of attack is striking a cord with voters.
They wouldn't have dropped this bombshell without some very specific internal polling numbers that is telling them that anglo and ethnic bashing is resonating.
Confident that all she has to do to win the election, is to hold onto the hard-cores, she is playing up the race, religion and language card.
This latest pronouncement will steal votes and maybe a percentage point or two from hardcore Quebec Solidaire and Option Nationale supporters. That is all she needs.

It is actually quite frightening, even for an old cynic like me.

Quebec Anglos, Ethnics and religiously observant....Be afraid...Be very afraid! 

We are headed towards dark times.

276 comments:

  1. FROM ED BROWN
    I heard a couple talking on the metro green line the other day. One was saying, "If I was younger I would put a bomb in the OLF." They were tough looking guys and I think it was only talk but
    oppression makes people angry and I do not think we've seen the worst of this yet. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The PQunt would love to get Quebec out of Canada and away from the eyes and ears of the english world and commit atrocities against their perceived enemies of the state.
      I don‘t give a fuck if anyone thinks that is hysterical, all you have to do is connect the dots and this theory doesn‘t sound so crazy. Or take a look at Super.Racist‘s hate filled, vindictive, racist one liners.
      These are incredibly sick people. Dark days ahead, indeed.

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    2. N'ayez crainte James John,nous prendrons bien soins de vous.Les Péquistes ne sont pas tous insensibles à la douleur des autres comme vous semblez le croire.Nous avons aussi un coeur vous savez ;-)

      Delete
    3. S.R - Super. Racist. I like that. Well said.

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    4. S.R.

      Svp revenez sur le blog, je ne peux pas tous les contenir tout seul !

      Delete
  2. Oh she wants to force non francophones to pass a language test in order to run for government. Just another way to keep those anglos, allophones, and Native Americans out.

    Well...you know that old saying. "NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION"

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  3. Editor, thank you so much for your deliciously entertaining editorial. It brought me about half the laughs a rerun of the Big Bang Theory brought me just a few hours ago.

    Marois has just gotta win--SHE'S JUST GOTTA! Now I have to debate if it isn't worth it to set up a câsse-croute wagon just past the Ontario border sign on the 401 (no Ontario tax on meals under $4.00) on the westbound side. Maybe I'll call it the Cass-Croot and have a mobile Day Panner beside it!

    No doubt there will be another exodus of minorities should Marois win, tax the upper middle class to within an inch of their lives and harass small businesses with just 10 people over language crap. Maybe she'll do what Louise Beaudoin wanted to do and put a language cop in every home to ensure families talk amongst themselves in French and watch the vile faeces on Radio Canada and Télé-Métropole, followed by sex in French and snoring in French.

    It may have taken close to 40 years for the worst to happen, but I saw it coming and now it's coming to fruition, no thanks to the complacency shown by the minorities. Even by the time Galganov came along it was too little too late, and Galganov had detractors right within the community that should have been supporting him. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb!

    Now the minorities are going to get the democracy they deserve for not fighting for real democracy in Quebec. It's not as if the federal government helped either, but now it's too late baby, it's too late!

    Go ahead, Quebec, separate if you will. Say goodbye to the $3 billion in equalization payments that have since Scowen's book grown to $8 billion. How long do you numb-nuts think you can live with an $8 billion shortfall without raising taxes?

    Like the editor wrote a few days ago, Quebec's debt without the federal portion rose to over $252 billion, and since the new fiscal year, April 1st, your debt has risen $2 billion! In less than 5 months, your projected deficit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 has already been realized, and there is still more than half a year to go!!!

    Separate, and your dairy farmers won't be able to sell a drop of milk or a slice of cheese, even if your farmers and their political godfathers stand on their heads screaming at the top of their lungs. Federal government jobs? All gone!

    Too, don't be surprised if the backlash means the end of French in the real Canada with Acadians (unfairly) facing the worst of the wrath. Almost 2/3 of N.B. doesn't speak French.

    The editor is right...the Dark Ages will return to Quebec. The Francophones are hip as to why Charest called this election when he did because the upcoming corruption tribunal is going to slice him to ribbons!

    Whatch gonna do when the worst of Quebec nationalism runs wild on you?

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hate to break it to you Sauga...
      PLQ 35%
      PQunt 29%
      CAQ 24%

      As per forum research, you know the polling firm that first picked up that the libs were gonna crash and burn in Toronto and an orange flake wave would hit Quebec.

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    2. James: You're dreaming if you think the PLQ is going to get back in power. Charest is trying for an ultra *rare* 4th term, and if that weren't enough, he's been in power almost a decade now. He's tired, old and worn out politically. Add to that that the man is incredibly unpopular and despised by all--even Anglophones such as myself. The only chance he has is if the CAQ steals votes from away from the PQ (then, MAYBE, he could get a slim minority) but it's the other way around, the CAQ is stealing votes from the Liberals.

      We have just two more weeks of a Liberal run Quebec, then the separatists are back in. Quite frankly I welcome it, I've lost all hope for Quebec and the only thing left is to put it out of its misery and bury it. And trust me, the PQ is Quebec's very own Dr. Kevorkian...perfect for the job.

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    3. James, I just saw the poll and it's puzzling in light of Boily's call to vote for CAQ...

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    4. From the dread

      I had a premonitory dream/premonition last night about the libs getting back into power and usually, whenever I have dreams like that while I'm asleep,they always end up happening in real life in a short or long time after.

      btw, the caq will end up as the official party of the opposition and as for the pq, they'll be sitting in third place,on their way to a slow painful death..

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    5. If Goldilocks wins again, he wins again. Will you be happy? Will the electorate be happy? Wait'll that inquiry gets under way a few days after the election. Goldilocks will be laughing at all you suckers for another four years, so smile smile smile!

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    6. Sauga,

      I can't shake the glee you have for the torture that your Countrymen will endure if, as JJ calls them, the PQunt win. Then again the most tyrannous regimes of the world didn’t and don’t get so by doing things without help from within.

      I don’t know if the separatists could have dreamed up a better Janissary than you!

      We are staying and we will fight against this disgusting QuébécoisHatred!!

      Delete
  4. Good chance Marois and her followers will make the grade. Polls are not looking good for Charest. The CAQ is going to rob votes from the PLQ and vice versa, leaving Pauline up the middle. After all, how much of the popular vote did Harper garner to become the majority government in Canada. The PQ are not far off the mark in recent pools.

    The end is near .....Booooonnnnnnnngggggg.

    Anyone with a brain, dollar, anglo or allo name, hijab, yamika etc etc may well consider a change in address.



    ReplyDelete
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    1. "Anyone with a brain, dollar, anglo or allo name, hijab, yamika etc etc may well consider a change in address."

      Right down to the new province of residence.

      Just as well. Those with a brain, dollar, anglo or allo name, hijab, yamika etc are the ones paying the lion's share of the taxes anyway. These people, like me, should pay their taxes where the money will go to help them, not persecute them.

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  5. Balkanization of Quebec in the weeks, years ahead..... First Pipe bomb, physical attack on a visible minority by gangs of Thugs will Marois be held accountable?? I think not....

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    1. Yes, she should be held responsible for any violence that comes to this province because she has pushed the minority too far and KNOWS IT! It won't necessarily be a visible minority that will be attacked: it could be my next door neighbour who is French and white and I'm English and white! We won't be able to pick out our enemies by colour or clothes - before the bomb is placed, we will have to hear them speak! Scary proposition for a peace loving country but anything is possible.

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  6. No suprise here if an englishman will pull out a rifle in a french theatre soon.

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    Replies
    1. I am sure this would only help matters, eh?...

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

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  7. Just wanted to raise a quick point here about Marois' continuing path.

    1. Her mandatory French charter for politicians isn't new, she tired introducing it back in 2008 or 2009...however, when I read through the comments in the Journal De Montreal, the readers were largely opposed to her pledge and predict a far bigger exodus to Ontario than we saw in the 70s.

    2. While Marois is doing everything in her power to "politely" tell immigrants to fuck off, I was reading Wired Magazine the other day and what do I see? A full page ad from the government of Ontario inviting people from all over the world to come make Toronto their home and use it to build their tech careers.

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    1. There are indeed dark days ahead but you can only corner a dog for so long. We have remained silent too long and Charest has not helped because he will not (publicly) stand up for Canada! He should make it clear he is a federalist and would be willing to support that stance by not allowing anymore changes to the already repressive Bill 101. That way he would probably win back some of the support he is losing to Legault. If he did this today, it would not be too late to change the poll results of the upcoming election.

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    2. Point of Interest: One new Forum Research poll has Charest ahead with 35% of the vote. Checked it out this morning. This is our only hope in Quebec for peace and prosperity for the next 5 years. Perhaps this corruption report will not be as bad as all that but I have yet to see any politician that has very perfectly clean hands. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast. Go Canada!

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    3. @Cutie003

      Who is your vote going to ? To the CAQ or to the corrupt liberals ?

      Delete
  8. Yes Yannick - the translators were horrible and I couldn't understand anything they said. I had to turn it off and missed the whole debate. Makes you wonder who was responsible for picking the translators

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  9. Let's face it guys, they've got us outnumbered and this nonsense will never end until Quebec is a free country. Even then who knows what will happen... You want to live peacefully, in english, and have your family prosper ? Then the answer is really quite simple: Ontario and the ROC. They will welcome us with arms wide open ! Let both sides grow a pair and move on our seperate ways. It is the only way.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Victor Lawrence, it's easy to tell you're our francophone resident troll by your spelling and punctuation mistakes. You’ve graduated to trolling in English now but it’s still not working.

      We've lived here for generations just like you and we have no reason to move anyplace else on account of your insecurities and bigotry. Point final.

      Also, you are breaking the rules set up by the Editor (as listed at the top of this page) for posting on this blog under different pseudonyms and opening yourself up to being banned.

      Delete
  10. My guess we the interpreters: The network that carried the debate. I didn't watch, but my guess is they picked translation students who they could pay as little as they could possibly get away with. I only watched a small portion of the Charest-Marois debate, in French, on Télé Métropole, which appropriately is channel 101 on my cable channels!

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  11. You want to enjoy living in Québec then simply learn how to speak french properly. Once you do that, the ''evil'' Québécois won't seem like the racist, xenophobe, uneducated and radical people you seem to love to think they are. I've managed to learn perfect to speak English and have seen many immigrants pick up the language and speak it beautifully in about a year. Anyone that has been living here all or most of their lives has no excuse not to speak french perfectly, other then pure intellectual laziness, and-or narrow minded xenophobia. Get your heads out of your arses and speak french or go to Ontario. Peace out.

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    1. News for you Jose - you do not speak "perfect" English! Read your own malicious bulletin and notice your errors. That's the problem with you separatists - you think you HAVE THE RIGHT to tell me what language I can speak. You take your own head out of your ass and realize that democracy is exactly what we are talking about - our RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE LANGUAGE IN WHICH I WISH TO COMMUNICATE no one said you're uneducated, just IGNORNANT1

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    2. Hey Cutie,

      My english might not be perfect enough by your standards but it's good enough to get a master's degree at an english university. Oh, and while I'm on the subject, I've also got a Bachelor's at a french speaking university. That's what I called being open minded to other cultures and contibuting fully to the society in which I live. I don't know how long you've lived here but let's see you write in french honey-bunny. Oh wright, you probably can't ! Go back to your little english MENTAL GHETTO and go ahead and vote liberal while you're at it.

      Peace

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    4. @Jose-your master's degree in English didn't teach you enough proper use and spelling of "right" and "write". By the way it's your "mental Ghetto" and one day you will realize it. When you idiots finally run your own country, the rest of Canada will be moving along without French, unfortunately for those of you who do wish to be open minded. You will have created so much hate that you will be frozen in time in the Ghetto you will create. To live anywhere else in Canada you will have to change your name and get rid of your obvious accent. And thank you for telling me I'm allowed to vote Liberal - so kind of you. Go to a separatist website and leave the intelligent well meaning people on this website to our own discussions!

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    5. I think that people that are born here and still say ''LE'' table are the ones with an I.Q. issue.

      Respectfully yours

      -J.M.

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    6. Jose,

      I came to Canada speaking French more fluently than English. After two years and a half of Quebec... I found them racist, xenophobe and well, you know, extremist. Not everyone, of course, but a TOO large percent.

      Delete
    7. Jose, a well educated RACIST

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    8. "...the rest of Canada will be moving along without French..."

      J'ai le regret de vous apprendre que c'est déjà le cas.

      Les vieux anglos bornés du Québec sont en voie de disparition...Alléluia!

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    9. Seriously guys, what are you waiting for ? Move on already to the ROC and become rich. Just think how happy you will be without all those ''racist'' Québécois around you. I just don't understand why it's so hard for some of you to understand. Finland (5 million people), Sweden (9 million), Norway (5 million), three different wealthy countries and three different languages. Well guess what, there are 6 million french canadians and Québec is way bigger then all of those countries put together. So, explain to me why Norway can be a country and thrive economically and Québec cannot ? Go to the ROC, you'll be happy and your offspring will thank you for it. So will we ! =) Plus you'll get a Royal Canadian Passport ! It's a win-win

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    10. M.Girard, it's easy to tell you're our francophone resident troll S.R by your spelling and punctuation mistakes. You’ve graduated to trolling in English now but it’s still not working.

      We've lived here for generations just like you and we have no reason to move anyplace else on account of your insecurities and bigotry. Point final.

      Also, your statements are wrong. Refer to “True Montrealer” below.

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    11. We don't, and won't have to leave. We are at least 4.5 million who will form
      LA PROVINCE CANADIENNE DE MONTREAL!
      Think about it, this will be the topic of discussion in the HouseOfCommons soon enough...

      :)

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  12. If I didn't own property, free and clear, in this province I would be out of here tomorrow - frankly speaking, there are many of us that don't have the money to just leave our land and go. Our only hope in the Outaouais is to demand partition of the province or let the damn PQ, who never seem to worry about money, give us fair market value for our land. Other than that I intend to fight for my right to remain Canadian and I know there are an overwhelming majority in this area that feel the same. They have paid a lot into mortgages and can't afford to vacate their homes and well as lose their jobs without putting up a fight. The separatists are dreaming if they think they can bankrupt us and that we will sit back and take it!

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  13. @Jose Marques

    Us quebec minorities are 40% of the tax base in Quebec while only being 20% of the population. I don't want to go to Ontario, I want to take my part of Quebec and attach it to Ontario and tell all those that want me to leave to F-off. AS for learning French, look at those immigrants that speak french as a first language, even the complain about being treated as 3rd class citizens. Montreal North riots were not so long ago. I've met so many French speaking immigrants formerly living in Montreal who moved to Toronto to be able to evolve in the job market, something they could not do so in Montreal due to Pur Laine chauvanism.

    As per Pauline Marois she has no power to enforce stopping non French speakers from getting elected in office. In the end its up to the minorities to get angry enough to just say no and ignore bill 101 completely and to take their municipalities out of Quebec. The pur laine chauvanists would not be able to fathom those actions. They don't even want to discuss the possibility of partition. Yet the Quebec governments were not even able to tackle Mohawks either in Kahnawake or OKA. All it would take is some defiance and the enforcement of bill 101 and all the other minority laws would pretty much crumble.

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    1. Hey Jarry,

      Yes I do agree that immigrants who speak good french and are not able to find a job is a problem. But before Québec can really address this dilemma there are two other issues to deal with:

      1- French speakers voting for political parties that are not seeking independance

      2- Anglophones who have lived here forever and refuse to speak-learn french, and live and their English ghettos.

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    2. Right on Jarry! The Indians and many municipalities will take action to leave this dead province once separation comes to be. It's time for minorities to speak up with the anglophones to take down Bill 101 and for your info Jose (could you possibly be related to the infamous Jose Legault? separatist idiot) we anglophones do not live in ghettos-we pay just as much tax to this province as you do but you do not want us to have any rights! Don't you see how WRONG you are???????????? The French speaking people who vote for parties other than your separatist parties are smart enough not to shoot themselves in the foot! They can see depression and no food on their table for the next 50 years! By the way, read your bulletins before you "publish" so you don't look so stupid.

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    3. Jose Marques,

      French speakers voting for political parties that are not seeking independance (sic)

      And that is a problem... why? Why is it a problem for the province or for the society?

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    4. Jose Marques "2- Anglophones who have lived here forever and refuse to speak-learn french, and live and their English ghettos."
      Why is this an "issue that must be dealt with"? They're a small minority. Live your life and let them live theirs. If their way of life is making you and S.R. miserable, the problem lies with you and the way you view the world, not them. Thanks for writing, though. It's good to know that some of the racist xenophobes have a education even if you didn't find it to be a mind-broadening event.

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    5. "when the anglophones don't bother to learn our language than we must live in theirs"

      I doubt these anglophones go around thinking: "they must live in our language". "They" and "their language" is probably not even on their radar.


      "how much English is shoved down ours"

      By forcing French to half size on signs on the RoC? By keeping language on top of the agenda, making it a never-ending political issue? By the Office of the English Language cops raiding offices to check if your Windows runs in English? By pressuring Premiere Moisson to rename to First Harvest, or at least adding the descriptor "Bakery" to the name?


      "I think that being born into the most important language of the world puts people in a position of privilege where they are entirely oblivious to this."

      Bingo. English can be considered a privileged language. That's why Brit and American expats in Japan, for example, don't learn Japanese, instead they teach the Japanese English.

      That you're jealous is another issue. Ways to fix it? Become an economic and military superpower like the US and export your language to the world. That's how language becomes "privileged", or "common", or the lingua franca. Years of military and economic expansionism, not to say imperialism. How do you think French got to be the lingua franca before? Latin? Greek?

      So military and political power combined with long term and consistent expansionism will do it. Taking out frustrations on a QC minority will not.

      So, grab your pitchforks and go (re)conquer the world.





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    6. Three cheers for adski!

      That is exactly what my sentiment is. No matter how one feels bad about it, French and English really do not stand on the same ground. Therefore, one's choice of speaking English here is a necessity-driven need, not to confirm with some arbitrary norm. The fact indeed remains that one can live one's life in Montreal without speaking French and can not in the RoC without English. Why? The market dictates so. If RoC French community wants the privilege English Quebecers want, go ahead, make the community as strong, as robust and as well-networked as the English one.

      And I write this as someone whose mother tongue is neither English nor French.

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    7. But why is it that you can live in Montreal without speaking French and not in the ROC without English?

      Because more than HALF the population of Montreal speaks English as first OR SECOND language and doesn't mind using it on a regular basis? All this talk about language division seems to forget that Montreal is a predominantly BILINGUAL city, with a large Francophone MINORITY and a smaller anglophone minority.

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    8. Yannick,

      But why is it that you can live in Montreal without speaking French and not in the ROC without English?

      Because English is a far more dominant language than French. It is a fact of life, live with it, as you are certainly living with it now. English is a far more useful language in Montreal than French is in the RoC. Trying to deny that fact is like asking why the sun is brighter than the moon.

      I could probably manage to live in Poland without knowing Polish, does that mean that it's ok to do so? I posit that it's not, the courteous thing to do is to learn the language of your host so as to not impose a second language onto them.

      I do not know about Poland and Polish or any other language there but I can tell you that people do do that in many parts of the world. BTW, what is your definition of "ok to do so"? American expats in Korea and Japan speak none of the local language. So do they working in the oilfields of UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi. While it might be personally difficult, one can live well in English only in Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur. And one of my close friend is an engineer with Audi in Ingolstadt. He spoke no German when he was hired. Another one friend completed his MSc at TU Delft. Until today, he still speaks Dutch only rudimentary.

      What the similar trait of all the above cases? The locals do not impose the language to the expats. If they choose to learn the language, it is their own personal choice. Nobody calls them meprisant or arrogant or colonisee for not doing so.

      Delete
    9. For the record, it cuts both ways: you can live in New York, London or Vancouver without speaking a word of English too...

      Delete
    10. "But why is it that you can live in Montreal without speaking French and not in the ROC without English? Fundamentally it's because the half of Montreal's population that is Francophone has learned English, which allows people to live in Montreal to be accommodated in English"

      Your answer to your question is wrong. The right answer is: one can live in English in Montreal because one has the liberty to bypass the French-speaking population, regardless of whether that population learns or does not learn English. Because the English network (social and economic) is robust enough, as Troy pointed out.

      Incidentally, this very fact gives the lie to PQ's propaganda that Quebec (Montreal included) is French-only. (if it is French-only, why so much talk of "anglicisation"? Is it some strange form of a French-only anglicisation?) What they really mean to say is that Quebec (+Montreal) should be French-only. But as reality indicates, a sufficiently high enough number of people reject that arbitrary and politically self-serving view.

      Now, if you do down the "it's not right to ignore the majority" road, I'd say who's to say what's right or wrong? Self-interested politicians? Also, I do not accept the definition of "majority" by QC and QC only? Why not Ville-St-Laurent, Montreal, Montreal+suburbs...i.e places where people actually operate...Why not Canada, an actual country? Why not North America, given how flexible the job market is these days? Why Mascouche, Trois-Rivieres and Sept-Isles, where in all likelihood none of us will ever set foot?

      And I'd also add that the self-proclaimed "majority" should look itself in the mirror sometimes for it just might be where the major source of divisions lies.

      Delete
    11. Jose Marques and Yannick,

      As I’ve said in the past, just as democracy does not belong only to the Greeks anymore, so does the EnglishLanguage not only belong to the English. If you don’t see how that is a good thing, then I repeat that your separatist movement is based on
      Jealousy, Racism and Revenge.

      So…
      Get ready for the fight that will come when we Canadians call you on this disgusting torture you’ve made us endure for far too long, and watch your bastion of QuébécoisHateism lose 4.5million of its habitants to

      LA PROVINCE CANADIENNE DE MONTREAL!!

      Delete
    12. "Why should the intellectual laziness of anglophones mean that we're the ones going without services?"

      Yannick, you claim that the "intellectual laziness", or their stubbornness, disinterestedness, or indifference (whatever you choose to call it) hurts you because, as you say, it's the reason why francophones "have to" learn English, because it's the only way to get services, etc...

      But I don't believe you. First, I think that francophones learn English because they want to, without really making a mental calculation that if they don't and anglos won't, then there will be no communication between the two groups, so for the sake of "sociability" (or what not) the francos take up the challenge and accept the "burden". Also, in areas where there is a substantial franco population (as in QC, NB, ON), French services are offered, are attempted to be offered, or at worst they are not non-offered for petty political reasons, as is often the case in QC (but rather for simpler reasons, like that in Hicktown AB there might be no French speakers to man a post in a local federal govt branch, so an occasional tourist from QC won't be served in French).

      Secondly, I think that the source of your malaise has nothing to do with someone's "laziness". It has to do with jealousy.

      Delete
  14. @Jose Marques

    "2- Anglophones who have lived here forever and refuse to speak-learn french, and live and their English ghettos."

    Why should we have to speak french if we lived here forever. Quebec was officially bilingual until 1974. Even the current Quebec laws have to be translated by the Quebec assembly into English before it can even become a law.

    To counter your arguement Canada is a majority English speaking country and the French speakers live in their Ghetto areas.

    People like Jose are so delusional they actually believe their own propaganda.

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    1. The problem is that quite a large segment of the French-speaking population of QC went completely batshit. Seeking insularity from such a segment is normal, like you would seek insularity from voodoo worshipers for example.

      Extreme radicalism can be scary and repulsive. Many francophone Quebeckers are very very radical in their views. There lies the problem. At this point an allo or anglo can assume that 1 in 2 people in this province might hold some politically-motivated grudge against him/her. Not very conducive to social cohesion...



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    2. You fail to recognize that real Québécois people don't consider themselves Canadian and never will. That's why we don't care what the rest ROC and it's majority thinks ;) You think I go travel abroad and proudly say I am Canadian ? Pfff yeah right !

      Delete
    3. ``Real Québecois people``

      Interesting, I wonder what the meaning of that is. Who exactly is a ``real Québecois``?

      Oh wait, we already know the answer to that.

      Delete
    4. Thanks Cat, I`ll go to bed a little smarter tonight.

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    5. F.Gagne,

      If majority of Quebecers do not think themselves as Canadians, why when they were asked twice about the possibility of discussion about sovereignty they answered "no"?

      Delete
    6. Yannick,

      If there is insularity, so what? If one lives happily, sufficiently and peacefully, why is it anybody's business the way he lives his life? Without any malicious intent, why should anyone care?

      Delete
    7. Troy,

      You are right, we lost, twice, but be patient, we will have another go at it, and another, and another...

      Delete
    8. ADSKI,

      There is nothing radical about wanting to create a country. Québec being a country would help bring more ''social cohesion'' as you put it

      Delete
    9. F. Gagné a.k.a. J.Marques, you are breaking the rules set up by the Editor (as listed at the top of this page) for posting on this blog under different pseudonyms and opening yourself up to being banned.

      Yannick@1:46, were you referring to unilingual French Quebecers (i.e. most Quebecers)?

      Delete
    10. Well, to be fair it does indicate a certain insularity of thought to be surrounded by people who's language you don't bother to learn.

      Yannick, again: stop talking bullshit! 55% of Montrealers are fluently bilingual (52% in the Greater Montreal Area), only 10% of Montrealers (7.3% in the Greater Montreal Area), on top of that, are only Anglophone. They are NOT surrounded by people who speak a language they don't understand, they are part of a 65% MAJORITY who CAN speak English. Whether most of the bilinguals are of Francophone stock is a moot point: why would they bother learning English if they are not planning to use it? And, on top of that: chances are that the majority of that 10% of those unilingual anglophones are old timers who won't be around for long. This is NOT about making the anglophones learn French, as they do (but for the efforts of the francophone Government to stop them...), this is about PREVENTING francophones from learning English.

      Delete
    11. F.Gagne,

      You are right, we lost, twice, but be patient, we will have another go at it, and another, and another...

      It is great to see that you (and probably others like you) do not really care about democracy and the will of the people as long as your agenda is forwarded.

      Let me ask you. If (God forbid) in one of those referenda the "Yes" side gets at least 50%+1 of the vote, what would happen? Quebec becomes independent? Can there be another referendum in independent Quebec to get back to Canada? After all, if the "Yes" side is given multiple chances, the "No" side should get the same chances to, should it not?

      Delete
    12. I'm just saying that someone who would choose to live in Montreal their whole life without ever learning the other language is displaying a sad lack of curiosity and outreaching, even if it's technically possible.

      Doesn't that apply to unilingual francophones too? Never mind the ones who live in the sticks, who are not going to encounter much English outside the buttons on their domestic appliances, the dollars in their pockets and the trunk of their cars, but what about those who live surrounded by over two million Greater Montrealers who can and do speak English? Surely that's just as sad a lack of curiosity.

      Delete
    13. "There is nothing radical about wanting to create a country."

      There is nothing wrong with it. The problem is that you do not want to create a country. You yap about creating a country, but when it's time to make a political decision that would seal the deal and materialize the "dream", your elites have to bend 4 ways to hell to create a question softened and padded with mentions of a "partnership" with a country that you so hate and so want to leave. And even then, there is a 50/50 chance that a self-proclaimed indepdentiste like yourself might vote Non.

      The problem is that about 50 years ago, you fused the independentiste project with the materialist Anglo North American lifestyle (as someone else pointed out below), so like all North Americans today, you put your economic interest over your politcal desires and idealistic dreams (when it's go time, you will choose your house, pool, and 2 SUVs over the dream your parents implanted in you when you were a child). That makes you stick around in an "association" with country you don't feel loyal to, so you take out frustrations with incessant threats and insane micromanagement schemes (the most recent pequiste "idea": making sure employees in all businesses speak French to each other)

      What could save your political project is a change from a culture of consumption and greed to a culture of thrift (so Quebeckers would be willing to tighten their belts and not start a revolt about a dip in the standard of living for at least a couple of decades). But I think that ship has sailed, considering how comfy this society has gotten. So we're stuck with the politics of leaving-yet-not-really-leaving...Childish silly stuff, really.

      Delete
    14. What's radical, essentially, is the gap between vocalizing your desires and carrying them through in a calm and determined way. What's radical is the nearly religious attachment to the object of worship in this province - the language, and the law that aims to support it. Especially radical is your visceral rejection of of something small such as indifference to your language, which is treated as an insult. So is your visceral rejection of even the slightest criticism of 101, so that if we met and I said something against 101, you'd flip out and probably yell (and then have the gall to chastise me for trying to insulate myself from you and your group: which I assume is the mystical "majority"). And let's not forget the radical micromanagement schemes that you support whole-heartedly because you believe they serve to protect your language.

      All that stuff is quite radical. It makes regular folks like me run.


      Delete
    15. We are not the majority. But we came very close twice. You know this will never stop unless independance is achived. Shit, I dont even want to live in this province anymore (and I am french), its amazing that you anglos still stick around. This Québec-Canada thing is like a long unhappy mariage and the only solution is to go separate ways. Let's fight it out with our lawyers and get it over with already. Anything is better than this nightmare of a statusquo continue.

      Delete
    16. @The Québec Partition

      French is the official language here, end of discussion. We are the majority in this province, that is fact. In my opinion the french in Montréal and it's surroundings are much more bilingual than the english are. Where you are in Rome you do as the Romans do. Same applies to Québec.

      Delete

    17. F.Gagné,

      How racist do you have to be to renounce your French Heritage and Canada, your Country, to make an new RealQuébécoisRace?

      This is why we are embarrassed of you and will form

      LA PROVINCE CANADIENNE DE MONTREAL

      with 4.5 million Franco, Anglo,and Alo Canadians!!

      Then QC will be the 5th most populaded Canadian PROVINCE and still will vote NO to a separation referenDumb even if the UncleThomMulcair NDPQ 50+1 rules are used.

      And btw, there is no way in hell you say you're a Québécois when abroad, you LyingFUCK!!

      Delete
    18. F.Gagne,

      Can I then say that when (as long as) you are in Canada, do as (majority of) Canadians do?

      Delete
    19. @GensDenis

      I promise you that I never ever say that I am Canadian when I am abroad. I say I am from Québec. If they don't know what Québec is (it happens sometiems) then I tell them it's a province in Canada. But i never come out and say straight up that I am Canadian. I am Québécois first and then Canadian.

      Delete
  15. Yannick,

    True, there does have to some amount of insularity. On the other hand its not the states business to interfere in what language one choose to know or not to know. While I will make an effort to speak French when someone asked, for example someone asking directions. I make an effort to use English as much as I can in Quebec. If we didn't have bill 101 and the types like Marois actually discussing how to further limit what language I can use and when, I wouldn't mind communicating in French more.

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    1. (sorry for the double posting, I meant to post last)

      Seriously guys, what are you waiting for ? Move on already to the ROC and become rich. Just think how happy you will be without all those ''racist'' Québécois around you. I just don't understand why it's so hard for some of you to understand. Finland (5 million people), Sweden (9 million), Norway (5 million), three different wealthy countries and three different languages. Well guess what, there are 6 million french canadians and Québec is way bigger then all of those countries put together. So, explain to me why Norway can be a country and thrive economically and Québec cannot ? Go to the ROC, you'll be happy and your offspring will thank you for it. So will we ! =) Plus you'll get a Royal Canadian Passport ! It's a win-win

      Delete
    2. "So, explain to me why Norway can be a country and thrive economically and Québec cannot ?"

      Why were both questions phrased so as to emphasize a "partnership" with Canada? Why haven't there been a single referendum on independence of QC with no mention of Canada every 5 words or so?

      You're asking us why QC couldn't be like Norway. You should be asking your own people. What's holding them back?

      When you find out, get back to us on why they prefer "association" schemes over independence. I'm curious to know myself.


      Delete
    3. Kinda weird to see Nicolas Girard posting on this blog. I guess he realizes with Francoise David's performance on Sunday, his goose is finally cooked.

      Enjoy you final welfare checks my friend.

      Delete
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    5. Give me a break - you truly don't believe that the PQ vision of Quebec with everybody paying even higher taxes, free education, nutritionists acting in place of doctors, and on and on is realistic! You vote for her for the same reason we vote for the liberals; you want to leave Canada and drive us into bankruptcy and we want to maintain sanity and have food on our table. Pretty clear cut!

      Delete
    6. "So, explain to me why Norway can be a country and thrive economically and Québec cannot ?"
      A few reasons off the top of my head:

      • Norway is an oil-producing country.
      • Norway did not lose its energy-producing territory as a result of partition following independence.
      • Norway’s GDP/capita is two-thirds (>$20,000) higher than Quebec’s.
      • Norway’s public debt is only 60% of Quebec’s ($86 billion less)
      • Norway does not coerce its citizens to speak/read/study/think in Norwegian only.
      • Norway isn’t trying to erect a wall around itself to shelter itself from its neighbours.
      • Norway hasn’t spent decades trying to piss off and antagonize its neighbours as well as a large segment of its own population.

      Delete
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    8. Oh, and, the *ahem* "internationalization" of their higher education system (over 200 masters-level programs are taught in English in Norway.) More interesting, perhaps, is the Netherlands, which has no natural resources to speak of and yet is the second most prosperous country in the E.U.. Many university programs in the Netherlands have been made English-only and when I lived there, there was a proposal to make English the language at instruction at all Dutch universities.

      Of course, the answer is not necessarily to replace French in Quebec with English. However, the lesson to be learned from Norway and the Netherlands (and Finland, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, etc.) is that prosperity is a result of being open to the world.

      Delete
    9. So, explain to me why Norway can be a country and thrive economically and Québec cannot ?

      Because Quebec is not run by the Norwegians? Because the Norwegians aren't chasing their largest contributors to the Government coffers out of the Country? Just a couple of ideas.

      Delete
  16. @M Girard

    Well Partition is also a win win. You lose all those ethnics and anglos in the Montreal and Outauais area and get most of the rest of Quebec for yourselves. Except Northern Quebec which would revert back to Canada. Then you would be forced to develop the rest of Quebec and will be a stronger peoples when required to work hard to get back your standard of living.

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    2. Québec libre my ass bub - your movement isn't going anywhere: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/elections-quebec-2012/201208/22/01-4567263-citoyennete-quebecoise-le-pq-force-de-corriger-le-tir.php

      First of all, your leader is not only sub-intelligent and racist, she's got 0% integrity.

      Secondly, who are you separatists to tell natives they should speak French?

      Delete
    3. @ Jarry

      First of all partition is not a win-win and second of all, it would not be feasible under international law. Do your research. The concept of partition is nothing more then a scare tactic to influence voters to vote no.

      Delete
    4. I'm sure M.Girard will now explain why Partition is not a win-win scenario... I'm waiting with baited breath!

      Delete
    5. @ M Girard

      Another Delusional Pur Laine Chauvanist rationalizer. Also you have no clue about international law and can only comment based on what some moron from the BQ or PQ bullshit. IF Quebec can seek independence and be surrounded by Canada on 3 sides and the United States on the other, Quebec can also be divided. Quebec should be divided even if it doesn't seek independence so that the 20% non Pur laine population can prosper in peace.

      Delete
    6. @Jarry Street and @The Québec Partition

      Go wiki ''quebec partition'' and you'll have all the introduction you need to understand partition would not take place. You can also find many other sources online. Do your research.

      Partition is not a win-win because Québec loses some of it's territory. That's why. Ask a simple question, get a simple answer.

      Delete
    7. @Jarry Street

      It's ''purE laine''mon ami ;)

      Delete
  17. FROM ED BROWN
    What the hell is wrong with you people. Shove the doom and gloom where the sun don't shine and open your eyes. The polls predict Liberals with 35% and PQ with 29%. I said way back wait for the debates. Even francophones can see Marois in a debate makes no sense. The liberals will be reelected if we stop moaning about dark days and work positively to elect the only ones that can save us from the PQ's stupidity. Legault does not have a chance. If the worst comes and the Libs form a minor government nothing will change and thank God for that. If it's the best we can hope for at least it's workable. Think positive for hevaen's sake, and ours. Ed

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  18. Someone who makes $130,000 (gross income) is not the same as someone who has $130,000 in taxable income.

    Everyone gets a personal deduction and an exemption.

    So the calculation must be done again.

    ReplyDelete
  19. To those Québécois that wonder why we English speakers (born and raised with roots here) don't just pack up and move to another Province, I'd counter why don't you just assimilate with the test of North America already? It's bound to happen eventually, why not embrace your destiny a bit earlier?
    Not too pleasant eh?

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    Replies
    1. Parce que nous sommes 80% francophones et que vous êtes moins que 10%. Nous allons vous avoir à l'usure. ;)


      Because we are 80% francophone and you guys are not even 10%. It's just a matter of time. ;)

      Delete
    2. @hubert aka M Girard

      In all of Canada non Francophones are about 77% of the population and in Quebec itself they are 20% and a majority in many areas of Quebec. So be prepared for alot of partitioning of Quebec territory.

      Delete
  20. I just heard Pauline Marois' comment about how a public official should have to pass some kind of French test before running for office and I just felt the need to make a comment on the approach Nationalists take to get people to adopt or integrate into "French culture".

    Has anyone ever read Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people" ? Well, the premise is that if you talk down to people, belittle other people's culture and symbols and aggressively tell them to abandon their culture and how they should be more like you, then they will want to do just that .....

    Oops ! sorry, I'm confusing Dale Carnegie's sage advice and approach, which has spanned a whole philosophy of life and improved many people's way of dealing with people, and mistaken it with the completely idiotic, counter-productive and opposite approach taken by Quebec nationalists.

    Now, I'll preface, my father is French, my mother is british. I was mostly raised in English and because i have always felt that french culture deliberately attacked my English roots, I never had the mildest interest in French culture and, apart from knowing how to speak and write French, I cared nothing for it.

    That is, until i met my wife. She was a Quebec separatist, and her parents both still are, although they are losing that belief. And I actually believe they would vote no in the next referendum. Having grandkids who could ask you why it is bad for them to be half-English makes you wake up …..

    My wife introduced me to French music, tv, comedians and so on. I can now genuinely say i like it. But, I'm always turned off whenever insults or intolerance against English or immigrants is raised.

    I believe most English people and most immigrants do speak French. Of course, you can never have 100%. Very few things in life can be 100%. Many will also have accents - totally normal.

    I think what turns most of us off French is the same thing that turns me off it - the implied racism, intolerance, feelings that no one but "pure" French people can be part of the culture. The insults against English and immigrants, and our symbols, be it the Canadian flag, Muslim religious symbols, Jewish symbols, etc.

    We are often told we should join their culture, but very honestly, all the laws in the world have done what they can. We speak and write French. If you want more, no law will get it for you. It will only push people further away (while harming yourself - such as blocking access to English cegeps). The weight of the effort now transfers to the French. The English and immigrants have done our part.

    French nationalist Quebecers would do well to take Dale Carnegie's approach to influencing people. Get us interested in your culture.

    First, stop the stupid and pointless attacks on religious symbols and language. Do you genuinely think this will make anyone interested in Quebec culture ?

    Second, stop the continuous bad-mouthing of English and immigrants. Again, how would you react in our place ? Would you run to a French concert or turn on French tv ? I stopped listening to the St-Jean Baptiste events the minute Guy Lepage said, after a couple words in English, that no more of that would be heard that night. I’m still not sure if he thought that would get anyone other than chauvinisitic French people interested in that “celebration” of French culture.

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    1. PArt 2:

      Third, start introducing symbols of our culture into Quebec cultural events. At the St-Jean baptiste events, if you have just a couple Canada flags, a couple paraders showing Jewish, Haitian, Muslim, English symbols and their contributions to Quebec society.

      Fourth, politicians should start saying just a few words in English, voluntarily and while being respectful. At the st-jean, have a few English and other singers. Have French singers sing with them in a mix of English and French. Of course, most should be in French, but the idea is to show openness and that getting interested in French is not the abandonment of our culture. With time, a mutual respect can develop where both defend the other and strive to help keep the other culture’s successful.

      In sum, be respectful of others.

      You would be surprised of the benefits you will get. Many English, such as myself, once shown that there is respect, less chauvinism and less insecurity in French culture will actually be interested in getting involved in French events and learning more about the culture. That’s how my wife did it… She did not even try to be condescending and insulting of my culture… what a counter-intuitive approach….

      A little non-French does not jeopardize your culture, but it opens it up a bit and allows others to introduce themselves to it, and possibly learn to like or love it.

      This will actually help the French culture not only survive, but thrive.

      Delete
    2. That sounds too much like sense! As Homer Simpson once said: "Sometimes to feel good about yourself, you have to make someone else feel worse!". The odd thing is that, for the contempt that many PQers have for all things English, they took the ultimate caricature of Anglophone North America as their spiritual guide...

      Delete
    3. @ The Québec Partition

      A big two thumbs up to you dude.

      All lot of you should take example on how he is truly willing to argue and debate AND be respectful of other people's opinions.

      ''Homer Simpson our spiritual leader', hahahahaha You had me LoL there for a seocnd ! =)

      Good day

      Delete
    4. Wow, L. Steve,

      Doesn't your Part2 describe OurCountry, Canada!!!

      Delete
  21. FROM ED BROWN
    Anonymous should learn before he talks. "Anglos saying they woulkd leave is a lot of hot air. They don't have the guts."
    50,000 anglos left this province and they didn't need courage, they had no choice. They left to keep their jobs in the companies they worked for that were pulling out. When companies move they take their top employees to train new ones at the other end. These are the high salaries ones that pay high taxes. Thanks to the PQ we are already losing a hundred million per year in income tax.
    Companies have already said if Marois policies come into effect they will go.
    I repeat if we can keep the liberals we'll be alright and I don't speak from hiding like anonymous I'm not afraid to say openly. Ed Brown

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    1. Who cares if some taxpayers leave ? Eventually other taxpayers will take their spot. Québec would change into something different. Of course it's not going to be as rich and powerfull as Canada or maybe as rich a province as it used to be but that does not mean it can't have a very good stardard of living. If the Fins, the Swedes, the Norwegians and all those other countries in the world that have less people and less territory can do it then so can we. There are other things in life then simply tax dollars. The idea of independance is not an accountant's idea, it's not driven by board of director meetings, it's driven by an alliance of culture, language, history and family ties. Analyzing it with an accountant's green visor is erroneous.

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    2. Sigh... refer to other various replies to your posts on this thread.

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    3. If the Fins, the Swedes, the Norwegians and all those other countries in the world that have less people and less territory can do it then so can we.

      In a way you are right, if you have 50 years to spare and can live with one major civil war where the Francophones powers that be that screwed you over all this while while blaming the anglophones get upended, and making sure that organised crime or, God forbid, the Church (again) doesn't take their place. No one says this is impossible, it's just a damn sight harder and more time consuming than exercising a bit of tolerance right now.

      Delete
    4. @ The Québec Partition

      Don't be another paranoid doomsday naysayer. No one said it's going to be easy. Shit, it might be very hard for awhile. But if you put yourself in a french canadian's shoes and try to empathise (just a little and simply for the sake of argument) then it makes sense to want to separate. It is logical solely for the fact that the vast majority speaks a different language here. Different language, different country.

      I am not saying separation is 100% the RIGHT move to make, I'm not saying we won't be kicking ourselves in the ass 50 years from now. I'm just saying that it's logical to want it, and that it's worth a shot before we can assert whether it was a stupid decision or not.

      Delete
  22. $10,000 ... GST & TVQ

    If this number is accurate then it means this person is spending roughly $70,000/year on taxable items which is 83% of the after-income tax income. Clearly not at all realistic.

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  23. Have to sneak in one little point on leaving Canada:

    Quebec belongs to Canada, Quebec's not for sale to people of a certain culture or language etc.

    What government would ever have the entire country vote for PM and whether Quebec can leave? NONE it's against our laws

    Okay as you were, continue with the dreamy visions of separating.

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    1. Right on Anonymous

      I don't understand why so many anglos don't follow our example (I moved to N-B, love it and have never regreted it). It's not like millions of Quebeckers are going to one day wake up and suddenly give up the dream of independance. The fighting will never stop unless there's a radical change. If you want to live peacefully without all this bullshit bickering then ROC is the answer.

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    2. Tim. G., it's easy to tell you're our francophone resident troll by your spelling and punctuation mistakes. You’ve graduated to trolling in English now but it’s still not working.

      We've lived here for generations just like you and we have no reason to move anyplace else on account of your insecurities and bigotry. Point final.

      Delete
    3. @ The Cat

      Goddamnit, who the hell said you had to move ? You DON'T have to move. Don't you get that ? Why would you have to move ? Tell me.

      Delete
    4. Sorry, S.R, you’ve lost your chance at ever getting a serious reply from me ever again on account of your extended contemptuous and disrespectful behaviour on this blog.

      You made your bed; now sleep in it.
      You are a joke.

      Delete
    5. I am not S.R.

      Now, be a grown up and tell me why you would have to move. It's a serious question, give me your honest answer. It seems we are getting to the root of the problem here so don't back off and clam up now.

      Delete
    6. Sorry, chico!

      BANG ! et RE-BANG !!!! ;-)

      Delete
  25. I'm sick of these people pulling the racist card on the Québécois. It's an easy cop out from addressing the real things, and truly debating. The Québécois are not any more or any less racist then any other people on earth. Human nature is human nature period. If anything, the Québécois are more open minded and more accepting because of their proximity to many different cultures. People should think twice before throwing around vile words like that. You think bill l01 is ''racist'' that a Québécois who refuses to talk to you in english (even though he probably could) is acting like a racist ? Give me a goddamn break. Travel around a bit, go see real poverty and real discrepencies between the rich and the poor and then come back and tell me about racism. Only in a cookie-cuter society that really hasn't live any major trauma or disasters do people throw around words like ''racist''. You anglos seem to think Québec is going to go all KKK on your arses, give me a break with your neuroses and your paranoias.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it can be worse... but that doesn't make quebeckers look better, does it??

      "If anything, the Québécois are more open minded and more accepting because of their proximity to many different cultures."

      Could you please explain then why quebecois nationality trumps competence in a job?

      Delete
    2. Louis Hebert,

      What do you want to discuss, exactly? Poverty and income disparity or racism? Quebec is not a poor entity, for sure, but its politics are certainly not "equal for all". And while you are talking about see the world, what world exactly? I have been to quite a number of places and believe you me, among developed jurisdictions Quebec is one of those having openly discriminatory laws.

      Delete
    3. Rhodesia used to be the granary of Africa and the wealthiest country in that continent. It was run by a racist white (and, since I'm sure someone will point it out) English minority ruling over a black majority. Now it's called Zimbabwe, it's run by a racist black majority and it's one of the poorest countries in the world, with six(!) digit inflation and people going starving in the land that used to feed a whole continent. A lot of white people have fled, been murdered or been made to run away. Replace White with English, Black with French and you're halfway there in the process. Now, it might be, for the sake of argument, worth exploring the possibility of removing racists from the rooms of power, just to see if things don't end up as badly as that.

      Delete
    4. You think bill l01 is ''racist'' that a Québécois who refuses to talk to you in english (even though he probably could) is acting like a racist ?

      If he CAN speak English, he is being racist (or just an asshole), if he CAN'T he isn't. Not rocket science, really.

      Delete
    5. @ The Quebec Partition

      Thank you for your honesty !

      Yes, someone that can speak english but chooses not to is being insensitive or somewhat of an asshole, but he is not, by any stretch of the imagination, being a racist. The official language of Québec is french and the majority is french thus the polite thing to do is address people in french first.

      But, If you dont know french (if youre a tourist for example) then that's a different story. Of course, you should not be expected to respond in a language you cant actually speak !

      If you dont know french and have lived here a long time then that becomes a problem, it's what Yannick correctly calls ''insularity of thought''.

      If you DO speak french are from here and refuse to use it when speaking to strangers, then you are being a bigger asshole, (bigger because french is the majority here) then the bilingual frenchy not responding to you in english.

      Delete
    6. @Louis: Yes you are racists. "A belief in the superiority of a particular race; prejudice based on this - antagonism toward other races, esp. as a result of this" - you believe that you are superior to the Anglophones in the rest of world and you are surrounded by 30M people that have more than gone out of their way to assist you to keep your language! Do you not see this? Do you honestly believe that you can live in isolation in North America, export your goods and services (maple syrup and wood?) along with documentation required to ship things to places like the U.S. and do this in French only? What do you think would happen to your jobs should you try to operate in French only in your little world? You guys need a good shaking. Wake up and smell the coffee.

      Delete
    7. Last time I checked ''anglophone'' or ''speaking english'' was not a race....

      Delete
  26. FROM ED BROWN
    J.Tremblay asks, "who cares if some anglos leave."
    We do. These anglos are our brothers, sisters and children who will have to leave to keep their jobs when the company they work for is forced out. He says the culture is based on family ties. It is, our family ties. Louis Hebert tries to to tell us Quebecois are not racist. Louis, I think your seeing eye dog is leading you to the wrong places. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed, if your friends and family members speak french then why should they leave ? They can find another job. French speaking québécois will lose their jobs too you know, and they too will have to find new ones. That's life. If you can speak french it won't be too big a problem. With ''all'' the anglos that will angrily leave there surely will be tons of positions left vacant.

      Delete
    2. J.Tremblay, it's easy to tell you're our francophone resident troll by your spelling and punctuation mistakes. You’ve graduated to trolling in English now but it’s still not working.

      Delete
    3. Troll schmroll !

      I can voice my opinion just the same as anyone else on this blog ma petite chatte. There are a lot of dumb ignorant comments on this blog, especially the people who are erroneously using the word ''racist'' in every single one of their comments. A lot of you seriously need to revisit the definition of that word.

      Delete
    4. @ The Cat

      Did you come here for debating ideas with a variety of people or simply to listen to the echo of your own opinions ?

      I am not the one throwing the words ''retarded, bigotry, and racist'' around. In fact, I believe that I am being quite respectfull. You're just upset because a PQunt is talking back on your blog. At least, the administrator has the decency to not muzzle free speech and to recognize that I am contributing in my own way to the discussion. Stop trying to play his or her role and reply to, what I think, are fair questions.

      Regards

      J.Tremblay

      Delete
    5. Did you come here for debating ideas with a variety of people or simply to listen to the echo of your own opinions ?

      Did YOU?

      Delete
  27. Editor,

    Cleanup for Anonymouses on aisles 4,7 and 8, SVP? Merci.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At Troy,

      That's right play the condescending card that all french frogs are ignorant, uneducated, racist PQunts. A small english minority dominated us for a long time but things changed very, very quickly and things might change very quickly again.

      You can be a péquiste and not be a racist. You can also be very educated (and smart) and be péquiste. You can also be péquiste and have an english last name, be perfectly bilingual and have many anglo friends. What I am yet to meet, on this blog, that is willing to admit that seperation does make sense and does have value for a lot of people. I respect my fellow Québécois who do not vote PQ because it doesnt fit their political ideology. To each his own political convictions. But don't you dare tell me that we are racist and that it's a stupid dream simply because you, as an anglo, cannot form an opinion without your personal emotions cloud your judgment. Seperation is possible and does make sense. There is nothing stupid about it, many societies and cultures around the world have fought for very similar ideals.

      Delete
    2. Troy, I'll leave this one for you since it has nothing to do with your original post but you might want to point out to S.R, err, I mean J.tremblay, that if separation makes sense for Quebec, by that logic it makes far more sense for California, Texas, Massachusetts, Ontario... every province and state, while we're at it...

      Delete
    3. He‘s right, legit countries like Italy and Germany fought for similar ideals in the 1940s. Quebec should be allowed to do the same

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

      Delete
    5. J.tremblay,

      What are you writing about? I just asked the Editor to remove all posts from "Anonymous" as it is against the blog's policy. Never once I wrote PQunt and I did not write that pequistes are racist.

      However, now that you wrote all of that, may I ask a question? Can one be a 100% anglophone - while bilingual - and be a pequiste?

      Delete
    6. @ Troy

      Yes, one can be 100% anglophone and be péquiste. Why would the not be able to be that ? I don't think I know anyone like that but I'm sure that it exist. Why ?

      Delete
    7. @J.Tremblay - What are you fighting with the rest of Canada about? Do you honestly know? The Federal Government of Canada has allowed you separatists to sit in the House of Commons, allowed your existence (which was a mistake from the outset, should have been charged with treason), has made Canada a bilingual country to the detriment of a lot of Anglophones in that they can't get a job because they are unilingual, provide services in all of Canada to the French where the demand doesn't even exist, spent a fortune on parades and propaganda to further your cause, translation services, and on and on, to keep you all happy and it's never enough. Do you not understand that the leaders of your movement only want power, that's it, and they do not care a damn about you as a citizen? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they will move out of Quebec as soon as there is any sign of trouble and don't forget that none of them will suffer because they are wealthy. POWER to sit at international events and have their names in the paper as leaders of a new country! By the way, you will notice that they all speak English when it suits them and they know it is required to work at the international level because English is the language of business all over the world. Don't you realize that they send their children to English schools so they have all the advantages? It's scary that you can't see through their motives!

      Delete
    8. J.Tremblay,

      Well, your answer is not really an answer, is it? It is just like if anybody asks me if Yeti exist, I answer, "The condition in the Himalayas makes it possible for Yeti to lives. Even if there is no confirmed discovery, I am sure it exists."

      Delete
    9. @Troy

      I simply don't understand what you are trying to get at. Yes, I believe that it is possible to be anglo (and bilingual) and be péquiste. What's your point ?

      Delete
    10. @Cutie003

      All politicians want, regardless of affiliation, is power. All politicians, when faced with enough pressure, would abandon ship in the eventuality of violence or revolt around them. All this is very obvious.

      I do know that many of the french elite send their kids to the LCCs and Selwyn Houses of this world because they want their kids to study in english (the language of business)and yes I do think that it's sad to see them renounce their heritage and ''sell out'' like that. It doesnt mean that it is ''right''.

      Delete
    11. @Cutie003

      We are fighting the rest of Canada simply because we want our own country. We want our own country simply because we are different. Simple as that. Don't look any further.

      Delete
    12. J.Tremblay,

      My point is that without corroborating evidence, your claim means nothing.

      Delete
    13. The only thing that is making you different is your determination to destroy a great country and to show you're a bully. You should be in jail!

      Delete
    14. I should be in jail !? Wow, that's a real strong argument there. Should my mom spank me and send me to bed without dessert too ? Most Québécois do not care about Canada, they certainly don't travel to go see this amazing, great country. They don't really speak english either. Many Québécois are federalists simply because they are too scared to face independance, they lack courage and vision. But they are definitely NOT federalists because they love this great Canadian land of (y)ours. Let me add that your beloved maple leaf has lost A LOT of its appeal and has faded tremendously in the eyes of the international community and that has NOTHING to do with Québec. It's the ROC that is dragging your beloved countrie's image through the mud.

      Delete
    15. Always blaming the big bad Anglo. Never mind it was actually the Church in Quebec that kept les Québécois dumb, pregnant and uneducated, What percentage of Francophones actually had degrees in Quebec prior to the 60's? My entire life here in Quebec I have never seen anyone but a White Francophone as head of the Government, where's the domineering Anglo influence now??
      Now it looks like the PQ is taking a page from the Catholic Church handbook on population thought control. By barring Francophone and Bill 101 immigrant ADULTS from attending English CEGEPs (and ergo Universities), they are once again making sure les Bon Québécois remain closeted within Quebec's borders, held captive by their inability to converse with anyone else in North America. All this under the guise of protecting the French language. Wake up and smell the coffee, it's all about control.

      Delete
    16. @Anony Moose-Right on! I've been trying to get this point across to these separatists for ages but they just can't see the forest for the trees!

      Delete
    17. @J. Tremblay-Wow - I'd like to know what makes you think that Canada has lost any status in the world? Reading your own newspapers, published by your separatist friends, are lying to you again. The rest of the world wonders why you people are so crazy as to want to leave this country and, as to you people never going to see the rest of our land, that is your loss. This is still a great and beautiful country, and if you don't tell anyone you are a separatist, you may even be welcomed out in BC if you ever took the opportunity to leave your backyard. That is your main problem - you NEVER look around you! Open your eyes.

      Delete


  28. What I'd like to know is why anglophones feel they would have to move if Québec separated. It's a serious question, does anyone have an honest answer to give me here ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Um...because given the "respect" that Quebec currently has for non-Francophones, the mind boggles at the troglodytic legislation that would be passed in an independent Quebec.

      Further reading:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority

      Delete
    2. @the Hybrid Kind and John Esposito: John is correct - one can't even imagine the horror of living in a separate Quebec as a non-Quebecois. There would be absolutely no tolerance of anything but French and, in the Outaouais where I reside, this would not be anything but trouble. At the present time, we live in complete harmony, French and English alike, and both are respected and accepted. Very few separatists here that I have run across, maybe 1 every 2 years or so. And to the separatists out there, we voted 95% no in the last referendum so if you think that we will sit back and let you take away our rights to remain in Canada, you are in for a rude awakening! People in this area will fight to maintain their land in Canada so if you want to go, realize that many of us, along with our land, are not going with you. Partition is the only answer should you keep pursuing this outrageous demand to leave the best country in the world.

      Delete
    3. Partition is a pipe dream. If Québec separates the borders as they are now would apply, regardless of what the natives, the outaouais, and the west island decide. This has been said by many lawyers specialized in international law and territorial integrity issues.

      Listen, my grand-father lived here for 60 years and never spoke a word of french. He even married a Québécoise. If he, and countlesss others, are able to happily live here then there is no reason why you should have to leave should we separate.

      Delete
    4. @The Hybrid Kind - You are the one who is dreaming that you could possibly hold Indian land without their consent! What on earth are you thinking? The Indians will be the first to physically fight to remain in Canada - they have already informed Quebec of this a long time ago and what makes you think that, as voters, we don't have a say as to what country we will belong? Laws can be changed all the time - Quebec does this without the right everyday! They don't even acknowledge Canadian law and duck it all the time. There is nothing to say that we can't duck Quebec law if we like - and we like.

      Delete
    5. The english and the french took the land away from the natives a long time ago and why could it not happen again. History can repeat itself you know. Nothing is permanent expect change. It might be sad to say but a few thousand native's opinion just won't have enough political weight to partition Québec. It's strictly a matter of numbers and economic might. That's how the world has always worked. Sad but true.

      Delete
    6. Unfortunately it is not just a matter of numbers and economic might - It will turn into a civil war and that is what everyone is trying to avoid. The treaties the Indians have are under Canadian law and that will not be forgotten should push come to shove. I will not sit back and let Quebec take my land out of Canada without a fight! I have lived here for 60 years and it is my land not Quebec's - that's what seems to be forgotten here. Quebec land belongs to Canada not to the 3.5M people that wish to take it and keep it! That is what the separatists seem to forget - the land does not belong to them - Canada has the right to keep it's own land! Should the Chinese enclave in Vancouver be allowed to take a portion of B.C. call it New China and leave Canada with the property they happen to reside on? I think not and the separatists have no right to do this either.

      Delete
    7. Why Quebec cannot be partitioned?

      If a large proportion of Quebec residents - let's say... at least 23% - and part of a continuous landmass, would like independence from Quebec, why would that not be viable? It is possible, and most likely, probable. You know... the 'self determination' thing - you must have heard about it.

      And nice to hear about the that natives do not matter.


      BTW, do you know how much costs to maintain a defence force? Or to build it?

      Delete
    8. @Cutie003

      Land, inherently, does not belong to anyone. It belongs to those who take it. We are not in a school yard here. You can't call ''dibs'' or simply say ''shotgun'' or ''I was here first''. If that were the case, then ALL of Canada should move back to Europe and leave this land to the natives. The natives will never get back what was once ALL ''theirs'' and Canada will nto get back parts of Québec either . Go to wikipedia if you want a quick explanation of why partition is not possible. If you want a fight you'll probably get it. Best of luck and may the ''best'' man win.

      Delete
    9. @the Hybrid Kind - Mark your own words -"land does not belong to anyone" - then you have no right to take mine nor anyone else that votes NOT TO GO WITH YOU WHEN YOU DESTROY YOURSELVES! We will take our land and stay within Canada.

      I will not debate this with you any further because you, as all separatists, are unreasonable and unapproachable!

      Delete
    10. @Cutie003

      If the YES side wins you won't have a choice my dear. Canada is a civilized country and will not go to out of it's way to protect an anglo minority in a free Québec. Do you honeslty think Canada will send it's army to rescue you from the evil seperatists ? No way. Impossible. But you know what, you don't need to worry that much if anything the YES vote will be weaker at the next referendum. You can sleep tight (but with one eye open, just in case). You see I'm lucid enough to realize that separationis a dyign dream, but it doesnt mean that I wont support it. Guess what, if you're willing to fight then so are millions of frenchies. So if that's what it has to come down to, then so be it. Let's accept our fate. This statusquo has got to be broken.

      Delete
    11. The Hybrid Kind: You presume that 50 + 1 will be enough to take you out of Canada but the Clarity Act is alive and well and I certainly do expect that my Canadian Government, be they civilized or not, are NOT going to let you steal my land without supporting our rights to remain in Canada. Yes, it is a dream (or a nightmare, depending how you look at it)and I don't think there are enough of you (3.5M out of 7.5M) to take our rights away! I agree that the status quo has to be broken and this will only happen when you have a small piece of land (make it somewhere in Quebec that has voted 80% in favour of their own country) and move there!

      Delete
  29. Is it me or did a bunch of seperatists have a little meeting? There are suddenly a bunch of new seppies here. Unless of course they are one and the same as The Cat has pointed out. But something tells me it is more like they are all sitting around the same table with their laptops, having a beer and a fun time trolling.

    ReplyDelete
  30. FROM ED BROWN
    Mr. Tremblay says , "If the company moved out peole could find other jobs. " What he doesn't seem, able to understand is, why should they. The whole stupid mess can be avoided by waking up to the fact that the French language is NOT more important than people's lives. French is a dying language as it should be. The many immigrants I converse with daily all know french but converse in English.
    English is a common language. They all knew it before coming here and are comfortable in it.
    The OLF will never combat what comes natural to people. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mr Tremblay doesn't really know how economy works. Or the job market for that matter.

      Delete
  31. For me, the revelatory comment of Ms. Marois was that her language test would apply to aboriginals. She's backtracked very fast from it, but nothing bespeaks the arrogance, insensitivity and outright idiocy of French Language hardliners more than thinking that their language should be rammed down everyone's throat including, of course, those whose cultures flourished in Quebec when nary a "bonjour" was spoken.

    ReplyDelete
  32. FROM ED BROWN
    French is a decadent language. Most other countries (except for french speaking ones) have dropped the masculine and feminine for inanimate objects. They still say Val de les vents where we say windy valley
    2 words instead of four or sunvalley instead of val de le soleil. The use of accents is being dropped
    since most keyboards are english. Certain words that are world wide such as hamburger are even used by french Quebecers but that doesn't satisfy Marois. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For once, Yannick, you speak the truth. And, I must point out, it's not the language that bothers me, rather the politics of it that have put me off French. Remove the politics and I quite like it, as well as the concept of bilingualism (even if French would be my third language...)

      Delete
    2. From Ed Brown: ''french is a decadent language''.

      Wow, that is just amazing! I'm surprised the editor would let you get away with such an assertion. Is Chinese a decadent language ? Spanish is very similar to french; is all of south america speaking a ''decadent'' language ?

      Get real

      Delete
  33. FROM ED BROWN
    15% Where did you ghet the idea that Germany and Italy were fighting for the same principals as the PQ. They weren't fighting for language. They were trying to take over the world. You are right in one way, Hitler and Musolini were dictators like madame marois. Edf

    ReplyDelete
  34. At a meeting of the Parti Québécois to discuss the latest threat to the Québécois culture . . .

    After arriving in the morning in their Japanese cars, they shared a breakfast of Belgian waffles, Spanish omelettes, Mexican cornbread and Starbucks coffee. While eating, someone admired Pauline Marois's outfit, including new Italian shoes and her nice new purse, and everyone laughed when she said she bought the purse at Walmart . . . made in China . . . and admitted she got her skirt while on vacation in Florida!

    Someone mentioned his teenager kept playing her Rihanna and Lil Wayne CD's in her bedroom too loud last night, so he went out to catch the new Pixar move at the American-owned AMC Theatre downtown . . . after eating at Boston Pizza.

    With breakfast done they moved to their new boardroom decked out in Ikea furniture and a Honduras Mahogany boardroom table to start their meeting. They fired up the Sony projector and the Toshiba Laptop to present a Microsoft Powerpoint presentation on how a few English waitresses at McKibbin's Irish Pub were destroying the Québécois culture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant except that same applies to pretty much anyone living in North America...Substitute Pauline Marois with Jean Charest and it makes just as much sense. (except for the McKibbins Irish Pub line) It's pretty funny and creative though I must admit. ;) Selling out to China is what we are all guilty of.

      p.s. don't try the world's hottest hot wings at McKibbins. They will seriously mess you up for real !

      Delete
  35. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  36. FROM ED BROWN
    Yannick, you are out of date. My freind from Honduras and the one from Brazil tell me they still have it in the dictionary but no longer use it in speaking. They think modern. Any language that makes masculine or feminine out of a dead thing is a decadent language.
    Also, there is no place on any of the three keyboards in my home that has an e with an accent egoute over it. These are English keyboards. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lifestyles can be decadent, but not languages. Masculine and feminine is something I would certainly drop from French, were I the Grand Dictator of French, to make it more appealing to non-francophones to pick up. I don't think it's "decadent" to have them, though.

      These are English keyboards.
      Actually Ed these are multi-purpose keyboards; Yannick is correct, the Settings in your computer can change your keyboard to any kind of keyboard, and they all make accents with proper use of the Ctrl key.

      Also, I'm housesitting in Toronto as I type, and guess what, the keyboard has all the accents on it. It's a pretty "modern" computer, actually.

      Delete
  37. ********ATTENTION READERS***************

    Blog traffic is way up (over 4,000 pageviews yesterday) and I imagine we are attracting a lots of new readers and commenters who are not familiar with the rules for posting comments.
    A lot of very good comments were removed because of the use of the 'Anonymous' screen name.
    I encourage every new commenter to read the rules at the top of the page and repost your comment.
    Your anonymity is unaffected by adopting a screen persona.
    As well I take this opportunity to remind readers that as we approach 200 comments, you will have to click on the "Load More.." button at the bottom of the page.

    ReplyDelete
  38. J'aimerais souhaiter la bienvenue à tous nos amis francophones qui aiment le Québec libre. Ceci est un blog où l'on peut s'exprimer en français sans aucun problème. Il n'y a rien de mal à aller rencontrer les anglais sur leur terrain. On peut tous apprendre l'un de l'autre. Invitez vos amis à venir partager leurs opinions sur la souveraineté et autres actualités québécoise. DEBOUT tout le monde !

    @+

    ReplyDelete
  39. The CAT:
    I certainly hope that you don't feel our troll's attempts at shaming Quebec reflect reality in any way, man!

    Appreciate the kind words of encouragement, Cat. You are sweet.

    The hate SR feels in his heart bothers him, not me. He has to live with it; not me.
    I don't hate "the French"... He hates "the English" and it's his own fleau, not mine.

    But SR's attempts to belittle my skills in French do reflect the reality in Quebec to an extent. He or She voices an opinion that is prevalent among a sadly sizable chunk of the population -- anyone who lives or has lived in Quebec knows that. The majority are nice, a friendly minority encourages French conversation, and a hostile minority are too consumed by bitterness to make sincere friendships outside of their own "ethnic" group.

    This is SR and Yannick's cue to say, "Oh, same in English Canada!"... yet that is false. There are certainly anti-French bigots (one notable example is obviously Don Cherry, who is actually paid by CBC (!) to spout anti-French bigotry on TV).

    But English Canada majoritarily condemns bigotry, Don Cherry's paycheque notwithstanding. No one who lives in the Golden Horseshoe can mock a person's command of English without drawing "dude wtf" stares from a crowd. In Quebec, it's the opposite.

    In English North America, someone mocking a person's English is fodder for a feel-good self-help intervention episode of 30 Rock or Frasier, gently telling society that it's not okay. In Quebec, while a majority don't hate English, the English-hating minority gets a free pass --- in my humble estimation, because their bitterness is too entrenched and so vitriolic that it's pointless for a non-hater to bother poking the hornet's nest. In Quebec it is often (NOT ALWAYS) acceptable to mock an English person in public; in Ontario, it is the opposite. Sometimes, sure. Often? No flipping way.

    It's not a "French thing" or even a "Quebec thing", it's a nationalist thing. Francos from NB or ON or MB or France don't have a problem with my French. Much of Quebec openly encourages nationalism and nationalism is ugly.

    This very spring I was in Montréal for a friend's surprise birthday party (entirely in French btw). Arriving a day early, I was offered a couch at someone else's place.

    Now this guy was a stranger to me, and we got along well enough. Similar taste in music, literature, he was astounded at my command of French and my insistence on speaking in it. That night he intro'd me to some of his friends, and chastised them for speaking to me in English. I was half-ready to start dating! Not literally, but figuratively --- it was a great experience.

    Then he started rubbing his boner into me. Really insistently. Even after I pulled away and made it politely obvious I was into getting us some wine and pizza and hanging out if he wanted. Even after I pulled away again. Even after I pulled away again.

    But he got the point, and turned into a different person, who needed to put down English as the ugliest language in the world, and talk in gibberish "English" to mock anglophone accents, etc etc etc, while I had to smile through it. Even in front of dinner guests. No problem for me, man -- he's the one acting like an insecure child, pas moi.

    Sure, English people are rude to the French sometimes.
    And personally, I've put my job on the line before to tell Anglos to shut the f*** up with their anti-French diatribes. My surprise birthday friend would do the same if he heard Francos dissing the English. NOT ALL FRANCOPHONES HATE THE ENGLISH, that's not my point.

    ReplyDelete
  40. But open hostility to the English is accepted and sometimes even embraced and encouraged in many circumstances in Quebec. Even for me, who has read many more books and listened to as many more CDs from Quebec (not counting from France, Africa, etc) than any given non-Quebecer.

    The English have had a piss-poor attitude towards French, in Europe, in N America, wherever. It's shocking the man who hung Riel is on the $10 bill.

    But it's not the 1940s. Or 60s. English-Canadians in large part love having French a part of Canada, the overwhelming majority wants the government to ensure French remains a part of Canada. A clear majority support French-English bilingualism.

    Much of Quebec (not all!) is reacting against a decades-old English mindset that has largely (thankfully) disappeared. (A mindset I've never seen more than a vestige of

    But don't worry LeChat, I don't take SR or anyone other Quebecer's hatred of English-speaking people as representative of Quebec as a whole; far from it. They're a problem for Quebec as a whole, the same way that the slim majority of Americans who hate non-English speakers as "non-American" are a problem for the US. But in the end, these people are a minority, and they can't hold enough hate in their hearts to hurt anyone else but themselves.

    I too have felt bitterness against people I perceive as the "majority". `It's easy to do. But ultimately, Martin Luther King got to me before S.R. did. It's better to go through life with a scarred body than a scarred soul, et S.R., je voudrais que tu ait un jour un coeur net et propre.

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  41. Phew!

    I don't know where they all came from, but man did this blog ever pick up a lot of new separatist readers and of course, they all keep on regurgitating the same old narrow-minded, self-important crap as the rest of the bunch.

    Anyhow, thought I'd share this tidbit, which is something most sovereignists want to avoid like the plague on account that it's so perfectly true:

    Le chef de l'Assemblée des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador (APNQL), Ghislain Picard, a lancé mercredi qu'il valait mieux continuer d'ignorer les Premières Nations pendant la campagne électorale plutôt que de tenter de leur imposer la citoyenneté québécoise et la langue française.

    «C'est malheureux que ce soit par une bévue que la question autochtone soit abordée dans le cadre de la présente campagne», a déclaré M. Picard lors d'un entretien téléphonique avec La Presse Canadienne.

    «Mais ça ne change rien à notre opinion concernant les questions qui nous préoccupent et auxquelles les partis politiques devraient s'attarder plus sérieusement, qui incluent évidemment la citoyenneté et la langue mais aussi les territoires et les ressources», a-t-il ajouté.

    Le leader de l'APNQL a ajouté que les Premières Nations n'accepteraient jamais que Québec ou Ottawa les oblige à respecter une loi avec laquelle elles ne sont pas d'accord.

    Au Nunavik, la porte-parole Kitty Gordon de la Société Makivik, un regroupement voué à la protection de la langue et de la culture inuites, s'est moquée de l'idée de soumettre des anglophones et des autochtones à des tests linguistiques pour qu'ils puissent se présenter aux élections municipales.

    «Est-ce qu'ils sont en train de dire que les Québécois étaient ici en premier et que c'est la raison pour laquelle nous devons parler français? C'est comme dire que les Inuits étaient là en premier, donc qu'il faut parler inuktitut», a-t-elle fait valoir lors d'une entrevue avec La Presse Canadienne.

    La grande majorité des leaders inuits d'hier et d'aujourd'hui s'expriment en anglais et en inuktitut. «Les générations plus jeunes parlent français, mais pas tous», a expliqué Mme Gordon.

    The rest can be read here: http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/08/22/les-autochtones-denoncent-la-citoyennete-quebecoise-proposee-par-pauline-marois_n_1822488.html?utm_hp_ref=politique

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  42. @Harvey Dent

    The truth of the is that the opinion of a few natives just won't count. There land was ''stolen'' from them a long time ago. Should the french and the english give it all back now to make things ''right', again? Should all of central and south america go back to the aztecs, the mayas and the incas ?

    We like to KID OURSELVES into thinking that we care about the little ''indians'' but let's brutaly honest: to the average person in Québec (french or english) the opionion of a few natives is irrelavant. It's just reality. It's cruel, it's racist, it's whatever the fuck you want to call it, but it's reality.

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    1. "We like to KID OURSELVES into thinking that we care about the little ''indians'' but let's brutaly honest: to the average person in Québec (french or english) the opionion of a few natives is irrelavant."

      Actually, Girard, I do happen to care. Just because you and your fellow separatist buddies think that you're the only "victims" in this province, doesn't mean the rest of us are insensitive to the rights and interests of the native community.

      Here's why your movement simply DOES NOT deserve to achieve its goal:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAlzJnaETg0

      "The truth of the is that the opinion of a few natives just won't count. There land was ''stolen'' from them a long time ago. Should the french and the english give it all back now to make things ''right', again? Should all of central and south america go back to the aztecs, the mayas and the incas ?"

      You know, instead of responding to that comment, I'll give you time to re-read it and bask in its sheer hypocrisy.

      Swear to you, I've really never met ONE sovereignist with an ounce of integrity.

      Delete
    2. I believe lack of integrity is a second nature by now. Have you noticed the about-face Paulette has been doing since she came head of PQ?

      "We'll do this." Next day: "No, we won't do it." Later the same day: "I actually meant we'll do only half of it". The following Monday: "We'll do it, but with half of the population, and only if it rains"... So on and so forth.

      So really, whatever she says today is not worth the dust on my shoes. I, for one, expect a Referendum in the first 18 months of PQ governance. So, all the I-vote-PQ-to-get-rid-of-charest-there-won't-be-another-referendum might just have a big surprise.

      One more thing... all this 15% needed to create a referendum... I suggest we start raising signatures for a referendum on more English to be taught in the French school system. Hey, I'd even go as far as making the schools fully bilingual.

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  43. @Harvey Dent

    Désolé d'interrompre votre petite fête anti-séparatiste !

    Me permettez-vous de vous demandez pour qui vous allez voter le 4 septembre ?

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    1. Why not ? You've got anonimity here, what do you have to lose ? Is it because you will support a corrupt liberal government ?

      Delete
    2. Harvey Dent Does Not Answer To The InbredThursday, August 23, 2012 at 1:31:00 PM EDT

      Non, c'est à cause que t'es arrogant en maudit et j'ai aucune obligation de répondre à tes question.

      Delete
    3. I don't share who I vote with, either.
      People see "who you're voting for" through their own lens and filter, and it becomes a total distraction.
      Harvey's not obligated to tell anyone who he votes for; nor is anyone else.

      It doesn't matter if he's supporting the corrupt liberals or corrupt pq or the too-new-to-be-corrupt-yet caq.

      Delete
    4. I've actually divulged who I'm leaning against in previous posts, but refuse to answer G.Bourque on the grounds that he's also posting as M. Girard, J. Tremblay, On va vous awouère, Victor Lawrence, Jose Marques and F.Gagné.

      Honestly, I don't know who this guy is, but you are one lonely, pathetic waste of skin to be putting that much energy into trolling this site.

      I'm also willing to bet the tax dollars I'm generating right now are paying for the welfare check that affords this kid all the time it takes to post all this narrow-minded nonsense.

      Delete
    5. Who cares whether the question is coming from J.Tremblay, The Kit Kat Lady, or The Wee Donkey....a screename, a handle, an avatar. It don't matter buddy. We are here anonymously. Don't be a chicken and answer the question like a man. I'm a separatist; so what ? What are you, and who are you goign to vote for is a valid question. You're obviously not obligated to divulge the information but I honeslty don't understand why we can't hear your reasoning behind your candidate of choice. If you don't want to tell me, out of spite, because you think I've used more than one name then so be it. Be immature like that. All I know is that I don't make GROSS typical generalizations like the welfare bum and the pathetic waste of skin you think I am.

      This is typical of many anglos who love the propaganda of the racist, pepsi drinking, joe louis eating, welfare Québécois bum. It ain't so my friend. It just ain't so.

      Now instead of divulging who you are leaning against, why not tell us who you are leaning FOR?

      ''refuse to answer G.Bourque on the grounds that he's also posting as'' cry me a river already.

      -

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  44. This just in: paranoid anglophones are saying the François Legault's CAQ is secretly hiding his separatist convictions. How silly !

    It's nice tactic by anglophones to give themselves peace of mind and keep voting for a corrupt liberal government.

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    1. @g.bourque aka N Girard etc.....

      I rather have a corrupt liberal government then a even worse pro bill 101 party. In the end I would rather not vote for any Quebec party. I would like to see a partition movement gain steam. I would like to see the minorities to openly defy the Quebec government and just ignore bill 101 and declare themselves sovereign territory within Quebec. Maybe sovereignty association.

      Delete
  45. LA PROVINCE CANADIENNE DE MONTREAL!
    Think about it, this will be the topic of discussion in the HouseOfCommons soon enough...


    I keep hearing this (on this blog comments section only), and see no concrete action.

    People have been calling for Toronto to be a province for years; that's not a serious movement and will not be discussed in Queen's Park or in the House of Commons anytime soon.

    What makes this Montréal version more real or substantial? If Quebec voted to separate (unlikely), I can see some municipalities fighting to be left out of it... but today, here and now, I don't see anything real or actual about this idea.

    Also I keep hearing promise of a big discussion on "separatist factory" public schools... when is that going to happen?

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  46. JBG

    In the 1970s, 1980s Partition wasn't talked about as much as it is now. I think the internet is going along way in spreading ideas like Partition around. The minorities are realizing that in Quebec the only way they can live in peace if they took certain areas out of control of the Quebec government.

    The Quebec government does not enforce bill 101 in Northern Quebec on any of the native owned businesses or land. English only signs are all over the place but the Quebec government can't even think of trying to enforce bill 101 in any native territory.

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