Friday, November 23, 2012

French versus English Volume 68

Vapid PQ budget exposes ineptitude

I promised a piece on the Quebec budget handed down by the PQ earlier this week, but honestly I couldn't find 1500 words that would keep readers interested.
The 'balanced' budget is achieved by reducing spending on infrastructure, the PQ confident that fixing Quebec's dilapidated roads and bridges is something that is can be put off until they are safely out of power.
It's like balancing your personal finances by putting off paying your home mortgage for a couple of years. How's that going to work?

Not wishing to offend anybody and risk the wrath of opposition parties, the PQ decided to tweak a couple of tax programs here and there, raising consumption taxes on booze and of course the most hapless of all taxpayers, the smokers, who will be driven, no doubt, in greater numbers to native smoke shacks, where taxes are but a figment of the Quebec government's imagination.
Forgotten in the budget was the ill-conceived idea of reducing the capital gains exemption by 50% or getting rid of the 'Health Tax" as promised in the PQ election campaign.
Most interesting in the budget is the proposal to get rid of  2,000 workers at Hydro-Quebec, some 10% of its workforce.
Layoffs of this magnitude in the private sector are normal, a reaction to changing market conditions or demand, but in a monopoly that produces and sells electricity, where the market doesn't really change, it is a frank admission of gross incompetence. Among the large utility companies in North America, Hydro-Quebec retains its position as the most bloated and inefficient.
 Of course the PQ made sure to continue the freeze on student tuition fees, the last thing that they need is to alienate their base.
All in all, it was a budget that remains true to the tax and spend, big government reputation that all Quebec governments for the last forty years maintained.
For taxpayers, there was nothing so drastic as to get people marching in the streets, but the budget and those budgets presented by governments before, are the very definition of a 'death by a thousand cuts.'

The only problem with this whole budget charade is that the proposed tax increases won't produce the predicted revenues and that the slowdown in growth will automatically reduce government receipts over the course of the budget.
The promise of a balanced budget in 2014 is about as likely as a the PQ holding a winning referendum.
Smoke and mirrors, or as the French are fond of saying. 'de la poudre aux yeux'

Antisemitic radio rant

Here is one antisemitic rant that should never have been allowed to be aired on the radio and the fact that the interviewer allowed a caller to proceed was just plain disgusting.

In a radio interview on 98.5 FM, home of anglo-basher Benoit Dutrizac, another radio host Jacques Fabi, allowed a listener to present a four and a half minute screed, refusing to cut her off, even after this exchange, right at the beginning of the interview .
Caller: "Do you know Hitler?
Fabi:     "Not personally"
Caller: "Do you know of the Holocaust?
Fabi:     "A little"
Caller: "It was the massacre of the Jews"
Fabi:     "Yes, exactly"
Caller: "For me it was the most beautiful thing that ever happened in history."
Mr. Fabi reminded the listener it was dangerous to say these thing on the air because of the powerful Jewish lobby, which he himself found bothersome.
If you speak French give a listen  Link{fr}
(Sorry readers, the station has wisely decided to remove the interview from its website
But you can hear it below;

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The interview was also later denounced on another radio station by Dominic Maurais. Link{Fr}

Now before readers denounce this as another example of Quebec antisemitism, I will stand up and remind them that the offensive interview was roundly denounced in the French media before the English or Jewish population was even aware of what happened.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that this blog is the first English outlet to report the story, but I'm confident that the incident will now grow legs. 

This story won't end here and I'm sure that Mr. Fabi is in for a rough ride.......

New French-language coalition demands Bill 101 boost

"A new coalition of French-language groups is calling on the Quebec government to strengthen the province’s language law, Bill 101.
Partenaires pour un Québec Français (PQF) said it wants the province’s language watchdog, the Office Québécois de la Langue Française (OQLF), to have more power and resources to protect French.
Mario Beaulieu, spokesman for the coalition, said Bill 101 was weakened to respect the presence of the "historic anglophone community."
"Gradually, with the weakening of Bill 101, we came back to full bilingualism. This means someone can live in English in Montreal without having to use French," said Beaulieu.
He added that with weak language laws, the province would not be able to force people to learn French.
Louise Mercier, spokeswoman for the Quebec Labour Federation, said encouraging new Quebeckers to speak French at work is crucial in fighting assimilation.
“One day, we will lose our language,” said Mercier." Read the rest of the story

Rinse, repeat....

Retailers make first court appearance in fight with Quebec language police

Several multi-national companies willing to take the Quebec government to court may not have to go that far to keep their names the same.
Lawyers representing some of North America's biggest brands, including Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco, are negotiating with the Office Quebecoise de la Langue Francaise. The OQLF wants the companies to alter their names to include some indication in French of what they sell.
The changes are outlined on a website run by the language agency that gives businesses options on how to change their names. For example, Walmart, a household name on the retail scene that doesn't really have a French equivalent, could change its signs to "Le Magasin Walmart."
But retailers say the language laws have not formally been changed and they will ask the courts to decide whether the language office has the right to make new demands.
Lawyers representing the coalition of retailers said negotiations to work out an agreement were going well, but they still planned to file their lawsuit on Thursday in Quebec Superior Court.
They expect the case will go before a judge -- if needed -- in the spring.
Read the rest of the story
 Readers, I think you'll find Monday's blog concerning this issue rather interesting.
In that piece I will tell you why, in my opinion, regardless whether the retailers win or lose, Quebec militants will come out on the decidedly short end of the stick.

Several multi-national companies willing to take the Quebec government to court may not have to go that far to keep their names the same.
Lawyers representing some of North America's biggest brands, inluding Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco, are negotiating with the Office Quebecoise de la Langue Francaise. The OQLF wants the companies to alter their names to include some indication in French of what they sell.
The changes are outlined on a website run by the language agency that gives businesses options on how to change their names. For example, Walmart, a household name on the retail scene that doesn't really have a French equivalent, could change its signs to "Le Magasin Walmart."
But retailers say the language laws have not formally been changed and they will ask the courts to decide whether the language office


Read more: http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032#ixzz2CxvrldcI

Pathetic Flag debate demonstrates PQ pettiness


".....Yves-Francois Blanchet, the PQ MLA who first asked the legislative Speaker to remove the flag, told QMI Agency Wednesday that the Maple Leaf shouldn't be in the legislature as a question of jurisdiction and history.
He said the flag was introduced to Quebec's parliament in 1985 - the Maple Leaf only dates back to 1965 - and was removed for the first time by former PQ leader Jacques Parizeau in 1994, only to be reinstated in 2003 when the Liberals regained power.
"The principle is that the only people who have jurisdiction in Quebec's legislature are those who are elected," Blanchet said. "It's about the exclusivity of the Quebec flag."
Liberal MLA Laurent Lessard wrote to the Speaker of Quebec's legislature last week and argued that the Canadian flag "is not an accessory."
"It's a symbol of belonging to our federation and a symbol of Canadian identity," he wrote. "As long as Quebec is part of the Canadian federation, it would be unacceptable to remove it from the legislative chamber."
The PQ caused controversy when it removed the Canadian flag in September from the legislature's upper chamber, also known as the "red room." The upper chamber most often serves as a backdrop for ceremonies.
The lower chamber, or "blue room," is the legislative assembly......

But the Canadian flag will stay in Quebec's legislature.
The leader of Quebec's third party announced Wednesday afternoon that his MLAs will vote with the Liberals to keep the flag where it is.
The separatist Parti Quebecois had asked the Speaker of the legislature last week to remove the flag.
The Liberals were steadfast against it.
The motion to remove the flag was set to be voted on in a week's time. The vote would have been the first of its kind in Quebec history.
On Wednesday, Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault - who himself once championed sovereignty - told QMI Agency that his 19 MLAs will vote with the Liberals next week.
The PQ's minority government doesn't have enough votes by itself to remove the Maple Leaf." Link .


Anglos' accented French an outrage to French linguicists


Last week, popular Montreal radio host Benoît Dutrizac mocked Mr. Rotrand and another anglophone councillor, Michael Applebaum, after deciding their French was unacceptable. He ran a spoof ad suggesting the pair need a miracle “Instant French” product for people who get flustered when they have to speak French. On Twitter, he complained that the two councillors spoke “gibberish” French and were an insult to francophone Montrealers.
By Mr. Dutrizac’s standards of linguistic purity, it is not enough to speak French — it must be free of an accent that betrays one’s origins. He is not alone. Writing in the Journal de Montréal on the weekend, Université du Québec à Montréal sociologist Mathieu Bock-Côté complained about being greeted with an accented “buuuunjourr” when he goes into a shop in Montreal.  Read the rest of the story .

The complaints about accent, particularly that of new Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum, an anglophone with decent but heavily accented French, belies the true motives behind the attacks.

For many French language militants, Anglophones or Ethnics participating as elected officials in any capacity where they can influence public policy is dangerous.
For these linguicists, English or Ethnics in high places is a threat.


Quebec sait faire


One of my favourite time-wasting web sites is Fail.Qc.com a lighthearted, tongue in cheek look at the errors, gaffes and generally stupid things that are captured by the public, a testament to participatory journalism.
Every single province should have its own website of a similar nature, where, no doubt, there is a wealth of material.
If you know of a similar site, please let us know in the comments section.

I don't know if the story about this particular utility pole went viral because of the appearance of this picture on the failqc.com website, but I suspect it did.

Once the picture went mainstream (read: out of province), reaction by authorities was lightning quick and whatever department that was responsible, reacted with uncharacteristic haste to correct the embarrassment.



Here's another ill-placed utility pole, which doesn't seem to bother anyone in Valleyfield.


Read the story about it  in French. Link{Fr}

Here's another from that website;

For those outside Quebec, an orange speed limit sign is added to reduce speed during construction...ahem!
Don't forget to visit the website!

By the way, here's another photo which I received over Twitter from Mathieu Boivin, a street in Quebec City. Yikes!!



In another story of dubious planning and achievement, the new ambulances put into service recently by Urgences-santé in Montreal and Laval offer unlucky patients a decidedly rough ride.

It seems that the suspension of the new vehicles are so stiff that patients and their litter are regularly tossed into the air when the vehicle hits a bump.
Oh well... Link{FR}


Reaction to Gaza War

I told you that I wouldn't write about the recent Gaza blowup other than to comment as to how it pertains to Quebec, where last week, there was a demonstration in support of Gazans held in Montreal.
The demonstration wasn't particularly big, but was still the largest in Canada, where support for the Palestinian side was somewhat muted.

I have absolutely no objection to people demonstrating peacefully in favour of their constituency, be it Jews in support of Israel or Muslims in support of Palestine/Gaza, regardless who is right or wrong.

But this being Quebec, it wasn't much of a surprise to see the various left-wing groups, led by Quebec solidaire and Amir Khadir come out to give Israel another public bashing, again something that is their absolute right.
Amir Khadir and company are quick to point out that criticism of Israel is not antisemitism, but it is a little hard to believe given that the only two countries in the world that these people regularly march against, is Israel and the United States.

Over the course of the battle that raged between the potent Israeli military machine and the crude but highly effective missile brigade of Hamas, about 160 people died tragically over the course of the eight days, an average of about twenty sad deaths per day.
But let us consider that on every single day over the last 22 months of fighting in Syria, an average of  about 65 people died (a ghastly 40,000 deaths) with this carnage continuing unabated.
Somehow the media, Amir Khadir and assorted lefties are obsessed with dead babies in Gaza, but not in Aleppo....
Without supporting Israel, I can only say that the hypocrisy is galling and I defy anyone to explain why Jews killing Arabs is more newsworthy than Arabs killing Arabs.
Today, tomorrow, another 50-60 people will be killed in Syria. Where will Radio-Canada, Anderson Cooper and all the European networks be reporting from?
I wish readers to understand that the above comment is in no way a commentary about who is right or who is wrong between Israelis and Palestinians, it is only about fair reporting which is admittedly, a subjective matter.
 
While the Canadian press (as well as the Canadian government ) were largely pro-Israel in their coverage, in Quebec, Radio-Canada took the opposite tack, reporting rather favourably on the Gazan side of things.
A Journal de Montreal journalist took Radio-Canada and its reporter Agnes Gruda to task over what she perceived as shamefully biased reporting. Link{Fr}

So I guess it comes as no surprise that a Jewish professor had his office vandalized over at UQAM, a hotbed of leftist and anti-Israel support (along with Concordia university.)
I suppose it serves the good professor right, who showed more guts than good sense in publicly supporting Israel on the campus of UQAM!  Link


Bits'n pieces

Now since this is Friday, I will allow myself to go off topic to present a video related to the Gaza conflict that is mind-blowing.

First a little background;
In some cases, before bombing the residence of Hamas leaders, the Israeli military phone or text those at home, warning them to get out of the building, which seems a bit counter-productive if the goal is to kill the militant. Obviously the bombing of the home is meant to render the lives of Hamas leaders and their families miserable.

Now we are all familiar with those grainy black and white videos shot from the cockpit of warplanes delivering a devastating payload upon a target, culminating with a big puff of smoke. Truthfully, if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Here's what it looks like from the ground, an incredible sight.
It seems that after receiving the call from the IDF to get out of the house, someone got the idea to set up a camera and film the whole thing up close.
I don't know if it goes to the confidence that the filmmaker had in the marksmanship of the Israeli air force pilot, or whether it was a case of foolhardiness or sang-froid, but to set up a camera and remain on-site, no farther than a hundred or so metres from the target, is rather amazing.
I'll bet you've never seen this, up close and personal!


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Back on topic, here's a video, a Western Canada rant against Quebec that many readers may or may not agree with.
I look forward to your comments, don't be shy.





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Now that students have successfully had their tuition fees frozen, some of the more radical are launching a new initiative, demanding free tuition.
According to the most radical student association, ASSE,  60,000 students stayed away from classes on Thursday to protest.

Whatever is Pauline to do? Link
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Here's an interesting article by Alberta conservative and Sun TV personality Ezra Levant;

English-speaking oil: Separatists get it entirely wrong in pipeline protest 
It’s tough being the newly elected separatist government in Quebec.
They only won 31.95% of the vote, compared to 31.20% for the Liberals and 27.05% for the CAQ. And with just 54 out of 125 seats in the legislature, it’s a minority government that is doomed to accomplish very little.
But solving real problems — like unemployment and corruption — has never been a forte of the Parti Quebecois.
So the new government is doing what it does best — showboating, trying to pick symbolic fights with anglos.
This time the PQ has done something really weird. They have decided to demonize — get this — English-speaking oil. Read the rest of the story
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 Here's another opinion piece that you may find interesting;
Opinion: What happened to my city?
Returning to Montreal after 37 years in Toronto, I found that much had changed — not for the better
Marlene and I were both born and raised in Montreal, but we moved to Toronto to pursue business opportunities in 1975. It was a successful experience, but after 37 years it was time to come home. It was time to reconnect with our families and friends and our grown-up nieces and nephews. Time to reacquaint ourselves with “steamies” and smoked-meat sandwiches and all the other delicacies that Montreal was famous for. It was time to relive and enjoy the bilingual culture of the great city of Montreal.
Wow — what a glorious time it promised to be, going back home. We shed a few tears as we got into the car and headed east on the 401, full of anticipation and excitement.
Oh my goodness — what happened to Montreal? Are we in the right city? Are you sure this is Montreal?  Read the rest of the story: Link    Alternate Link
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What's up with these new stealthy Montreal  police cars?; Link



HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
BONNE FIN DE SEMAINE!

170 comments:

  1. Fabi has now blocked me from his Facebook page. I'm touched.
    The audio is simply chilling and even more disgusting is his veiled anti-Semitism which has now been exposed front and centre. Will the CRTC act on this? doubt it....

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    1. I was thinking the same thing re the CRTC, and disgusts me to no end. When Howard Galganov had his morning radio show back in the 90s, his diatribes were subjected to CRTC scrutiny, and the CRTC came down on him, but they were nowhere near as harmful as this blatant hatred that was allowed to go on for over 4 minutes. Oh, and let's not forget comparing Gilles Groulx's endless hateful diatribes against English in Quebec vs. Don Cherry's one crack about "Europeans and Frenchmen" who wear eye visors on their helmets. I'm sure there are enough Jew haters in the CRTC to let this recent episode slide.

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  2. The video from Sask. is exactly how the people from out west now view quebec and who can blame them? Why should they subsidize our $7.00 a day daycare program with their hard earned money? Won't be long before there is a strong movement to kick quebec out of Canada and we'd better be ready. Quebec is now so socialist, and getting worse, that Canada wants no part of it. We are an embarrassment to all at this point. If you want to be a bum, move to quebec - you'll be looked after really well on everyone else's dime (new quebec motto). Disgusting.

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    1. Unfortunately, Cutie, the Day of Reckoning won't be until 2014 when the equalization payments formula is reviewed and renewed. This will be a true acid test to see if Harper really has the chutzpah to shake up the status quo. I personally hope he does, because Ontario, even though they get a minuscule dividend of equalization, are still by far the largest net contributor to the equalization program.

      If Harper doesn't do much about it, then maybe Jr. Trudeau is right that the best prime ministers were the ones that come from Quebec (like his daddy, of course); furthermore, if Harper does little or nothing, he'll be betraying his western base and one would think he could ill afford that! He'd be retarded to do that because Quebec is far, far from his bread and butter support.

      From what I have read about equalization, hydroelectric revenues have a lot to do with the formula, so keeping hydro rates down as per the PQ budget more than the increases the Liberals proposed bodes well for the PQ. Artificially low hydro rates favour the equalization formula. Maybe Ontario should cut its hydro rates just to get more equalization. Hey...it would benefit me to do this. Hydro rates here in Ontario have gone bonkers over the last decade!

      That YouTube piece from Alberta has its inaccuracies, but the fact Quebec, with the equalization, is able to give goodies Albertans don't enjoy (although it's government will not to subsidize daycare in Alberta and they have no debt) and at Alberta's expense...and largely Ontario's as well!

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    2. Mr. Sauga - Mr. Harper has some hard days coming up - we Canadians in Quebec have a right to expect his protection from these language bigots and of course quebec will again try to suck the life blood out of the ROC as usual. Hope he grows a pair in the very near future and starts to act as a leader of the whole country not just areas where his major support lies. If he does not do this, we do not deserve to be called "a country". That is what a "Leader" is supposed to do. Even if this brings up constitutional wrangling, he must be prepared for this and get on with what's best for ALL citizens of the country. Someone has to do it and that's why he was elected as Prime Minister. Part of the job - running the country.

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    3. Le canada n'est pas un vrai pays cutie,c'est une terre d'acceuil pour tous ceux qui veulent conserver leur identité d'origine mais en amérique du Nord.Les cuties canayennes seront bientôt minoritaires sur ce territoire sans âme et sans culture...Commune.

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    4. I love it when he actually openly admits to being a bigot.

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    5. So close to Nazism, these separatists, and they are too stupid to realize it. They have to be cut loose from Canada's main stream of society. Time to kick the a------- out.

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    6. Cutie: Re your remark "...we Canadians in Quebec have a right to expect [Harper's] protection from these language bigots...".

      No federal party, BUT NO FEDERAL PARTY, has come to the aid of the minorities in Quebec, and this language legislation has been on the books going on 39 years with the passing into law of Bill 22. Harper has been at the helm for how long now, and what has he done to date to help you and others in your position? Get real, Cutie! Do realize I'm on your side, but waiting for the feds is something you'll do for another 39 years and I assure you nothing will get solved as you'd like between now and then!



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    7. You may be right Mr. Sauga but I feel the worm is turning and he's not going to have much choice in the near future if the seppies keep pushing their bigoted agenda. Hopefully with enough pressure, he will have no choice but to confront the issue. For the sake of the whole country, some form of vote to rid this place of these bigots, has to take place. Most of Quebec want to end this as well - not just the federalists. One way or another a split has to take place and must be done democratically to avoid civil war. Federal districts, municipalities, however, have to hold a vote to be either in or out of Canada and get on with it. Maybe it's only a start but we have to start somewhere and somehow.

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  3. As to a new coalition group being formed to strengthen Bill 101, all you federalists out there have to join groups that fight these language bigots. Good place to start is the Quebec Office of the English Language = they are looking for members and want to expand. They have a website and have connections to a lot of other organizations that are actively involved in preventing more restrictive measures against the English language.

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  4. "Now that students have successfully had their tuition fees frozen"

    It's only temporary. Many people are expecting the PQ to index tuition rates to inflation sometime next year, so in the end the Charest increases will take effect, just not as quickly.

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    1. John, that's not the point. The point is the malcontents had a promise fulfilled, and now they're clamoring for more...ALREADY! Then if they get that, there'll be other demands. They're infinite. Somewhere the line has to be drawn (it should have been a long, long time ago, but with Little Trudeau's decree Quebec prime ministers are the best, well...).

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    2. "In 2012-13, the government is doling out about $15 billion in equalization, including $7.4 billion for Quebec. Quebec will contribute $2.9 billion.

      Quebec Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau said his province would be in better financial shape if it separated from Canada."

      From: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2012/11/21/20374941.html

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  5. The west is annoyed that Quebec politicians use sovereignty as political leverage. “Give us more power or we’ll separate.” For Westerners, the focus was on Quebec in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The concerns were that the federal government was addressing to concern of Quebec to the detriment of all other interests. What’s interesting is that Quebec interest and Western interests have not always been mutually exclusive. Before Patriation, the west and Quebec often had similar constitutional positions, especially when it came to decentralization. Quebec prime ministers helping Quebecers and ignoring the needs of other Canadians is a viewpoint that the west commonly holds, since every PM has been a Quebecer since Trudeau apart from Harper, Kim Campbell, and Joe Clark. Each time the west criticizes Quebec, they are seen as bigots, much like everyone else who criticizes Quebec.

    They're also righteously pissed that they've worked so hard to eliminate their debt and are paying for Quebec's stupidity and poverty. The west has the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio out of all the provinces in the country. The lowest province is Saksatchewan at -.56%. Compared to Quebec, which has 48.3% and receives 8BN a year. This pisses the west off because they contribute the most to equalization but receive the least; only Manitoba receives any equalisation payment. This basically means that the west is subsidizing the east through equalisation.

    Also, they're mad about the way the Feds treat their oil; they used to tax oil at 10%, and now they tax oil at 24% (Thanks to Trudeau and his NEP) which causes much discontent in the industry. The total loss through taxes was 50BN from 1980 to 1986. Fifty billion dollars from 1980 to 1986.

    Can I get a "WTF"?

    So yeah, Western Canada is a little miffed.

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

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    2. Foremost: So what you're saying is the PCs came into power in September 1984 and it took up to two years to eliminate the NEP. Actually, two MONTHS after the PCs were elected, on Nov 8/84, then finance minister Michael Wilson brought down the economic blueprint that set their agenda, and I do remember the NEP being eliminated in that speech.

      Oh, and the reason I remember that date so well is because four days earlier I moved into a furnished apartment with only a cot, a rented TV, a phone, a box for a night table, a couple of lamps, limited kitchenware and the hope of finding a job preferably sooner rather than later.

      No doubt Daddy Trudeau knew sweet f--all about the West and didn't seem interested in developing his understanding. He gave Salmon Arm, BC the finger! That won't hold water today. The demographics have changed and the Western Provinces are about equally weighted with Quebec, so appeasing Quebec isn't what it used to be. Appeasing Ontario is going to be critical now (hooray for us!) because Ontario will carry the balance of power. It is Ontario that is going to decide federal governments for the time being. Based on how things are going, the West will grow and tip the scales at Quebec's expense. You can now sleep better tonight!

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    3. Trudeau gave alot of people the finger. He also held his ground in Quebec when a mob Seperatists started throwing projectiles at him. The NEP may now be seen as misguided but the economic problems associated with 2 oil shocks one mid 70s and another that popped in 1982 was something most western economies including the united states didn't know how to deal with. The Trudeau government was grasping in the air to catch relief so they instituted the NEP to save Canadian manufacturing. His government created Petro Canada that started Hibernia off Newfoundland. It enabled Newfoundland to no longer be a "have not" province. Petro Canada was sold off at record profit. Many people blame Trudeau for Mirabel airport. More then Trudeau it was a compromise with Bourassa who didn';t want an airport build in the Dorion Vaudreauil area as he thought it would benefit eastern Ontario more then Quebec.

      Despite all those that accuse Trudeau of being a Debt monster, his debt to GDP record was better then that of Mulroney. If the Harper government continues the way it is, Trudeau might even have a better Debt to GDP record then Trudeau. Despite Harper only having to deal with the effects of one minor Oil Shock that peaked in late 2008. Trudeau dealt with 2 major oil shocks.

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    4. Meant Trudeau would have a better Debt to GDP ratio then Harper.

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  6. If you think those utility poles are bad, check out this house in the middle of huge road! It looks big enough to be a highway.

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    1. I'd love to see a Photoshop expert replace the house in that pic with the National Assembly. Now that would be a pic with a thousand words in it.

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    2. ♫ Our house...in the middle of the street... ♪

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  7. The best advice that I can provide for any anglo living in Montreal is to sell everything and drive three hours west to Kingston and start a new life there.
    It is a very nice city in which to live and work.
    Even the dude over at antagoniste.net agrees with the fact that anglos cannot fight the xenophobic and racist, intolerant French Power fascists but as a franco he seems too scrared to leave la belle province.

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    1. It was long time that I had not read a comment as positive and inspiring about life in Ontario. We are currently working on a reality show project featuring Anglos preparing to leave Québec. It will be a big show presented primetime on english TV. Those who are interested in participating our email is byebyefanglos@hotmail.com

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    2. I cannot wait for Quebec to be on its own. All french and with no oilsands transfer money.
      We shall see how long it will take for the IMF to step in!!! Quebec will then become a third world country... bye bye quebec!!!

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    3. Anon: Why wait? As per my response to Cutie above, let's see if Harper has the backbone to change the equalization formula and simply send Quebec fewer goodies as of now.

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    4. "The best advice that I can provide for any anglo..."

      Vous devez comprendre que les anglos qui demeurent chez-nous n'ont pas d'autres choix.Ce ne sont pas les plus (...) Si vous comprenez ce que je veux dire.Mr.Sauga fait partie des plus fûtés,c'est tout dire.

      @Y.L

      Bien hâte de voir ton show télé version anglaise de : Anglouilles en vadrouille.

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    5. Pauvre petit S.R.
      Tu es le petit quebekistanais typique qui a tout bu son kool aid qui lui a ete servi par ses profs marxiste-separeux depuis la petite ecole....
      Sors du quebekistan un peu et tuverra qu'au quebec, on t'as menti avec des histoires epeurantes.

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    6. @Mr Sauga :

      Les transferts fédéraux aident le Québec à financer ces dépenses. En 2009, grâce aux paiements de péréquation, le Québec a obtenu en transferts fédéraux un milliard de dollars de plus que ne pouvait le justifier sa stricte part de la richesse canadienne. Néanmoins, il est clair que ce sont les 23 milliards de nos impôts et taxes en surplus, et non pas le milliard du fédéral, qui financent principalement les dépenses supplémentaires du Québec.

      Ailleurs au Canada, on affirme souvent d'un air entendu que si les Québécois se paient plus de services publics que les autres Canadiens, c'est parce que l'État québécois vit aux crochets du fédéral. Vous savez maintenant que cette affirmation est de la bouillie pour les chats. Que l'État dépense plus au Québec est indéniable. Mais en 2009, les transferts fédéraux n'ont contribué à payer son excédent de dépenses qu'à hauteur d'un milliard. Ses impôts et ses taxes, à hauteur de 23 milliards.


      Le Québec vit-il aux crochets du Canada ?

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    7. Attention cher Guillaume; le quebekistan va s'ecrouler lorsque les taux d'interets augmenteront. On s'en foue qui recoit/paie plus. Le Quebec n'a jamais paye sa part depuis 1980 et vie aux crochets du Canada:
      Le Quebec recevra tout pres des $15 milliards en transferts en 2012-13: http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/eqp-eng.asp
      Le Quebec a recu pres de $125 milliards de support financier du federal depuis seulement 2005!!!!!
      http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp#Quebec

      Je n'est pas ete capable de trouver quelle est la difference entre ce que le Quebec verse en impot federal a Ottawa vis-avis de ce qu'elle recoit.... mais le service de la dette du Quebec va etouffer tout "projet de societe" et le FMI va cogner a ta porte. Je m'attendais a plus de Pierre Fortin a ce sujet...

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    8. @ Guillaume,

      I have some doubts about the $1B number the author mentions. He does not actually cite the source for this figure. The effect of equalization payments can anyways not be calculated precisely. But with some rough math: total equalization payments: $15.4B, Quebec receives $7.4B. How much does Quebec "pay into" this pot? Maybe $3.1B (20% of the total, the proportion of Quebec's GDP to the Canada total). So the difference is perhaps $4B, much larger than $1B.

      And if you look at all that the federal government takes in from Quebec and spends here (not just equalization, but everything else), the difference was $17.8B in 2010, in Quebec's favour. Ssee pages 84-85 of this report: http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/publications/cptes_econo/comp-ann.htm

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    9. @Guillaume: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2012/11/21/20374941.html

      @Y.L (AKA S.R): We're coming out with a reality show isolationists who have 2nd-grade understand of economics. We'd put it on prime time, but the trouble is, not enough people give a f*ck. Would you settle for Youtube?

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    10. Yannick,

      Yes, money is not spread around evenly across the country, I realize that. That's why we get more from Ottawa than we send it. The $17.8B figure I cited is a real figure from Stats Canada.

      But just think about what you said with respect to the navy, where more is spent on the coasts. But while people like to mention the army, there are much bigger expenditures than that and for some of them, Quebec most likely gets a greater share than its relative population. So for example, since we tend to have a higher unemployment rate than the Canadian average, we probably get a higher share of employment insurance transfers. Since we have a relatively older population, our health care costs are probably higher. For the interests costs on the debt, a breakdown by population probably makes sense.

      On the revenue side, we are less than 20% of GDP (and I think relative GDP is probably as good a proxy as any for how much taxes we generate). So we bring in less than 20% of tax revenue and probably account for our fair share of the spending, so maybe 23% our part of the population. And that 3% or whatever is huge, that is billions. That's why I think that even if you exclude equalization, we are getting a pretty good deal out of the federation.

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    11. And exactly why all of us are tired of listening to the continuous whining of these separatists. There is no end to their demands for everything to be free and no sense of responsibility to their friends and neighbours = just like a spoiled child that kicks and screams all the time because, not matter what you give them, it's never enough. Kick them out of the house and let them survive on their own as you would a free loading 18 year old spoiled brat.

      Delete
    12. I had a hard time fully understanding what Guillaume Légaré wrote, but I think there were enough rebuttals to follow that Quebec receives far more than a net of $1 billion more from the feds than it contributes to the fed system.

      The E.I. program alone is ridiculously imbalanced towards Quebec. I remember Quebec, under Mulroney, got $4.75 for every dollar they put into the E.I. program. In Ontario, it was dollar-for-dollar. Mulroney incorporated that formula into law, so to the best of my knowledge, it still exists. Net $1 billion to Quebec's good? When pigs could fly! Small wonder Jr. Trudeau feels Quebec-based people make the best prime ministers, and took cheap shots at Albertans. The West would be crazy to vote for the Liberals, even in the upcoming by-election in Calgary Center. Then again, by-elections are often used as a means for the constituents to let the current government know if the status quo is acceptable or not, so if (ye gad, don't even think it) the Liberal candidate wins, Harper has some serious thinking to do in the months ahead.

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  8. I have mixed feelings about the Fabi story. Obviously what the lady said was very offensive, insulting and racist. Mr.Fabi should have been stronger in the condemnation of her remarks. On the other hand I do understand where he is coming from with respect to his other comments about how people have to tip toe around the Jewish lobby. Any criticism of Israel is often countered with charges of anti-semitism. This reflexive defense is used over and over and its frankly unfair. The media and governments in general across North America are pro_Israel yet every once in awhile any criticism is met with a fierce response from the Jewish lobby. I was watching CBC news yesterday and two headlines were shown at the bottom of the page..one was about an Israeli solider dying and another about 6 Israelis being killed. How come no mention of all the dead Palestiniians..there have been way more Palestinians killed in the recent conflict yet the media focuses on the fewer dead Israelis. What is one to make of such biasedness that we see over and over?? As far as I have read there have been at least 76 Palestinians killed and 700 wounded..many of the wounds are horrific and involve women and children. Sorry but I would rather not talk about this but the editor keeps bringing it up. I suppose I will be soundly condemned for daring to say anything negative about Israel.

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    1. complicated: I've address you plenty already, so I'll just repeat one portion of what I previously wrote very recently:

      Re your remark: "How come no mention of all the dead Palestiniians..". How about the injured children, the mass funeral for one family and showing Gazites (for lack of a better term) running and crying in fright to bomb shelters? I guess you were either dozing during those moments on TV, or you really have a very selective memory. Likely the latter! Too, I find your feelings are not mixed at all. They're totally defined.

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    2. Saying that Israel "sometimes kills civilians" is an euphemism. Over 150 people have been killed and over 1200 have been injured in Gaza in the past week. It seems like these dead and wounded are sometimes only seen as a collateral damage, as if the war against the Hamas justifies everything. This is what Complicated denounces and I agree with him in the regard.

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    3. Diogenes - The facts are that way way more Palestinians have been killed and maimed by Israeli forces over the past few decades than the other way around. Israel continues to encroach on Palestinian territories and treat Palestninians like second class citizens..the Palestinians literally have their backs up against the wall. Israel has ignored countless UN resolutions..yet the media never brings this up however when its Iraq or any other US-sanctioned "evil country" then the media talks about their UN resolution violations to the nth degree. Sorry but the Palestinians just sit there and let Israel wipe them off the map..the real terrorists IMO are the Israeli forces. There is a disproportinate amount of media coverage towards Israeli casualties as opposed to the much greater Palestinian casualties. The media is incredibly biased.

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    4. I for one am suspicious about the timing of the ceasefire. I think the West and Egypt pushed for the ceasefire because that would divide the Jehadi forces trying to bring down the Syrian regime of Assad. A 2 front war is not in the Jehadi interest. Be wary of a peace brokered by the new Egyption Salafist leader the west help put in power. Also as Israel is stronger of the 2 countries, the Jehadis are concentrating on taking control of Syria. Despite rebel propaganda and Western propaganda the "rebels"aka Jehadis are taking heavy casualties in Syria.

      The ceasefire will end if Syria falls.

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    5. Guillaume Légaré: Re your statement "This is what Complicated denounces and I agree with him in the regard." You would [agree].

      Jarry Street: Already the Egyptian cuckoo bird has given himself powers over and above Mubarak and already Egyptians are referring to him as the new Pharaoh. After Gadafi was at long last deposed (assassinated really), a new dictator filled the void, and after Saddam Hussein was deposed and executed, you had the insurgents filling the void of dictator. The exact same will happen in Syria.

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    6. Complicated; So you feel it's ok if Hamas hides its missles in, and launches them from populated areas? They do so probably with the hope that Israel won't retaliate, but calculating that if they do there will be "collateral damage" and people like you will be incensed that Israel didn't sit there and watch their citizens get killed. It's a no-lose proposition for them. You say "the real terrorists IMO are the Israeli forces". As opposed to the peace-loving members of Islamic Jihad? Pay attention: Violence on the part of the Palestinians DOES NOT WORK against Israel. It's time to try something new, but the members of Hamas know nothing but killing, so that's what they do. As for the UN, it's a pathetic joke where most of the permanent members were based on the political landscape at the end of WW II. They did a fine job in Rwanda and Bosnia, didn't they? So a group of despots who've never even heard the term "human rights" manage to get a resolution passed condemming Israel and you think it should carry weight? Do some research and see just which countries voted in favour and tell me how many of them you'd want to live in.

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    7. What do you expect Hamas to do..just sit there and continue to accept the suffering of their people. Its Israel that is oppresing the Palestinians..its Israel that keeps encroaching on Palestinian lands..its Israel that creates an environment which makes it nearly impossible for Palestinians to carry on a normal life including employment. There backs are up against the wall..anybody would fight back in these conditions.
      I am not a fan of the UN but you are probably among the same group who were ranting and raving about Iraq violating UN resolutions. There are a lot of hypocrites with respect to the UN..when its convenient people will condemm counties like Iraq and Libya for violating UN resolutions and use this as a reason to attack them. But when it comes to Israel these same people are strangely silent.
      Israeli forces have been involved in all sorts of atrocious activities often provoking the Palestinians and slaughterning thousands of innocent civilians. Once again its clear who the oppressors are..its not the Israelis who are suffering much but they are good at getting lots of media attention in their favor.

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  9. We all know that some of the hard core Quebecois sovereignists - especially Julien Poulin- love the Palestinian cause and HAMAS, a terrorist organization. No coincidence here for Fabi... he was raised that way.

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  10. Quebeckers, for the most part are either racist or intolerant of non french ways and persons.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Here's my favorite perspective on the recent Gaza news

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Peace: If only it was that simple, believe me! Unfortunately, siblings become enemies, the divorce rate is over 50%, you see idiotic lawsuits on Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, The People's Court, etc. etc. etc. There are at least a half dozen other "Judge" shows I can think of, and these judges are making far, far more money doing these shows and are having the time of their lives with their showmanship. In summary, there is a rich, large and lucrative market for this.

      My point re the foregoing is you see neighbours, families and total strangers in dispute, and the TV courts are just the tip of the tip of the iceberg. I'll bet there are disputes right within your own family (maybe not immediate family, but with cousins, aunts and uncles, etc.) My family has had its black sheeps, and same goes for most people I know do have troublemaking family members.

      I work in estates and settlements, and I regularly hear of family members pulling or at least trying to pull fast ones. If neighbours and family are feuding, how can we expect peoples and nations to get along?

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  12. Readers, I've now incorporated an audio player of the Fabi interview in the above piece.
    The story, as I predicted,is growing and the pressure building. The Israeli consulate send a letter to the radio station demanding sanctions and distributed copies to the media.
    That being said, up to now, the major francophone TV station and newspapers are ignoring the story, as they usually do when something horribly embarrassing occurs painting francophones in a bad light.

    That being said, the Facebook page for Fabi's show has disappeared....developing.

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  13. Overall, this weblog has influenced and changed me. I've been brought around to truly sympathize with Mr. Sauga's views on federation and asking Quebec to leave. It's not my first choice of options, but reading the Editor's rundowns on government and civic society (and Mr. Sauga's contributions), the question of equalization and team spirit really looms out to me (far more than any "language" issue). The Alberta/"Voleurs" video the Editor links to voices much of what I feel; it's unfair to subsidize someone's programs you don't even enjoy, and while I can't say I mind a "lack of gratitude", disons, the angry offense that so much of Quebec hurls at Alberta (and others) so often is bewildering to me. I've tried and tried to understand it; I don't. I don't know any magic solutions, I know bilingualism is a personal virtue and benefits anyone, I don't get why we can't all get along, and I don't think any province is perfect, but Quebec really doesn't want to commit or contribute. I once thought, even if only from a simple economic perspective, Mr. Sauga's idea was too radical, yet I've been brought around to weigh it more fully. One thing I do really like about Canada is the lack of nationalism overall (though it of course exists) and I like to think of Canada as almost anti-national (and definitely feel that way about TO and Vancouver). So many people in Quebec are so hyper nationalist; perhaps Monsieur Sauga a raison apres tout.

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    1. Yes, Quebec should be shown the way out of Canada.
      Maybe we should start a petition:

      1. To eject Quebec from the confederation via a national referendum; even Quebecois of course could vote ( I suspect that a huge majority of separatists would help us by voting oui).
      2. That, prorated to its population, Quebec pays UPFRONT its share of the federal debt or approximately $135 BILLION before leaving OR portions of its territory will be annexed.
      3. Quebec also returns any monies traced back to the oil sands, that "unethical" oil that Quebec hates so much.

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    2. @JBG

      I know it's sad to accept, but at the same time, I can't help but look at the efforts you have made to write a very nice French and do your part to be a good neighbor. You write very well.

      Trouble is, despite all your hard work, they hate you, just like they hate Yannick because in being an NB-based Franco, he's considered "impure" (frigging sick notion).

      What I'd like to see is a Germany style arrangement where Quebec is removed from Canada for a time only to come back after seeing the error of its ways.

      I posted a link up above which clearly illustrates Quebec's general attitude towards money management, and only after the economy completely crumbles and the Quebecois suffer like never before will they finally realize that the seppie movement was designed to empower a select few.

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    3. Res Evil said: "What I'd like to see is a Germany style arrangement where Quebec is removed from Canada for a time only to come back after seeing the error of its ways"
      What a coincidence. My biggest fear is that Quebec will separate, they'll go to into the sewer and then we'll come to the rescue, take them back and bail them out much like West Germany did with East Germany. The West is still paying for the re-unification, with no end in sight.

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    4. We have to ensure that this doesn't happen. Those that vote to go have a penalty attached - no reunification for at least two generations - maybe by then they will have learned that they can't survive all alone in North America. On with partition of this damn place!

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  14. BTW I listened to the audio on the rival competitor station's site; ouch. Especially the opening "animals" devinette featuring leopards, dogs, and Jews. Ugh.

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  15. Yannick, I like your analysis but....
    The "enverdeurs" have to realize that natural resources such as shale gas (gaz de shiste) will lift Quebec into the "have" provinces, and that Quebec can not only pay its own debt premiums but also erase that debt. Here's how: natural gas are assessed as 110×109 m3 in Quebec. This would net over $3 billion yearly on exploration rights alone!!! Just imagine for royalties. $10 billion yearly? Put that on the debt.

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  16. Dutrizac is a provocateur and a cunt of the first order, he's always been a cunt and always gonna be one.

    You can feel the anger in his voice, that "angry tremolo" he's got going when he opens his mouth. He's a clown and nothing more, he goes after both immigrants and "traditional values" but the fact remains that if we had more children in the last few decades, French would not be going down.

    It should be noted that when we believed in our Catholic fairy tales, no language laws were in place and no real (meaning organized and militant) separatist movement was in existence. Anglos, both WASPs and Jews were free to do what they wanted. We didn't bother other people, we stuck to our own things and didn't try to impose the French language on anybody. We had our values and they had their own. Like segregation in the U.S., some would argue that in some ways, it was better that way.
    Not forced segregation, but "natural segregation" that makes birds of a feather flock together.

    We can only blame ourselves and no one else for our decline, that's something shitcunts like Dutrizac will never understand.

    Making fun is Applebaum's French is disgusting but again, what do you expect from Dutrizac?

    I personally couldn't care less what language someone wants to speak.

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    Replies
    1. All you self-righteous anglos..I find it somewhat hypocritical how you are so offended about anybody making fun of Mr.Applebaums french when it was common practice for english-Canadians to mock Jean Chretien or Stephane Dions english. How many times did english-Canadian shows mock Jean Chretiens english. And how many people on here call Quebecers racists as is other Canadians are any better. Maybe pull the plank out of your own eyes before you nitpick about the speck in others. Hard to take this site seriously..honestly..more incredible biasedness. Maybe this should be called the "Grumpy Old Anglos Club who hate everything about Quebec or at least will go out of their way to find something negative to say about Quebec"..

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    2. You are the sincerely the most conflicted person I've ever seen. For your own sake, perhaps you should find another blog in which to participate. You find much more fault, all the time, with the Canadians on this site than you ever do with the separatists. We don't need more separatists because that's why we're angry to start with. This site would not exist if we did not have to continually fight against these language bigots so we need not hear you picking at us all the time also. If they would live and let live, we would all be fine. There are no openings here for a frustrated so-called diplomat. Stop sticking up for Hamas, the separatists, the language bigots, the Jewish haters, none of us are interested.

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    3. "For your own sake, perhaps you should find another blog in which to participate."

      Pourquoi?Vous n'acceptez pas les opinions contraires aux votres au point de vouloir les censurer ou de les faire disparaître?

      Pathétique!

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    4. S.R., I repeat my question which thus far you have not answered, are you an anglophone or half anglophone?

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

      Delete
  17. Yannick - Very good points. Everybody is always slamming Quebec for the equalization payments yet most of Atlsntic Canada receives more per capita and no one days anything. It seems like there is a bias in there. However having said that its true that Quebec could go a lot further towards extracting money from natural resources. If they are so against the tarsands then they shouldnt be hypocrites about receiving the 8 billion in equalization which is largely coming because of money from the oilsands. I think it would be in the federal governments interests to change the way equalization payments are calculated so that Quebec receives less in the future..maybe not cut it all out..but cut it by at least 30 percent.

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  18. "Now, is it fair that Alberta should be alone in enjoying the dividents of our Canadian natural ressources? I'm not so sure."

    I agree with complicated that if Quebec chooses not to take advantage of its own resources, we shouldn't complain too much. And also, I think a sovereignist government would have to agree that it would be fair for Alberta to keep all the money from oil.

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  19. Quebec's holding out on its natural resources.

    The province is rich in oil, graphite and titanium.

    While some companies are working away on the graphite and titanium, they're playing the "environmentalist" card only to bide time until separation.

    If they were to achieve separation (which everyone knows would put them in dire straits) they would have justification to drop drills in Anticosti.

    Also, Manitoba is changing fast. The west is rapidly developing it's Bakken oil reserves and in 5 or 8 years should be a very powerful contributor to Canadian oil. Actually, check this shit out:

    http://news.sympatico.ctvnews.ca/home/contentposting?newsitemid=1_1023604&feedname=ctv-topstories_v3&show=false&number=0&showbyline=true&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=true

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  20. Atlantic Canada gets more per Capita, but the total amounts are miniscule. Especially since Newfoundland has become a have province. More then that I still remember Quebec ripping off the Newfies with Churchill Falls and being really mean spirited about renegotiating the deal to make it more fair for Newfoundland. Even today Newfoundland has to make 2 undersea tunnels to allow for current and future hydroelectric exports to the United States. Quebec hasn't made it easy for the Newfoundlanders over the years. I am sure Quebec could have done an equitable deal allowing Newfoundland to to pay decent transmission fees and pooling of produced electricity to divide if fairly and benefit both provinces. Just making a just deal would save Newfoundland from building those expensive undersea tunnels, one from Labrador to Newfoundland and Newfoundland Island to Nova Scotia.

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    Replies
    1. Exactly Yannick. Quebec per capita equalization if 940 dollars..Manitoba is about 1300 and PEI around 2300. NB and Nova Scotia also have higher per capita amounts of 1300 and 1900. Why arent people across the country jumping up and down about the massive subsidies to these provinces that are much higher than to Quebec?? It seems that there is a high level of hypocrisy here..if Quebec was an anglo-dominated province then nobody would say anything. Am I still a fan of the equalization program..no..but be fair about your criticisms. I would still cut them by at least 30 percent across the board because it encourages weak fiscal management from the have not provinces.

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    2. I dont think Manitoba and some of the Atlantic Provinces are fiscally that well run..their debts are relaitvely high also. The provinces with the resource should be the ones keeping the vast majority of the money. Quebec has decided not to develop much of its resources so it shouldnt be benefiting from Albertaa decision too. But there is a point to be made that the natural resrouces in this country should belong to all Canadians..I think some money should be redistributed but less than currently is.

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  21. "They could turn around, tell their constitutants that there is no longer any practical advantage in remaining in Canada, and have a much more compelling argument for Independance."

    The thing is equalization is only part of it. In 2010, the federal government spent $17.8B more in Quebec than it received from Quebec taxpayers. And I think this is why independence is not happening any time soon. I just think people realize that they are financially better off as part of Canada.

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  22. FROM ED BROWN
    Cutie, There's no use getting angry at Complicated, he obviously has mental problems. His mental somersaults are aggerevating but like the quislings of old he sits on the fence trying to decide what side he wants to be on. This means you cannot expect him to give an understandable answer since he does not understand the situation himself. I know that none of my friends mocked Jean Chretien, we would not be low enough to do that. It was Chretien himself who said, "At least I only talk out of one side of my face", but he accuses us of that anyway. It was only after reading your post that I read his. I normally don't read whatever he write. It's less frustration. Perhaps Complicated should go to Craigslist, 'Rants and Raves' he would fit right in.

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  23. The Fabi story has made the front page of the National Post: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/11/23/quebec-radio-host-encourages-caller-who-declared-holocaust-the-most-beautiful-thing-to-happen-in-history/. I am going to send it to the CRTC to ensure that they have no choice but to look into it.

    The female caller should be investigated by the SQ for infringement of the hate provisions of the Criminal Code.

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    Replies
    1. You may not like what she said..I certainly didnt but there is an argument to be made for free speech. Since when do we censor all offensive statements. Frankly there are some statements on this website that could be classified as hatred against francophones. It seems there are double standards here in this country with respect to what is hatred. As many have said if you dont like what someone says you can always change the channel or stop supporting the offending media outlet.
      Ed - I know its hard for you to think out of your black and white box but life is a lot more complex than you like to believe. Its too easy to come on here and just spout off against the francophones day in and day out..it wont get us anywhere. Again just sounds like more grumpy old anglos reminiscing about the good ole days when they controlled everything.

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    2. I think that the limits of free speech are hard to draw. Does free speech gives you the right to say anything you want? Personally, I don't think so!

      Also as a talk show host, Fabi has certain responsibilities. For his own good, he should have shut down the conversation much earlier. If Fabi gives air time to people like Maria then his show becomes a tribune where a bunch of racists can express themselves freely. I don't think that's what his employer wants and it isn't what our society needs.

      As for the double standard, it all depends on your personal agenda. Do we get the same reaction from the RoC or English medias if similar comments are targeted toward another group? I wouldn't bet my money on it...

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    3. What you do on this blog, day in and day out, complicated, solves nothing and doesn't even pretend to offer any concrete advice on how to get us out of this situation in quebec. Appeasing these bigots, separatists, Nazis, does nothing but give them excuses to keep on acting the same way. Offer some solutions for God's sake and stop justifying the way they act! Road signs, in french only, for instance, is a excellent place to start. This is downright dangerous to anyone that comes into quebec, including tourists, and makes the roads hazardous to all that are driving. The signs into quebec say "welcome" in french but they sure aren't very welcoming to anyone outside of quebec and/or the anglophones or allophones that reside in quebec. What about the truck drivers going through to the East Coast? Justify that BS to me and never mind the damn separatists for a change!

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    4. Guillaume - There is no doubt that Fabi could have handled the call much better. He could have just told her right off that what she said was despicable. His ranting about the Jewish lobby was in very poor taste and timing however I think he does have some points in that regard. It seems that North Americans have been pre-conditioned to hate certain groups much more easily via the mass media Hollywood industry. How many times have we seen movies in which Arabs, Russians, Germans, Chinese are portrayed as cruel evil maniacs. Meanwhile the Americans are always the good guys - the heros. You grow up watching enough of this propoganda and you accept hatred towards certain groups much more easily. People love to think of North America as this free society but many people have been totally brainwashed from the simplistic viewpoints shown in many American movies, American news and so on. Hence it becomes much more acceptable to be anti-Arab or anti-Russian or anti-Chinese then lets say anti-American or anti-Jewish or anti-British.

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    5. Why did you chose not to respond to my comments about the road signs in quebec complicated? No answer to that? Off you go again telling us that we're brain washed while it's OK to be biased for Hamas. Something definitely wrong with you.

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    6. Way to go John - we have to start taking action on these things and not just let them slip by unnoticed.

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    7. I have e-mailed to the RCMP a link to the National Post article on Fabi and asked them to investigate the caller for an infringement of section 319(2) of the Criminal Code.

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    8. Road signs in Quebec..whats the heck does that have to do with anything?? Yes its somewhat annoying that they are in french only but is it so hard to ask anglophones to learn a few basic words?? What do you think happens in Europe when people drive from country to country..the signs are not all in english. Typical anglo-centric view of the world.
      TS - Wow that was quite the retort..if you actually have an argument or an intelligent statement please make it other than juvenile comments.

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    9. You are a damn fool complicated - Do you think tourists from the US and any other province are going to take a course in french to travel through quebec? It's not just "annoying" fool - it's down right dangerous, especially the back of a school bus being in french only. You really are stupid and I now agree with Ed - I will not try to communicate with you.

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    10. Cutie - Is it really so hard for an anglophone to learn what ouest and est means?? Most signs are pictorial by nature..there really are not that many words to grasp. Give me a break..thats just pure laziness on the part of anglophones. If an American went to France or Germany or Japan they would have to deal with other languages. Quebec is a predominantly french area..deal with it.
      I wonder how all those unilingual Quebecois do it when they drive anywhere else in North America..it must be very dangerous for them..they must get into so many accidents because they dont understand the english signs..right Cutie.

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    11. Cutie reconnait pourtant le mot "Beignet" lors de ses escapades gastronomiques chez Tim.

      Delete
    12. Boy you just don't get it = quebec IS PART OF CANADA and all over Canada signs are bilingual in format. There are a lot more words than just ouest and est on road signs in this province. There is absolutely NO REASON for quebec NOT TO HAVE BILINGUAL SIGNS - you deal with it! And quebecois never leave their own stupid province = that's why they're so racist, bigoted, selfish, isolationist, and ignorant. Until people like you stop making excuses for them to behave in this selfish manner, they will continue to do so. Thank God people like you (and them) are a real minority in this progressive country (minus quebec).

      Delete
    13. Une minorité avec beaucoup de pouvoir :)

      A ROYAL progressive country ? Hahaha!

      Delete
    14. complicated,

      How do you then explain that road signs along 401 from Toronto towards the East are bilingual? Only when it reaches Quebec border and changes to A-20 do the signs become unilingual.

      Delete
    15. Cutie - And you are all whining about hatred and racism..listen to yourself for gods sake!!!

      "that's why they're so racist, bigoted, selfish, isolationist, and ignorant."

      Does the rest of Canada have bilingual signs??? Why should Quebec have bilingual signs..because the anglos are too stupid or lazy to understand 10 words..give me a flipping break.

      Delete
    16. Parce que c'est une route interprovinciale.

      Delete
    17. complicated, I have asked because you seem very naïve, and usually this is a sign of very young people, with not much life experience. Are you under 23?

      Delete
    18. I learned today that driving in a city where you aren't familiar with the main language is a dangerous behavior!

      Delete
    19. TS - People like you who accuse others of being naive are usually the naive ones..open your eyes a bit.

      Delete
  24. Que faites-vous de la liberté d'expression de cette auditrice?Allons-nous poursuivre en justice tous ceux qui tiennent des propos haineux envers les Québécois ou de son gouvernement?

    Un exemple:

    "Elizabeth King I am so sick of this nonsense. Honestly, I wish the British had brutally suppressed the French after their win on the Plains of Abraham. They should have burned down all the French settlements, moved their own people in and put the French people on a boat back to France.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Elizabeth - At this point we all wish that we could revisit the decisions made at that point in history. We sure would be seeing things quite differently had we known the future.

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

      Delete
    3. S.R., read section 319(2) of the Criminal Code.

      How about answering my question or are you tongue tied?

      Delete
    4. Je suis un francophone pure-laine qui a des des connaissances de base de l'anglais.

      Delete
    5. His story keeps changing.

      One minute he's a world-traveler, next he's proud to have spent his entire life in Quebec.

      He calls himself a Montrealer, even though we all know he's a lifelong Sherbrooker.

      He previously claimed to have been born in Ontario...

      And now claims he's a born Quebecois.

      He previous claimed to be in his twenties (college student age) and now claims to be older and the head of a family and father of a child.

      Bottom line is - he's not only a troll, he's just a flat-out liar.

      He's so bent on pissing off anti-sovereignists (which includes; Anglos, immigrants, non-racists, intellectuals, entrepreneurs and generally happy people), that he'll re-invent his "background" to suit whatever his present objection happens to be.

      My guess - he's a pissed off 23-year-old UI victim. Since he's from Sherbrooke, he probably used to work at Kruger until they closed up and fired his miserable ass.

      Point is: No need to question his origins - he just makes them up as he goes.

      Next week, he'll have been found in a wheat field by a kindly couple from Kansas and have the ability to fly.

      Delete
    6. Un fieffé menteur de Sherbrooke?...Hmm...ça me fait penser à quelqu'un avec une jolie coiffe bouclée reposant sur une tronche de cake.

      Vous êtes tordu,Diablotin,un vrai "liberal" :)

      Delete
    7. See? Our little anti-champ has nothing to say because everything I said about him...and his loser friends on Vigile.NoFuture, Societe Jean Batard, Societe Montreal Franglo is true.

      What a sad little Twinkie-eater...aww crap, Twinkies are no longer being produced. Dang!

      Delete
    8. Attention!

      Resident Evil et cutie sont des twinkies anti-seppies.

      Delete
  25. I am watching the Vanier Cup. When the camera pans to Laval's sidelines, I wonder. Those men are speaking English among themselves! How is it possible?!

    In all seriousness, congratulations to the Rouge-et-Or for their 7th championship. A new CIS record.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adam van Koeverden, Canadian Olympian and flag bearer at the 2008 Olympics, issued some controversial comments on Twitter during the game.

      @vankayak
      I hate Laval. I went there one time and I just really hated it. You suck Laval. I really don't like you. Nothing personal but fuck you.

      Few seconds later...
      @vankayak
      @maxalex2009 I'm just cheering for my football team. I'm sorry it offends you. It's all in good fun, friend.

      @vankayak
      @michelphom the Laval motto is "fuck the fuckers". Are you new here?

      Delete
    2. It might not be clear but the three comments above were coming from Van Koeverden (@vankayak)

      Delete
  26. FROM ED BROWN
    There's one thing that is slowly coming out of the Charboneau Commission Inquiry. It appears that Provincial politicians are not so involved as they gave us to think by blaming each other. The majority of wrongdoing seems to be by Municipal managers. This was a culmination of two dastardly events for Montreal. The first was the ruthlessness of Jean Drapeau which left the city broke and in debt 2 billion. His tremendous ego was fulfilled by megaprojects and it was one after the other.
    The most damaging was the Olympics site. It would not have been ready for the games if Bourassa hadn't taken it out of the hands of Drapeau and the contractors. I feel that was the beginning. The contractors had always padded bills and created delays but for the first time they tasted big money.
    Drapeau had let them run fast and wild. When Bourassa went in there was 100 cranes on the site at a hundred per hour When he called in Dominion Engineering to straighten things out there was only a need for four. We weree left with no roof on the stadium; an unfinished tower and a debt of two billion dollars. Not long after Levesque gave the civil servants free rein to choose their Managers in order to get their votes. Civil servants and contractors became a clique which was impenetrable.
    At that time Drapeau should have been made step down. He hired the same contractors that had messed up the Olympics to prepare the stadium for baseball. When Dominon Engineering saw that they gave up and closed down. These are the people that built things like the Jacques Cartier bridge, as strong e as the day it was made. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, Ed, corruption in the construction industry started long, long before the Olympics. The Editor posted a copy of a news article from a New York paper re construction corruption in Montreal from 1909.

      Be that as it may, the Olympics was one of the worst gaffs of all time. Trouble was, Expo 67 actually came out with a profit of $50 million. I think Drapeau figured if Expo was that successful, the Olympics would be a bigger success. "Self-supporting" was the term Drapeau used to describe the games, with the egomaniac stating "The Montreal Olympics can no more have a deficit than a man can have a baby". See the following LINK. As the synopsis shows, it took 30 years to pay off the debt.

      As the link shows, a lot of what happened was because of the endless delays that ensued once Montreal was awarded the games. I'll never forget that propaganda commercial shown on TV with some Francophone singing "It took kaybec to show dem 'ow, now we're walking ten feet tall." I was only 18 years old and that stupid commercial they were endlessly airing about a month before the games started made me sick to my stomach. What a farce! How bogus! The Jacques Cartier Bridge is already on the cusp of serious problems, possibly collapse. It's the Victoria Bridge, in my opinion, that is the last major structure built with integrity. It will be turning 154 years young in 2013, and it's still standing, to vehicular and rail traffic, no less!

      In all fairness, the Jacques Cartier is the most heavily used of all the bridges as it serves Canada-U.S. and trans Canada truck traffic. Many fear the Victoria Bridge (esp. during rush hour - ugh!). Personally, I take the Victoria whenever I go to the South Shore (not often) when I'm in town as the humming sound the tires made on the metal platform fascinated me when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I nicknamed it "The Humming Bridge". I digress. The bridge, of course, was primarily made for the horse-and-buggy era, but the ever-increasing demands and weight of vehicular traffic crossing confirm how strong that bridge really is.

      Delete
  27. I strongly agree with Resident Evil. Quebec has plenty of shale fuel to frack at and obtain. The Editor sometime ago did a chapter of his blog on resources in the ground Quebec seems to have no desire to extract. Many of those jobs would be well-paying, too. Since hydro revenues, as well as oil and other resource revenues are an essential part of the equalization formula, I don't see why Harper shouldn't deduct the difference between the artificially low hydro rates and the proper market value; furthermore, Quebec should be penalized for their dire lack of effort and not extracting the riches in the ground.

    Yannick, it doesn't scare me if, as you wrote above, "[the Quebec government] turns around, tells their constituents that there is no longer any practical advantage in remaining in Canada, and have a much more compelling argument for independence". That doesn't worry me one iota! I'm not scared anymore. This will force Quebec into doing something because without the equalization payments, their debt will mushroom like the biggest detonated nuclear bomb on Earth! Never mind Greece, think Zimbabwe!

    I don't think Quebec inflation will hit the estimated late 2008 rate of 89,700,000,000,000,000,000,000% (read 89.7 billion billion percent), especially if Quebec gets to work fast with mining and exporting its hydro, but it will meet or more likely exceed what Greece is going through. They could kiss their social programs goodbye completely for at least a decade.

    To continue with Yannick, "...the money has to be cut off from outside [by the federal government, if [Quebeckers] do it themselves that won't provoke any outrage in Quebec." I don't think it's necessary for the rest of Canada to hold a referendum to decide on Quebec's fate. Cutting down on the equalization forcing Quebec to start extracting their resources and raise hydro to market rates would suffice. It's a question as to whether Harper has the backbone to do this in 2014.

    ReplyDelete
  28. FROM ED BROWN
    A word on Israel / Hamas. It's true that Israel has been foot dragging on the settlements question but that is a geographical question which will only be settled bu diplomacy. Bill Clinton had it settled at Camp David between Arafat and begin. Arafat admitted it was a fair deal and backed out simply to be negative. and so it goes

    As far as the Palestinian people situation I have no sympathy for them. They know what Hamas is doing and they still allow them to hide amongst their families. Abetting a crime makes you as guilty as the criminal you helped be successful. In 1945 the Emperor said "Japan will never surrender we have enough people to kill any American that comes on the Island." He was loudly cheered and applauded. They woke up when cities started to die. It may take the same to get Hamas but I say go ahead. like the U.S. in Vietnam saying, "If you kill 'em all you get the bad guys. Maybe that's what it will take.
    I could never understand how Jewish men let their wives and children be led away to die in WWII with out a word. Most of us would have gone down fighting. I think it's time Jews fight back.
    Golda Meir had it right when she said, "Arabs have to learn to love their children more than they hate Jews. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  29. Replies
    1. it's amazing what can get accomplished when Stories get reported at the National level.... it's about time that Cogeco start to get their whack jobs under control....

      Delete
    2. I just read that the STM suspended a transit worker who told an Anglo to "get lost."

      Change?

      Delete
    3. Non,pour fermer la gueule des éternels plaignards.

      Delete
  30. Quebec refuses to exploit its own nat resources at this time as they can suck in the equalization payments from Ottawa for the time being.
    Reportedly there is a highly confidential plan to begin exploitation of shale gas, off shore oil in the gulf of St Lawrence AFTER secession so the ROC gets nada.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Tout à fait acceptable:

    http://www.cliqueduplateau.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/french.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you find that offensive? imagine how I feel when I hear "L'argent et la vote ethnique" or another famous "le quebec aux quebecois" so what's one nutbar in comparison to a "Premier Ministre" or a large segment of demonstrators........

      Delete
    2. you find that offensive?

      Oui,parce que c'est la réalité.Nous ne représentons que 2% de l'Amérique.

      Delete
    3. Qui est offensant! Le français est la langue 89ème.

      Delete
    4. @Land of Tazmandoo : We always hear the Francophones are racist, xenophobe and facist but the hate was coming from Anglos yesterday. Just type "french" (french is how we get called by clueless people) and "laval" in Twitter's search bar and you'll see what I'm talking about.

      @DaniTango
      Watching the Mac vs. Laval highlights reconfirms my dislike for the French. #Vanier

      @MichaelHwang58
      FUCK YOU LAVAL U FRENCH CANADIAN FUCKERS RUINED MY DAY

      @NickRomaniw
      Fuck you laval, you stupid french fucks! #Ontario #NumberOne

      @dave_deoliveira
      I fuckin hate laval I'm ready to run on the fuckin field and pick up each and every one of those french fuckin pussies!

      @Mjohnston90
      You might win this game Laval but remember the french is still hated by everyone in canada

      @HonkyWalker
      The Laval team is good at football. Too bad French people suck donkey cock. #VanierCup

      @jking191
      Is every Laval player cramping? Are they in terrible pain? Typical French, get up

      @JoshBaber1
      Hate #laval because they are French! What the fuck is a rouge et or?!

      @oostevey
      The Laval players have shitty names. #french

      @cameron_labute
      Just so everyone knows you get paid to play football at french universities cuz quebec is seperate from canada so laval is a bunch of goofs

      @CraigBearss
      @mellyjstone nothing against frenchies, but I don't like the French fucks at laval #justsayin #racism

      @NOT_PhilKessel
      Sweet clock management #Laval QB, ya scrotum head. The finger wave after he fucked up just reminds me why I hate French-Canada. #Vanier

      @Hstands4Hockey
      @krissywishart Laval couldn't read the play clock because it wasn't in French.

      Very classy!

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

      Delete
    6. Guillaume ,

      Two wrongs don't make it right....... I live in Quebec and not anywhere else... I as an ethnique Anglophone should not have to put with the years of maudi that and maudi this..... as is so common... so let's have civility here before we comment on civility elsewhere....

      Delete
    7. What's elsewhere? Those comments are coming from fellow countrymen...

      Delete
    8. Thought you were a separatist Guillaume? Fellow countrymen?

      Delete
    9. Guillaume brings up a good point. There is a lot of hypocrisy on this forum coming from the anglos with respect to insults. I have read and heard some pretty nasty comments directed towards francophones from anglophones over the past few months. Much of it is really quite trashy so lets not pretend that the anglos are above this. I lived in western canada most of my life and I heard all sorts of racist comments against francophones and quebecers that were unwarranted.

      Delete
    10. @Cutie003

      Fellow countrymen?

      Technically, just like you and S.R. are both Québecois! :)

      Delete
    11. Oh... they were warranted.

      Delete
    12. Guillaume, you may not have noticed this, but francophone Quebecers have a very negative image outside of Quebec. Ask yourself why this is.

      Delete
    13. Seems like the people who tweeted those comments have some very intelligent reasons to hate us...

      Delete
    14. Est-ce qu'un anglo sur ce blogue peut expliquer à cutie qu'il est possible de traverser la "frontière" ontarienne sans passeport et parfois avec un seul camion de déménagement?

      Delete
    15. Cher S.R. ca ferait un anglo de moins dans ton chemin du petit quebekistan socialiste?
      Tu te retrouves a 1 million d'anglo a te debarasser.As-tu pense a les deporter?

      Delete
    16. Sont-ils un millions à se lamenter quotidiennement?Ou quelques milliers de hargneux éternellement insatisfaits et méprisant continuellement la société Québécoise à laquelle ils refusent catégoriquement d'être associés?

      Delete
    17. You seppies cannot even get your own kind to vote to separate let alone all the French Canadians, anglophones and allophones that reside in this province. We will vote you out with referendums in municipalities, Federal Districts, whatever it takes to get rid of you once and for all. The term French Canadian is reserved for those francophones that vote to stay within Canada and you will be left with a small bigoted, racist, minority to live on a small area of land left after partition. Can't wait - be gone devils, be gone!

      Delete
    18. Si j'ai bien compris Mmme.Feddie,vous êtes à la retraite?Si tout va bien,vous en avez encore pour +/- 25 ans?Hmmm...Je crains que vous ne serez plus de ce monde lorsque vos rêves diaboliques,dignes de Jack the ripper se réaliseront.

      Delete
  32. From what I have seen so far, since 2014 is close to the next election I don't see Harper doing much with equalization. Only reason he would touch the formulas is if he was desperate to preserve support by giving Quebec the shaft.

    ReplyDelete
  33. We have to find a way to get rid of these people, democratically, which can be done. I don't care if the vote is by Federal District, by municipality, by Canada kicking out those regions that vote to go, I don't care how any more. Just want them gone. They will never live by the golden rule: "do unto others" because they are lost causes. They are bigoted, negative, blood suckers and the faster we get rid of them the quicker Canada can recover from it's deficit and move on without them in tow. Let them live the isolationist lifestyle without dragging all of us down with them. Action has to be taken to move them to the backwoods of quebec where they will be harmless and the rest of us can live in peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "We have to find a way to get rid of these people, democratically, which can be done"

      Si c'était possible,ce serait déjà fait mais toute tentative est inutile,trop tard :)

      Delete
  34. @ Yannick,

    "In any case, any criticisms of Equalization payments should take into account two things - there are many provinces who depend on it just as much as Quebec does (Manitoba and the Maritimes), and it wouldn't be fair to single Quebec out with the Equalization hammer..."

    The difference is the citizens in provinces other than Quebec appreciate the equalization payments, aren't constantly attacking the source of the wealth, don't have better social programs than the provinces generating the wealth, and don't have racist hate laws like Bill 101 that discriminate against Canadian citizens within their boundaries.

    It would be totally fair to eliminate equalization payments to Quebec.

    ReplyDelete
  35. FROM ED BROWN
    Gillaume, Keep in mind those comments are coming from sports fans in the heat of the game. Most of them are nut jobs anyway. Think about this; they will always be like that. Never any better, because they don't have the brains to do it. We, on the other hand, are able to look down on this and say, "Thanks God, I'm not like that." Ed

    ReplyDelete
  36. It would be totally fair to eliminate equalization payments to Quebec.


    Absolutely it would be fair.

    Quebec refuses to sign the Constitution, its governments continually attack the other provinces, its citizens regularly attack the other provinces. It's only natural for the other provinces to wonder why they're paying to subsidize a province which hates them so much.

    Quebec insists on being treated differently than all other provinces, and Yannick agrees with this sentiment. So how is it unfair to subsidize Quebec differently than other provinces are? Quebec has wasted decades of futile "debate" about made-up grievances (white heterosexual Christians are not an oppressed minority) and refuses steadfastly to engage with other provinces cooperatively (even while France reaches over linguistic lines to cooperate on broader issues with neighboring language zones).

    Equalization isn't guaranteed into perpetuity; nothing in life is. Yannick thinks it's "unfair" to muse about changing Quebec's equalization, yet thinks it's completely fair that citizens in Quebec enjoy programs and services that the citizens of other provinces who PAY for the services cannot enjoy themselves.

    Singling out a province which insists on being singled out isn't really that "unfair", Yannick. You think it's "fair" for Quebec to threaten separation constantly, undermining the "team spirit" of the federation we all live in and benefit from, but any hint of changing the team's relation to Quebec is "unfair".

    Please.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I see over at Imperatif Francais that they are asking that all seppies boycott the stores that are taking their case to court to retain their company names. In this case, we should all make sure that we shop there as much as possible to counteract their actions. The names are all on line - Walmart, The Source, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "In this case, we should all make sure that we shop there as much as possible..."

      Croyez-vous que c'est possible de sur-consommer davantage?

      Delete
    2. On dirait des animaux,vous ne trouvez pas cutie?

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivMdsyTJ-0

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

      Delete
    4. Vous devriez le savoir Dur...Ham

      Delete
  38. Any more than these animals over $300.00/yr of my tax money:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivMdsyTJ-0

    ReplyDelete
  39. he - he http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/07/22/quebec-student-protests-july-22.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FROM ED BROWN
      Cutie, This is from July. The election they're talking about is the one we just had. Ed

      Delete
    2. Just wanted to show how the students act Ed as compared to shoppers that are at WalMart

      Delete
  40. Voyez-vous la différence entre se battre pour un objet inutile et une meilleure accessibilité à l'éducation?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, free phones and free education are both selfish

      Delete
    2. Je ne suis pas pour la gratuité de l'éducation Editor,comme la majorité des Québécois d'ailleurs.

      Delete
  41. At least the customers at Wal-Mart are actively participating to the economy as opposed to those immoral students.

    ReplyDelete
  42. At least the customers at Wal-Mart are actively participating to the economy...American economy,ouch!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd gladly trade our selfish students with no morality for these people.

      Delete
  43. You people are such jerks - OUR ECONOMY is tied to all of North America - don't see the difference in acting like animals except that the people are shopping on their own money and the students are rioting on my money = That's just another thing you commies don't understand - the BIG difference between my hard earned money and you living on the dole. You've got to go and frankly I care anymore where or how you get there - just go!

    ReplyDelete
  44. +10 JBG - They are exactly as you describe and it's long overdue that they leave confederation. Partition the province and let them go....................

    ReplyDelete
  45. Too bad for them that the St. Lawrence will remain within Canadian borders when we partition this place. Tough titty.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Yannick,

    The first is that there are only three provinces in Canada that do not receive Equalization payments. These provinces are Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland. Their only common point is that they happen to sit on top of oil.

    So British Columbia receives equalization? Since when? As I understand it, BC never receives equalization. And where is the oil that BC sits on top of?

    In any case, any criticisms of Equalization payments should take into account two things - there are many provinces who depend on it just as much as Quebec does (Manitoba and the Maritimes), and it wouldn't be fair to single Quebec out with the Equalization hammer, and that the economic boon provided by living on top of oil should benefit Canadians as a whole, not just the provinces lucky enough to be living on top of oil.

    Again, I would like to see BC's oil.

    The reason of the resentment against equalization payment towards Quebec is mainly psychological, I think. The province of Quebec always receives the biggest amount in absolute term. However, the way the province spends its budget is perceived as 'irresponsible'. So in a way I think it is similar to cases in the United States where people who receive food stamps are allowed to use it for tobacco, alcohol and gambling. That and the constant contempt parts of Quebec politics show against Canada, RoC certainly feels that Quebec is a kind of 'ungrateful bastards'.

    ReplyDelete
  47. FROM ED BROWN
    Mr.Sauga, I think we all know that corruption goes away back in the 20th century, possibly before. That has nothing to do with the point I made. I'm talking about what made Montreal corruption into mega
    money. Drapeau was a ruthless man. I say he did not believe the Olynpics could be profitable. He didn't care. The only thing he cared about was being applauded for greatness. That was his (and our) downfall. He didn't care what anything cost the taxpayers.
    Even after we were saddled with the debt he wanted to spend more money for a new roof and tower. His attitude of you build and send me the bill was like a heavenly message to the gangsters. he might as well have said the cash drawer is open, pay yourselves. This was not 1900 skimming cash from the till. This was organized crime. I don't think he made a cent off it but he kept his eyes closed and didn't want to hear about costs.
    His ruthlessness was obvious in his fight with Mr.Gibeau over the Orange Julep on Decarie. Even after the court awarded Mr.Gibeau the right to be there, Drapeau still sent bulldozers to knock it down. He got a surprise when he found out that Gibeau's family and friends were as deiermined as himself. They helsd everything until the police arrived. When the police told Drapeau he culd charged for goin against the court, he gave up. But not before Sticking Mr.Gibeau with $28,000. in court costs and thetaxpayers even more.
    I don't know where you get the idea that the Jacques Cartier bridge is near collapse. Go on Notre Damr street under the bridge and look up at a magnificent structure done by the same people who did the train overpass on Atwater or the wonderful train overpass on the glen. I have googled, "Is the J.C. bridge safe and I can't find anything but praise for it's condition.
    The Victoria bridge was rebuilt when they raised it for the seaway in 1958.
    I remember as a fourteen year old coming back from an airshow at St.Bruno riding my bicycle along the footpath late at night. My front wheel went in a hole and stopped dead I flew off and did a somersault along the rail of the bridge, fortunately ending back on the side walk instead of the water.Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow,

      Ed I can't believe Drapeau threatened a Montreal landmark like Orange Julep. I guess like most without your insight many of us would probably have never known. Thanks Ed.

      Delete
    2. Actually Jarry,

      Here's a funny little piece of Montreal/Orange Julep that's totally free of politics for once.

      I'm sure you're familiar with Men Without Hats, a seminal 80s band from MTL...do you remember this vid?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ3jqZTMOPw

      Well, the reason you see them rocking out in the Julep parking lot, the Jacques Cartier bridge and other public spaces is because, as the story goes, when the record label gave them a check to produce a music video with, they went nuts and blew it all on cocaine and booze.

      Delete
  48. La Catalogne aux urnes, dans un défi indépendantiste:

    http://www.lapresse.ca/international/europe/201211/25/01-4597407-la-catalogne-aux-urnes-dans-un-defi-independantiste.php

    Know what I find funny here? I used to hang out in Barcelona and let me tell you...it is fun and beautiful, but it's very run down. And I guess you could say much the same about Montreal.

    Now here's the thing...those who support Catalonia's independence, much like our vapid little retards over here, is that they are in the absolute poorest possible position to become a sovereign state.

    Of course Quebec's seppies are a bunch of closed-in xenophobic isolationists, so I wouldn't expect them to actually make their way out to Barcelona and see what I'm talking about. I they did however, I'm sure they'd only see the fun side "Wow, everyone here drinks until 6am, I fuckin' love it - vive la Catalogne libre!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Of course Quebec's seppies are a bunch of closed-in xenophobic isolationists, so I wouldn't expect them to actually make their way out to Barcelona and see what I'm talking about."

      Quite ironicaly, Jean-Martin Aussant studied for two years in Barcelona.

      Delete
    2. Quite ironically, he also worked for an Anglo/British-American capitalist powerhouse in globalized economic finance - Morgan Stanley...but hey, who cares about that, right?

      Oh, and before this rolls out into another tit-for-tat, allow me to be per-empitve:

      Ignorance cannot be excused.

      Ethnic/cultural ideologies of superiority cannot be justified.

      Delete
    3. It seems that Catalonia is the richest region in Spain so not at all comparable to Quebec.
      http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-22/catalonia-spain-s-richest-region-aims-to-beat-deficit-target.html

      But it does have a large debt like many other supposedly rich countries such as USA, UK, Japan and so on.

      Delete
    4. "Quite ironically, he also worked for an Anglo/British-American capitalist powerhouse in globalized economic finance - Morgan Stanley...but hey, who cares about that, right?"

      I don't get your point. By pointing out other places where he worked, are you trying to point out that he traveled the world, contradicting your point that separatists are closed-in isolationists?

      "Ignorance cannot be excused. Ethnic/cultural ideologies of superiority cannot be justified."

      How is this related to your comment and to my reply?

      Perhaps you could elaborate further.

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    5. "By pointing out other places where he worked, are you trying to point out that he traveled the world, contradicting your point that separatists are closed-in isolationists?"

      Nice try patty - pointing (very clearly) that your boy's a hypocrite as well as a capitalist pathetically trying to play the socialist card. You get a major FAIL for even trying to pull that one on us.

      "Ignorance cannot be excused. Ethnic/cultural ideologies of superiority cannot be justified."

      --> How is this related to your comment and to my reply?

      Simple...the Quebec sovereignist movement is completely without merit or basis.

      It is firmly rooted in racism, xenophobia, isolationism and a complete and total ignorance to global economics. It is an affront to all that is logical and communally functional. There is nothing valiant or honorable about the sovereignist movement. It's supporters are nothing more than ignorant bigots with little to NO knowledge of the outside world.

      Argue with me all you wan ton that one...what I just stated is proven.

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

      Delete
  49. FROM ED BROWN
    Jarry, Drapeau felt he had to clean up the view if the city. Whether people liked the landmarks or not meant nothing to him. I remember Mr.Gibeau on a talk shoe years ago saying he had enlarged the orange so his family could live there. After the bulldozer incident he did not trust what Drapeau might do.
    He said to win the court case cost him 28 thou.
    The newspaper kiosks were hated by Drapeau, who called them an eyesore. Most found them handy. As the Downtown District Manager for the Gazette that winter I found it quick to collect payments. You could also pull close to the corner with your car and the morning paper was handed in to you. But they had to go, I suspect because most of them were Jewish owned and operated. One could imagine LIonel Groulx in the back ground fanning the flames. Ed

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  50. Real Estate + Natural Resources.

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