Friday, February 1, 2013

French versus English Volume 73

A picture of mental health!

Bain fit to stand trial

As I predicted Richard Bain has been found competent to stand trial.

It made no difference to the court whether Bain was certifiable or not, the public just wouldn't stand for him getting off on the insanity defence à la Guy Turcotte and any shrink who would sign off to the fact that Bain is a nutter and unfit to stand trial, would in all likelihood, be publicly lynched. Read my post The FLQ versus Richard Bain
  ".....psychiatrist Chantal Bouchard told the court that Bain refused to speak with her during two meetings at the Pinel Institute.
She said Bain politely explained to her he would rather have an anglophone psychiatrist.
Bouchard told the court she could not find any reason to declare Bain unfit to stand trial." Link
 Hmmm... that's a novel approach....a psychiatrist who doesn't examine the patient, yet makes a diagnosis attesting to his sanity!

But perhaps the psychiatrist was right and Richard Bain is saner than us all, his wearing of a bathrobe on his political assassination mission a brilliant ruse.
After all, his innovative disguise worked like a charm, Bain sliced through the police cordon like a hot knife through butter and if not for the fact that his rifle jammed, Pauline might very be well be pushing up dasies now.
Perhaps Bain was inspired by the Fredrick Forsythe novel the The Day of the Jackal, a thriller where an assassin takes on the persona of an old, raggedy, ex-soldier amputee in order to get close to his target, the very well protected Charles DeGalle.

All that being said, it shapes up to be an amusing interesting trial, especially if Bain gets to defend himself.

Not withstanding the unlikely and fanciful scenario that I describe above, and the expert psychiatric opinion that confirms that Bain is sane, between you, me and the lamppost, he is nuttier than an Oh Henry! bar.

I'm reminded of the line in the movie Silverado where Sherif Cobb unloaded this memorable line;
"We're gonna give you a fair trial, followed by a first class hanging."

Will the fact that he is an Anglo 'terrorist' instead of a francophone 'terrorist' make a difference in his sentence?

Yup, Bain is going to prison all day, unlike the three FLQ murderers of Pierre Laporte, who served just five, seven and eleven years.

Now I'm going to make a confession, even though I believe Bain is nuttier than a fruitcake, I have no problem sending him to jail forever. That little three-year old girl whose father was killed capriciously, will grow up without a father and the idea that Bain will get out of prison one day to mock her loss is just unacceptable.
Oops, sorry for the mini-rant.

Marois bombs in Europe, tells 2 lies in television interview

First Pauline attended the famous Davos economic conference where she gave a speech to a room empty to all but those from Canada. It seems that every Canadian body available was seconded to duty in order that the room be filled.
Then she had to defend her separatist politics before multinationals;
"Quebec Premier Pauline Marois says she has made an effort to reassure multinational corporations concerned about the policies of her Parti Quebecois government." Link

Then it was her highly touted visit to Scotland that bombed rather badly.
This from The Scotsman.
"Independence: Alex Salmond turns down Quebec offer"
"ALEX Salmond declined an offer from Quebec premier Pauline Marois to share information and documents on the two referendums that narrowly failed to give the province independence from Canada.
Despite suggestions that Ms Marois would be willing to pass on information about the votes with the SNP leader, the Quebec premier last night disclosed that Mr Salmond did not take up the offer.
Yesterday’s meeting in Edinburgh had been dubbed a “separatism summit” by some sections of the Canadian media following Ms Marois, leader of the nationalist Partis Quebecois, when she met Mr Salmond for the first time.
Mr Salmond, on the other hand, appeared to be keen to keep the meeting relatively low key. Television cameras were not allowed access to the meeting and a terse joint statement was issued afterwards." Link
But even worse, was this humiliating assessment of the visit in  The Guardian;

"Alex Salmond takes spotlight away from nationalists' 'summit'"
"It was billed as a "historic meeting" between two senior nationalist leaders, the premiers of Québec and Scotland. So Pauline Marois, leader of the French-speaking province in Canada, arrived in Edinburgh to meet Alex Salmond with great expectations of high political theatre.
Instead, it became, in the words of one mystified Québécois journalist who has followed Marois's short European tour after last week's Davos world summit, "anything but". Their meeting was in private, squeezed between Salmond's existing diary commitments.
The large press corp that had travelled from Canada to Switzerland, then to London and finally Edinburgh, were irritated: they were expecting a public event with both leaders, something with historic significance....

...It seemed that Scotland's first minister, a shrewd political operator with an often exquisite sense of political timing, was far less enthralled. His officials were puzzled by the heavy billing that their meeting was getting in the Québécois and Canadian media.
"It's purely a courtesy event: 'very nice to meet you'," said one bemused civil servant in Edinburgh.
"The Quebecois are making more of this. We've a photographer in there who will take a handshake, [a] greeting; he's meeting her in between running votes, so it will be short." Read the rest of the humiliating story
Marois lies in BBC interview CLICK TO WATCH
Now the CBC and others reviewed an interview she gave to the BBC, but all failed to report that her much improved English was still humiliatingly sub-par. Worse still, nobody reported that in the interview she outright lied.

Watch the interview in halting English 
Some beauties;
"We are very interesting in your festival in Edinburgh (sic)."
"We will split....er partage....informations."
"Scotland is a people with a strange identity ."

At 2:55 minutes into interview Pauline said that the YES side lost the referendum by just 36,000 votes when the real figure was 54,000 vote.

You migh be inclined to pardon this small blunder but how about the whopper where she tells the interviewer that sovereignty support is running at between 44% and 42%. (3:10mins.)

That wasn't a little error, it was a big lie.

 Franco-supremacist gaining influence in PQ government

Up to now Mario Beaulieu, a man who never read or heard an English word he liked, was nothing more than a media personality, the buffoon running the extremist Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Mouvement Québec français, two radical language groups that seek the eradication of English in Quebec.

But with the  new PQ government he is being elevated to a status of outside language advisor and sat in on a meeting with the health minister and hospital officials concerning control of the Lachine hospital, which he and the PQ government want to take control away from the MUHC, in order that a French governing body run the hospital, much to the dismay of patients and doctors
"Health Minister Réjean Hébert met with French-language activist Mario Beaulieu, among others, to discuss Lachine Hospital before deciding to pull it out of the bilingual McGill University Health Centre and reintegrate it into “a local (francophone) health network,” The Gazette has learned....

Saba said he was stunned that Hébert chose to focus on language in justifying a transfer of Lachine Hospital to the Centre de santé et des services sociaux (CSSS) of Dorval-Lachine-LaSalle.

Saba warned the minister at the meeting that doctors at Lachine Hospital did not want to be reintegrated into the CSSS. “It’s like you’re asking me to go back with my ex-wife,” is what Saba recalls telling the minister

Saba noted that under the jurisdiction of the CSSS, Lachine Hospital’s intensive-care unit was going to close and ambulances were no longer allowed to transport patients to its emergency room because of insufficient staffing.
Read more

Then Mr. Beaulieu gave lessons to Jean-François Lisée;
"In a recent radio interview, Jean-François Lisée suggested that the STM should make more of an effort to hire bilingual employees. "STM are you listening?" said Lisée on CJAD's Tommy Schnurmacher's show, "simply call the Office Québécoise de la langue française make that case and you will be able to hire bilingual employees."
That statement isn't sitting well with the Société St-Jean-Baptiste, who wrote an open letter to Lisée this week, condemning the PQ minister's push for more English in Montreal's public transit system. "We have the impression Mr. Lisée is going back on his word" said Beaulieu, “it's upsetting because the STM gives a good service to tourists and anglophones”.
Plus, he noted that most complaints over language come from anglophone Montrealers, not out-of-towners." Read the rest of the story
By the way the STM, Montreal's bus and metro company made a strongly worded statement re-iterating that they are vehemly opposed to biligualism.
The STM is currently analyzing the need for bilingual employees and will report to the OQLF in the spring. However, there is no question of plunging into full bilingualism, said spokesperson Odile Paradis. "There is not a single bus driver in Quebec who will be required to have a knowledge of English, not even in Outaouais and Sherbrooke," says Ms. Paradis.

"We are not go towards bilingualism for everyone, but our service has always been exemplary," says she. "Bill 14 will tighten the law
even more, she sees it as a an affirmation of the French fact in Quebec. This is not going to open more bilingualism," says Ms. Paradis. The current law makes us demonstrate that the "necessity" of bilingualism for a position.

Link{fr}
In a rare rare language defeat, Metro food chain shareholders voted by a massive 98% not to add an accent to in order to francicize its name. LINK

OQLF Cupcake war

A West Island cupcake shop is the latest small business to have drawn the ire of the province's language watchdog.

For six years, Tanya Bouzaglo has been known as the Crazy About Cupcakes lady, selling her culinary creations from her Pointe Claire village storefront.
But last April, she appeared on the OQLF's radar and a few months later she was hit with four violations, including her company's name which would have to include a French descriptor such as pâtisserie to make it conform. Read more

Pauline buys 200 jobs, misleads the public over subsidy

"Marois also attended an announcement by British special-effects firm Framestore, which says it will create 200 jobs in Montreal.
Quebec will give the firm an interest-free loan of $900,000 over five years and although Marois said it would get no tax credits, company CEO William Sargent said tax credits were one of the reasons Framestone decided to set up in Montreal. " Link

According to Premier Marois, the cost of the interest free loan for the government is about $35,000;
"This is a modest cost for us, but for the company it is the boost that makes the difference," she argued. Link
I've noticed that Marois is fast becoming very adept at misleading the public, if not outright lying, this is just one example of how she doesn't tell the real story.
Do you honestly believe that the company would move to Montreal over a $35,000 yearly subsidy?
 
According to the president of Framestore, Sir William Sargent, tax credits are really the key to the decision to move to Montreal.
"Like all other special effects companies in Quebec, Framestore also benefits from the Quebec tax credit of 45% of the contract value for special effects made ​​in Quebec. Framestore does not directly pocket the tax credit, it is usually reserved for film producers doing business with these Quebec special effects companies (like Framestore). This tax credit makes it possible to reduce the actual cost of special effects for Hollywood producers. "It is important for our customers," said Sir Sargent. Link
So Marois technically told the truth that Framestore won't directly get tax credits, but failed  to mention that its customers will get the tax credit, allowing Framestore to charge more for its services, the bill to the customer subsidized by the government indirectly.
The Quebec government currently spends $117 million a year to finance its refundable tax credit for multimedia firms. Read the story 

Incidentally, Framestore's job-posting website is advertising job openings in Montreal. The web site is entirely in English with the promise that a French version is on its way. (Perhaps after all the jobs are filled!) Framestore career website
Of course the company is setting up in the Mile-End district of Montreal, centre of the video game and special effect industry and perhaps the trendiest, hippest, most dynamically creative neighbourhood in all of Canada. Mile-End is also home to the best bagels in the world.

Minister Diane De Courcy unloads some beauts;

Diane De Courcy, PQ minister in charge of Bill 101  Link{fr}

"At this moment, students go to English cegeps because they believe that English is necessary for employment. We want to change this vision.
(En ce moment, les étudiants vont dans les cégeps anglophones parce qu’ils jugent que l’anglais est nécessaire pour travailler. Nous voulons changer cette vision."


"The population has evolved over the last decades, some municipalities risk losing their bilingual status. To the contrary, other cities could gain this status."
("La population ayant évolué depuis les dernières décennies, certaines municipalités risquent de perdre leur statut bilingue. Au contraire, d’autres villes pourraient se voir attribuer ce statut.")  


Corruption watch this week.

It's almost getting boring, hearing about the thoroughly corrupt nature of Quebec politics, but the hits just keep coming.
This week, it was Michel Lalonde of the consulting/engineering firm, Génius Conseil  to unload, admitting to being a crook and telling all.
(Those who confess are given immunity)

He told the Crime commision that he was in charge of splitting up contracts between the other consulting/engineering firms which oversaw projects on behalf of the government, approving overcharges of up to 30%.
These firms were supposed to act on the government behalf to ensure projects were well run and on budget, but were all thoroughly corrupt approving overcharges of up to 30% and paying off politicians to look the other way.
He also named the various Montreal politicians on the take, including many borough mayors.
You can read the sordid details. HERE

On another front Quebec's powerful SNC-Lavalin, Canada's biggest and most successful consulting/engineering firm is subject to some pretty serious fraud allegations.
"A former SNC-Lavalin executive allegedly paid the son of dictator Moammar Gadhafi $160 million in kickbacks to obtain major contracts in Libya, according to an unsealed affidavit from the RCMP's anti-corruption squad." Link
Readers may recall, that the RCMP is also probing possible bribes paid out by the company, in relation to the awarding of the control for Montreal's superhospital. Police are also interested in the link to the infamous Arthur Porter Link

According to an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, it's only a matter of time before SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. faces criminal charges under Canada’s corruption laws LINK

Mulcair bumps heads with Trudeau over Clarity act.

"Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau slammed NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair's stance on introducing a new bill that would combine the NDP's Sherbrooke Declaration on sovereignty in Quebec with the Clarity Act, keeping the NDP's resolution to recognize a 50-per-cent-plus-one vote in any future referendum. LINK   
It reminds me of a discussion on the The Big Bang Theory where the nerds argue over which superhero is stronger.
The whole subject is a bit tedious and I only included this item because it is something clever that the redoubtable Stéphane Dion contributed to the discussion.
The new bill tabled Monday by the NDP will state that 50-per-cent-plus-one is a clear majority, if the vote count has been done correctly. We all know that the Clarity Act calls for a clear (yet undefined) majority.
"Speaking in defence of the Clarity Act, its author Liberal MP Stéphane Dion asked if 50-per-cent-plus-one is a clear majority, then what could be an unclear majority?" Link
Ha! Touché!

LeavingQuebec.com

The very successful website Quitterlequebec.com now has a sister English site, Leavingquebec.com, dedicated to helping those leave Quebec.
Here's one of the testimonials;
My little story is as follows. I’m Scots, fully bilingual and spent 42 years around St Lambert. I was a school principal in that area for 22 years, and retired in ’97. I spend my winters in S. Carolina.
So I come back from there on April 2 , 2010, and go out to buy some grocery items. I drive down Victoria, St Lambert’s main drag and come past a favourite little restaurant, The Canada Drive -In, there since 19oatcake
And the name has been taped over, nobbled by our language police
I get home and say to my wife “Je m’en calisse! We’re outta here.
She agreed, and by June 11 we were in Brockville Ontario. So, ten grand a year less in taxes, no stupid 30km limits, ardently pursued by blue uniforms with guns, no silly petty nonsense about language, and believe me, I have spent a lot of time in France, and even they laugh about it all.
I golf , at 70, now, at the Brockville Country Club, which is full of “refugees” like me.
Enjoying peace and quiet now
HUGH SUTHERLAND
(credit for the story to UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARY)

To those militants who wish Mr. Sutherland good riddance, be advised that he and his wife are probably removing twenty thousand in annual Quebec taxes, but as they say....
"We don't need no stinking anglo tax money!"

Impoverished Quebec town rejects prosperity.

The town of Gaspé is a sleepy village at the tip of the Gaspé peninsula and can best be decribed as one of Quebec's premier economic basket cases, with over 50% of househould income dependent on the government,
You'd think that when an energy company partly owned by the Quebec gevernment announcs that quite possibly the town was sitting on a mother lode of oil and gas, the townsfolk would rejoice.

Instead, city council revoked the permits to drill exploratory wells, just in case the wells affected the town's water supply;
"When the Quebec government took a 10% stake in Pétrolia Inc. last year, its chief executive said he expected the move would open doors for the junior exploration company in its bid to become the province’s first major oil producer. He definitely wasn’t expecting a group of city councillors in Gaspé, population: 15,163, to ruin the party.
Pétrolia was surprised to learn on Thursday that the municipality in December voted in new rules banning oil drilling in its proximity, saying it intends to protect its drinking water supply. The company, which has exploration permits validated by the provincial government, was set to begin drilling on its Haldimand site near Gaspé sometime next week." LINK
Perhaps the good townsfolk of Gaspe should read this article, a story of incredible economic revival due to a boom in the discovery of oil and gas in North Dakota;
"Twelve years ago, Williston's population stood at a little more than 12,500 people. Now, officials there estimate the town services 38,000 on a daily basis, based partly on water and sewer use. They expect it could hit 50,000 by 2017...."...But Brevig's enthusiasm trumps his exhaustion. With an economy fueled by new oil-drilling techniques, "It's a land of opportunity, by all means," he said. "You can grow into whatever you want here. 
The Brevigs of the world are flocking to North Dakota in droves, modern frontiersmen transforming this recently dying flyover land into the fastest-growing state in the nation, according to the Census Bureau. Storefront signs scream "now hiring." Pickups and semis jam long stretches of two-lane highways. Backhoes claw the ground even in frozen January. Recreational vehicles occupy former farm field 
North Dakota's population grew 2.2 percent to 699,628 in the year ending July 1, according to the Census Bureau. Many newcomers are from Minnesota. For years, more people moved from North Dakota to Minnesota than vice versa. That trend has changed in recent years, with North Dakota gaining approximately 4,500 to 6,500 Minnesotans each year between 2009 and 2011... 
...Gordon Weyrauch, manager of Williston Home & Lumber, said it's hard to keep good employees even at $16 an hour: "Seems like when you get somebody that's really good, there's always another company stealing them away." A sign outside the local Wal-Mart advertises starting wages of $17 an hour." Read more
That's it for this week, as for a little fun here goes.

Here's a video of the flood that hit Montreal this week because of a broken water main. The water ran down from the mountain and flooded McGill University and caught this unfortunate in its roiling waters.
By the way,  the young lady swept away was a little frozen, but unhurt.




****************************

On a personal sad note, I played garage league hockey here at the Bonaventure hockey arena at the Côte-de-Liesse arena in St.Laurent for 30 odd years, I even curled there as a lad when it was a curling club.
It was sad to see today's vicious wind storm take down the iconic sign....




Do you have a Google search box in the top right-hand corner of your browser?
Try typing in; “Do a barrel roll”
Cool!
Here's a few more neat tricks for the Google search box. LINK



Bonne fin de Semaine!
Have a good weekend!

159 comments:

  1. With almost 2 million km² of land, it's no surprise that Quebec has oil. As green a person as I would like to be, Quebec owes Canada money, and refusing to sell their oil is a "luxury" that Quebec can no longer afford. Look at the turnaround Newfoundland has had. They went from the poorest province to the third richest in a matter of years. Resources could be Quebec's ticket back to the glory days.

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    1. You're absolutely right EDM = time to stop freeloading off the ROC and develop their own resources but the lefties in this province will turn against them because of the "green" aspects associated with drilling. They sure as hell won't do it when they're the minority because they can't afford to lose those votes. Besides, as I said before, they want to wait for independence so they don't have to share any proceeds with ROC. Selfish to the end these seppies.

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  2. Marois’ object failure/embarrassment in Scotland is what has interested me most this week. It brought the PQ’s sense of overimportance in the world to sharply come into focus. People have learned about the failures of the PQ’s tricks with complicated questions and other deception so that they will not stoop to such tactics in the future. Thank you, PQ!

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    1. @r.s

      it seems to me that if marois's visit to scotland has not been celebrated as you hoped, it is because the scot guy is looking forward for canada's recognition if he wins the referendum. and since celebrating quebec's drive for independance means hurting canada, well i think he didn't have a choice but to play the meeting down.

      and i write "if" because as far as i know her visit has been covered by newspapers, she had a 45 minutes chat with salmond and an interview on the bbc. i didn't expect much more, mate.

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    2. Once again... if only you would read the comments, it could answer your own questions...

      Editorial: Marois should have known Scottish trip would flop

      THE GAZETTE JANUARY 30, 2013
      FROM: ttp://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Editorial+Marois+should+have+known+Scottish+trip/7894237/story.html


      MONTREAL — It took some nerve for Pauline Marois to describe her meeting this week with Scotland’s separatist first minister as a historic occasion.

      In light of the tepid reception she got from Alex Salmond, it was historic only in the sense that it was a memorable flop for the Quebec premier. Instead of embracing Marois as a cohort in the struggle for national independence, Salmond made a blatant point of not appearing publicly in her company. The Parti Québécois government has suffered a series of embarrassments since its election last September, but this one, coming as it did on the international stage, was perhaps the most acute for an administration and a premier of such high pretension.

      An editorial cartoon in what is normally PQ-friendly Le Devoir encapsulated the event with exquisite malice, depicting a deflated Marois shaking hands with a kilted fellow wearing a paper bag over his head.

      Marois sought to save face by making much of the fact that the meeting with Salmond at the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh lasted a whole 45 minutes, twice as long as originally scheduled. But then the fact that it had been scheduled for less than half an hour in the first place might have served as a hint that she was less than a welcome visitor.

      That suggestion was driven home by Salmond, otherwise reputed to be a consummate media hound, who barred TV cameras from the room where they met and pointedly declined to join Marois for a post-meeting news conference. Rubbing it in further, his press secretary downplayed the event by saying that it was simply a courtesy call, merely one of several that Salmond had scheduled for the day.

      Prior to the meeting, Marois had made much of offering Salmonddocuments of an unspecified nature regarding the PQ’s campaigns to achieve sovereignty. But it turned out he had no interest in what she was offering, and the documents stayed in her briefcase. She described the meeting as very productive, but the joint communiqué issued after the meeting was hardly the stuff of headlines. It acknowledged that Quebec and Scotland have common goals in international trade, renewable energy, cultural exchanges and such. As for independence, it blandly said it is a matter for their respective populations to decide.

      Salmond’s standoffishness was understandable in that he had more to lose than to gain by cozying up to Marois. It is something Marois should have realized and thought through, before exposing herself to ridicule. Salmond’s Scottish National Party holds a majority in Scotland’s regional parliament and has an independence referendum scheduled for the fall of next year, the first such for Scotland.

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    3. Under the circumstances, it was hardly good optics for Salmond to cast himself on a common footing with the leader of a separatist party, without a governing majority, that had twice tried and failed to pull off a secession referendum. Moreover, as one Scottish opposition MP noted, Canada is held in wide favour among Scots, be they independence supporters or otherwise, with hundreds of thousands among them havingfamily ties to this country.

      More important, Salmond has undoubtedly calculated that it is in his greater interest to curry favour with Canada’s federal government, to which he will have to appeal for recognition for an independent Scotland if it ever comes to that.

      It is a consideration Marois might also keep in mind. Should a PQ government ever be in the same position, particularly if its secession is contested by the Canadian government, it will not be helpful to have courted independence movements in countries whose support might be crucial for its own national aspirations down the road.

      © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

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    4. @student
      Your rationalization makes me chuckle when you say that her visit wasn't as celebrated as I had hoped. Clearly, it was not nearly as celebrated as YOU had hoped.

      The reasons why (which you detailed) being so obvious, what was she thinking?

      Her visit was simply a courtesy visit, one among others that was held that day. The Quebec press made a hugely greater deal out of it than the Scottish press did.

      Will you acknowledge that simple fact, mate?

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    5. @r.s

      "The Quebec press made a hugely greater deal out of it than the Scottish press did. Will you acknowledge that simple fact, mate?"

      ok, i'll acknowledge that the quebec press made a huge deal out of the fact marois's visit was not as all over the place in scotland as it was in quebec. as a result the scandal is quite artificial don't you think? columnists filling up pages about the fact that the other papers are not as filled...... and you think all this is relevant?

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  3. Guess what the latest “threat” to French is? The Twitter term #hashtag.

    Yep, Twitter is threatening the survival of French. So, the French government has recently decreed that #hashtag shall henceforth be known as #mot-dièse.

    The problem is that Quebec’s OQLF has already decided that #hashtag shall be known as #mot-clic… two years ago! (who knew???)

    In explaining why “clic” is better than “dièse” as a replacement for “hash” regarding France’s “hashtag” ban, Martin Bergeron of the OQLF explained on national radio today that in music, the dièse is at a slightly different angle than a hash/pound sign and is actually called a croisillon, which is technically correct.

    Thanks goodness that Quebec is there to protect France from the French!!!

    http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/france-attempts-to-ban-the-word-hashtag-replace-it-with-mot-diese/

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    1. (A) Confident cultures are open foreign loanwords (such as happens with English, German, Japanese and so on). Insecure cultures are not.

      (B) “Hambourgeois”, “Chien chaud”, etc.. never caught on while other terms have had with varying degrees of success, so it will be interesting to see whether #hashtag will eventually become known as #mot-dièse or #mot-clic (or neither).

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    2. Regardless which one "wins" (such as the relatively successful "courriel" vs. "mail"), it will still indicate an insecurity of culture by seeking a "purity" of culture, which is the antithesis of a confident culture.

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    3. Furthermore, were you even aware that the OQLF had decided two years ago that a #hashtag was henceforth to be known as a #mot-clic?

      Do you prefer to follow government decree or common usage?

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    4. What does it need a new word, it's called a pound sign for crying out loud. I had to look it up to even figure out what "hash tag" meant. What's the point of creating new words, when they already have words for what they are? What a waste of time and money. I can't believe people are actually getting paid to do this.

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    5. @EDM : Words have always been adapted to hundreds of languages over the course time. I don't see why it should stop.

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    6. I have nothing against people coming up with new French words, but who came up with this whole "hash tag" thing in English? That's a waste of time and money, to all of the sudden come up with a new word for something when other words for it have existed for hundreds of years, you know? Will French Canadians even bother using this ridiculous new English word when they're have always been French alternatives?

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    7. If you had genuinely wanted to find out, I’m sure you could have Googled it yourself. Anyway, from Wikipedia:

      In Commonwealth English, the symbol "#" is usually called the hash and the corresponding telephone key is called the hash key. In American English, the symbol is usually called the pound sign (outside the US, this term often describes instead the British currency symbol "£") and the telephone key is called the pound key. In Canadian English, this key is most frequently called the pound key, in reference to telephone buttons, but in technology is always referred to as hash.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_symbol
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sign
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharp_sign
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashtag
      https://support.twitter.com/articles/49309-what-are-hashtags-symbols

      As it happens, the number sign/pound sign (unless meaning £)/hash symbol all refer to the same symbol whereas the musical sharp sign is at a slightly different angle and therefore completely different, as the OQLF so helpfully pointed out.

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    8. @Yannick: "There needs to be an alternative for there to be common usage." I'm afraid I’m not following this argument exactly.

      I understand that if I only spoke a language that didn't create new global terms, I might be relieved to know that there is a (unusual) translation available.

      However, your argument seems to hinge upon the fact that you come from a society that has had an inferiority complex. This hasn’t been my francophone family’s experience in Montreal so always seeking/needing to find French terms seems a little obtuse to me, although I can understand the reason for it.

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    9. As for “ordinateur”, “portable”, “cellulaire” and “courriel”, many if not most other languages of the world are quite happy to use some sort of variant on “computer”, “laptop”, “mobile” and “email” (as well as “taxi”, by the way, the world’s most universal word for the same concept).

      It is a particular trait of the French to be at one extreme of rejecting any English terms (with insecure Quebec of course being the most extreme of all), whereas Japanese is at the other extreme of accepting so many English terms, although they are transliterated into Japanese kana/“alphabet” and therefore become “Japanese”. I’m pretty sure all other major languages fall somewhere in between on the scale.

      Delete
  4. Egads! I'm still cringing at Pauline's poor performance on BBC Scotland... I can't help thinking what a superior impression Jean Charest would have left us in the UK. /facepalm/

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21253824

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marois, 13:30: “We will continue to have an agreement with the rest of Canada. We will not build a frontier between QC and the rest of Canada. The government of my party in the past supported the NAFTA agreement. We are now supporting a free trade agreement with the EU. We are open to the market, we are open to the business. Even if we are independent, we will continue to act in this perspective”

      Editor: "Quebec Premier Pauline Marois says she has made an effort to reassure multinational corporations concerned about the policies of her Parti Quebecois government."


      And then...

      Diane De Courcy, PQ minister in charge of Bill 101 "At this moment, students go to English cegeps because they believe that English is necessary for employment. We want to change this vision.”

      --------

      The 2 postions are contradictory. You participate in the globalized market, you dilute your culture and you make English necessary on the job market. Students do not believe, they know that English is necessary. This is not a matter of belief; it’s a matter of fact, and the PQ’s insistence on participating in the global market makes it a fact

      Having a cake and eating it too won’t happen here. There is no way around this one. There is no making English less necessary while participating in global capitalism at the same time. There is no participating in global capitalism and changing it so that it respects local rules. It won’t. Global market won’t change from English to French just for Quebec. It will not make any exceptions or accommodations of that sort. Every student knows this. You start working in a company, you will speak French to your colleague on your coffee break, or when you step out for sushi at lunchtime. But back at your desk, in the conference room, in the boardroom, English will creep in sooner or later. And therefore your English will be assessed at interview time. And it better be good, not half assed like Marois’s atrocious and embarrassing English. With crappy English like hers, you might get away with it as the leader of the PQ, but you won’t get away with it at a corporate employee.

      To make English less necessary, in line with de Courcy’s objective, some sort of opting out of the market system would be needed. Clamouring for the market system, in line with Pauline’s objective, means making English more necessary. The 2 objectives clash head on. And there is no reconciling them.

      Delete
    2. Whether we're stuck or not, and whether it's depressing or not, is a subject for a quite lengthy conversation. And I think the answer is yes to both questions.

      My point, however, was to point out how contradictory the PQ's policy is. Their policy on language is a direct contradiction of their economic policy. And there isn't having a cake and eating it too about this. One policy will drown out the other.

      Delete
    3. why stuck why depressing adski?
      The world has chosen. The world has chosen English to be their 2nd language of global communication and universal unity. Even though German is the majority language of the EUC, they have chosen English to be the official language of the EUC. The 2nd language of China is English. The 2nd language of all ex African colonies is becoming English, including the ex French colonies. The 2nd language of the middle east from Turkey to Saudi is English. The 2nd language of the east from Japan to Korea is English.
      Isnt that great? Freely chosen. Finally,the world has a common language.
      We have come a long way from the tower of Babel baby

      Delete
    4. For heaven's sake Yannick - what's wrong with the world having a common language? Language is only a means of communicating with one another; we should all be able to do that! God, there is nothing depressing about that - simply great as far as I'm concerned.

      Delete
    5. I would argue with "freely" in "freely chosen". The fact that English evolved gradually into the lingua franca, that it did not become the lingua franca abruptly, gives the sort of illusion that is was chosen, that people just sat down and picked it from many available options. The fact that the process happened over prolonged time hides the coercion that was involved at different stages of military and economic expansion.

      Does that justify QC in its petty assault of Anglo institutions and its relentless coercive effort of uprooting English speakers? Not by a long shot.

      Delete
    6. Is it not better to communicate with each other in one common language thereby eliminating the need for translators who can, and do, often misconstrue what the other person is trying to communicate? Perhaps it is also an expression of one's self but there is, more importantly, the ability to make a point in one common language.

      Delete
    7. "The world has chosen."

      Yet, there was quite a lot of arm twisting in helping people make these "choices" along the way.

      I highly recommend:

      http://www.amazon.ca/The-Great-Transformation-Political-Economic/dp/080705643X

      Delete
    8. "Is it not better to communicate with each other in one common language thereby eliminating the need for translators who can, and do, often misconstrue what the other person is trying to communicate?"

      It does help in communication. It also gives advantage to the native speakers of that language in the cultural and economic sphere, especially cultural one which is more important, because you can give an uprooted or marginalized person all the money in the world, yet he will still be dead inside.

      It's the focusing on the communication aspect, and the ignorance of the cultural and economic one that prevents you and many native English speakers in general from understanding the full depth of the issue, and prevent you form grasping why some people might fight back against such a marvelous thing as a "common" language. It's because the common language is usually hegemonic.

      But again, does that justify QC in its petty assault of Anglo institutions and its relentless coercive effort of uprooting English speakers? Not by a long shot. It's not a way to go.


      Delete
    9. I realize that being an anglophone may prevent me from understanding some of the depth of some of the problems of francophones but I have many francophone friends that celebrate many of the same holidays that I do, we enjoy the same music, the same movies and TV shows, etc. and, even though they communicate with me in english, I have not had one ever imply or say to me that "we are not the same" in experience in our jobs or our social lives together. I can't grasp the anger of the SRs or the continued hate from the Plains of Abraham because I feel that, if anything, the bilingual francophones that I know, have life better than I do because they were able to be promoted at work and I wasn't, so I really don't get where they feel they're shortchanged in any way whatsoever. If anything, they are treated far better than the anglophones that I know that aren't bilingual and have many more financial advantages than I do.

      Delete
    10. "I can't grasp the anger of the SRs or the continued hate from the Plains of Abraham because I feel that, if anything, the bilingual francophones that I know, have life better than I do because they were able to be promoted at work and I wasn't,"

      Visceral anger of people like SR comes from a different place today than 50 years ago. 50 years ago it could have been attributed to a displacement and uprooting of an average francophone in this society. Today, whatever his fate is has been cooked up for him by his own ruling elites and the global market which QC elites have no problem being part of, and not by Anglos who continue to live in "his" province. So he's projecting his anger on people who today have little to do with his plight.

      In the book I just suggested, it's mentioned in passing (it's not the main topic of the book by no means) how often the middle classes elicit the support of lower classes to change the system, only to cast aside the lower classes once the change of the system is complete. The same thing happened in Quebec and SR might have found himself cast aside, unlike your middle class friends who got pulled up the ladder.

      Delete
    11. Unfortunately we all get a skewed view of quebec nationalists because of individuals like SR, SSJB, IF and Vigil. The feeling I get is that they are ALL like them and there is no use in attempting to reason with them. Sad as it is, I can understand Michel much more than the others because at least he seems to be intelligent and making decisions based on what he perceives are real problems that he can shake if he leaves Canada. Far from agreeing with him but at least he seems to be a lot more reasonable than others that I've encountered over the past little while.

      Delete
    12. I find the attitude that English was not freely chosen rather condescending as if the world is is lacking free will and merely determined by "us"
      I would submit the main reason English was chosen is a linguistic one and based on linguistic fact. As a descriptive rather than prescriptive language and through its interesting evolution, it is simply the easiest of modern languages to learn.
      The simple present, past and future can be mastered in about three months.
      Its pure pragmatics.
      It has the wealthiest vocabulary and the most grammatic/syntatic flexibility.
      Its only weakness is spelling which the EUC will be countering with a new phonetic (fonetic) spelling system. Rather a brilliant solution.
      i find any reservations to a common 2nd world language rather..."Jehovian?"

      Delete
    13. “Egads! I'm still cringing at Pauline's poor performance on BBC Scotland...”

      I love how the spin doctors over at 'La Presse' earlier this week said that she was received “timidement” over in Scotland!

      In essence this was the message from the Scots:

      Nice of you to call, but we aren’t interested in what you’re selling, oh and please go stand over there, people might talk, or worst, think we’re together!
      Goodbye!!

      Oh and...ps...Improve your English...IT STINKS!!
      (perhaps not verbalized, but I'll bet you the oldest kilt in the world everyone was thinking it...lol)


      Delete
    14. I love the headline for The Gazette’s Quebec Affairs columnist summing-up of her visit:

      Marois lays a Scotch egg in Edinburgh

      BY DON MACPHERSON, THE GAZETTE JANUARY 30, 2013

      MONTREAL — The Scots have a word for Premier Pauline Marois’s visit to her Scottish counterpart this week. It’s “ciorram,” the Scottish Gaelic word for “disaster.”

      After much advance hype here of the “sovereignist summit” between Marois and the leader of the movement for Scottish independence (that’s what they call it over there, Scottish nationalists apparently being less afraid of words), Marois was all but snubbed by her host.

      Her reception at the Scottish Parliament, known as Holyrood, was almost Holy-rude. There was no public appearance by First Minister Alex Salmond with his guest, no joint news conference, no photo opportunity for the Quebec media following Marois on her European tour. The excuse Marois gave is that journalists aren’t allowed (?) into the Parliament, where she met Salmond. Yet she and Salmond posed for a news-service photographer.

      The next day, the only evidence on the Scottish government’s website of what Marois said was a 45-minute meeting was a brief mention by Salmond’s spokesperson that it was Marois who had asked for the meeting. Marois’s office issued a communiqué quoting a three-paragraph joint statement by the two in which sovereignty (or independence) was not mentioned. The communiqué added that Marois and Salmond “concluded that Scots and Quebecers will decide their own destiny themselves.” In other words, let’s each mind our own business, shall we? Scottish newspapers reported that Salmond declined Marois’s offer of a file on Quebec sovereignty.

      So, to sum up: Marois rang Salmond’s doorbell like a pedlar, Salmond answered, and then, as soon as it was polite to do so, he sent the pedlar on her way.

      But then, what advice would he need from the leader of a party that is already a two-time loser in referendums and doesn’t know when it will hold a third? How to get caught stealing No votes?


      Marois’s self-invited visit to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh was intended to show Québécois that there are sovereignists in other nations in the developed world, and to show her party that she is still one herself. She was accompanied on her visit not by International Relations Minister Jean-François Lisée (who was off in India, from where he tweeted a photograph of himself contemplating a picture of Gandhi), but by her minister of “sovereignist governance,” Alexandre Cloutier.

      But Marois’s visit, ill-conceived and poorly prepared, embarrassed the Quebec sovereignty movement and exposed again the amateurishness of her Parti Québécois government. By visiting the head of a government committed to holding a referendum next year, she reminded sovereignists that she has made no such commitment herself.

      The Quebec sovereignty movement is ill-served by a comparison with Scotland, which has much less power than the province of Quebec now enjoys and which accepted to negotiate the terms for its referendum with the central government.

      Salmond had no interest in drawing his constituents’ attention to the Quebec experience with divisive and acrimonious referendums. And even an independent Scotland would have an interest in maintaining good relations with Canada. Many Scots have relatives in Canada, few of whom support Quebec sovereignty. And like most other people in the world, Scots do not share the disdain of Quebec sovereignists for this country.

      Even if Marois didn’t realize all this before she invited herself, she could have quietly backed out when she saw how little attention she would receive from Salmond, before her government leaked word of the visit. But Marois went to Edinburgh anyway, where, as they say in show business, she laid an egg — a Scotch egg, you might say.

      © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

      Delete
    15. We in Quebec are all accustomed to interpreting what it is that Marois was actually trying to say in English in that interview... but can you imagine what the poor, innocent Scots must have thought?!?

      I’m trying to think of an equivalent impression that a so-called international “stateswoman” would have left… we are a far cry from Burma’s eloquent grande dame Aung San Suu Kyi here, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway last summer. Perhaps Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat Sagdiyev” is more appropriate…

      Delete
    16. I have Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech adjacent to Pauline Marois’ interview on my computer and the stark contrast between the two leaves me absolutely dumbfounded.

      I beseech you all to listen to just a minute or two of Aung San Suu Kyi’s discourse to see what a true, genuine freedom-seeker sounds like.

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

      Delete
    17. While it’s a little late, nevertheless regarding adski’s comments:

      The fact that English evolved gradually into the lingua franca, that it did not become the lingua franca abruptly, gives the sort of illusion that is was chosen, that people just sat down and picked it from many available options. The fact that the process happened over prolonged time hides the coercion that was involved at different stages of military and economic expansion.

      Does that justify QC in its petty assault of Anglo institutions and its relentless coercive effort of uprooting English speakers? Not by a long shot.


      and

      Visceral anger of people like SR comes from a different place today than 50 years ago. 50 years ago it could have been attributed to a displacement and uprooting of an average francophone in this society. Today, whatever his fate is has been cooked up for him by his own ruling elites and the global market which QC elites have no problem being part of, and not by Anglos who continue to live in "his" province. So he's projecting his anger on people who today have little to do with his plight.

      This, this and this!

      What a shame it is to know that someone like this is so uselessly perpetuating his hatred upon his children to create another generation of uselessness.

      Delete
    18. Coming back to the obvious reasons why Marois’s mission bombed over in Scotland, and setting those aside; I was just wondering about her whole “likeability factor”. Even ...domestically, so to speak, when we think of her, would she be more popular if people disliked her less and, would she have snuck in with a majority had SHE been considerably more “sympathique” to people at large?

      It would be interesting if Editor were to dedicate a blog piece to this, “The Marois Likeability Factor”!!...mm. Let’s set aside everything she stands for, as leader of the PQ, is she appreciated in any-shape-or-form by those whom may not agree with her stance and political positioning, but “LIKE HER" nonetheless?


      Delete
    19. To me she has nothing about her to like. She comes off as a spoiled, self-centered Roseanne from TV - a big mouth and no grace saving attributes. If I met her in person, putting politics aside, I would never take to her brash, know-it-all personality. A big phony is how I see her. Anyone else find her likable?

      Delete
    20. @anectote

      "...would she be more popular if people disliked her less (...)?

      what a ridicule question, mate.

      Delete
    21. @R.S.
      "We in Quebec are all accustomed to interpreting what it is that Marois was actually trying to say in English in that interview..."

      Sorry, she leaves me scratching my head as well as I'm thinking, huh?

      Delete
  5. The Sherbrooke Declaration's 50% plus one provisions are not the most outrageous part of that document, scandalous as they are. That distinction belongs to the part which declares that an NDP government would not use force (the military) at any stage in the separation process. That necessarily means that if Quebec gets 50% plus one "yes" and then makes a unilateral declaration of independence -- contrary to the Clarity Act, the constitutional amending formula, and the Supreme Court reference on secession -- it will not be met with any resistance by Ottawa. See page 8:

    The NDP's Sherbrooke Declaration

    This is not only a complete abandonment of the rule of law but of the Oath of Office of the Prime Minister.

    See:

    The NDP's Sneaky Attempt to Win Over Separatists

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it is the Fed's responsibility to protect Canadian sovereignty by any means necessary including troops to protect borders

      Delete
    2. Yes, Yannick - I expect the Canadian Armed Forces to protect me from having my land and home hijacked by these separatists! Good grief man - why else are we fighting to remain part of a country that does not protect it's citizens, by force, if necessary! There is an Argument in today's Ottawa Citizen: "Why a simple majority is undemocratic". The NDP and it's stand on the Clarity Act shows that Mulcair is unwilling to stand up for his own country and is trying to please all the parties (including the seppies) - he is in for a shock come next election. God, where are politicians with some backbone in this country? Trudeau, for all his faults, at least followed through when dealing with these rebels and traitors to their country. Who do you expect to protect us if not the federal government? Wow - I find it astonishing that everyone seems to think these matters will be handled without violence. The separatists (FLQ) have gotten away with murder before and set an example for these idiots for the future. Come on guys; face reality.

      Delete
    3. Yes Yannick, considering that the Quebec separatist movement is a hateful, racist revenge movement, the feds shouldn‘t lift a finger to protect those who would be in danger after a yes vote. 50%+1 is a great reason to abandon our fellow citizens.

      Delete
    4. Presume you're being sarcastic James? I surely hope so but I wasn't joking when I told Yannick that if it takes force to keep these seppies from overtaking our land, so be it. None of them are above trickery and/or violence so we must protect our own interests with our Canadian Armed Forces. We send them all over the world to protect other countries in problems and I expect them to come to our defence should the need arise.

      Delete
    5. Of course I was being sarcastic.
      Yannick is one of those “weak kneed“ type that Trudeau referred to during the October Crisis.

      Delete
    6. Yannick is proud to whine and cry and demand government intervention when he can‘t buy a Blizzard in french yet is against the federal government intervening to protect his fellow countrymen from racist, ignorant revenge mobs.
      He‘s also probably the same kind of idiot who wants to take away all guns.
      Disgusting.

      Delete
    7. Yannick - you can't be serious - that you honestly think that there will not be violence in the streets in quebec should they try to leave confederation with a 50+1 majority in a referendum? I thought you were more intelligent than that - you know the seppies on this blog alone have threatened violence against the minorities. What are you thinking? Are we to have physical violence on the streets and no protection from the CAF? You know that protection from these bigots is going to be a necessity and who do you think will perform these duties?

      Delete
    8. Don‘t worry Cutie, so long as the army comes in there will be no violence, for we know what pathetic ball-less, cowardly pieces of shit the separatists are. As soon as they see a soldier they will shit in their pants and retreat to their basements to watch TLMEP.

      Delete
    9. I'm sure as hell counting on that - that is our right as Canadians - that's why we are a sovereign country - sovereign countries have their own armed forces; one of the basic requirements. I'm sure these seppies have a militia, probably a small one, but armed and ready to take us on when and if a vote of 50+1 takes place and I'm sure our armed forces are just as ready to handle the matter.

      Delete
    10. What would you suggest the federalists do in the above scenario Yannick? Are we just to pack up and walk away from our lives? How do you think this would be resolved when we're dealing with people who think nothing of us as a people and make that very clear? This is a hypothetical question but could become reality in the very near future.

      Delete
    11. Congratulations on your piece in the Huff Post! Editor

      Delete
    12. Tony - I so agree with you - disgusting creature that Mulcair has turned out to be. These people will drive us to civil war and not give a thought to it. He can forget ever, ever being leader of the country and, in fact, will find he has lost many seats, even in quebec, come the next election.

      Delete
    13. Yannick writes:
      "As for guns, it's interesting you would bring that up. Would you be the kind of simpleton who thinks that guns deter violence and allow some measure of protection against a tyrannical government?"

      Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified in the USA 12/15/1791:
      A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

      I dare say the the word "Arms" may have applied to guns at the time, but today, the citizens of a free and democratic society must look at what might a "tyrannical government" could have and adjust as accordingly as possible. Arms are not for hunters, they are for the defense of freedom!!

      Yannick, I find your submissive attitude disturbing and your attempt to tie
      in guns with simpletons disgusting. I expect the Armed Forces Of Canada to defend the rights of our country's citizens and I expect the citizens to help, where they can, those Brave Women and Men of the Armed Forces who stand for us before whatever harm! In the absence of that, people must defend their rights against mob rule even if their government cannot.

      Freedom isn't free. If you can't see that, perhaps the simpleton is you.

      Guns for hunting? Really? I think not!

      Delete
    14. NoMeansNo, he believes that angry, hateful, racist mobs terrorizing his fellow citizens is somehow more acceptable than having to order DairyQueen in english.
      What a coward. He doesn‘t even live anywhere near Quebec yet he sure hopes that the federal government would abandon Canadian citizens who were under threat. I bet he‘d be the first one to cry upon the discovery that his Acadian accent would automatically render him an outsider.

      Delete
    15. Yannick asks:

      "As for guns, it's interesting you would bring that up. Would you be the kind of simpleton who thinks that guns deter violence and allow some measure of protection against a tyrannical government?"

      Yes, I am that kind of simpleton...and I suspect 6 million (Europe), 30-80 million (China), and 10s of millions of others who perished at the hands of tyrannical governments under strict gun control and gun confiscation would, had they lived wanted to be that kind of simpleton, too.

      At the very least, they would have had a fighting chance.

      And your use of the term "simpleton", Yannick, must necessarily apply to the founders of the U.S. who put the 2nd Amendment in the constitution precisely for that reason.

      Delete
    16. Yannick - you are still advocating that around 4M people could be displaced without any say in the matter - these separatists have proven that they are not above murder and mayhem as a means to an end and you still think that federalists do not deserve protection from these bigots? What the hell am I paying federal tax for? I presume it's for more than helping Levis quebec to update their ferry and/or boardwalks and restaurants. What about the 4M that don't want to separate from Canada and don't move? Do the troops then desert us once these separatists have full control of the government? Think what you're saying man. That's why I keep saying the only democratic way out is to let those areas go that want to go and we can avoid civil war that way.

      Delete
    17. Tony, its no use convincing people like Yannick on guns. He is the type of person who thinks the government is there only to do good things like wipe his ass and make sure he doesn‘t have to go through the humiliation of ordering an ice cream in english.

      Delete
    18. FROM ED
      Friends, Yannick is francophone which means undereducated. A good education would have taught him what happened when India was divided. Such a (peaceful?) protest ended in a million deaths because Gandhi insisted on British troops leaving the country before the partition. Nehru and Churchill warned it would happen but Gandhi like a separatist wanted only his dream of peace for India, which will never happen.

      Delete
    19. Yannick,

      "I also find your worship of the armed forces quite disturbing - nations where this is common tend to be on the extreme-right side of things, like Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy."

      I guess you couldn't resist getting the "Fascist/Nazi" dig in like Michel Patrice did recently.

      Americans are patriotic and very proud and supportive of their military, but I don't think it would be accurate to label them as either Fascists or Nazis. Their current government is left leaning Democratic with a black man as President.

      Delete
    20. Good point about India Ed = how would quebec like 4M people marching the streets everyday protesting the take over of the province based on a 50+1 and the first day, one separatist voter passes away or some other happenstance changes the dynamic. Can we then wait for a few weeks and find that, oh I don't know, 300 seppies died in a meeting hall where the IF were discussing how to take away more english rights, and then take another vote? The whole thing is ridiculous. We must find a better solution and that is partition. Any area where there are problems following a democratic vote can then be dealt with in a reasonable fashion, without violence, by trading homes, purchasing land, relocation grants, etc. for families or businesses that end up in a area where they are not comfortable. Depending on the number of families involved, there could be a time limit placed on ending negotiations with those that are displaced and relocating them to their desired choice. Sounds complicated but certainly better than an outright civil war which is the very real possibility of deciding the issue based on 50+1.

      Delete
    21. Yannink = how come you call it "worship" when we show respect and count on our armed forces to do what they are trained to do - protect and fight for our rights and freedom. That isn't "worship" = it's plain and simple respect for their career choice as any doctor, lawyer, etc. I worked for National Defence for many years and have the utmost respect for them as I do for any other well trained and dedicated person in other chosen careers.

      Delete
    22. FROM ED
      Friends, Yannick is francophone which means undereducated.


      I’m shocked that no one has yet seen fit to call Ed out on this false and offensive statement. As it happens, Yannick has earned a Ph.D; what about you, Ed?

      Delete
    23. Thank you for saying that, Cat.

      I, too, divorce myself from Ed's comment.

      For the most part, I find Yannick engaging and open minded...and Ed, more often than not, a cretin.

      Ed often invokes in me a memory of one of Steven Martin's lines from one of his earlier comedy albums from the late '70s. In responding to a heckler, Martin says: "yeah, I remember when I had my first beer."

      Delete
    24. I'm on my phone, so I'll have to be brief. While I appreciate the sentiment, and while I was offended by Ed's comment, I don't think it's warranted to insult him. Ed is an elderly gentleman from a different time, and I believe he is a product of his environment. The rest of us have no excuse.

      As fot guns and such, it's important to remember that the US in 1784 had just won a war of independence using militias armed with private weapons. The US would usrle militias only once more, in 1812. Since then I do not believe there has ever been a war or revolution that was succesful based only on individuals wih guns. Those who romanticise 1775 fail to realisethat yahoos with shotguns dont stand a chance again predator drones, kevlar vests and tanks. I believe that the idea that guns would be of any use whatsoever in that situation is exceedingly naive. Revolutions are won when the power of odeas convince elements of the state to side with the insurgents, like in Lybia and Egypt. States have the monopoly of force, both in ressources and organisations, and only highly organized forces that are state-like can beat other states. Pit-bellied hicks with a few assault rifles have no chance.

      Delete
    25. "Don‘t worry Cutie, so long as the army comes in there will be no violence, for we know what pathetic ball-less, cowardly pieces of shit the separatists are. As soon as they see a soldier they will shit in their pants and retreat to their basements to watch TLMEP."

      Can I get ringside seats to that show? I'll be sure to bring the popcorn LOL

      Delete
    26. Mr Ed,

      It is odd that you bring up Gandhi the week I am reading Lapierre and Collins's Cette Nuit la Liberté, L'Épopée de l'indépendance de l'Inde. Interesting read.

      Delete
    27. "I guess you couldn't resist getting the "Fascist/Nazi" dig in like Michel Patrice did recently." (Durham)

      ???

      Delete
    28. @yannick

      excellent points at 11.09.

      i was going to tackle these very "arguments" myself, but i don't think i could have done it better than you did.

      Delete
    29. "Since so many on this blog like to compare the PQ to fascists and Nazis, it amuses me to sometimes find some of their own traits that are Nazi and fascist-like"

      Has anyone on this blog called for bans and restrictions on the French language or the removal of the rights and freedoms of Francophones? I think not.

      Delete
  6. LD

    I thought Francophones were supposed to be bilingual after graduating from High School in Quebec, like Anglophones are. If that's the case, where the hell does the STM find these Unilingual troglodytes and what sort of acedemic qualifications if any are required to work for the STM? They can't all be kindergarten drop-outs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is the huge problem - they are brainwashed into believing that they should not have to speak english even though many of them are bilingual. If the government would encourage people to speak other languages and be proud of it, the whole attitude would change. Not being able to speak a language is different than refusing to speak the other language. Take SR as an example; he can probably understand and speak english as well as any of us but refuses to do so for his own selfish reasons. Why they cannot be proud of accomplishing the feat of learning other languages is totally beyond me. Normal people are proud to know how to speak many languages so this, to me, shows that they are not considered part of the norm.

      Delete
    2. "like Anglophones are"

      Mon cul!Si c'est le cas,pourquoi sont-ils incapables de prendre le métro dans la seule langue officielle du Québec?

      Delete
    3. We are all entitled to use one of the languages of our nation that has been spoken in Quebec for over 250 years.

      :)

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

      Delete
    5. The only official language of quebec imposed by a bunch of language bigots, racists, freedom and rights abusers, rebels, traitors, self-serving, Nazi style politicos, over and above the will of the minority of their own population. Whether you like it or not, you seppie, nobody in the free world understands what the hell problems you people have with other languages and religions. If you think the PQ has any connection with any other free world country, you definitely have something screwed up in your head. The rest of the free world will squeeze you out so fast your head will swim. People will deal with the ROC and not quebec because you will never be acceptable to the free world. If and when this province leaves Canada, it will leave the free world with a very bitter taste in their mouth for hundreds of years to come. Communicate in whatever language you like with whomever you like, but don't push your fanatical views on everyone else in the country. You think you are "special" but the only thing "special" about you, is your racist, nutty outlook on life. Why don't you live and let live like the average person in this country? Find a cause that makes sense. Breaking up one of the best countries in the world should not be a "cause" unless you have a brain tumour!

      Delete
    6. Lord Dorchester... you're quite right! I guess STM employees haven't graduated from high school.

      Delete
    7. When we talk about STM employees, we're talking about blue-collar workers...which brings us back to the whole argument that the separatist movement runs on plebe-power.

      For the majority, STM employees are high school graduates at best and seeing as so many of them join the organization so soon after high school, they are largely untraveled and therefore culturally-inept.

      None of us should be angry with them for being so ignorant.

      The fault lies with the heads of the organization. They're the zoo keepers, yet they insist on letting the primates run the show.

      #FAIL

      Delete
    8. "We are all entitled to use one of the languages"

      Et nous avons choisi le français...Alors?Mayo ou sans mayo...Erresse?

      Delete
    9. @Editor,

      Please DO NOT erase S.R's threats to R.S.

      Instead, let me spring off them by reiterating a challenge I had made previous to S.R.

      See, I'm more than happy and willing to meet S.R in person - so instead of having him anonymously cast threats, let's see if he'll finally grow a set and meet someone who's willing to face his threats of violence head on.

      S.R - if you do accept, I have just one condition to impose...

      ...bring your children with you - I want them to watch EVERY SECOND of what will happen.

      Delete
    10. That's true, Resident Evil... knowing that they can easily be replaced by machines and yet they continue to muddle through their unionized life, sometimes knitting before assaulting their customers... that requires a certain determination.

      The zoo keepers may indeed want to improve things yet are prevented from doing so by you-know-what.

      Delete
    11. C'mon Diablotin...Vous préférez peut-être une "Marshmallow pie" ?

      Héhé!

      Delete
    12. I remember the respectful service we always received in Asia from public transit employees in those rare occasions that we couldn't use machines... it certainly makes me realize how backwards we are here in certain respects.

      Delete
    13. RS = the term used is "respectful" - something that the seppies find hard to show to anything or anyone but each other. Sickening.

      Delete
    14. "where the hell does the STM find these Unilingual troglodytes"
      Loads in Sherbrooke LOL

      Delete
    15. Plus de ToToglodytes à Sherbrooke,nous les avons tous civilisé ou presque.
      :)

      Delete
  7. That’s quite true, but does this justify a public employee who serves a large metropolitan area that is largely English-speaking (almost half, in some areas more) to be so unaccommodating? We’re talking about Montreal here, not Matane.

    This is in stark contrast to the policies of the AMT (Agence métropolitaine de transport), Montreal’s regional train network, which does require its public employees to be bilingual.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Le félidé

    Dabord Montréal et tôt ou tard suivra Matane...

    @Peggy007

    Les seppies ont accepté les 50 000 votes qui nous séparaient de la victoire.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yannick, I hope you see the nonsense that we have to deal with.

    ReplyDelete
  10. R.S, I believe S.R threatened you a couple of comments down...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Convoluted partnership, use of the Canadian dollar, be a country inside a country, run everything the way they want without regard for anyone else in Canada, theft of Canadian land and businesses with ties to a country to which they no longer belong, and they still lost the vote. Next time it had better be a clear question, just like Scotland that Ms. Pee was trying to suck up to (and running the British into the ground every chance she gets) and let's get it over with. Once and for all - let's have that honest "Do you want to leave Canada" question and we'll see how people vote - crazy, incompetent, separatists. CLARITY ACT STANDS, CLEAR QUESTION, CLEAR MAJORITY - AREAS THAT VOTE TO LEAVE, LEAVE. Areas that vote to remain stay within Canada. Only fair and democratic way out of this mess. Can't be soon enough for me and the ROC to end this on-going, fatiguing battle that intensifies every time we get a new separatist government in power in this doomed place. Read this and weep Mr. Mulcair - we are not interested in your 50+1 to leave us in an untenable mess after a referendum and letting our Canadian property be stolen by a 50+1 vote. If some of these politicians would stand up for Canada for a change, they would find that they would gain a lot of respect from soft nationalists rather than be considered "weak" which is the way they are now perceived by quebec and the ROC. Being bullied by this bunch of nuts should be a lesson learned in school by everyone - you have to stand up to bullies!

    ReplyDelete
  12. En parlant d'ignorants,j'ai apperçu ce commentaire sur une page FB d'angryphones à propos de l'OQLF:

    "and btw office is an english word morons!!"

    Steven Adamo D'adderio

    Ça vaut au moins 3 sandwiches extra mayo...non?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ohhhhhhhhh! Sorry, S.R - I totally forgot!

      This is MY bad folks, not S.R's!

      Today's February 1st... WELFARE DAY.

      Sorry guys false alarm, S.R's not making threats, he's just plastered (@ 9:00 am no less!).

      Delete
  13. I'm curious how many of us voted for the NDP in order in order to rid ourselves of the Bloc, knowing that voting for the Liberals wouldn't do so... and now regret having had to so.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It happened here in Gatineau also R.S. - we all made that mistake but then again a lot of people liked Layton. At least Trudeau is saying 50+1 is not acceptable so he will gain a lot of respect and votes from that stance. Mulcair may find himself losing a lot of seats come next election.

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. Blech! A sweaty heart... but you let yourself get sucked in once again, Cutie.

      Delete
    2. Have to blow off steam once in awhile just to keep the blood pressure under control. Sorry.

      Delete
  15. FROM ED
    You're right EDM. Quebec has untold riches that could be tapped but not by Marois and her crew. It's obvious if they tried, they'd screw it up. Industry needs more than an elderly witch hazel to be a success. When the Liberals are back, a good leader will pull us out of the hole. So far I like Bachand. In a recent interview his answers to hard questions impressed me. Most likely Couillard will win, he has the dynamic appearance that people look to. Bachand looks old and tired. Keep smiling, we'll get there. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  16. R.E, what? I hadn't noticed. I don't pay much attention to nonsense, even though the Editor allows it to be posted on his blog.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I donot believe "separation" has ever been anything but a psych-op strategy to tribalize, destabilize and ultimately balkanize Canada. Same goes for the "2 official languages" act. It was nothing but a polarizing operation. It was manufactured in think tanks informed by the good old divide and conquer strategy. And it worked brilliantly in Canada. To understand why one needs only to research Freud and more recently our own Ignatief on The Narcissism of Minor Differences.

    ReplyDelete
  18. “Instead, city council revoked the permits to drill exploratory wells, just in case the wells affected the town's water supply;”

    Imagine that, Editor. For many people, cultural and environmental issues matter more than economics. I do understand though that in this market society, that makes them look “crazy”. In need of re-education even, maybe.

    In any case, respect for the city council of the town of Gaspé. Way to go.


    ----


    “But last April, she appeared on the OQLF's radar and a few months later she was hit with four violations, including her company's name which would have to include a French descriptor such as pâtisserie to make it conform.”

    Descriptors are not required by law, and this will come out when decision is rendered on the Big 5 vs. the OQLF.

    I can’t reconcile the fact that Quebec is taking a serious approach to safeguarding its culture with the fact that it is also taking veracious steps to uproot another culture by attacking its institutions. Is it just revanchism, or is it belief that the 2 cultures can’t coexist and one has to go as it is too menacing? Either way, it’s a big strike against the Quebecois culture, and it makes itself look very unattractive in the process.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear ED
    There has been some very illuminating discussions on other sites regarding the most taboo of subjects which is the very real fascist roots of modern Quebec nationalism. Apparently from the 1930s onwards, there has been a strong european style nazi/fascist influence on govt and policy. And it is fascinating how this history has been suppressed from the collective consciousness. Do you have experience/ thoughts/research to contribute on this? They could be invaluable to our understanding of our present situation. I understand there is a documentary called Je me Souviens by Eric R Scott cowritten by Esther Delisle which clearly defines the fascism underlying Quebec nationalism but has been "disappeared". Hve you ever seen it or know how to find it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FROM ED
      LENOIR, The facism of which you speak was not so much 'nationalism' as it was racism against the Jews and protectionism of the French Catholic Church. Later on 'consciption' played a part.. Lionel Groulx who is often recognized as the father of nationalism was more anti semitic than anti English. He showed strong love for the children in English catholic schools but
      preached hatred for Jews.
      Nationalism was virtually unheard of until Rene levesque. Jean Lesage fought with Ottawa but only to get a better deal for francophones.
      The book of which you speak was made intoa film by Eric Scott who's film company is called " Les productions des Quwtre jeudis" here in Montreal.
      Interestingly, the theme "je Me Souviens' was invented by Eugene Ethien Attache builder of the Parliament and inscribed above the door this motto. His grandaughter Helene Paquet said she was raised to beoieve that it meant "Born of the Lily/ Raised under the Rose."

      Delete
    2. FROM ED
      Lenoir, here is a link which mighty be helpful. http://www.cinoche.com/films/je-me-souviens/index.html
      Above, I meant to say "Les Productions des Quatre Jeudis" Ed

      Delete
  20. FROM ED
    The brick head separatists I can understand but I can't believe the insidiousmess of Marvin Rotrand. He had the benefits of an English upbringing and education but denies others to use the language he enjoyed. What a quisling. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hey Ed - anything for publicity and a buck - self centered jerk doesn't care about anyone but himself - seems to be a lot of that going around.

    ReplyDelete
  22. FROM ED \
    We're doing well today. Out of 84 only eight posts by trolls as only two people answered them. Good work folks, keep it up. We'll soon be rid of them. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ED
      Believe it or not, I completely scroll over the posts of certain trolls now. The only reason I even get the jist of what they may be saying is because I read other people’s posts who sometimes respond, and even then, I may skip over those as well.

      AND all this without the “Ignore button”.
      Ain’t you proud? LOL

      Delete
    2. FROM ED
      ANECTOTE, You make my heart sing. I recommended the site to a friend a while ago. When I asked himthe other day why I haven't seen anything from him, he told me he doesn't know who it's safe to answer. I agree with you.I too have stopped reading the posts of those who encourage trolls. Ed

      Delete
    3. I too am glad to hear that you've seen the light, AnecTOTE.

      Delete
    4. “I too am glad to hear that you've seen the light, AnecTOTE”

      My dear Cat, I was being facetious. Truth be told, it’s been simply facilitated by the fact that most trolls are malicious ill-intentioned shit disturbers whose sole ‘raison d’être’ is to distract, manipulate and divert attention from reality and truth, while they know better.

      But mostly, their posts have become so monotonous and completely unintelligent, downright boring really, I just can’t be bothered to read them.

      Delete
    5. At this point, I hope others feel the same and follow suit.

      Delete
    6. "their posts have become so monotonous and completely unintelligent, downright boring really"

      Peggy007 serait donc une "troll" elle aussi?

      Delete
  23. Well at least Salmond is dedicated to remain in the Commonwealth and keep the Queen as head of state. Also, he said only one referendum, if we lose the question is over. No dragging separation question forever. Also, he is asking a clear question

    ReplyDelete
  24. You bet..a polarizing op and nothing else. Destabilized the country and disadvantaged the FC as badly as the RC church. It created FC's narcissistic bubble of grandiose delusion, entitlement and ethnic psychosis. It created seperatism Without it, the FC would all be happily functioning bilinguals by now, Que. would still be rich or richer and we wouldnt all be suffering still from the patent absurdity of..why the hell they still cant speak English after 300..three hundred years. THREE HUNDERD years!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Isn't it wonderful = we are now punishing children in school for speaking english to each other - when do we put an end to this garbage? God I'm embarrassed to be part of this province = so many reasons to be ashamed.
    http://fr.canoe.ca/infos/quebeccanada/education/archives/2013/02/20130201-175842.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The poor immigrant kids being denied the right to education in they're language of choice and then having to put up with this. They've probably dreamt they're whole lives about coming to Canada, the true North, strong and free. Now they can't say the Lord's prayer, sing God save the Queen or even speak English in their schools. Very sad situation.

      Delete
    2. For sure EDM - I sure hope people really start to put the pressure on these crazy politicians to get rid of these bigots out of our society. Unfortunately we have people like SR to deal with no matter where we reside - we just seem to have more than our fair share here in quebec. If only it dawned on them how really stupid this all looks to the rest of North America.

      Delete
    3. "Now they can't say the Lord's prayer, sing God save the Queen or even speak English in their schools. Very sad situation."

      Dire qu'ils auraient pu débarquer quelques Km plus loin vers l'Ouest,vers l'ontario ou les É-U...ou encors vers l'Est ou...Finalement certains n'ont vraiment aucune chance.

      Delete
    4. "If only it dawned on them how really stupid this all looks to the rest of North America."

      Les canadians ont déjà une très bonne réputation aux É-U,pas besoin de nous pour avoir l'air idiot,ils le savent et depuis longtemps :)

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKUDRW9EA2c

      Delete
    5. "Dire qu'ils auraient pu débarquer quelques Km plus loin vers l'Ouest,vers l'ontario ou les É-U...ou encors vers l'Est ou...Finalement certains n'ont vraiment aucune chance."

      Or you could go sail a few thousand kilometers east to France to meet the French prime minster, and bring along Quebec's official king and royalty figure, Bonhomme de Neiges? And perhaps once you're there, visit England and meet your queen. Queen Elizabeth II is your monarch and like it or not, you are a part of the British Commonwealth. Alakazou et vous!

      Delete
    6. Moi j'aime bien la reine,elle est très drôle avec tous ses jolis abat-jour qu'elle met sur sa tête :)

      Delete
    7. Don't reply to people who are only here to cause problems. Just ignore them.

      Delete
    8. Cutie, when I went to French school, we spoke French in class and English at recess or on the bus (if we wanted to) and that was perfectly fine. No one would have even thought to raise a stink over that.

      I wonder whether that teacher in largely-anglo Chateauguay thinks she taught those students a lesson that will engender warm, fuzzy feelings in them towards French after this incident. Since the student’s mother is supporting him by complaining about it, it’s very doubtful, I would say, and hence counterproductive. Isn’t this the same coercion mentality they used to have at native residential schools?

      Delete
    9. Yes there is certainly a difference between encouraging people to participate in learning new things than demanding that they do so. These radicals don't even realize that they change the way people perceive these events in their lives. Those children will resent this the rest of their lives and will participate only because they are forced to not because they want to. Again with the bullying.

      Delete
    10. L'anglais n'a jamais été imposé aux francophones,c'est bien connu,ni à personne d'ailleurs.

      Delete
  26. Collusion dans l'industrie de la construction à Toronto

    http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/ontario/2013/01/31/003-toronto-collusion-construction.shtml

    Ho!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Everybody can play this game! LOL Love it!!!!

    http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Letter+Inviting+Pauline+Marois+discuss+independent+Kirkland/7898854/story.html

    ReplyDelete
  28. Interesting listen to the new group of CRIQ group. Seems like they are working with the other groups to fight for our rights and freedoms.
    http://www.cjad.com/blog/BarryMorganShow/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=1049

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Je viens juste de leur dire d'écrire Québec sans faute d'orthographe sur leur version française du site (Québéc (sic))...Si possible.

      Incroyable mais vrai :(

      Delete
    2. This new group is CRITIQ. Many legal cases coming before the courts in 2014.

      Delete
    3. "This new group is CRITIQ. Many legal cases coming before the courts in 2014."

      Du jamais vu quoi :)

      Delete
    4. Il est quand même triste de voir tous ces anglos en état de panique. Ils me font penser à une personne en train de se noyer qui demande désespérément de l'aide, mais qui ne pourra se soustraire à l'inéluctable.

      Delete
    5. Personnellement je n'ai rien contre les anglos,ce sont les angryphones qui m'énervent et qui semblent inconscients du tort qu'ils font à l'ensemble de leur communauté.Je connais beaucoup d'anglophones dans ma région qui font de réels efforts pour s'intégrer.Si les centaines de milliers d'anglophones du Québec étaient réellement d'accord avec les opinions des angryphones,je ne crois pas qu'ils auraient autant de difficultés à se regrouper,du moins réunir un minimun de 500 participants pour une manifestation.

      Delete
    6. c'est parce qu'ils ont des emplois you idiot :)

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

      Delete
    8. Incidentally, I think you accidentally cut off the blog entry ID for Barry Morgan's interview with the CRITIQ spokesperson. It should be:

      http://www.cjad.com/blog/BarryMorganShow/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10498552

      Delete
  29. LOL! I saw that too. Just in case the link breaks, this is what it reads:

    Letter: Inviting Pauline Marois to discuss an independent Kirkland


    MONTREAL GAZETTE JANUARY 31, 2013


    My friends and I have decided to form a new political party to separate the town of Kirkland from Quebec and become a republic.

    While we respect Quebec, we Kirklandians are a distinct people with over 50 years of proud civic history. Our great land spans a good part of Saint Charles Boulevard, from near the Lakeshore Hospital to the grand Colisée movie theatre. Our local dialect, franglais, is a magnificent blending of two languages. Our bilingual culture, immersion schools, English institutions and way of life are threatened from political elements outside our land.

    We understand that Premier Marois is open to visiting separatist leaders, including a recent visit to Alex Salmond, the Scottish First Minister. We extend an open invitation to the premier to visit with us and discuss how we can achieve our goal of an independent Kirkland.

    As Madame Marois has no problem visiting other countries to promote their breakup, we are sure she would have no problem doing the same for her own possible future republic?

    Ben Van Gak

    Kirkland

    © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

    ReplyDelete
  30. At the top of this editorial is a photograph of Bain.

    I check in a few times a day to see new posts...and every time I do, I see Bain's photo.

    I am getting the same reaction upon seeing his face as I did with the Newtown shooter when his face was plastered on every news site on the web: a very sick feeling in my stomach.

    I do NOT want to see this murderer's and killer of innocent's face any more!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here... Richard Henry Bain or Luka Rocco Magnotta, enough already, please and thank you.

      On the other hand, I only recently got around to watching The Day of the Jackal (on account of the horrible Bruce Willis remake “The Jackal” that was filmed in Montreal) and was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar photo of Edward Fox brilliantly disguised as an elderly war veteran “amputee” (spoiler: he tied his leg up) in order to get by the police cordon so he could assassinate Charles de Gaulle.

      Delete
    2. FROM ED
      Are you sure it was Edward Fox wanting to assassinate Charles de gaulle. Everybody in France wanted to assissinate Charles de Gaulle.? Ed

      Delete
    3. Given the fact that Charles de Gaulle was never in fact assassinated, I'm pretty sure that Edward Fox did not succeed in his hypothetical attempt (sorry if I spoiled anyone's enjoyment of a terrific movie from 1973 but it's still well worth watching!).

      Delete
  31. Linguistic purism is hardly unique to French. Have any of you ever given a thought as to how English would sound like today were it subjected to the linguistic purism of the OQLF?

    Hint: it would mean avoiding any inkhorn terms (i.e. foreign borrowings). From the Linguistic Purism in English article on Wikipedia:

    Linguistic purism in the English language is the belief that words of native origin should be used instead of foreign-derived ones (which are mainly Romanic, Latin and Greek). "Native" can mean "Anglo-Saxon" or it can be widened to include all Germanic words.

    In its mild form, it merely means using existing native words instead of foreign-derived ones (such as using begin instead of commence). In its more extreme form, it involves reviving native words that are no longer widely used (such as ettle for intend) and/or coining new words from Germanic roots (such as wordstock for vocabulary).

    The resulting language is sometimes called Anglish (coined by the author and humorist Paul Jennings), Roots English (referring to the idea that it is a "return to the roots" of English), Ednew English (a revived word meaning "renewed" or "restored"), among other names.


    If you wish to have a look at how “pure” English would actually be without all of its etheedings (translations) from Norman French and Danish Jute, have a look at the headside (homepage) of the Anglish Moot. There you can see “proper” etheedings of George Orwell and Aesop’s Tales (not Fables).

    For example, this is how text about the Bible should actually read:
    The Bible bepulls to one of two kindred religious texts pithsome to Jewishness and Christeness -- the Hebrew and Christenly holywrits. The Bible is the main outspring for the yorelore of Old Israel. Although it is not a yorelorebook in the todaysome meanth, the books of Joshua through twothly Chronicles are the works of oldful Israelite yorelorers. The Bible yorelorers laid out a draft of oldful Israel steaded on gained knowledge that they bethought as being yorelorishly true. Like today's yorelorers, biblish/ holy-bookish writers sometimes gave forth yorelorish thoroughtells or the background lowdown of the happenings they outline.:

    And this is how the U.S. Declaration of Independence would actually begin:

    When in the Fare of mennishbelimps, it becomes needful for one Folk to formelt the emootly bends which have limplaught them with another, and to nim among the mights of the earth, the sunderly and even standing which the Ews of Ekind and of Ekind's God befeal them, a thewly eighting to the weens of mankind tharf that they should abeed the Andworks which fordrive them to the sundering.

    We hold these truths to be selforknew, that all men are shapen alike, that they are bestowed by their Shapand with ewis unafremthandly Rights, that among these are Life, Freedom, and the followth of Bliss.


    And this is how “The Night Before Christmas” should begin:

    'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
    Not a wight was stirring, not even a mouse;
    The stockings were hung by the hearth with care,
    In hopes that Holy Nick soon would be there;
    The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
    While swevens of sweet-plums tummed in their heads;

    ReplyDelete
  32. And now anglophones in quebec are to be considered allophones - I guess this would be to force everyone in quebec to attend french language schools and whatever other little goodies they force on immigrants.
    http://www.vigile.net/L-anglais-une-langue-etrangere

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It’s sad to hear that you’re using an opinion published on vigile.net, which was itself reprinted from an opinion published by the separatist Le Devoir, as being some sort of objective truth.

      Be that as it may, considering anglophones to be allophones in Quebec is plain and simple wrong, considering all the baggage that is attached to those terms (as well as being offensive to both anglophones and allophones). No need for it to ruffle your feathers though (or to get your knickers in a twist, you can pick whichever metaphor suits you best).

      Delete
    2. Not taking it for objective truth Cat - simply pointing out some of the outrageous things that are going around out there. These groups are doing a lot of harm to what goes on in this province e.g. our city newspaper, every week, has at least one letter from IF printed and passed around Gatineau for everyone to read. This week it's about Lisee and the bilingual services of the transportation company in Montreal. All this garbage poisons the view of the francophone community at large and has an impact on the psyche of people. Wish we had some way to refute this garbage but we don't seem to have the same access to publicity as the "radicals" in this society. I read the trash and copy it here so that others can see what is going on - that's all.

      Delete
    3. I’m sure it’s all like water off the ducks’ back (oh boy, I’m on a metaphor roll today!!), but even if it were not, the appropriate response would be to reply in your city newspaper (in English is fine) rather than venting on here, where you’re preaching to the choir (there I go again!).

      Delete
    4. Of course Cat but as I've stated previously, my city newspaper hesitates to get involved in these language debates unfortunately. I have written and published many letters but many were not published. And I'm not "preaching" only commenting on the articles for heaven's sake. I don't consider passing along information that I read to be "venting" so please refrain from chastising me for absolutely no reason.

      Delete
  33. Damn straight!! If Canada is divisible, so is quebec. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  34. That's what I keep repeating - Quebec belongs to Canada and so it goes............

    ReplyDelete
  35. Interesting article on secession in McLeans:
    http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/thoughts-on-secession/

    ReplyDelete
  36. Lots of hateful, ignorant comments in this one.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Your welcome AnecTOTE = @ScipiiRye = I didn't see hateful ignorant comments = did I miss a link? Most people were just dissecting what it said.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Impoverished Quebec town rejects prosperity.

    Hats off to those people in Williston.

    Get informed about fracking and how big business lies to you
    Google , Fracking Found to be Cause of Ohio Earthquakes

    Documentary ;
    Unearthed: The Fracking Facade
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPIEzSwPwT0


    Le Plan Nord pour les Nuls.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQJAP4ybQg
    If you don’t want to watch the whole documentary start at 3.05

    ReplyDelete