Wednesday, February 27, 2013

OQLF...Get the 'EFF' out!

With friends like Mario Beaulieu, it's likely that the OQLF doesn't need enemies, his defence of the agency in the matter of 'Pizzagate' must have elicited groans of embarrassment at the agency already reeling in humiliation.

For those who don't know the l'Office québécois de la langue française OQLF has been in a public relations nightmare over its demand that a Montreal restaurant remove the word 'Pasta' from its menu and replace it with the French word 'Pate'

The restaurateur went public with the nonsense and the story went viral, with newspapers and media reporting on the story around the world.

The largest foreign reaction came from Italy, where the insult was taken rather personally and seen as an attack on the country's honour.

Here's one headline that you don't even need to speak Italian to get the gist of;
"Ristorante in Canada ‘troppo italiano’: obbligato a riscrivere in francese il menù"
" An Italian restaurant in Canada, in the state of Quebec, was forced to rewrite its menu because it contained too many words in our language. It may sound crazy, but this extreme measure was demanded by no less than the Office québécois de la langue française, or the authority in Quebec who has the task of protecting the French language in a country predominantly English."
  Clicca per il link

Here's a headline that you probably won't understand;
"Bareja po kanadyjsku? Policja językowa w Quebecu"
but it just goes to show how far the story has travelled when the Polish press is picking up the story where our province is being held up as a laughingstock.

The publication of the story seems to have served up some backbone for others to come forward with their version of linguistic terrorism, dished out by an agency gone rogue.

Perhaps the silliest story is that of a restaurant in Quebec City, Caffe Conti, ordered to replace the word 'CAFFE,' used I imagine to class up the place a little, with the French version CAFÉ , hence the title of this blog piece, 'OQLF...Get the EF out.'
See a video story

Others have come forward including restaurant Joe Beef who was ordered by the OQLF to take down some 'English' artifacts hanging on the wall. Link

Here is a snapshot of what the OQLF occupies its time with;

McKibbin's Irish Pub on Bishop St. downtown is too English for Quebec's language police.
McKibbin's, with its dark beams, warm fireplace and colourful Gaelic decorative touches, has been popular with the Concordia University crowd since it opened 10 years ago.
But the Office québécois de la langue française has suddenly noticed the antique English-language advertisements on the pub's walls and wants them removed.
It objects specifically to vintage ads that say such things as "Guinness Dublin 1759," "Ireland Trademark," "Cudthromach Aire," "Eat Palethorpes pork pies fresh today" and "Guinness Extra Stout, Draught & Bottled St. James Gate, Dublin" and "Caffrey's Cream."
Many of the signs - some hand-carved, some painted on tin - were acquired in Ireland by the owners of McKibbin's to give the bar an authentic Irish atmosphere.
In a letter to co-owner Rick Fon this month, the OQLF says that too much English is spoken by the bar's staff, that a customer has complained about not being served in French and that the English signs on the walls are an affront to Quebec's language laws.  Read the rest of the story

A ENGLISH school board was ordered to communicate in French.

Read the story, especially the comments

It seems that the agency is facing a 'tipping point,' (that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.) and that those previously silent are now and forever empowered to denounce the persecution of the OQLF.

The agency has overnight become a laughingstock and an embarrassment to right-minded francophones, who cringe at the negative publicity rocking the internet.

To make matters worse, Mario Beaulieu, Quebec's chief language supremacist has added more fuel to the fire of humiliation by claiming that the whole story is a plot by the English media, which he characterized as a 'cabal'  meant to hurt Quebec AND that the francophone media have fallen into a trap by picking up the story!

Now the agency which takes itself entirely too serious, is itself being mocked mercilessly like with the complaints that the "GO HABS GO" cheer in the Bell Centre or on city buses is illegal.
"The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) has put itself on an inevitable journey to self-destruction in the last two weeks. The enormous list of absurd judgements from the province's language police that have come to light are a sign that the Office has gone off the deep end with power. The resulting social media outcry has put the OQLF on an irreversible and unintended path to its own demise. While they have acknowledged that perhaps they went too far in some cases, the damage has already been done and any legitimate authority the OQLF ever had has now vanished." Huffington Post
Let's hope that Quebec merchant's no longer maintain a policy of silent submission and the recent outcry provides them with a little dose of backbone.

It's time for merchants to give the agency a hard time, both publically and privately. If every establishment would take the agency to task and just refuse unreasonable demands, it wouldn't be long before the OQLF drowned in paperwork and litigation.

A word of advice to those afraid of the expense of fighting the agency.
It doesn't take much money to defend one's right, all that is required is steely nerve.
It's close to two years before any case will reach court and a merchant can always acquiesce before that.
In the meantime a tremendous amount of effort is expended by the agency with threatening letter after threatening letter burning up bureaucratic time and effort.
The OQLF is a paper tiger, even in a worst case scenario the fine for a first time offender is rarely over $500
If everybody just said no, the agency would collapse under its own weight.

One last story....
When the OQLF visited our company, the inspector was particularly interested in the specialized computer software that ran the company and asked me why it was in English.
I mumbled an answer that I didn't know why, turned and laughed under my breath.

This as you can imagine set the inspector off and it wasn't long before a full blown investigation was undertaken over the unilingual software.
After ignoring a couple of threatening letters, warning our company of the impending Armageddon,  I received a desperate call from our software company telling me that they too were under a full scale investigation about the so-called unlingual software and wanting to know why I didn't inform the OQLF that all one had to do to toggle to the French version was to press the F12 key.

As you can imagine the OQLF was none too amused over the wild goose chase that I sent them on. Ha! Ha!
Unfortunately, the software company was also not amused......

228 comments:

  1. And you want to make a cuntry out of this?

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  2. Everybody, watch this video! Even allos are mocking the OQLF! “Like” if you wish!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ogGgOZ0xD0

    Credit: Thank you, Laurie!!!

    “J’veux voir s’il y a des mots exotiques dangereux” Hahahahahahhhhhh!

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    1. Ah, yes, the dreaded shish taouk....ooooohhh! The shish taouk will get you if you don't watch out!

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    2. Great video - read the comments afterwards. One person does not make a trend but I get the feeling the immigrants don't buy into this 101 crap.

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  3. Great ending. Hats off to you!

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  4. So far, fourteen countries have mocked Quebec over its surreal “Pastagate”. I knew that the news had gone all over the world, particularly in Italy but all the way to New Zealand and Australia as well. Now I discover that Poland is laughing at Quebec too. Probably unlike many other Quebecers, I have been to Poland and feel particularly embarrassed at our being exposed as a bunch of rubes.

    I’d like to say “Stop embarrassing us, small-minded nationalists” except that they don’t care what anyone else thinks about us (except for France, of course!).

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    1. fourteen? wow. did they all distort the truth like the italians have done?

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    2. Ooo, the apologist of the day perhaps? Explain to me how they distorted the truth. This I just gots to hear.

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    3. @alex

      well they reported that the "an Italian restaurant in Canada, in the state of Quebec, was forced to rewrite its menu because it contained too many words in our language".

      if you go to buonanotte tonight you will notice the menus have not changed.

      i'm surprised you had not spotted that distortion alex. it is quite an obvious one.

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    4. Very picky of you student. The OQLF TRIED to force the restaurant to rewrite its menu and only backed down because of all the bad publicity and the fact that Quebec was being made into a laughing stock around the world.

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    5. Student, you're arrogance is only superceded by your weak critical thinking skills.

      Bottom line is once removed from the parochial confines of Quebec discourse, our actions seem petty and immature.

      You can fool the 'lobsters in the pot' but the ones outside it, capiche?

      On what planet to PQuiestes live that they think promoting one language by suppressing others is intelligent, forward thinking policy? Do you see the American angling to fight Spanish? Did India lose its culture after incorporating English into its existence? Nationalists have no case. In fact, jurisdictions probably look at Quebec on how NOT to treat others in a pluralist democracy. An STM worker saying 'Hello' to a person? Horrors! Defend the nation!

      In a larger sense, Quebec has no heritage on literature of liberty for mankind. Name me ONE great philosopher on such matters who would condone the OLF? The West is littered with great minds that helped us propel into the civilization we are and Quebec runs contrary to it. Bill 14 is in direct violation of documents like the Magna Carta and American Constitution which APPLY TO ALL PEOPLES.

      Alas, this is too big of a big picture for you. People like you and SR are reminiscent of the comments and letters of people in the deep South I read while studying American history during the Civil rights movement and Civil War. You're on the wrong side of justice and basic common decency and sense on this one.

      How would like it, student?

      Worse, and far more heinous, your ilk seem oblivious to the consequences of people leaving this province. I have money and plan to move all my holdings as soon as I feel it's time. Do they teach you at UQAM how much it costs the province each time this happens? Moreover, I have a child and you'r sick in the head if you think I'm keeping her here to put up with shallow ignorance. I want more for my child.

      Damn straight Buna Notte didn't change its menu. It's an ITALIAN RESTAURANT. That language is NOT SECONDARY to any language nor poses any real threat to your culture which by all accounts seems flimsy at best if it feel threatened by Italian words and letters. Funny how the Italians and other great communities seem to manage and thrive as cultures not only without government assistance but with the FULL FORCE of the OLF against it! Ca mon ami c'est le vraie force and fierte. Demand les Irlandais Juifs, Chinois, Grecques etc. of how to defend ones culture without suppressing another people or their language.

      Do you not see the absurdity and wickedness of the action of attacking the word 'pasta?' It wasn't the media. It was the absurdity of THE ACTION that went viral. Capiche? Mes toi, you have no problem like a two-faced hypocrite to enter an Italian restaurant and eat their food though, right? Suppress their right to expression and feed you, right? Pay taxes and shut up, right?

      Get the 'eff' out of here.

      Quebec is once again being blown by in a changing world and once again we'll have to wait and watch them 'wake up' at some point.

      Quebec demands respect. You can't get that which you have not earned. Quebec speaks of humiliation incessantly, but it humiliates itself with its justification of tyranny of the majority which translates into horribly laughable actions of the OLF.

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    6. Should read: You can fool the 'lobsters in the pot' but NOT the ones outside it, capiche.

      Should read: How would YOU like it, student?

      Should read: Demande.

      With apologies. I speak with great love for Quebec. It pains me to see this place be subjected to such insanity. It's tiring, pointless and plain toxic.

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    7. @alex

      i also think the oqlf should have left buonanotte and its pasta alone.

      the point i was making is the italian report cited by editor twists reality. i believe you can't argue about that after i underlined the obvious error for you, right?

      i was also wondering if the fourteen other reports true montrealer came up with are better.

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    8. @durham

      "The OQLF TRIED to force the restaurant to rewrite its menu..."

      fair enough. so does the italian reporter twists reality or not? i think it does.

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    9. Student, I would never condone an English-Canadian organization mistreating a Franco-Quebecer. Period. End of story. Do right by people is my credo. Quebec needs to let it go, man. We're all fellow citizens. I feel so honored to speak three languages and meander through the two solitudes like most of us do. Why must the state implicate itself in the relations of free citizens?

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    10. The sad legacy of an era of nanny state interventionism and linguistic revanchism whose obsolescence has been a long time coming.

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    11. @alex

      "I would never condone an English-Canadian organization mistreating a Franco-Quebecer."

      thumbs up, mate.

      "I feel so honored to speak three languages and meander through the two solitudes like most of us do."

      fantastic. you are very super.

      "Why must the state implicate itself in the relations of free citizens?"

      that's what states do, mate. are you against the rule of law?

      p.s. about the original bit that i wanted to underline, the italian version of pastagate, can i assume you agree it was distorted and that proud anglos should avoid celebrating the wide diffusion of falsities?

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    12. The timeline is important. The Italian article may have been published before the OQLF backtracked.

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    13. "that's what states do, mate. are you against the rule of law?"

      Not all laws are just. And laws that restrict linguistic and cultural freedoms are very problematic.

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    14. @True Montrealer,

      Let's not stop reminding them what an absolute laughing stock they are ...the world over. They really need the cold truth of this reality slapped on their faces for a while longer! Trust me on this one. They brag they are a nation....wonderful, a nation that police's Restaurant Menus!!!! Hahahhahahahahahhahah OMG...How irrelevant can anyone become!!!..Something right out of the absurd!!

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  5. He who is unwilling to compromise will be left with nothing.

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    1. Ben Kingsley won his first Oscar for the movie Gandhi 30 years ago...maybe 31. In his role of Gandhi, I never forgot something he said. "If you're killed for civil disobedience, they'll have your dead body, but not your obedience."

      That always resonated with me for the last three decades. What are the language cops going to do if everybody disobeys their ridiculous decrees? Kill you? Throw you in jail? Fine you for every cent you've got? I agree with the Editor. The OQLF sends you a page of paper? Throw them back a phone book! Then again, the language Nazis will consider this a blessing in disguise. Imagine all the people who will have to be hired just to go through the paperwork, the money the jobs will pay and the reductions in the unemployment levels in Quebec!

      Of course, imagine what the costs of that strategy will do to the debt levels in Quebec, but what's another few billion? It's bupkis!

      Delete
  6. LordDorchester

    The Public "SHAMING" of the OQLF and their PQ overlords on such a global scale is music to this Ethnic's ears. This is the only way we can communicate what nonsense goes on here to the rest of the World. The language Ayatollahs are in a tizzy and come off as clowns trying to defend the banning of languages from public view. Even some Francophones are beginning to question Bill 101. Twitter and Facebook helped ease The Arab Spring in 2011. Who knew it would also force the hand of the OQLF? The World has changed a lot since 1977. Money, ideas, thoughts criss cross the planet in seconds. Quebec can no longer maintain this artificial facade of a French only utopia. This may very well be a water shed moment.

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    1. Correction, LD: It's music to your cultural community's ears! You are correct though. The more this gets out in the world, the more embarrassing it will be for Quebec, and quite deservedly so. I think we should saturate the international media with Super Mario's ugly fuckface so he'll be on everybody's lips as the language baboon's ass. Knowing that fuckface baboon's ass, he'd love the publicity.

      Delete
  7. Francophones are fed up with loudmouth separatists as well… now the PQ is claiming that “Pastagate” was merely an “isolated” incident… yeah, right! Here’s a translation from a francophone blog:

    FROM: http://jomarcotte.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/pastagate-un-incident-isole/

    Pastagate: An isolated incident?

    FEBRUARY 25, 2013 BY JOANNE MARCOTTE

    The Minister responsible for the Charter of the French Language, Diane de Courcy, is asking us to consider the "pastagate" incident as being an one-time situation. "Do not judge the OQLF based on a single incident," she says.

    Alright. We will not judge them based on this single incident that is altogether insignificant. However, one could add the incident regarding Quebec City’s Portofino restaurant, in which the OQLF zealots asked them to remove "Pizza Pasta i Musica" from their window, as well as frp, all their promotional items.

    Let us also mention, as per the columnist Dominic Maurais, Quebec City’s Caffè Conti, which the OQLF wishes to force to hide the word "caffè", both outside and on its wine glasses. And then there is also Montreal’s Brasserie Holder, which recently received a visit from OQLF inspectors and were informed that the "Hold" and "Redial" keys on the phone as well as the ON/OFF button of the microwave were offensive.

    Yes, yes. One does not fool around with the machine buttons. According to the small business council spokesperson, "one of our members received a letter from the OQLF asking them to affix French stickers on the staff microwave!"

    In any event, multinationals are not to be left behind. Six companies (Best Buy, Costco, Gap, Old Navy, Guess and Wal-Mart) are not playing along with the OQLF. They will go to court because they do not wish to comply with their directive to add a generic term in French to their trade name, such as the word "store", for example.

    But let us not stop there. Let’s talk about the very well-known restaurant, Joe Beef. Yves Boisvert informed us in last Saturday’s La Presse about some misconduct by its the owner. According to him, the OQLF disagrees with some of their wall art, which includes, among other things, a souvenir from a visit to Prince Edward Island that says "Exit” as well as an antique sign above the staff toilet that says "Please leave this gate closed".

    But rest assured, people of the French language. The OQLF is not the only body that protects you against the invasion. There is also the omnipresent knight, Mario Beaulieu, of the Société St-Jean-Baptiste, who is now taking a swing against English-speaking churches (the United Church) and businesses such as IGA, Canadian Tire and Reitmans. And that is while the SSJB is instructing us not to worry about the "cultural genocide of francophones in Canada ".

    In his fervour to "defend" the French language, our Super Mario Bros would have us remove anglophone artists from the Fête Nationale. According to the SSJB Board Vice-President, Jean-Pierre Durand, "this is a war that we are fighting, (...) not a game of checkers! “. It is well known that anglophones are not "real" Quebecers, didn’t you know? So what is it that they would they have to celebrate?

    One should also give oneself the pleasure of reading the wonderful and entertaining text by Simon Jodoin on this topic.

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    1. Any other "isolated" cases?

      When Impératif Français, an organization that claims to "encourage freedom of opinion and freedom of expression in regards to global cultural diversity by promoting the French language ", learned about an English-language symposium on iron ore pelletizing in Quebec City, the event is seen as “contempt for Quebec society." Nothing less.

      One must say that the OQLF, the SSJB and IF may be inspired by their grandmasters of division.

      When a PQ minister refers to English as a “foreign language ", when the Minister of Higher Education states that "the future of our nation is not assured" following the publication of the latest census figures that stipulate the proportion of those who speak French most often at home went from 81.8% to 81.2% ... are we not entitled to wonder?

      When Pauline Marois refuses interviews with The Gazette in the midst of an election campaign (even though she had been reassured that said interview would be held in French), when a PQ candidate (NB: the defeated St-Henri candidate, Sophie Stanké) makes a distinction between “la Gazette” and “nous les Québécois”, when it is insinuated that an immigrant who speaks French at home is more valuable than an immigrant from Shanghai who speaks fluent French, when one wants to restrict access for francophones to English CEGEPs because it is of a time when young people establish "lasting friendships" and possibly a husband or wife, and when one uses the wish to increase the number of hours of history courses in order to justify the reduction of English classes and therefore further limit the exposure of youth to English, is it not time to wonder about the judgement of those who govern us?

      Oh, we too have our zealots and our excessives as well. Some believe that the learning of intensive English in primary school would once again make Quebecers "water carriers”. And then, there is always Gilles Proulx, who in his latest column, can always be trusted call "mentally retarded", "paranoid" and “hypocrites”, those who, according to him, believe that "the slow death of the French will never be fast enough."

      Let us not forget the former MNA, Pierre Curzi , our favorite conspiracy theorist, who once again finds it curious that "Pastagate" should occur so shortly after the deposition of Bill 14, which revises Bill 101.

      So to return to our initial thesis, was it an "isolated" case, Madame de Courcy? I don’t think so. Rather, it was an incident among so many others coming from those who would have us believe that the future and the quality of French depend mainly on laws, regulations, bureaucrats and especially on the learned incantations regarding the peril of English.

      To take up once again Simon Jodoin’s succulent phrasing, "If there is anything urgent in this dossier, this is it! To assure that “nous” are not all idiots. “

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    2. LD

      Audio link: Joanne Marcotte en a assez des idioties de l'OQLF

      http://www.radioego.com/ego/listen/13048

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    3. "The Minister responsible for the Charter of the French Language, Diane de Courcy, is asking us to consider the "pastagate" incident as being an one-time situation. "Do not judge the OQLF based on a single incident," she says."

      Again, this is not a bell you can un-ring...TOO F...BAD....now be sensible...AND BACK THE F...OFF...CAPISHE?...GOOD!

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    4. "Francophones are fed up with loudmouth separatists as well… now the PQ is claiming that “Pastagate” was merely an “isolated” incident… yeah, right! Here’s a translation from a francophone blog"

      Isolated???? hahahhahahahahahhahah....who cares anyway!!
      Regardless and more importantly: THIS IS NOT A BELL YOU CAN UN-RING!!!

      DEAL WITH IT!

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    5. ** opps...should read...THIS IS A BELL YOU CAN'T UN-RING !!!

      I was "over-zealous"...can you tell? Hahahhahahahah

      Pleaseeee...let me have some fun with this lolol

      Delete
  8. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYWednesday, February 27, 2013 at 6:21:00 AM EST

    quebec students have less debt since 2007:
    http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/opinions/chroniqueurs/201302/26/01-4625419-quebec-creve-le-mythe-de-lendettement.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B22_chroniqueurs_255095_section_POS2
    Funny that they still demonstrate in the streets, makes you wonder what they are all taught in CEGEPs and universities...

    Mean while in Calgary:
    New downtown public library to be built for $245M:
    http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/City+unanimously+approves+245M+downtown+central+library/8014598/story.html
    ---------------------
    Such a project in quebec would be either scaled back or cancelled altogether while the government would accuse Ottawa of being anti-quebec for not paying for it... All is well.

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    1. Yes, Calgary, then language spies would go through the material looking for "illegal English" in the books and periodicals of this public library. Nice touch BTW about getting Ottawa to pay for it!

      Oh, and think this through, Calgary: The students have less debt now than six years ago...well, student debt. Wait until the have to endure their "grown up" debt, i.e., all the debt accumulated. Like an old Fram filter commercial I used to watch on TV decades ago: "You can pay me now (ie., put in a $4 Fram filter) or pay me later" (when you sustain engine damage for considerably more than the cost of a Fram filter). Actually, here is the youtube commercial from 1972: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHug0AIhVoQ Think of the Fram oil filter as the extra tuition costs and the ring bearing job as the debt added to pay later.

      Delete
    2. "New downtown public library to be built for $245M"

      Dommage que cette future bibliothèque soit en compétition avec autant de centres commerciaux.

      Delete
    3. @un gars bs de calgary

      i think you should stop juxtaposing a calgary good news and a montreal bad news in order to give the impression that montreal is worse. it's just too easy, and it won't influence anybody that's at least a little bit clever.

      look at this, i'll do like you do:

      hey guys look at this stupid whitecourt albertans shoot at each other in broad daylight!
      http://tinyurl.com/bb868fx

      and meanwhile in quebec, "quebec toujours un oasis pour la sécurité"
      http://tinyurl.com/audoxqk

      you see? i can do it too! but i don't cause it's a cheap and sophistic method.

      consider this comment as an opportunity to up your game, mate.

      Delete
    4. @ un gars

      A 245 million dollar library in Calgary would be 600 million dollars, give or take 200M, in Quebec. This is why they couldn't afford it.

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    5. "give or take 200M, in Quebec"

      Surtout si elle est construite par des bouffeurs de "pasta" :)

      Delete
    6. @ SR "des bouffeurs de "pasta" ... et vous essayez de me dire que te pas raciste avec des commentaires comme ca.

      Those poor poor Québécois having to testify that they felt intimidated after having received all that money and never reporting the issue to "La Société" . Always playing the victims and never taking responsibility for your actions. The Charbonneau Commision is the perfect reflection of what Quebec is about ...... actually I stand corrected, the "pastagate" scandal is the perfect representation of what Quebec is about.

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    7. @buonanotte

      funny you try to associate charbonneau commission findings with the french canadian identity when this is part of your own contribution: http://tinyurl.com/d3kr6bb

      or maybe this was the previous administration?

      Delete
  9. I used to go to schools now under the Wilfrid Laurier School Board in another time when the elementary schools fell under the Protestant School Board of Greater St. Martin (before Laval officially became a city) and the high schools came under the North Island Regional School Board.

    The fact some Francophone passes around a memo in an English school board about French messages is ridiculous. As I read in a commentary, I thought English schools and boards, houses of worship and cultural community centers are exempt from the law. That's what I read from the Great Charter of Charters when it came out going on 36 years ago. This language gestapo is getting far too big for its britches. Editor is right. It's time to put Big Britches in its place.

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  10. A VIEW FROM FRANCE: More bewilderment from the French press, in this case, Le Nouvel Observateur:

    Francophonie: When the Quebec government is overzealous

    THE MOST. "Pasta, antipasti, insalata"… these are the words that one would expect to find on the menu of any Italian restaurant, including that of Massimo Lecas in Montreal. Except that, the Quebec Office of the French language has a different opinion. A falsehood or a real debate? It’s a return to small things that greatly drives some francophones across the Atlantic.

    Sticks and stones may break your bones, but it’s about time that it stops in Montreal when it comes to finicky and frankly embarrassing inspections by civil servants who monitor the primacy of French in the city’s public areas.

    The affair

    The scandal is called "Pastagate." The story? An inspector from the OLF went to an Italian restaurant in Montreal, Buonanotte, to inspect the menu, following a complaint from a single citizen.

    Indeed, the menu had a multitude of Italian names: pasta, insalata, antipasti. The OLF demanded that these words be translated into French. The story quickly found itself in the Montreal dailies and ignited social networks.

    On account of Bill 101, Quebec businesses and public institutions are required to ensure the predominance of French both in signage and in the workplace. A careful examination of the restaurant's menu would have revealed that the dishes were described in French beneath the Italian names. Such a review was not done.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otkd0HM5prQ

    The ministry responsible for the implementation of Bill 101 admits that their official showed excessive zeal. The OLF said it would not pursue the subject any further. However, news of the reprimand for the Italian restaurant was sent around the world and was rightly a source of amusement and derision. The Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" even took the time to ridicule the OLF.

    The ministry was quick to point out that the Buonanotte restaurant incident was an isolated case. A lost cause. Other frustrated entrepreneurs did not wait to contact the media to recount their own stories of error.

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    1. Finicky frenzy

      Maurice Holder, the owner of a Parisian-style brasserie in Old Montreal, was also entitled to a visit by a curt inspector from the OLF. He had to cover English words on his phone and kitchen implements with masking tape.
      However, he refused to comply with the inspector when he was told to Frenchify the restroom sign, which read “WC”. He said that the public toilets in France used this description. "That may be", said the inspector, "but it is not in my lexicon". Another restaurant, Joe Beef, had a problem with the OLF inspectors on account of its wall decorations that were in English.

      This finicky frenzy began before prior to the election of the sovereignist Parti Québécois minority government in September 2012. Since then, the PQ has made no secret of its intention to strengthen Bill 101.

      The Parti Québécois believes that action is needed to curb the anglicisation of Quebec’s metropolis. However, English is not gaining ground in Montreal but rather it is French that is losing. Francophones are deserting the island of Montreal and settling in the suburbs, where houses are cheaper and there is more green space. Meanwhile, on the island, the immigrant population increases. The children of these families speak French because they attend French schools. But for the most part, parents continue to express themselves in their mother tongue at home.

      As for anglophone Montrealers, they were 800,000 in the early 70s and are now less than 600,000. And the exodus may continue. A Radio-Canada poll shows that over 40% of Quebec anglophones would consider leaving the province following a PQ victory.

      Counter-productive

      It is not by forcing restaurants to Frenchify their menus by replacing words such as pasta , shish-taouk, sake, tzatziki and teriyaki that will return Montreal’s French panache. Rather, these absurd bureaucratic practices give the image of a narrow-minded government that is unsuited to globalization. It discourages the integration of immigrants rather than facilitating it.

      Montreal has much to offer. It is a cultural city where the cost of living is not high, which vibrates to the music of its summer festivals, has a lively downtown, with four universities, little crime, great restaurants and residents of diverse backgrounds who live with harmony. If they wish to contribute to the development of Montreal, OLF inspectors will definitely have to put something else on their plate.

      Delete
    2. Do we all agree this has been embarrassing?

      GOOD!! Hope we learnt our lesson! We all Love ..PASTA...AND WE WANT “ PASTA” ....to remain...PASTA!!!

      This has been embarrassing ....ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, ..AND YOU KNOW WHO... ’YOU’...ARE!

      Next time...don’t show up. No one will miss you and you’ll look better, the world over!!

      Hahahhahahaha ....(Schmucks!) LOL

      Delete
  11. And more ridicule from NPR...

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/02/26/172982758/pastagate-quebec-agency-criticized-for-targeting-foreign-words-on-menus#.US3p8jD_9_A.facebook

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for that entertaining story at the end! Had a good laugh with that one :)

    I really enjoy your posts, by the way. I no longer live in Quebec (moved away in 2009), but my family and all my old friends do, and so does my older daughter who is studying at McGill. So I hear about the news around there. Sometimes it's more entertaining than anything else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I no longer live in Quebec (moved away in 2009), but my family and all my old friends do..."

      Vous faites partie de la catégorie d'anglos que nous qualifions de B+ (Q.I légèrement supérieur à la moyenne)

      Comparatif : peggy = C-

      Delete
  13. You know, we are pretty lucky this incompetent PQ minority government came into power. A Quebec Liberal government would have been good for the economy but there would always be the pressure on it to introduce more language restrictions. Plus we know have chance for a more outward pro-minorities candidate like Couillard taking over the Quebec Liberal leadership.

    I mean this publicity that the OQLF got on itself wouldn't have happened had they not got a 6% budget increase. Also the business and restaurant owners are all coming out of the woodwork to get the OQLF language visits and infractions that the businesses are cited for. Its now a badge of pride to be in violation of OQLF.

    Also I think there will be another side effect, is for more American and World media doing reports on Quebec. More indepth reports that expose how the minorities are legislated against.

    I for one hope the PQ doesn't collapse too soon, because each additional week of PQ rule makes it closer to unrecoverable implosion. Also if past experience is repeated, when times get tough for the PQ, the internal squabble all heat up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good points, Jarry! Nothing like cranking up the government. Hopefully they'll continue to embarrass themselves internationally and that can only work for those of us against this exercise in fascism; furthermore, the more they have to backtrack, the more it'll stick to the nut-bars like Mario the Baboon's Ass and hopefully back up like a pipeful of raw sewage on Pauline Marios and her Minister of Propaganda, Jean-François Lisée, the kissing cousin of Josef Goebbels.

      Delete
    2. Plus we know have chance for a more outward pro-minorities candidate like Couillard taking over the Quebec Liberal leadership.

      My vote is for Moreau. Couillard's gambit smells a bit too Bourassaesque for my taste.

      Delete
    3. @apparatchik

      moreau, about negociations on constitutional changes said: "Un momentum doit exister qui ne dépende pas du seul intérêt de l’une ou l’autre des provinces. Ce momentum, à l’évidence, n’est pas là"

      he said that while the separatist admiral ship rules in quebec... isn't he somewhat disconnected?

      and what will he think when the "momentum" shows up? he'll become a separatist?

      Delete
    4. moreau [...] said: [...] Ce momentum, à l’évidence, n’est pas là" he said that while the separatist admiral ship rules in quebec... isn't he somewhat disconnected?

      About as disconnected as anybody who looks at how low the OUI option is polling these days and thinks it's probably not the time to howl about the need for constitutional changes. Even the separatist admiral ship, as you call it, cowers before reality, desperately looking to shelve a referendum in the short to medium term. If the PQ is disconnected from its own raison d'être, then heaven help this comedy of errors...

      and what will he think when the "momentum" shows up? he'll become a separatist?
      Well, given that he called himself "resolutely federalist", that would certainly be surprising. If anything, one could expect that if and when the climate -- nationally and not provincially, that is -- lends itself to discussing constitutional changes, then that's when a sober discussion has the best chance of taking place. Not with a knife to the throat, as has sadly been our modus operandi for decades.

      Delete
    5. @apparatchik

      fair enough. go moreau, then.

      what poll are you refering to, mate?

      Delete
    6. This one, numbnuts.

      "Si les Québécois étaient appelés à se prononcer dans un troisième référendum, le «non» l'emporterait de façon écrasante, à 61% contre 32%."

      Delete
    7. @ Jarry Street

      The longer they stay in power, the greater the chance they will self-implode...right into oblivion!!!! One only hopes!!!

      Delete
    8. @appartchick

      ah! that poll. here is the full study for reference: http://tinyurl.com/a3hqe7w

      the number you rely on to form your opinion, 32%, comes from page 17.

      this particular figure is not good for two main reasons.

      first it is the raw number before distributing the undecided. if all undecided don't vote you'll have 32/93 = 34%. if they are distributed following the proportion set by the decided you also get 34%.

      secondly, it is the only subject of the poll where they hide what the question was. who knows what the people have been asked.

      bad poll. designed to bring this number artificially lower.

      here is another, more recent poll, also by crop, but not ordered by l'idée fédérale, a federalist "think" tank.

      the number you are looking for is 38%.

      you're welcome, mate.

      Delete
    9. @appartichick

      oh! i forgot this reminder for you: you insult i win.

      Delete
    10. the number you rely on to form your opinion[...] is not good for two main reasons [...] if all undecided don't vote you'll have 32/93 = 34%.

      Soupir... encore une fois tu t'enfarges dans les fleurs du tapis.... because 34 percent... or even 38% support, instead of 32 percent, is what's going to objectively make a difference?! I know Pauline padded it with a few extra percent in her interview in Scotland a few weeks ago. I guess with a little reality and a little fiction, we'll have our country.

      Plus ça change...

      secondly, it is the only subject of the poll where they hide what the question was. who knows what the people have been asked.

      This is actually an excellent point. If anybody here is able/willing to ask Richard Vigneault (the individual listed as the official information contact for the survey at 514 497 1385) for direct comment on this point, I would be extremely grateful. I would very much like to know what the question(s) was/were for each of those iterations of the survey. It would be wrong to assume that the question was along the lines of "if the referendum on Quebec independence were held today, what would your vote be?"

      bad poll. designed to bring this number artificially lower.
      I share your frustration at the lack of information on the actual question asked. What numbers have been published in other recent polls on the same subject?

      oh! i forgot this reminder for you: you insult i win.
      Meh... Francophones are allegedly more of a minority with each passing second in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada. Does this bother me? About as much as knowing that White people around the world are becoming outnumbered by other "color groups" during that same time interval.
      You can't stop a train. Just get with the program.

      Delete
  14. The Polish article is actually good.
    It concludes saying that Quebec is currently ruled by a separatist party who forces the language battle because thay cannot push their separatist agenda.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some comments are pretty good too. I liked the one that goes: "I thought Canada was a normal country". Or: "A law on the purity of language for now, next there will be a law on the purity of race".



      Delete
    2. @paul and bielec

      how do you translate this one:

      "Po zobaczeniu w Warszawie okropnej nazwy biurowca "Saski Crescent" strasznej zbitki polsko angielskiej, jestem za podobnymi działaniami w Polsce. Inaczej pójdziemy na dyner z czipsami i sałatką"

      it was the most thumbed up comment...

      google translate gives:

      "After seeing the awful name of the Warsaw office "Saski Crescent 'Polish clusters terrible English, I'm for similar activities in Poland. Otherwise, go to Dyner of czipsami and salad."

      not quite clear what the guy means by similar activities. anybody fluent in polish around here?

      Delete
    3. "Some comments are pretty good too. I liked the one that goes: "I thought Canada was a normal country". Or: "A law on the purity of language for now, next there will be a law on the purity of race"."

      Wait..it's coming...BUT THEY WILL FAIL!!

      G-d is watching!!

      Delete
  15. I suggest store owners pots as many English signs as they can fit on their walls. You want to drown the OQLF in paperwork, this is the way. Remember they only have 15 field agents so imagine if each one had to spend 10 hours at the same location filling out paperwork on every infraction, it would take them days to investigate just one store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beaucoup de suggestions sur les médias sociaux mais très peu d'actions :(

      C'est quoi le problème des angryphones?

      Delete
    2. Actually, S.R., I wanted to address something you wrote in the last blog, so this is about as opportune a time as any (since I regularly ignore you).

      S.R Monday, February 25, 2013 at 12:11:00 PM EST

      You wrote: "I am tired of being in the same province as Seperatist Saguenay."
      Hit the 401 and good riddance!


      I just wanted to let you know you should be careful what you wish for. It may come true. I'm very pleased I hit the 401 going on 29 years ago.

      Considering the minority population making up 20% of your demographic contributes 40% of your tax base, my best advice to you is not to bite the hand that feeds you.

      Respond however you like. I'm sure it will be cocky, so I'll be sure to ignore it. It was a fluke I saw this one, believe me. À bientôt!

      Delete
    3. @sauga

      "I just wanted to let you know you should be careful what you wish for. It may come true. I'm very pleased I hit the 401 going on 29 years ago."

      are you suggesting your departure was a loss for quebec?!?!? how could that be, mate?

      Delete
    4. student: The taxes I'm paying in Ontario could have been going to Quebec...me and about 300,000 others like me who left Quebec over the years, had it not been for the language nonsense going on, we would ALL in all likelihood have been paying ALL those now lost tax dollars in Quebec. Assuming each of us paid $5,000 in income taxes (likely a whole lot more, at least speaking for myself) our income taxes (let alone sales and property taxes) would therefore have added up to $15,000,000,000 (that's billion, mate, billion!). Oh well, all those beautiful income tax dollars going elsewhere. Your loss, mate! Read it and weep!

      Delete
    5. "mate", "mate", "mate"...

      At what point did affecting a Cockney or Australian verbal tick become fashionable, at least on this site? Kind of aggravating...

      Delete
    6. @sauga

      ok now you have to offset this amount by the income taxes paid by the 300000 immigrants that came over since. what's the new total sauga?

      Delete
    7. Why is everything an either or with you? A lot of us think having both languages and both sets of tax payers would improve the place.

      Delete
    8. @confusedinquebec

      i don't understand your question, mate.

      Delete
    9. student, to answer your question, I don't know what the new immigrants are contributing to the Quebec tax base, but I will tell you this: Based on the fact the ethnic minorities AHEM I mean cultural communities make up around 20% of the demographic and 40% of the tax base, it is not a wise move to alienate the aliens since they are the hand that is feeding you trolls, mate.

      That being said, I now really, really hope the CAQ (and the PLQ, too? Why not?) don't vote down Bill 14 as it will be the perfect downfall for an already falling Quebec economy. Perhaps it will once and for all show Quebec (and the world who will ridicule the ridiculousness of it all as the level of stupidity increases) that an anal fixation on language is not the be-all and end-all of Quebec's economic welfare. Adding ridiculous costs of doing business to the price of goods and services sold, and endlessly frustrating business owners with over regulation will eventually cause them to leave where the only stress in other jurisdictions will be catering to difficult customers alone, without the added aggravation of difficult government.

      Time for your society to get its priorities straight, maight!

      Delete
    10. @student: Let me rephrase: Why try to force an exclusive disjunction (either/or) instead of celebrating the possibilities that a conjunction (both/and) would allow?

      Delete
    11. "mate", "mate", "mate"...

      At what point did affecting a Cockney or Australian verbal tick become fashionable, at least on this site? Kind of aggravating..."

      OMG I think i have a crush on you Apparatchik !!

      Delete
    12. @sauga

      "I don't know what the new immigrants are contributing to the Quebec tax base..."

      ok well so long for your 15 BILLIONS!!! argument, mate.

      "I mean cultural communities make up around 20% of the demographic and 40% of the tax base..."

      where does that come from, mate? the source, i mean. the details of the calculation.

      Delete
    13. OMG I think i have a crush on you Apparatchik !!
      Please, oh please, be an attractive woman ;-)

      Delete
  16. Defund the OLF. That agency waste tax money for ridiculous "projects" on the dime of Quebec. Jean "Tax and Spend" Charest raise sales tax and broke the effort by Prime Minister Harper to decrease sales tax and increase sales tax. http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Gloomy+outlook+this+year+Quebec+retail+sector/7960211/story.html

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would like to know why the separatists don't move from here - they're not wanted by the majority of us so why don't they leave for France or an other country that would appreciate troublemakers more than we do. Did anyone watch the girl being interviewed on TV when the kids were out vandalizing the cars and buildings last night - when asked if it was OK to increase taxes to pay for their education, she casually said "sure". Talk about a spoiled society that we live in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we need distinct regions, like in Ontario, where Eastern Ontario offers bilingual service.
      Most separatist are in Saguenay, Quebec city, Gaspe, Central Quebec, North Shore and Eastern Montreal.
      Pontiac, Outaouais, Western Laurentien, Western Montreal, Sherbrooke are distinct regions that do not want the incompetent OLF meddling in their affairs.
      Concerning tuition fees, most Quebec don't mind paying taxes. Support for the communist Quebec Solidaire is 9%, which is pretty high for a communist party. I even heard one saying she didn't mind driving down broken road, if it meant having subsidized daycare.

      Delete
    2. YES BACK TO FRANCE WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE!

      Delete
  18. Sounds like a great idea Liam but there is no way the militants would ever let that happen - to them it would be exactly like partition unfortunately. If we ever, ever, get lucky enough to have a STRONG federalist provincial party with a majority that would put the seppies in their place, they could probably even get the backing of the feds for something like that but again there would probably be bombings and kidnappings or marching in the streets with vandalizing everything at will, no matter that in the end the taxpayers pay for the damage. Lawlessness is more than acceptable by most of these militants.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I agree this province needs a Federalist Conservative Party to reign in the debt and cut the OLF although most Quebecker are deluded socialist unable to understand economics. I remember a separatist telling me that OLF was beneficial to Quebec economy since it created opportunities in translation business. Haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It would be nice Liam (to elect a party that cared about the bottom line) but I think until some hardships hit this place, they will not back off the socialism.

      Delete
    2. Cutie & Liam: Ye gad! Do you both believe in fairies too? This is all wishful thinking. For your dreams to have even a snowball's chance in hell of happening, you'll need the PQ to pass their legislation (good chance as I cannot see CAQ going against the separatists, esp. when they are separatists themselves). They'll continue to make complete jackasses of themselves the way they are now, to the breaking point where the ethnic minorities AHAAAK AHEM! uh...I mean cultural communities actually rebel the way the Editor suggests (creating a legal paper nightmare for the OQLF) or Beryl Wajsman's suggestion of a tax revolt, i.e., withholding taxes due creating a cash crunch).

      If Harper wanted to really help, he would roll back equalization payments to $1 per resident in Quebec, i.e., a 99% cut in equalization.

      Like I wrote in the last blog, I doubt the cultural communities have the chutzpah to rebel, and this would have been much, much more effective had it been done when Bill 22 came out going on 39 years ago, or even about 20 years ago when Howard Galganov was the morning man at CIQC, held rallies, fundraisers and other means of fighting against the discrimination against the English language in Quebec. Click on the hyperlink and see what the title of his book was.

      Now get out there and protest. I believe there is a protest coming up tomorrow night if I'm correct, so GET OUT THERE!

      Delete
    3. Mr. Sauga - You're more upset than we are and that's saying something - I appreciate your comments but as I've said before, I was a young working mother at the time of Mr. Galganov and never ever thought it would grow into the huge millstone around our necks that it has become. Maybe not a great excuse but then again I never foresaw what would also happen in my own personal life whereby I would be where I am today which unfortunately is still here in quebec. I'll also bet that poor Liam was in diapers if even born then. And speaking of which, what protest tomorrow night? The only protest I've heard anything about is the students and that's in Montreal and I have no interest in participating in anything to do with tuition hikes which I think are just fine.

      Delete
    4. @sauga

      "...Howard Galganov was the morning man at CIQC, held rallies, fundraisers and other means of fighting against the discrimination against the English..."

      and he does that by proposing to "wipe out franco language and culture". dude you have to chose another hero. this one is not very good.

      http://tinyurl.com/8xsulf6

      Delete
    5. Galganov should focus less of his efforts on trying to (histrionically) wipe out French in Ontario and more time pointing out how hypocritical it is for courts to uphold the moral justification for giving Eastern Ontario a legislatively-enforced bilingual face while their counterparts across the border in Quebec are vilified for "hacking away" some of the most comparatively minor provisions of bill 101.

      Delete
    6. @ Mr. Sauga,

      Wish you would not have moved away. Wish you were still with us, fighting these assholes down. Tyranny is vicious, I get you need a strong stomach.

      Wish you were here!

      Delete
    7. App and student: H.G. is NOT out to wipe out ANYTHING with respect to French, just give English, and French too, full legal equality. I'm not going to argue with the two of you or anyone else over this. I suggest you read his blog. Sadly, he's focusing too much on the U.S. right now, but he does so because most people who contribute to his blog are Americans, so this is where the lion's share of his focus lies, and that's his business.

      Delete
    8. @sauga

      "...H.G. is NOT out to wipe out ANYTHING with respect to French..."

      so what does the cited title mean, then, mate?

      here it is for reference: "How to wipe-out the Franco Ontarian Language & Culture".

      Delete
    9. Did you even read the brochure you referenced, student? I think not. The title was somewhat misleading. All Galganov said was that forcing Franco-Ontarians to put English on their commercial signage (as in forced bilingual signage) would contribute to the downfall of their language and culture. An exaggeration perhaps, but at no point did he advocate for their destruction. A Francophone even joined him in his litigation against the forced bilingual signage.

      Delete
    10. @durham

      "...forcing Franco-Ontarians to put English on their commercial signage (as in forced bilingual signage) would contribute to the downfall of their language and culture."

      and does this apply to quebec as well? it kind of justifies folks that try to go french only, doesn't it?

      Delete
    11. Galganov called for freedom of expression - which should be the goal of any decent, civilized society.

      If someone wants to put a sign up in French only in Quebec - fine. But English shouldn't be banned or restricted either.

      Delete
    12. App and student: H.G. is NOT out to wipe out ANYTHING with respect to French, just give English, and French too, full legal equality. I'm not going to argue with the two of you or anyone else over this. I suggest you read his blog.

      He's too rabidly pro-Zionist for my liking and more importantly, his angle on language is decidedly less about exposing the absurdity of the asymmetry between eastern Ontario and (south)western Quebec than I'd like it to be. Given the groundbreaking work he did in Montreal in the mid-to-late 90's, I would have expected him to hit the nail on the head despite moving away, rather than sinking to depths never before seen for a language activist in English Canada. Besides, the real anglo activism to be had is in Quebec, just like French needs the most help in English Canada.

      I grew up loving the fact that this man had the balls to haul his own ass to the OQLF and tell the petty arriviste functionaries there to speak to him in English (on camera!) because he was paying their salary. (Probably one of the only francophone kids on my street to do so). Now I'm just disappointed that he's let his own anger set the tone for everything else he does.

      Not an objective answer, to be sure. Just my opinion.

      Delete
    13. Yes, Galganov was fight for freedom of speech and the right to put up whatever sign, English, French or both. Which is what we should be fighting for. Appeasement was not the way we should have handled it right from the start and Mr. Sauga is correct - we should have stood our ground then. Now that they have proven nothing but total extinction of every English community in quebec is their goal, we have to start the fight from scratch. Wish I had been wiser those many years ago.

      Delete
  20. C'était ma première fois à Montréal ce week-end passé, et je me suis bien amusé vraiment. Evidemment je n'ai pas passé beaucoup de temps pour vivre ce que les anglos vivent au quotidien. Mais quand j'y étais (au centre ville principalement), je n'ai pas entendu beaucoup de gens qui parlent anglais. Moi, même si je ne parle pas le français couramment, je me suis lancé en français quand même pour montrer le respect. Mais tout le monde m'ont répondu en anglais. Je crois que c'est important de preserver la langue française et la culture Québecoise, mais peut être au lieu d'imposer des lois comme 101, pourquoi pas promouvoir la langue. There are a ton of people who are attracted to the french language because of its inherent charm. Pour dire que le français est menacé au Quebec, je ne sais pas si c'est vraiment ce qui se passe. I think that making it more attractive to learn instead of forcing it down on other people would help preserve it more. BTW, je ne suis pas canadien. Je viens de l'Asie. Just my 2 cents.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly the way most normal people feel - I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Most quebecers are normal, nice, hardworking citizens; it's unfortunate that we have the problems we do with the militants.

      Delete
    2. @goldenapple

      "Je crois que c'est important de preserver la langue française et la culture Québecoise, mais peut être au lieu d'imposer des lois comme 101, pourquoi pas promouvoir la langue."

      why not both, mate? promotion, and a law. a law like in a lot of other countries, as you should know. bill 101 is not an oddity.

      http://tinyurl.com/c3vpdy6

      Delete
    3. I love that the article at that last link, written by none other than the very Francosupremacist Louis Préfontaine, lists a disturbingly large number of nations that are patently un-free while trying to demonstrate that legislatively curbing linguistic freedom is a healthy and natural thing.

      Still, it's refreshing that one rather dogged commentator there musters the nerve to call a horse a horse.

      Delete
    4. Loi Toubon is nowhere near as draconian as your 101. And we don't attack people in the street for speaking English.

      Delete
    5. Fortunately.

      But your loi Toubon is our Charte's uglier younger sister. Nothing to brag about.

      Delete
    6. @apparatchik

      "...written by none other than the very Francosupremacist Louis Préfontaine,..."

      two wrongs here, mate. first he didn't write it, but a dude at université laval did. he copied it. check out references next time. then the ad hominem attack is...well... as crap an argument as always.

      "...lists a disturbingly large number of nations that are patently un-free..."

      here again a few wrongs. first of all it's not because a country has a bad overall reputation that all its laws are bad, which is what you are suggesting here. and also, you are suggesting that list is mostly made up of bad countries, which is false, as it includes france, the usa, uk, south africa, argentina, belgium, brasil, spain, ireland, iceland, latvia, turkey, etc.

      Delete
    7. @french boy now nyer

      "Loi Toubon is nowhere near as draconian as your 101."

      well maybe french in france is in a stronger position than french in north america.

      Delete
    8. two wrongs here, mate. first he didn't write it, but a dude at université laval did. he copied it.
      The top of the site says: Publié le 20 novembre 2012 par Louis Préfontaine. While Louis doesn't claim to compile the statistics, he does use them as fodder to justify his own rant about applying bill 101 to cegep, and making it sound like anybody who calls for moderation is a weak-kneed bleeding heart anglomaniac.

      check out references next time.
      Oh but I did check the references. And I also checked the person claiming credit for publishing the entire article, references and comments.

      By the way, I notice you like to pick on inconsequential tangents in peoples' assertions in a desperate bid to make them look like idiots while hoping to make yourself appear thorough. The trouble with that is that you actually discredit yourself by veering off topic.

      then the ad hominem attack is...well... as crap an argument as always.
      I call Louis Préfontaine a Francosupremacist because he espouses what I feel are ultra-hawkish positions that are as needless to protect French in Quebec as they are detrimental to all of us living in harmony, irrespective of language.

      first of all it's not because a country has a bad overall reputation that all its laws are bad, which is what you are suggesting here.
      If a country has a bad overall reputation (your formulation), perhaps one should bear that "overall reputation" in mind when examining how it approaches its minorities' languages... or anything minority-related, really.

      you are suggesting that list is mostly made up of bad countries, which is false
      As Christ said, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"... but I digress...

      it includes france[...]
      ...the country that passed that hijab-banning law?

      the usa
      ...the country that passed the PATRIOT Act, which kills its own citizens (and others) with impunity using remote-controlled drones, and which practices extraordinary rendition?

      ... uk...
      ...a country that during the Troubles had no qualms curtailing the civil liberties of Northern Irish nationalists?

      ...south africa
      ...violence, repression, and savagery didn't end with Apartheid. See here for an example.

      ...argentina
      ...fortunately better now, but I suppose that's the least we might expect from a country that carried out terrorism against its own citizens.

      ...belgium
      ... not too bad overall... yet a nation ripped apart by a language divide that doesn't need to be.

      ...brasil
      ... where slavery(!), police violence, systematic torture, and brutality against natives is just as alive and well as capoeira?

      Delete
    9. ...spain
      ... another country, like Argentina, that is doing significantly better now, but not too long ago (read up on Franco if you care to) wasn't a stranger to state-sanctioned violence and disappearances...

      ...ireland
      ...a country whose religious fanaticism continues to deny women abortion on demand?

      ...iceland
      ... another comparatively better country in terms of human rights. But by no means perfect.

      ...latvia
      ... a post-Soviet state that routinely discriminates against Russians, non-citizens, detainees, women, and homosexuals. Nice!

      ...turkey, etc.
      ...why does their whole Kurdish thing come to mind, in addition to that country's ongoing schizophrenic struggle to figure out whether their human rights philosophies should be patterned on a modern or backward European model.

      I stand by my statement:
      Still, it's refreshing that one rather dogged commentator there musters the nerve to call a horse a horse.

      Delete
    10. well maybe french in france is in a stronger position than french in north america.
      Again the 350-to-7 justification. By that logic, since Quebec francophones will continue to be a minority on this continent, it is perfectly fair to enact draconian laws to protect French here in Quebec -- where we ARE a majority!

      If only your logic were as unassailable as your imagination is fertile.

      Delete
    11. You're wasting your time by replying to student Apparatchik. It is not going to improve matters. Especially when you bring up sensitive topics like abortion and Northern Ireland republicanism. He's just coming here to cause trouble. If he wasn't, he'd be on vigile.net instead of here.

      Delete
    12. Meh, I just wish he'd put more rigor and thought into his comments before maladroitly pulling half-baked cherry-picked epic failures out of his ass.

      As for causing trouble, I'd just say he causes nuisance headaches. He's his own straw man argument, which is an insult to his screen name.

      Delete
    13. Bien heureux de savoir que mes interventions te procurent tant de plaisir.

      Tu pardonneras... par contre... j'espère... mon excès de pédanterie. Le juge, jury, et bourreau qu'est Louis Préfontaine m'avait alors reproché d'anglomanie. Péquisme oblige, il est interdit d'aimer (-philie) ce qui est de langue anglaise chez nous. Lorsqu'on est atteint d'une anglotropie quelconque, c'est qu'on est sans doute atteint d'une véritable folie (-manie) ;-)

      Delete
    14. @appartchick

      dude i am not digressing. goldenapple first suggested quebec lets go the law as it appears to him an odd way of protecting a language and culture.

      i went on proposing a list of countries that do the same, proving it's not odd at all. how is this digressing please?

      on the other hand you are the one totally digressing off topic here mate. and big time cherry picking: one bad episode in the past of every decent country to try to delegetimate their language laws?!? come on now. i mean ireland gives a hard time to women who want to abort, so their language laws are not good?!?! appartheid not totally curbed yet in south africa, so their laws to protect local cultures are wrong?!?!? wtf, mate?

      just admit quebec's politics are quite common and move on. there's not much else you can do here, mate.

      Delete
    15. @edm

      "He's just coming here to cause trouble."

      you are funny. almost seems like you would prefer if this was a "bashing only" site rather than a "bashing with some discussion" site.

      Delete
    16. @appartchick

      "since Quebec francophones will continue to be a minority on this continent, it is perfectly fair to enact draconian laws to protect French here in Quebec -- where we ARE a majority!"

      yes francophones are a majority in quebec. and they are even a hundred per cent in la tuque, maybe. but this is pointless.

      you have to consider the boundary of the sphere of cultural influence here, and this is north america, where french canadians represent a tiny and culturally fragile fraction.

      Delete
    17. "...where french canadians represent a tiny and culturally fragile fraction"

      Le angryphones ont beaucoup de difficultés à saisir cette réalité...Pourtant très simple.

      Delete
    18. @Student

      I completely understand the reason and motivation behind these laws. Sometimes, it does not need to be purely logical as my impression is that it is also very much sentimental. Protecting the culture and identity of Quebec, even if it does drive businesses away, is a legitimate motivation if Quebecers feel strongly about this issue. I'm just not sure that nitpicking every english sign is the way to go? It just makes me sad to see a division among the people (and I did feel this when I spoke English in public, and yes to the STM personnel! lol, I looked like an idiot when I couldn't understand what the woman was telling me). I might attend McGill this fall, which is why I am trying to at least educate myself on what's going on in the region. Anyway, why not try revising 101 to include incentives to businesses who use french? I can see the argument with the descriptors or at least signs on storefronts, but changing the word pasta kind of takes away from the whole restaurant theme. I always thought that busting out French or English without a trace of an accent was badass. Montrealers were wayyyy awesome in this regard! :)

      Delete
    19. The 350-to-7 justification is just that - a justification. The 350-7 fact alone is double edged, in another time, place or universe, it could be used for an opposite ideology: since we are 7M and our neighbors 350M, we better ensure our population can speak their language, we better open our minds an souls to that language, we better become bilingual, especially if we add the following: their language is the lingua franca, their language is the language of business, AND the new economic times require relocation, so if I'm in Montreal today, tomorrow I might have to relocate to another city on the continent (the times when one could spend his entire career in one company are over).

      The 350-7 excuse is a minor reason for anything that goes on in this province. The major reason is the lust for power of those who claim to act in defense of the population, their self-aggrandizement, their vanity, all of which is typical of the middle classes in a formerly colonized population, classes which are sick of being marginalized and now want their time to shine.

      Delete
    20. If the 7M were never colonized, but lived, prospered, free to pursue and fulfill their ambitions side by side with the 350M, then today the pragmatism would take over: all of the 7M would be bilingual with the active role of their government in attaining bilingualism (as is the case in Holland, Sweden, Denmark)

      The problem is that the 7M have been colonized and marginalized. and as Franz Fanon writes in "The Wretched of the Earth", such a population once liberated is always tempted to imitate the "white policeman" that wielded a stick over them. Instead of banishing the policeman, it wants to assume his role.

      Fanon as well as other famous writers on colonialism (Memmi, Cesaire) were very concerned about the POST colonial phase, as they were well aware of the temptation of the formerly colonized to ape the former colonizer. Fanon in his works appealed to the post colonial people for, as he phrased it: the invention of new souls. According to Fanon, the goal of the native (formerly colonized) intellectual cannot be to replace the white policeman, but to find a new soul. However, he recognized the attraction of becoming a white policeman, and lamented that fact.

      A new soul has not been found in the post-1970s QC, instead a total aping of the colonizer in the form of "les maitres chez nous" has taken place. What didn't help here was the fact that the local population of QC were former colonizers themselves, thus finding the soul from 350 years ago was easier than finding a completely new one. The same thing happened with the Dutch Reformist Boers in South Africa, after they had thrown off the yoke of the British. They pursued as new masters for almost 100 years until well into the 1990s.

      Delete
    21. Sad that we never learn from history adski. Thank you.

      Delete
    22. @ adski

      Small side note to this idea of “les maîtres chez nous” lol, since you brought it up. I had the incredible opportunity to spend some time in Washington DC for a conference down there, the past few days. During dinner with some fellows from “Home Land Security”, I mentioned the whole #pastagate incident for a laugh. I borrowed one of their Iphones and showed them. They were literally on the floor cracking up. One of them, however, after a few red wines, says to me, “You know, we could just roll over and crush you, overnight, if we wanted to, you realize that, don’t you? “Why would you ever want to do that?” I asked laughingly drinking my white chardonnay LOL. He replied: “Oh, just cause we can”, and before taking another sip he says, “You can appreciate that we’re in everybody’s business, ...it’s who we are”. He put the glass down and continued “Did I mention I’m half Italian, ...yup..great-grandfather’s side”, the entire time smirking, laughing and drinking his red wine. I’m sure it was all said ‘in-jest’ especially since I’m petty convinced he was drunk, but I was astounded anyway. No doubt he remembered none of what he said the day after; but since people really do tell you what they are thinking, when they are drunk...I’d pay attention. LOL

      Let’s not downplay pastagate. The world community is watching and they are NOT AMUSED. Let this be a “Lessons Learnt”, AND.... let’s back the f...off and be sensible about what we are doing with laws regarding language in this province.

      That’s if we want to remain...the so-called... “maître chez nous”!

      Delete
    23. AnecTOTE, thanks for bringing this up.

      I believe I've mentioned this issue looooong time ago, in one of my first posts. Qc as a statehood would have far less political and economical leverage in the 'partnership' that is NA. Just sayin'. And to make things more interesting, I doubt Qc as a nation would have the current population and geographical borders.

      Delete
    24. “You know, we could just roll over and crush you, overnight, if we wanted to, you realize that, don’t you?"

      Les amerlocs avaient dit la même chose pour l'Afghanistan...Errr

      Delete
    25. peux-tu me définir le mot "Anglotropie"? C'est un suffixe qui m'est étranger, je l'avoue.
      "tropos" (τρόπος) = suffixe grec pour "qui se tourne vers...", virage/orientation.


      [...] i am not digressing. goldenapple first suggested quebec lets go the law [...] i went on proposing a list of countries that do the same, proving it's not odd at all. how is this digressing please?

      "It's normal because everybody else does it". With that twisted logic, Quebec should be majority English-speaking because everybody else on the continent is.

      on the other hand you are the one totally digressing off topic here mate. and big time cherry picking: one bad episode in the past of every decent country to try to delegetimate their language laws?!?
      I tend to view language freedom as a type of freedom of expression. And I view freedom of expression as a civil/human rights issue. Curbing that right through legislation is something I view as an attack on the targeted group. No country or group of people is immune to tyrranny -- either in a contemporary or a historical context. In that vein, I don't think I'm digressing at all: demonstrating how practically each of the countries enumerated is guilty of some human rights violation or other, I have demonstrated how attempting to justify tyranny by saying "this is normal" is both an intellectual shortcut and a shameful cop-out.

      just admit quebec's politics are quite common and move on. there's not much else you can do here, mate.
      Imagine if Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King (circa 1955) believed that kind of garbage.

      you have to consider the boundary of the sphere of cultural influence here, and this is north america, where french canadians represent a tiny and culturally fragile fraction.

      It's not because we're a minority that we can bully our own minorities. Not even when those minorities historically bullied us. Two wrongs don't make a right. Not now. Not ever.

      The 350-7 excuse is a minor reason for anything that goes on in this province. The major reason is the lust for power of those who claim to act in defense of the population, their self-aggrandizement, their vanity, all of which is typical of the middle classes in a formerly colonized population, classes which are sick of being marginalized and now want their time to shine [...] The same thing happened with the Dutch Reformist Boers in South Africa, after they had thrown off the yoke of the British.

      I couldn't agree more. The plebs have arrived. And just like nouveau riches from time immemmorial, their gawdy shows of power and influence will, in time, prove to be their undoing.

      My only wonder is whether our grandchildren will eventually abandon French in droves BECAUSE of the Quiet Revolution's excesses, just as our parents cast off the yoke of religion -- something considered impossible just a generation earlier.

      Delete
  21. For your information and viewing if possible.

    New post on alliancequebec2

    Really Coool!
    by alliancequebec2
    Gonna be on Global AM tomorrow with Richard Dagenais somewhere around the 8:05-8:20 point.
    Tune in - support, write - it's going to be a great interview... I feel it in my bones! :)
    Ca commence! Ian :)
    alliancequebec2 | February 27, 2013 at 9:14 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2Tdzs-aZ

    ReplyDelete
  22. I just got this from Montreal craigslist rants and rave section: http://www.theonehourstartup.com/the-beggars-next-door-one-hour-startup/

    The writer is a guy from Québec who live now in Toronto and it makes me sad when I see what could have happened for Montreal. In Québec we punish people for working hard or making efforts.

    My father has a shop near the american border with lots of sign in english to help all the americans that com in, but I wonder how long until someone tries to make trouble for him. But in Toronto, you have so many sign in chinese and no one cares, they buy their stuff anyways and just do their thing,

    I don't understand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @leblanc

      "In Québec we punish people for working hard or making efforts."

      can you give an example of a guy that got punished for working hard in quebec? frankly i don't recall any.

      "But in Toronto, you have so many sign in chinese and no one cares... (...) I don't understand."

      maybe it's because toronto is not the only big english city on a chinese continent?

      think about it.

      Delete
    2. Don't reply to student. He knows he's wrong. He's just trying to cause trouble. I could easily shoot down his comment, but I know that's exactly what he wants us to do anyway, so I won't give him that satisfaction.

      Delete
    3. "In Québec we punish people for working hard or making efforts."

      My wife sometimes punishes me and it's hot.

      Delete
    4. Thank you EDM - he is the most irritating person on this or any other blog. Ignore him for sure and maybe he'll just go away.

      Delete
    5. @edm

      "I could easily shoot down his comment,..."

      well then just do it, mate.

      shooting down an argument is more effective than saying you could shoot it down, by the way.

      come on, hit me baby!

      Delete
    6. maybe it's because toronto is not the only big english city on a chinese continent?

      You mean like Hong Kong?

      Delete
    7. Student's argumentation techniques are flawless!

      Delete
    8. @editor

      previous comment at 2:01:00 is not from me. can you remove it please?

      Delete
    9. I wouldn't expect much cooperation from the editor. I'm sure he's well aware that your only intention is to flame his board.

      I miss 'super student'. Hopefully he will return. His comments were far more pertinent and interesting than yours, LOL.

      Delete
    10. @durham

      he did remove comments from impostors before. so i have hope.

      and i'm not here to flame his board.

      Delete
    11. @editor

      previous comment at 5:58:00 is not from me. can you remove it please?

      Delete
    12. Uncle Pester,

      You mean like Hong Kong whose majority of inhabitants are native cantonese speakers, where there are very few native english speakers and where about one third of the population speak english as a second language, mainly for business and to interact with foreigners?

      You mean like Hong Kong which has been part of China for two milleniums and part of the british empire for not much more than a century?

      Delete
  23. We don't understand either Lebanc - I hope they leave your dad alone and let him run his business the way he sees fit but these militants are increasingly hostile to anything other than pur laine francophones that abide by the rule of the law (Bill 101) to the letter, it seems. That's why this province will never flourish - people resent being pushed around by bullies when they pay taxes and mind their own business. In quebec you're punished for this. We are considered as pushovers to those militants because we really don't stand up for ourselves. I hope the federalists get their act together to overpower these people for the good of everyone, before there are even bigger problems that we will have to face.

    ReplyDelete
  24. This organization is working on exactly what we need - especially for you Liam
    http://critiq.ca/en/critiq/principles-principes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, CRITIQ is a good organization. Unfortunately, no party could get elected if it proposed what it proposed.I may donate some money to them. Sorry, during the last elections, I wanted to support Liberals but I couldn't support Charest with his tax increase. That is why I voted for CAQ, especially for his tax reductions for middle class families. I know Legault was a former separatist but I think Quebec needed a new fiscal strategy. If the Liberal promise to keep a tighter control on spending, I would gladly support them.

      Delete
    2. I don't blame you - everyone has the right to vote for what they think will help - that's what democracy is all about - to each their own. Until we hear some policies out of the liberals, I haven't made up my mind who I will vote for but, as you know, I wish we had more choice to select from. Not impressed by the Quebec Conservative Party - sent a small e-mail to them but have not received a response. CRITIQ is not going to be a political party from what I gather, rather a pressure organization to get all the things we have been talking about. I'm going to volunteer for them and see what comes to be. Perhaps they will be like an Anglophone version of IM whereby they can take measures to protect and ensure that we do not lose any more access to services in English. Unfortunately when you read the separatist's comments on line they seem to feel that all the potential leaders of the liberals are much more nationalist than Charest. That alone is scary.

      Delete
    3. Well, I admit I considered the Quebec Conservative Party, and was unimpressed. Yes, all of them seem more nationalist then Charest, including Bachand, who was a separatist. I might volunteer for CRITIQ if hey come to Hull. I'll keep pressuring the QCP to get it's act together. I'll give Harvey the benefit of the doubt and he might have been surprised by the summer elections. I hope I could support him next elections.

      Delete
    4. "...if hey come to Hull." Errr

      Gatineau,Liam,Gatineau.

      Delete
    5. "Gatineau,Liam,Gatineau."

      Err... Hull existe toujours:

      http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/recherche.aspx?s=hull

      D-

      Delete
  25. This is directed at Student from an earlier thread. You're borderline trolling trying to defend the indefensible.

    When people like Beaulieu say the nonsense they do, they're more like Lyndon LaRuche in their conspiratorial idiocy. When someone enters your place of business to which you faithfully employ people and pay your taxes, you should not be subjected to bureaucratic prejudice based on words. If you can't see this is horrible for our image then what can I say?

    I fail to see how this is blown out of proportion. Again, it's the ACTION that made it go viral. NPR is running with it. Don't you get it?

    Are you seriously equating the OLF with the Rule of Law because if you are, you have some serious brushing up to do about a fundamental basic point enshrined in Western civics and law: THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

    Quebec, contrary to its excuses passing off as intellectualism, has NO RIGHT to infringe on civil liberties like it does. It has NO MORAL RIGHT to demand and coerce where people go to school, what language they speak and how they choose to live. NONE. Zero. There is no argument to be made. If you do, then you enter the realm of tyranny.

    Yes, the laws get passed 'democratically' but even within democracy tyranny exists. My Lord, did Quebec eliminate basic concepts of freedom from their history books as well? I know revisionism is rampant, but seigneur, please tell me it isn' this bad!

    So, no, it's not what free states do. They shouldn't anyway. Down south a police state is slowly growing eroding piece by piece the Constitution. Canada is not too far off with the pettinesss of the OLF.

    Which points to your last point. No. I do not agree and reject it outright. It was a basic infringement of FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. It wasn't blown out of proportion.

    Next time, don't behave so despotic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Alex

      Alex...I can tell you are new to this blog because you are wasting time with student.
      ”Cautionary tale”, we’ve all done the same thing at one time or another. At a certain point, we tried to convince him he’d kill himself skydiving without a parachute, but he went ahead and did it anyway. What you are talking to are foregone reminisces of a damned soul who won't rest, LOL. Also noteworthy, it’s coming to you from the trenches of Hell.

      Please ignore him, he is not pretending to be nor is he borderline...., HE IS A TROLL, and on a mission to, annoy, distract, misdirect and finally sabotage the good intentions of this blog. Ultimately, he is just a bore, quite frankly, this is his...'raison d’être'. I no longer read or respond to his posts. I really don’t, but I still I obviously read everyone else’s post and notice people still interacting with him. Word to the wise, it is just a waste of time, which is an objective of his...make YOU...waste your time. Hopefully, before long, Editor will do away with him or he’ll just die off literally and figuratively lol on his own when finally, no one gives him the time of day. Hope springs eternal !!!

      ps: Thank you for your post I totally enjoyed it...loved the whole..FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION..I've been saying it and repeating this for a long time now. HELLO...THE FEDS...IS ANYONE LISTNENING??

      Delete

    2. OPPS...forgot to add:

      In 1955, an act of civil disobedience in Montgomery, Alabama, by Rosa Parks, sent the world rockin’ into a new era.

      Yesterday, at the White House, they unveiled a new statue in her honor. Who knew this woman, in a single act of defiance, acting against everything indecent, would become a Hero!

      And yet, she did!

      What an accomplishment!! Long live Rosa Parker, the world over, and everything she stood for! Civil Rights....RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS!!

      LONG LIVE ROSA PARKS!!

      Delete
    3. @ToTo le clown

      La Loi 101 est une grande Loi canadienne.

      Delete
    4. Long live Rosa Parker: should read: Rosa Parks

      @Editor,
      Often when I have corrected/edited posts prior to posting, in the box provided, these still post unmodified/unedited. Not sure if this is a blog glitch, thought I would point it out.

      « Loi 101 est une grande Loi canadienne»
      I see…so when it suits you, you invoke « Canadian Law » right?
      You are a duplicitous..Bi.atch.... now other way to describe u asshole.

      Delete
  26. Is this how quebec treats its "nationals"

    http://www.mrcvs.ca/fr/le-projet-de-lhopital-de-vaudreuil-soulanges-repond-un-besoin-criant

    You know Quebec if you want to be a "nation", you have to pay. Right now Quebec "nationals" have to go Ontario for ER! Tell that to Rejean "I can't fix healthcare" Hebert. Everyday I email him the article.

    http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/growing-number-of-quebecers-seeking-healthcare-in-ontario-1.1128120

    ReplyDelete
  27. FROM ED
    When are you people going to learn that the trolls are outsmarting you? Apparatchick is a perfect example. Student asks for information and Appartchick responds with a meaningless post of one hundred lines and spaces about what happens in every other country.
    We have 89 posts with trolls and answerers out 103 so far today. They are taking one half the blog with bullshit and you are feeding it to them. Are EDM and myself the only ones who know enough to ignore them? Ed.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Quebec economic mismanagement


    La procréation assistée coûte plus cher que prévu
    http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/sante/372101/la-procreation-assistee-coute-plus-cher-que-prevu

    Don Macpherson: The education summit descended into farce
    Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Macpherson+education+summit+descended+into+farce/8024561/story.html#ixzz2MCl1VXxw - See more at:

    ReplyDelete
  29. FROM ED
    Way to go Cutie, you'll work till you get the PQ reelected. You refuse to see anything good in Coullard and you ask others to check it and see it your way. You're bloody well campaigning fro the P.Q.
    "Unfortunately when you read the separatist's comments on line they seem to feel that all the potential leaders of the liberals are much more nationalist than Charest. That alone is scary."
    This of course must be true because we all know that separatists never lie. I'd like to post without being shot down. It is not necessarry for you to answer every post that is sent up. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  30. Ed - I'm going to say it again - everyone has a right to vote how they see fit. This is a democracy - you have to realize that this blog is for discussion and that's what people do - they discuss things. Just because you don't agree with what is being said doesn't mean people can't say things. If I want to answer posts, unless the editor blocks my posts, I will respond if I like. As for campaigning for the PQ, that is ridiculous. Just because I won't support the liberals unless they change the way they do things does not mean I am campaigning for the separatists. You just refuse to believe there may be other options and I don't. I will look at other options and and then decide how I will vote.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Student is getting so annoying. I wish everyone would just ignore everything it says and don't feed the troll. He is obviously loving trying to be the center of attention and drawing people away from the discussion. I am not reading the comments anymore, but exerting the extra effort having to scroll past it's trash is getting annoying..........thanks. LL

    ReplyDelete
  32. Just heard that the CAQ are going to support Bill 14 - she said she read it somewhere but can't remember where. Did anyone else hear this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't heard that yet. Would be surprised if they do considering all the negative publicity worldwide about bill 14. They could kiss any chance at remaining with their current seat count next election goodbye should they do so. Forget about increasing the seat count. The Liberals would take most of the CAQ seats in this scenario.

      Delete
    2. God I hope you're right. Looked Legault up on facebook but no announcement to that effect was there.

      Delete
    3. The CAQ promised not to reopen the language debate. Leagault also it would Quebec economically. I doubt he would want to be remembered to have pass an anti-business legislation.

      Delete
    4. It will be deadly for small business and the armed forces plus the CGEPs so I'm really hoping he doesn't bend for the hardliners - If she can find where she read it she will let me know. Hopefully some blog with a separatist displaying wishful thinking. Anyway, keep your eyes open as will I.

      Delete
    5. Cutie, according as far as I know, only the Liberals are opposing Bill 14. Legault said that CAQ wants the bill amended only. I suspect he'll add a comma or something.

      Delete
    6. Should read:
      "Cutie, as far as I know, only..."

      Delete
    7. I understood TS - I'm worried that you're right but I think he has delayed any final decision because he wanted to see the feedback from the public before he takes a stand. I hope he is overwhelmed by the response saying that it's a big, big mistake. The election of the PQ and this bill is what started all this animosity between the federalists/separatists again and if he has half a brain he will reject it outright. The tensions will surely rise should he support this bill plus Liam is right - it's really, really dreadful for small business.

      Delete
  33. Tous supportent la Loi 14...Sauf les angryphones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. F-U Asshole, no one does! It is a sick law and you're a sick sh*t, but you know this already, as do all of WE! You will crumble and fall, and we will be front and centre to watch it LOLOLOL !!

      Count your blessings if you won't be speaking ENGLISH in a yrs time!!FULLTIME...LOLOL...ah...what you don't know!!!

      LOL Now try sleepin' tonight !!!! hahhahahahahhahahahahhahahah

      Delete
    2. Saviez-vous que ce sont les femmes et les gais qui boivent du Chardonnay ToTo...Nette?

      Delete
    3. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 5:38:00 PM EST

      "Saviez-vous que ce sont les femmes et les gais qui boivent du Chardonnay ToTo...Nette?"

      Bravo S.R. s.v.p continues ton bon travail de bon quebecois avec un beau message pour la planete!
      Bravo!
      Donc le quebecois separatiste ordinaire, tel que S.R., est non seulement intolerant, xenophobe et raciste mais maintenant il est aussi ardemment anti-gai et aussi misogyne!

      Bravo S.R.!!!!

      Delete
    4. @anectote

      my god are you vulgar, mate. eeew the ugly things you are able to write. your parents talked like this at home?

      thanks for indicating where to laugh. it would be impossible to figure it out without your cues.

      Delete
    5. @ugBSdc

      Non,j'ai simplement dit que le Chardonnay n'est pas une boisson spécialement appréciée par les hommes.Ceci dit ToTo est libre de boire ce qu'il veut et de fréquenter qui il désire.

      Delete
    6. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 6:42:00 PM EST

      Non. Tu as ecris un commentaire qui est tres discriminatoire.
      C'est ta vraie personnalite qui est pour tous pour voir: un minable raciste quebecois malheureux de son sort. Un irreductible gaulois, quoi.

      Delete
    7. @Un Gars,
      Please leave this sorry excuse for a dead-ass-lump-good-for-nothin-BS recipient-sorry-excuse-for-anything-human ..to me please.

      « Saviez-vous que ce sont les femmes et les gais qui boivent du Chardonnay ToTo...Nette? »

      What’s wrong now? You upset cause of what the ‘good-ole’ boys down south said and you feel threatened and stressed so you feel you have to make some derogatory comment to try and get back at me to feel better? You know what they say...Don’t kill the messenger...but...are you worried?? LOL YEAH..I would be too!

      Run now...RUN RUN...AND HIDE ...you’re use to that ...aren’t you?
      I’m sure you’ve inherited a whole bunch of places ...you know..for posterity... that you can run to ..and hide....N’EST CE PAS?..LOL

      Delete
    8. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 7:55:00 PM EST

      Tiens donc....
      Le vin blanc chardonnay le plus populaire avec les Amerlocs...
      http://wine.about.com/od/whitewines/g/Chardonnays.htm

      Delete
    9. Peur de qui ou de quoi ToTo?L'armée américaine,cette bande de bozos (amis des ToTos) incapables de maîtriser une poignée de barbus cachés dans les montagnes de l'Afghanistan avec des bazookas "home maid" ?

      Hahahaha!

      Delete
    10. "Peur de qui ou de quoi ToTo?L'armée américaine,cette bande de bozos (amis des ToTos) incapables de maîtriser une poignée de barbus cachés dans les montagnes de l'Afghanistan avec des bazookas "home maid" ?"

      Did you say all of that hiding under a rock? LOL

      Ask 'Bin Laden' how he's doin' today, g'head...I DARE YOU !! Hahahahhahahahah..twit

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    11. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 8:33:00 PM EST

      S.R.
      Pourquoi ne te portes-tu pas volontaire afin de "maîtriser une poignée de barbus cachés dans les montagnes de l'Afghanistan avec des bazookas "home maid" ?"
      La planete entiere sait trop bien que tu adores te "faire aller la gueule" et parler en pretendant d'etre brave et d'avoir toutes les reponses... Comme un vrai petit quebecois: un irreductible Gaulois.
      J'ai ete avec le Regiment de Maisonneuve durant mes etudes au HEC. J'ai rencontre des gars qui ont ete deployes en Afghanistan comme volontaires apres mon depart du quebec. Pas facile comme job d'aller la-bas, mais ils l'ont faits. Pas comme toi, salaud.
      ------------------------
      Encore une fois, S.R. je te remercie de prouver que les souverainistes sont des grandes gueules pas de couilles. Tout comme Pierre-Elliot Trudeau tu preferes, par ton manque d'action, que tes Amerloques "fassent la job" a ta place... Ti-con.

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    12. "Ask 'Bin Laden' how he's doin' today" (Toute l'armée amricaine pour un seul homme)

      Où sont donc passé les tours du WTC? (2 avions)

      :)

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    13. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 9:08:00 PM EST

      Merci S.R. de nous demontrer a la planete entiere que tu es un fervent supporter des terroristes Islamistes.
      Encore une fois, non seulement les separeux quebecois aiment Hamas et Hizbollah mais, la franchement... merci pour ton honnetete que les separatistes du quebec sont des allies de al qaida!!!!

      Delete
  34. oh yeah big surprise..instead of blue..they are all orange, under a new name!! Should we hold our breath?

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  35. My thoughts exactly AnecTOTE - there will be more defections before long

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  36. From Bloc Quebecois lite to Bloc Quebecois ClassiQUE. I hope this farts allover Oncle TOM. More then Oncle Tom, this should be worrying for Harper. NDP open schism could expose the Bloc Quebecois like NDP platform concerning Quebec. In Quebec and in the rest of Canada , up to 50% of NDP vote in some cases would end up going to the Federal Liberals. That means Harper will have a huge challenge from the Federal Liberals. If the housing bubble peak collapse happens before 2015 the Conservatives will end up in 3rd place. It was them that manipulated mortgage rules to inflate the bubble even more. For the Bloc Quebecois it might mean a slight revival for their party but I don't think they will get more then 15-20 seats this time.

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    Replies
    1. You know Jarry that Mr. Carney says there is very little housing bubble. I myself am not sure but he seems very firm on this.

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    2. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 5:43:00 PM EST

      Here in Calgary we did experience a bit of a burst bubble back in 2007 when prices corrected 15% down from a serious huge hike in home prices. It was mainly due to a weak supply when demand was crazy. I bought my condo in 2006 and it appreciated alot but now everything has leveled. I still have very good equity. Some experts (No, Garth Turner is no expert BTW) predict a correction in certain markets such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. I can see a 10% decline coupled with weak sales in the next few years starting this spring.

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    3. Well we had similar rise in prices in the 80s until the crash in 1990. Montreal at that time was so depressed from the exodus after 1976 that the housing bubble wasn't even noticeable in Quebec back then. On the other hand in Toronto I know one family that bought the house at the peak just before the crash in 1990 and they weren't able to recover the value of the home they purchased until 2005. Also when prices for homes are cheaper in places like Chicago and New York city, what makes Toronto and Vancouver more of desirable then the real estate in the US?

      By the way sales are collapsing in Toronto and Vancouver. IF a crash comes like in 1990 it will be started by depression in Condo buying. Many of the Condos are bought by flippers and speculators. If the price of the Condo goes down significantly more then the deposit that was put down on the Condo, then people will abandon their purchases and forgo the deposits. Panic buying ensues.

      Montreal is already effected by PQ minority win and automatic real estate depression associated with PQ wins. On the other hand its hasn't been a serious dip in prices yet for Montreal, compared to past PQ victories.

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    4. Well we have a real estate depression in Gatineau, that's for sure. I've seen one "sold" sign since their election and hundreds of homes are up for sale. They have open houses and no one comes. I've also noticed that a lot of people are now going to rent out their homes rather than leave them vacant which means, of course, the rent will probably be much lower than their mortgage payments and we will attract a lesser affluent crowd meaning less taxes being paid. We will also attract a greater number of families that want the $7.00 day daycare so they can save to move back to Ontario when their children enter Grade 1. Wonderful outlook for quebec when no one wants to make it their home.

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  37. Ed - finally something concrete from Couillard from an interview:

    Couillard said he doesn’t think one language and culture can be protected by using coercive measures against another.

    I wish he would have expanded on that as to how he intends to rectify the matter but that's a start. Feel better?

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  38. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 6:04:00 PM EST

    Today's news about the franco community in Alberta:
    Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Maureen Kubinec declared: “The face of Franco-Albertans has changed over the past two decades as we have welcomed more French-speaking families from across Canada (LOL: Read quebec. My comment) and around the world and the one thing that remains the same is our community’s commitment to keeping Canada’s other official language alive in our homes, workplaces and at gatherings like today’s,” she said. “With more than 225,000 French-speaking individuals in our province we proudly raise Alberta’s Francophone flag today and fly the fleur-de-lis alongside the wild rose, as a symbol to all Albertans that we support the ongoing preservation and promotion of French culture and language in our province and the vibrant Francophone community it represents.”
    http://morinvillenews.com/2013/02/27/legal-raises-the-franco-albertan-flag/
    -------------

    What a refreshing statement that is commonly felt by many other non Franco citizens here.
    That is a good difference between how Alberta treats its minority (we are over 1/4 million)compared to how quebec treats its anglo minority.

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    Replies
    1. If the population is 225 000. That would make it proportionately the same or larger then the franco-ontarian population. That population rise must have been very quick after Alberta oil industry started booming. Though I doubt there would be many concentrations of Francophones like in Ontario because of the influx being spread out to wear the oil patches are and the large urban areas of Edmonton and Calgary.

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    2. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 7:41:00 PM EST

      Jarry, according to wikipedia there are at least 1.3M Ontarians of french-Canadian origin. So, yes roughly same representation.
      Yes, economic opportunities such as the oil boom have attracted many quebecois and maritimers over the years to Alberta.
      All this to say that some folks do move to where jobs are and for several different reasons might I say. Pretty sad when some people feel limited to the point of not seeing the obvious...
      http://www.globalmontreal.com/quebec+workers+protest+against+employment+insurance+changes/6442815725/story.html

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  39. A small price to pay for daring to be born in the wrong language community in Quebec, the nationalists would say.

    I'm glad the bizarro nature of the bullshit is starting to startle you as much as it has long disgusted me.

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  40. People are STILL getting a good laugh at Quebec’s expense over Pastagate:
    https://twitter.com/search?q=%23pastagate&src=hash

    I wonder if Hugo Shebbeare knows that NPR’s Pastagate report (which broadcasts not only across the United States but all across the planet, including Quebec) linked to the OQLA website. Good thing it’s there!
    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/02/26/172982758/pastagate-quebec-agency-criticized-for-targeting-foreign-words-on-menus

    Did you notice that the SAQ itself called it “pasta” in its flyer this week? I wonder if one Quebec government agency is going to harass another Quebec government agency over this:
    https://twitter.com/Giotedeschi83/status/306964983797911553/photo/1

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    Replies
    1. To top it all off some guy complained that the interact card machine at the SAQ had "hello/"hello" instead of "Bonjour"/"Hello" and he was quite upset that he had to observe English twice on the same machine - lol - these people should be locked up in an asylum somewhere for God's sake - Get a life you idiots!

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  41. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 8:13:00 PM EST

    This is GREAT!!!!!!
    This is a link to the OQLF:
    http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/office/mission.html
    Read the first & second hyperlinks. It suggests to redirect you to a .pdf document.
    Funny thing; the .pdf extension file stand for the English words "Portable Document Format".
    Why the hell would the OQLF use an English acronym???? WTF????
    They are urged to use the aconym DFP: .dfp "Document de Format Portable".
    Or.... should the OQLF reprimand Adobe? Forcing the company to change its ways in quebec?

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    Replies
    1. Tous les logiciels d'Adobe sont disponibles dans plusieurs langues.Nous ne pouvons changer le nom d'une extension...monsieur culture.

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    2. And they won't correct that just for quebec? I'm surprised that the FLQ hasn't stopped this sort of thing by bombing Adobe HQs. Disgusting.

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    3. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, February 28, 2013 at 8:59:00 PM EST

      Ouin, S.R. mon gros dodu ti-jos conaissant.
      Pourtant tu veux bien avoir "Second Cup" ou Wal Mart changer leurs noms.... Hypocrite!

      S.R. est desormais non seulement intolerant, xenophobe,raciste, anti-gai, misogyne mais aussi desormais ardemment hypocrite!

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    4. Please Cutie, don't give them any ideas..lol

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    5. Hey Un Gars, I see we're on the same page...I called him a 'duplicitous Bi.atch' a few posts above!!! Betcha he's ugly too !! lolololol

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  42. SAQ and pasta are mentioned

    “Le TVA Nouvelles de 17h” after the commercial go to 40min.51sec.

    http://tvanouvelles.ca/video/nouvelles/bulletins-de-nouvelles/1316773736001

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