Monday, March 11, 2013

Harper's Delivers PQ a Bitter Lesson in Realpolitik

More decades ago than I'd like to remember, I played garage league hockey in Montreal's Bonaventure arena, where a motley crew of hockey aficionados got together to partake in Canada's greatest pastime.
The ice sheet was the great equalizer, where it didn't matter whether you were rich or poor, English, French or ethnic, young or old, professional or blue collar, or even talented or not, in garage league the only entrance requirement is showing up.

On the ice, I learned many life lessons about hard work, coöperation, respect and yes, even confrontation.
The most enduring lesson I was taught was the one I received after being manhandled in the corner. I told the offending adversary who had roughed me up and who was now skating away that I'd catch up to him later. To my utter surprise, he screeched to a halt, dropped his gloves and popped me a right hook across the mouth.
As I stared up at him from the ice, bewildered and in shock, I remember his words to this day;
"Don't ever threaten!"

I never forgot that lesson and have heeded his advice all my life...."Don't ever threaten!"

I was reminded of that lesson during the Quebec provincial election when Pauline announced rather injudiciously, on more than one occasion, that a potential PQ government would seek confrontation with Ottawa in an effort to create a 'chicane' which would hopefully serve to enrage Quebecers and perhaps boost support for sovereignty.

It was a singularly stupid statement to make for two reasons, first because it revealed that Quebec would be bargaining in bad faith and second it warned Harper of the potential trap being set.

What Pauline didn't bargain for, was that like the fellow on the ice who slugged me preemptively, Harper wasn't waiting around for the shoe to drop.

After Pauline's victory, we didn't hear anything from Harper except platitudes and a magnanimous affirmation that he'd be happy to work with whatever government was elected in Quebec.
He acted as if he never heard Pauline's threats or perhaps graciously chose to ignore them.
But trust me readers, he did hear the threats and most certainly did not ignore them. Our Prime Minister is not that generous, he's a politician who lives in a Nixonian world of friends who are to be rewarded and enemies to be punished.

No, there would be no verbal riposte to Pauline's nasty invitation to squabble, no argument or complaint, just feigned indifference, and for Pauline, the most self-absorbed, deluded and inept Premier Quebec has ever seen, her interpretation that Stephen hadn't got the message was perhaps the greatest misjudgment of all.

And so Pauline continues to bait Stephen Harper and the Conservative government repeating once more the nonsense of seeking a squabble. Just last week, a Quebec City newspaper reported this;
"The Quebec government is preparing to initiate hostilities with the federal government in order to obtain new powers and combat the  interference of Ottawa in its areas of jurisdiction.

the Marois government in the coming days will reveal its game plan in relation to  sovereignist
governance,  Le Journal de Québec learned from reliable sources not wishing to be identified.

"The government will not hesitate to force the game and push the limits of its sovereignty on all fronts," We have been entrusted. New powers will be
claimed for culture, training and labour on the power of the federal government to spend." Link{fr}
What our politically-challenged Premier fails to acknowledge or understand is that Harper has already opened the war with Quebec, but on his own terms and that he has been waging the battle long before Pauline was even elected.

For years Harper tried in vain to seek a majority government through Quebec, at one point dumping almost a billion dollars in the lap of Jean Charest to help bolster the Conservative's image.
We all know how that turned out and the successive wave of Bloc Quebecois members of Parliament sent to Ottawa convinced Harper to pick up his marbles and move on to friendlier environs.

The decision by Quebec voters to snub Harper electorally after the billion dollar gift, may have been smugly self-satisfying, but like calling your professor an idiot in front of the whole class, it ultimately has devastating consequences and as we all know, payback can sometimes be a nasty bitch.

When Jean Charest betrayed Harper a second time, this time with his humiliating, back-stabbing position at a Copenhagen environmental conference, it was as if Charest sealed Quebec's fate.

And so Harper initiated his plan to cut Quebec out of the national conversation, a plan whereby Harper would find his majority outside Quebec, something pundits agreed couldn't be done.

But did it he did, pulling off a stunning political feat in achieving a majority government with no help from Quebec.
To the victor goes the spoils, in this case utter political power without any obligation to cater to Quebec. For Harper it was the sweetest political victory which provided him, in his winners and losers world, the golden opportunity to exact his pound of flesh.

Unlike Pauline, Harper never announced his intentions. His subsequent anti-Quebec policies were enacted slowly and without much fanfare as if he didn't want attention to be called to his machinations.
And so Harper has;
Added thirty seats to Parliament, only three of which are in Quebec, further reducing Quebec's ability to act as kingmaker in a federal election.

While Quebec is making noises about making French the official, official, official language of Quebec, Harper has reminded the province exactly what country they live in and has sent a powerful signal by re-instating the "ROYAL" moniker to the armed forces as well as hoisting the portrait of the Queen in foreign embassies. Let us not forget his plan to share embassy space with the British, a cost saving plan bound to outrage Quebec nationalist.

Then there are those unilingual Parliamentary officers as well as those highly placed employees working in his office with nary a word of French.
But the two most devastating anti-Quebec measures are the continued immigration stampede and the changes to Employment Insurance, both absolutely crushing anti-Quebec measures.

Let us recognize that Canada has the highest immigration level of any important western democracy, double, triple or even four times as high as those in our economic position.
In 2010, for every 100,000 citizens, the United States took in 28 immigrants, while Canada took in a whopping 80, almost three times as much.

Why?
Of the over one million immigrants that come to Canada every four years, less than 8-9% are assimilated into the French side of the linguistic equation.
Nobody in Quebec seems to understand or care that French Canada is being eroded, steadily but surly through immigration and with the continued trend, Francophones will be reduced to under 20% of Canada's population within a few short decades.
Although this massive immigration policy was started by the Liberals, surely it's cumulative effect has been gauged by the present government who's only rationale to continue the stampede is to dilute francophone numbers.

Then there's the latest blast from Harper, the changes to the Employment Insurance program that will devastate the outer reaches of Quebec, where seasonal workers abound and who depend on the largess of the program as an income supplement program.

When a furious and desperate PQ minister Agnes Maltais went to Ottawa, cap in hand to beg for relief, her counterpart, Diane Finley, gave her an eight minute meeting, then politely showed Maltais the door.

On and on it goes, a cruel and vindictive lesson in realpolitik, dished out by the Harper government to  a hapless Quebec, which is unable to fight back and unwilling to acknowledge the hurt being put on it for fear of being shown up as powerless.

Pauline's bravado in the face of such a deadly and over-matched assault is sadly reminiscent of a famous Monty Python skit, where the hapless Black knight defends his turf while being ripped apart by a more powerful opponent. As the black knight is hacked to pieces, he continues to bait and challenge the superior force.
It is devastatingly appropos;




If Pauline doesn't realize that she is already in the fight of her life to preserve Quebec power, she is indeed the most deluded and naïve politician I know.

Instead of seeking new powers from Ottawa that she will never get,  she should perhaps, as they say in French, concentrate on 'saving the furniture,' that is, preserving what little powers Quebec already has.

227 comments:

  1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATIQUE DE CALGARYTuesday, March 12, 2013 at 2:37:00 PM EDT

    Good post, Editor. Regardless, Harper is merely adequate as a Canadian PM. Pretty certain that Justin Trudeau will be the next PM (doesn't take a genius). Never was a big conservative myself. Never will be a lieberal either;)
    He used the troops in Afghanistan, that much I know. While the troops were fighting and dying Harper was the big groupie. Now that the mission is over, the support is over. Yeah... not a prime example of fidelity... IMHO.

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  2. @ Editor, be it as it may, The Feds, have a lot to answer for. I hope you allow this post to remain, because this is what I'd like to know.

    Letter to Mr. Harper, Prime Minister of Canada

    Dear Mr. Harper

    There is a Holocaust going on at the moment in Quebec by virtue of the introduction of Bill 14. We are further assassinating The English and the English Language (one of the two officially Languages of Canada) AND ethnic minorities (which are suppose to be the cornerstone of our multicultural reality in Canada and protected by the Constitution)

    At long last, what are YOU and your government going to do about it?

    Sincerely,

    AnecTOTE

    A full page ad in The National Post or the Globe & Mail or both should be taken out with this.
    Are we listening CRITIQ?

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    Replies
    1. FROM ED
      Anectote, This s the downfall of the English, let someone else do it. Instead of printing a letter here, send it to harper for heaven's sake. I promoted once before sending of mail to news and press agencies. I provided the addresses but the only ones who wrote were Cutie, Mr.Sauga and myself. You don't need a full page ad in the Globe. Newspapers are cowards, they want some one else to say it first. Just send a letter to the editor, Printing here is preaching to the choir. My God, how many times have I said that. Ed

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    2. @ED,

      I have written my fair share of letters believe me. Some letters have even been published across the country. I just couldn't resist writing this one and posting here.

      Delete
    3. Me too. There is a distinct difference between “a holocaust” (a massive slaughter) and “The Holocaust” (the genocide of European Jews, homosexuals and others by the Nazis during World War II).

      One diminishes the significance of the Holocaust by overusing the term for all instances of “great destruction resulting in the extensive loss of life, especially by fire”… and especially when referring to anything less than that.

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    4. @anectote

      ok now that you sifted all meaning from holocaust you'll have to find another word if you want to instigate the same emotion from your readers. what about armageddon or apocalypse? or more exotic ragnarok?

      Delete
    5. Hopefully, you actually sent this letter to Mr. Harper, AnecTOTE.

      Delete
  3. Harper's coup de grâce can be cutting back Quebec's equalization payments. Hey, why not? It's not as if Quebec can't frack shale oil, mine minerals out of the ground, esp. in Gaspé, raise its artificially low hydro rates to market levels, etc. etc. etc. That would leave the limbless black knight with out a head--as if he had one to begin with....

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  4. FROM ED
    It looks like Justin Trudeau will be the next prime Minister unless he make a tremendous goof between now and the next election or if Harper comes up with some dirty trick like he has in the past. I think Trudeaus numbers are as much Hatred for Harper et.al. as they are for his popularity.

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    1. Well it also helps that there was a huge accumulated surplus from the Liberal days, that was available to spread the goodies around during the Conservative minority days. Harper squandered the surplus even before the short recession of 2008. You can bet that even if there is no surplus to squander this time that Harper will go on a spending binge if they think their toast by 2015.

      Another thing is the Conservatives showed their true colours in the present term. One thing that was really under reported was the Conservatives eliminating all paid non Christian prison chaplains. If they wanted to show that they treated all Canadians equally they could have cut all paid prison chaplains across the board.

      I knew the Conservatives couldn't be trusted with a majority and I never voted for them. I was proven right. Whatever the case I want Justin Trudeau, because of my dislike for the Conservatives more then any great love for the Liberals.

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    2. Trudeau is as cocky a bastard as his father was, and with even less substance than his father had, and that wasn't so much. I'd vote for Elizabeth May before I'd vote for that pretty boy shmuck; besides, he'll throw wasted money at Quebec, just like Mulcair would (fat chance he'll win).

      Keep in mind folks that Ontario is 40% of the vote, the West and the East are also about 50%. Ontario, deservedly, received the lion's share of the new 30 seats with the West not far behind. Quebec was given 3, and that's three more than Quebec should have gotten.

      The only reason we have to keep adding seats is because lamebrain Mulroney guaranteed Quebec 75 seats no matter what happens to the demographics in Canada. Had he not done that, all the PMs now and in the future would have to do is shift the number of seats making up the regions according to the demographics, no additions. Now we have to endure more corrupt representatives!

      I don't buy Editor's hypothesis that Harper disproportionately skewed the parliamentary representation. Quebec, as a proportion of the Canadian population, is declining. That's Quebec's fault. It's simply not a congenial place to live anymore, esp. if you're not French-speaking, not white, and not Christian (esp. Catholic). That's not Harper's fault!

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    3. Oops, another typo (brotherrrrrr!). Before I'm accused of being unable to add, please revise the above to "Ontario is 40% of the vote, the West, and the East, are about 30% each.

      Delete
  5. FROM ED
    Perhaps a better use of the OQLF and the language police would be to crack down on graffiti polluters. Since most of it is just images it would not matter what language it's in. Ed

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  6. Despite what some polls say... Junior is an amateur.... Harper will eat him for lunch...... The conservatives will win another majority..... The new reality in Canada is that Power lies in the west.. For every Quebec seat that the Libs/NPD fight to gain/keep they will lose one in the ROC..... Nobody in the ROC wants another French Canadian in the PM's chair, let alone one from Quebec or one with the name Trudeau....

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    Replies
    1. "French canadian"

      Errr

      Insulter les Québécois n'a rien de constructif.

      "juste un trou d'eau" est un canadien.

      Delete
    2. J'insulte personnes , veut veut pas ... les Quebecois sont vraiment des Canadien Francais .. le terme Quebecois a etait inventer pars des xenophobes comme vous!! imbecille

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    3. Well Canadians will vote for the least worst choice. At the moment thats the Liberals under Justin Trudeau. There is quite alot of dissatisfaction with the Conservatives and the NDP is showing its bloc Quebecois lite colors. Even in Montreal I could see Oncle Tom Mulcair losing his seat if the Allo and anglo votes go to the Liberals. I don't see the Conservatives taking any considerable share of the votes like last election(in montreal that is).

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    4. Le terme québécois a été inventé par des gens qui avaient besoin d'un mot pour décrire une réalité et en discuter. Le terme québécois a été inventé pour éviter d'inutiles circonlocutions telles que "les gens qui habitent au Québec" ou "les canadiens français du Québec et une part des gens qui viennent d'ailleurs" . De la même façon, le mot "chaise" a été inventé par des gens qui voulaient éviter de dire inutilement "un meuble sur lequel on s'assoit, mais qui n'est pas un fauteuil ni un divan non plus".

      De plus, tous les québécois ne sont pas canadiens français.

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    5. Le terme québécois a été inventé pour éviter d'inutiles circonlocutions telles que "les gens qui habitent au Québec" ou "les canadiens français du Québec et une part des gens qui viennent d'ailleurs"

      I think you've been watching Elvis Gratton too much.

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    6. "Le terme québécois a été inventé par des gens qui avaient besoin d'un mot pour décrire une réalité et en discuter. Le terme québécois a été inventé pour éviter d'inutiles circonlocutions telles que "les gens qui habitent au Québec" ou "les canadiens français du Québec et une part des gens qui viennent d'ailleurs" . De la même façon, le mot "chaise" a été inventé par des gens qui voulaient éviter de dire inutilement "un meuble sur lequel on s'assoit, mais qui n'est pas un fauteuil ni un divan non plus". De plus, tous les québécois ne sont pas canadiens français."

      Lovely, 200+ Billion in debt and we’re stuck in the mud of semantics: what is a Quebecois vs a French Canadian...well at least we all agree it’s not a ‘chair’. How about dem’ pinstripes!

      Some people on this blog have expressed a yearning for your posts MP...what am I missing?

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    7. To an anglophone or an allophone Quebecois means a pur laine white Roman Catholic only.

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    8. Insulter les [...] n'a rien de constructif.
      My head just exploded again!

      Delete
  7. I think the author of this piece is giving in to that o so common mistake Quebecers seem to make over and over again, the assumption that they matter. Harper is not out to hurt Quebec he merely does not care if he hurts Quebec, there is a big difference. For example EI reform the program is overly large, hugely expensive and rife with people abusing the system by using it as income support and not a safety net so for those reasons he wants to make changes.

    "But those changes will do disproportionate harm to Quebec!" You may shout.

    "So?" Would read Harper's response. Not "Good" as I think Quebec likes to imagine.

    Immigration and the uni-lingual anglophones appointed by Harper are the same kinda thing. When looking for appointees the Cons now merely look for those qualified and who meet their political criteria a criteria which no longer includes "must speak french". They are not seeking out non-french speakers so much as they have stopped specifically seeking out french speakers, they no longer care.

    In a way Harper et al. have merely begun to treat QC as QC have treated the rest of the nation for decades. Would a particular action harm/benefit Canada or the other provinces? are not primary concerns for Quebec or their politicians, all that matters in La Belle province is La Belle province. Canada has finally gotten the message, Quebec will do what it perceives as best for it with no regard for other provinces or the country as a whole so now Canada will treat Quebec with the same indifference.

    Having been pandered to by the nation for so long putting a stop to special treatment may feel to you as some manner of vendetta, it is not. If I may be arrogant for a moment and attempt to summarize the feelings of many Canadians towards Quebec it would read: "We do not hate you, we do not wish to harm you, but we no longer love you and no longer wish to help you. Bonne chance"

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  8. I think the editor is being overly generous to Harper and overly dismissive of Pauline Marois and the PQ. My take on it is more and more francophones are becoming outraged by Harper and Marois will use this anger to bolster her numbers. The EI reforms are really not going well at all in Quebec and I see this movement growing stronger and stronger..Marois and the PQ feeding it along the way. Many francophones cant stand Harper..they loathe the man..I am indifferent towards him..there are many policies of his I dont agree with..others I do..I do respect him in the sense that he more or less has done what he said he was going to do which very few politicians can claim.
    There is potential for a huge backlash against Canada and anglophones in general by Harpers policies and once again do you want to be living in Quebec as an anglophone with a huge fight brewing between Quebec and Canada. These EI reforms give the PQ more reason to argue that Quebec would be better off on its own..not sure this is such a great thing. I know many on this forum spout nonstop bravado but I see things getting much much worse in Quebec if the current track is maintained..worse in terms of franco-anglo relations..worse in terms of the economy/taxes/etc. I am not sure many of you quite understand the potential storm which could be heading our way and the worst thing is that Harper and the rest of Canada are not going to come to our defense..we are on our own.

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    Replies
    1. complicated... we were always on our own!!! WHATEVER the shit storm ,, we will face it!.. and to the xenophobes , just bring it!! I would rather die in a concentration camp then have to live on my knees....

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    2. Le point Godwin?...Déjà?

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    3. In other words, they're the 6th out of 10 provinces, per capita... sounds about equal.

      And besides, it take some nerve to complain about how the feds react when Quebec spits on them as much as they do.

      Delete
  9. Land of Tazmandoo - I wish people would spare me the holocaust analogies..its really tiresome. But if you want to go that route..dont you think the Jews who left Germany before 1939 ended up far better off than those who stayed.
    I dont think many of you can imagine how bad things can get here for anglophones..you are all in some sort of denial. I see a crisis brewing over the next few years..a global financial crisis will re-ignite during this time as the USA finally collapse under its enormous debt burden..the canadian real estate market is on the verge of collapsing which will deal a huge blow to our fantasy economy much like what happened in the usa..the rest of Canada including Harper want Quebec gone and will go out of their ways to punish this province..the radicals here will use the weak economy/Harper EI reforms/debt crisis as fuel to anger most francophones and convince them that Quebec on its own will be much better off. And unfortunately most francophones will believe this bs and any anglophones left here will be under more and more attach with Canada and Harper standing by doing absolutely nothing. The real estate market has already weakened a lot since last year..it will only get worse..so you can knock another 20-35 percent of the value of your house for all those who choose to stay. But hey if you really dont mind being stuck in a cesspool fighting an unwinnable battle with no help from the outside then be my guest.

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    1. complicated says:
      But if you want to go that route..dont you think the Jews who left Germany before 1939 ended up far better off than those who stayed.

      wow...

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    2. Let us stop using a meaningless word like French-Canadien, because such a word didnot exist under the ancien regime in New France before September 8, 1760. They are and were always a Metis people given that King Louis XVI of France and the cardinals who were first ministers of France intriduced forcible miscegenation to raise the population of the colony. So calling the Kebecois/Kebecoise French is an insult to France and the French nation which is European not half-breeds as the Kebecois of today are.

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    3. Il en va de même pour les anglo-canayens : Pourquoi pas une nouvelle "race" de Globishons.
      Les Dupont (purs) de France se font de plus en plus rares.Jetez un coup d'oeil sur les statistiques à propos des naissances en France : 30% ont des racines étrangère et la majorité d'origine maghrébine ;)

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    4. "Land of Tazmandoo - I wish people would spare me the holocaust analogies..its really tiresome"

      If it is fitting...it is never tiresome. This is what is going on here, It is a holocaust, but feel free to ignore it. If you actually do give it some thought however, you will realize that the argument is closely related to your lamenting over the 200+Billion dollar debt you so aptly pointed out in another one of your posts. It goes hand in hand. But yes...we'll spare you the 'holocaust' analogies alright.

      Delete
  10. FROM ED
    Politics in Canada has become as dirty as in the U.S. Harper got elected in the first place by using the Tory bean counter Sheila Fraser to bring up a five year old scandal about the Liberals just two weeks beforeb the election. The press of course jumped on it and made it an election issue and it destroyed the Liberal Party. The bitch knew what she was doing and she knew why. To me she was the biggest sellout Canada ever had. Paul Martin was bringing down our debt marvelously and thanks to her inderhandedness Harper has the debt up higher than Mulroney had it. We will spend half our money on indebtness as long as we have the conservative party, they are the equivalent of the Republicans in the U.S. who care only about money. Harper even bragged that he took lessons from Karl Rove, the man whose dirty tricks elected George Bush. Justin will bring up the numbers in Quebec because the French hate conservatives and will vote for the Francophone every time. Quebec seats will make the difference. Justin will be elected. Ed

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    1. Ed: You give Paul Martin far too much credit, much more than he deserves, but he certainly was very good at taking the credit for dressing up the numbers.

      All Paul Martin did was download the deficit on the provinces, and tax the poorest working people the hardest. He cut federal transfers for health care that the provinces had to pick up, and he counted the $50+ billion EI premiums surplus in his figures, much of it taken as slush funds to dress the surplus that would have been much lower, possibly put his numbers into deficit. Sorry Ed, but just because Paul Martin said he could walk on water doesn't mean he did so.

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  11. That is a mind boggling post.

    If we overlook your criticism of Marois's lack of political skills, your description of Harper's anti-Québec policies makes you sound like a hard line separatist.

    If the federal governement knowingly puts forward anti-Québec policies and if Québec is really alienated in such a way in Canada, would not seeking independence be logical?

    Michel

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    Replies
    1. I'm all for the separation of those areas of quebec that want to go - it's far past time - you accept democratic decisions of the people that want to leave and so will we - that's the price to pay for independence - you live with what's left of quebec and we keep our land and the buildings situated on said land that the people decide is where they want to be - that's the fair and democratic way out of this mess that you people have created for the last 40 years! Nothing else will get everyone what they want

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    2. Problem is there currently isn't very much support for separation. I'm not sure there would actually be many "areas that want to go".

      Even the PQ barely has 30% support in current polls.

      It's time for THEM to go, so we can start focusing on making this province better.

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    3. Problem is that "anti-Quebec" can mean anything, even things that are not necessarily "anti", but simply not "for" Quebec. Or things that are not really against Quebec interests but are irritating to Quebec, like royal symbolism for example.

      This is a one tough cookie. On one hand, I am against many of Harper's policies, on the other, I fully support Canada in ignoring Quebec's threats and letting this province go if it comes to this.





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    4. The PQ does barely score 30%, and any potential referendum might register something along this percentage, but you're discounting how the threat of the referendum has been internalized by Quebeckers as something that can be used for political gain in the federal framework. So even if 30% vote the PQ and vote Yes, about 80% may "vote" Yes with their tongues on the streets, and about 50% might say Yes to pollsters. Arguments that contain veiled threats like: "if Québec is really alienated in such a way in Canada, would not seeking independence be logical" are therefore very easy to make. Debunking them with election results is ok, but it doesn't not do the full trick, because the issue and the anxiety associated with it is very neatly kept in circulation and will be for a long time.

      This is not going to go away soon, folks. There is too much political payoff from being one foot in and one foot out.

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    5. Kebec started this theory of Separation long before Harper was Prime Minister of Canada. Stop blaming the messenger and tell the trukth Michel!

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    6. @quebecker of tree stump

      "Problem is there currently isn't very much support for separation."

      http://tinyurl.com/bqg5lgs

      slide 8. 38%.

      weren't you aware? or is it what you call not very much support?

      "Even the PQ barely has 30% support in current polls."

      funny how you try to swap pq support for independance support. cheap spin.

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    7. Anonymous,

      "Stop blaming the messenger and tell the trukth Michel!"

      I am failing to see to link between my comment and your reply.

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    8. "slide 8. 38%. weren't you aware? or is it what you call not very much support?"

      We didn't have to wait long for my 12:22pm post validated.

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    9. adski,

      "This is a one tough cookie. On one hand, I am against many of Harper's policies, on the other, I fully support Canada in ignoring Quebec's threats ..."

      This is the tricky part : when (when or if) the federal government plays tough on Québec to put Québec back to its place or to fight separatism, or to consolidate its power or whatever, everyone in Québec suffers : francos, anglos and allos.

      Let's say that the federal government would financialy crush Québec by cutting equalization payment in order to make independence impossible, Québec federalists would be happy that separatism would be dead, yet they would live in a financialy crushed province. A tough cookie indeed.

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    10. I know I'm old Quebecer of Tree Stump and should be put down lol - but I would much prefer one final referendum based on municipalities or federal districts and end this so those that vote to remain with Canada have at least a small chance of recovering from the financial disaster that is soon coming our way. The feds would have to take some action for this to come to be but make it very clear that this is the FINAL referendum and people have to vote as they see fit given all the facts of the outcome of their decision. Other than that this could go on until we ALL hit rock bottom together and we have riots in the street. This is the FINAL SOLUTION TO RID OURSELVES OF THESE PEOPLE THAT INSIST ON LIVING THEIR ISOLATIONIST LIFESTYLE!

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    11. Cutie003: I'm sorry I offended you with that post. I completely agree with you, but even better, there shouldn't even be anymore referendums. They already lost two. How many times are we going to have to go through the same crap and how much money are we going to have to waste on these idiots?

      Any future separation initiatives should be entirely privately funded. The only separatists with money (the Parizeau and Marois types) are only looking to make more, they would never spend a dime on a referendum themselves. Public funds (Our money) should not be used for this purpose, we've already voted twice on the issue with a big NO.



      "This is the tricky part : when (when or if) the federal government plays tough on Québec to put Québec back to its place or to fight separatism, or to consolidate its power or whatever, everyone in Québec suffers : francos, anglos and allos."

      I believe that people should be held accountable and suffer the consequences for the choices they make. If not, nobody ever learns from their mistakes. The separatists and language extremists have already made us suffer quite a bit, with their racist laws and all the money wasted on separation and language issues. I'm happy to see what's happening at the federal level lately, it's time someone put these people in their place.

      The amusing part is that even if our economy takes a blow, the separatists and "french-only" people are going to be the hardest hit (low education, highly-paid extremely unproductive unionized jobs, lack of communication skills). And since separatists are too noble to care about money, it'll be perfect for them!

      If things get too bad, the rest of us can always pack up and move elsewhere. The separatists/language extremists cannot. Maybe that's their plan...


      And by the way, we don't receive equalization payments because we deserve them. We receive them because we are much less productive than (some) other provinces. Maybe they should be cut, and people might be forced to stop being so lazy while living in a fantasy world (free universities, 7$ daycare, millions of funding for language police, ...).

      Delete
    12. "when (when or if) the federal government plays tough on Québec to put Québec back to its place or to fight separatism, or to consolidate its power or whatever, everyone in Québec suffers : francos, anglos and allos."

      This is a classical argumentation of a classical apologist of the status quo. To say that every group existing in a given system "benefits" with the system (and therefore should strive to uphold the system) and "loses" with the system (if the system is shaken). "We're all in it together", in other words. I grew up in Eastern Europe in the 1980s, and that argument was used by the powers that be. In the West, I have worked in corporations, i.e. the true centers of power here, where that argument was also used ("what's good for the company is good for you"). Except that...we are not in it together, and the weakling of a system is sometimes advantageous for some groups and not so advantageous for other groups. And in every system, there are groups that may feel wronged by the system, therefore any challenge to the system, either from the inside or the outside, will be perceived as beneficial by these groups.

      We can now proceed to argue on how anglos and allos are treated in Quebec, whether their grievances are in fact legitimate or not. And you can even proceed to argue that they are all "paranos" and "the best treated minority". But that's a subject for a different conversation, which would probably be endless.

      Delete
  12. As much as I like the fact that Marois is getting this kind of treatment, I am not going to celebrate the Harperite assault on the social safety net.

    This one's bittersweet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cutting off people that work 3 months of the year and collect unemployment for 9 months for their entire life isn;t an "assault" on anything except fraud.

      This is part of how companies (yes even the 2 person kind) shuffle their costs onto the rest of us.

      They should be paying a salary in 3 months to last the year. If the biz cannot support this then there is no biz.

      Delete
    2. "This is part of how companies (yes even the 2 person kind) shuffle their costs onto the rest of us."

      There is a way around this. In Germany for example, companies that lay people off due to outsourcing, for example, pay extra tax that offsets the extra gain from outsourcing. That makes them reconsider outsourcing, and if they don't, the extra tax revenue is then used to help the newly unemployed.

      The fact that business shifts costs on us is not a reason to punish people for it, it's the reason to punish the socially irresponsible business. Tax them until they understand. Once they face going under, they might smarten up. But if the government is pro business, people get smacked from both sides, the ruling class, and the owning class. The government should represent the people, not the owning class. That it doesn't (though it occasionally pretends to do it, especially if it is of the "New Left" extraction like the NDP) is a sad fact of life.

      Delete
    3. Fee's for laying off? Scary shit! That sounds like France.

      These businesses you are talking abotu that are "socially irresponsible" are often coffee shops and casse-croute and junk tourists shops in middle of nowhere places.

      These are not serious business that are going to do export etc.

      The government is here to create a stable enviroment so companies and business can flourish. Its not to be a biased "people spokesperson". Ok in Quebec it is, but that's part of the problem with Quebec.

      That's some seriously socialist thinking.

      As an employer myself the idea of taxing when I lay off is crazy. I'd never even hire the people in the first place in Quebec.

      Use "contract employee's" in Quebec so there is none of that crap. Followup with outsource manufacturing outside the province. That's what business will do with that kind of silly rule. Quebec wil miss out on the jobs to start with!

      Labour flexibility is one of the keys employers are looking for. The "job for life" and a tax if I don;t get it mindset doesnt; encourace business. It only helps to re-affirm the entitlement lifestyle of the students and unions.


      Delete
    4. Taxing offshoring-motivated layoffs makes sense. Laying off because you're moving the production south is not the same thing as laying off because your contracts have dried up.

      "Labor flexibility" is a euphemism for a new form of slavery.

      Delete
    5. It's a world where workers have skills and have options unrelated to giving up control of their employment to be negotiated by a bureaucrat.

      If the worker doesn;t like the job, they leave and get another one.

      That happens in a healthy society. In an unheathly society workers sit and complaint about their situation and see the govt to help, unable to help themselves. This is India/China/etc in this Century, not North America.

      Why would anyone support a union leader they that waste money on their own pet causes on top of the back of the already oppressed worker ;-)

      Delete
    6. I guess if you benefit from some system, you end up believing in it. Whether it's the corporate-capitalist arrangement of power relations as argued for here, or the statist-nationalist arrangement, as argued for above.



      Delete
  13. Aren’t you the guy that mentioned “facts and denial” in one of your post.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It should read
    What all those liberal Party lovers and especially those Pasta Chasers don’t realize that all Quebec political parties are on the same team but wearing different sweaters and they are scrimmaging to come up a good tactic to put all Quebecers into that famous “LOBSTER POT” and if we don’t grow up, that is where we are heading. EQUALITY 2 anybody!

    AnecTOTE ” assassinating The English and the English Language” maybe, but first they took away the right from the White French Canadian Roman Catholic. The UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:
    Article 26.
    (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children
    We have a BIG problem and it’s a home grown problem and if we don’t fix it, into the POT we go
    or to Ontario,

    Ed I have wrote several letters to STEVIE and never got a response. Stop beating a dead horse.

    Mr. Sauga frack shale oil, wouldn’t touch that with a hundred foot pole an intelligent person like you should do more research here I will help you.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michaelgreen/fracking-health_b_2661927.html
    When companies are asked what chemicals do you put into the ground, cannot tell you ,company secret, this should be a red flag. Mining minerals: don’t give that away but we will. In French “Le Plan Nord pour les Nuls”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQJAP4ybQg
    Aren’t you the guy that mentioned “facts and denial” in one of your post

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are a wise man W A C, a very wise man. I'd like to thank you for giving us the term "Pasta Chasers", never have the christened been so worthy! Shall we call you Godfather? lol

      Keep posting, I do look forward to your posts.

      Delete
  15. FROM ED
    Complicated,
    I know you like the CVAQ but since the Liberals have a better chance of being elected can uyou not at least agree that if the Liberals get elected it would at least knock the PQ out and solve a lot of problems. Can you see that with Dr. Couillard who is experienced with large projects such as the McGill Hospital could bring in oil and gas reserves and put the Quebec economy on it's feet.
    I know you enjoy living in the doom and gloom hoping all goes boom but you might try cheering up. You might like it.
    Get the shit storm out of your mind, it hasn't happened. It's not going to.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ed

      don't you think it's disturbing that couillard changed the laws to make a personnal profit on the eve of resigning from his minister job?

      and that he has crooks amongst his unconditional friends?

      you're fine with this, mate?

      Delete
    2. Always the same damn argument seppies bring up - that everyone except members of the sovereignist movement are corrupt.

      The FTQ helped Tony Accurso hide over $40 million from Revenu Quebec Student - you're fine with this, gilipollas?

      Delete
    3. Look forward to hear about the Tony Accurso/Claude Blanchet duo. Wonder if it'll be during Marois' reign...?

      Delete
    4. @resident evil

      always bringing up other bad horses to make yours look average. dude this is truly pathetic.

      "The FTQ helped Tony Accurso hide over $40 million from Revenu Quebec Student - you're fine with this (...)?"

      of course i'm not. now that was an infinitely stupid question, mate.

      Delete
    5. Student's pathetic attempt at a rebuttal proves that the seppie movement is completely out of gas and running on little more than fumes.

      I'm going to say it for the 101th time - find me ONE, just ONE separatist with an ounce of integrity or nobility.

      Delete
    6. R.E.

      I will settle for Objectivity.

      Delete
    7. @resident evil

      "Infinitely stupid question for..."

      thanks for acknowledging, mate.

      "...find me ONE, just ONE separatist with an ounce of integrity or nobility."

      here's one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lJwEINZuJc

      Delete
    8. FROM ED
      EVIL,
      Just ignore the insignificant troll. Everybody knows that Ministers don't make laws. He is referring to Arthur Porter that we all loved for a while. Keep your mind on the good stuff. As I sit here typing in my office, (my secratary ran off with the chaffeur)
      I hear my Grandson from the living room cheering and directing Carey Price with shouts of joy that means Canadians are winning. I'll muse on that for a while. Ed

      Delete
    9. Wow, El Studento is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with his blinkers on... flinging dirt when he can, trying to deflect when he can't...

      Good job exposing him, Rezzie and P. Darwinopterus!

      Delete
    10. @ed

      here's a series of facts for you, as you seem not to be very aware.

      the minister's council announced two decrees, one on the 18th of june and one on the 25th of june 2008, that would favour couillard's future employer. first decree allowed private clinics to perform fifty or so medical tratments and the second one decreased the fee to open up such a clinic. couillard resigned on the 25th of june and started working for pcp capitals, a fund that owns such private clinics.

      Delete
    11. Does everyone see what I mean?

      Delete
    12. @true montrealer

      what can i do mate? it's not my fault if the facts are dirty!

      Delete
  16. ED - I am a realist..I like facts and numbers not rhetoric and emotional-based reasoning. I bet you if you told many Greeks, Spaniards, Italians 5 years ago that their country was going to have serious economic problems soon they probably would have all laughed at you..even though the numbers all pointed to the collapse they are all experiencing now. Look at how arrogant most Americans were just 5 years ago..they all laughed when some very credible experts said that housing was ridiculously over-valued..if you just looked at the numbers and the debt levels it was obvious that it was a giant Ponzi scheme which would collapse. These irrational attitudes happen over and over because humans tend to believe what is happening now will more or less persist.
    When you look at the debt levels in the USA, here in Quebec, the real estate appreciation in Canada - there is absolutely no doubt that its totally unsustainable even for another few years..we are breaking records here in human history in terms of the amount of debt that countries and people are accumulating. Just stating that it wont happen because it hasnt happened is just fanciful thinking ED..it will happen..but will it be next year or in 5 years..I dont know..but its not far away..you cant argue with math.
    I have made my case clear on how I feel about the Liberals. They had 9 years to fix things in this province and they totally failed in about every imaginable way..they failed us in terms of integrity and honesty, they failed us in terms of fiscal management, they failed the anglophone community by showing utter indifference and disdain - they have had decades of rule and have contributed just as much to the problems we have in this province as the PQ. They brought in much of the restrictive language legislation, they spent like drunken sailors, they participated and turned a blind eye to massive corruption. I dont care who their new leader is..they have zero credibility. Only a fool would keep electing the same people over and over who keep failing us.
    Hence I have come to the realization that there is only one viable option left..the CAQ. Yes they may fail us..but I am willing to give them a try..I like most of their policies..I like the fact that they are more to the right than any other party that has been in power in this province. I like the fact that they want to lower taxes, cut the debt, reduce waste, take on the unions, become more business friendly. Mr.Couillard is another lifelong bureaucrat who knows nothing about the real world..the business world in which Quebec so desperately needs to encourage. I like the fact that Mr.Legault helped found a succesful business which is prospoering..we need someone with business experience to turn things around. And there is no other party out there that can win..so alas that is where my vote will go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @complicated

      dude have you read this one? http://tinyurl.com/a3ttfmr

      what do you think of it?

      Delete
    2. LD

      You don't get it. In Quebec, the tail wags the dog. The public civil service Unions dictate how this province is governed. The Government of the day has very little power on how the day to day operations are conducted. The PQ, Liberals or the CAQ may talk a good game when it comes to reigning in spending and cutting the deficit but if any cuts affect a Government Union department, it's hell on the streets. Think back to Levesque's cuts in 1982, or the nurses strike under Bouchard. Who really holds power in Quebec? If the CAQ ever wins power (which I'm not opposed to) do you really think they can do what the Libs and PQ have failed to do in 40 years and tame the Unions and bring this place back in black? Words spewing out of a politician's mouth during an election while he's angling for your vote are worthless. The real change that is required here in Quebec will never happen. In terms of political Capital, it's too expensive for any party to attempt especially now with this three horse political climate.

      Delete
    3. student -

      I think that again I would much rather have someone who has worked in the real world and knows how to count and create wealth. Am I a big fan of the corporate world..no..I saw the movie "The Corporation"..there is a lot of truth to it..a lot of large corporations do awful things. However corporations but even more so small and medium sized businesses are the real job creators in the country right now. Its fine and dandy to spend all day with your grandiose and philosophical musings as Mr Le Hir seems to be doing but these are not the type of people that will roll up their sleeves and get the job done.

      Quebec and much of Europe has swung far too much towards the left..expecting the state to satisfy everyones needs and wants. The tax burden has become so heavy and the bureaucracy/red tape so heavy that many companies are just leaving or not hiring people. We are in a global world now where companies can often quite easily just pack up and go elsewhere..there are countless countries around the world where the workforce is highly motivated and quite educated who will accept lower wages than many people here. You cant force private enterprise to stay here..you cant tax them to the nth degree or hassle them with time consuming red tape. Governments dont create wealth..they just take from some people and give to others and borrow from banks to make up the difference.
      Alberta on the other hand I might argue the opposite..they are quite far to the right..perhaps they could go somewhat further to the left..they have essentially no debt and they are flipping out because they have a 2 billion dollar deficit this year..whooppeee..Meanwhile Quebec owes 200 billiion dollars..has the highest taxes in North America..the worsr infrastructure..corruption and most people here just seem to shrug..its incredible the complacency here.
      Overall I was not impressed with the ramblings of Mr.Le Hir..I still believe we need some real world people..not lawyers..doctos..bureaucrats..people who know how to balance the books..who know how real business works and what they need. We need jobs..we need growth..we need to pay down the debt and the only way we can pay down the debt is by economic growth.

      Delete
    4. @complictaed

      hum. you seem to consider a state as a big business and that's all. that's very short-sighted, mate. the theoritical objective of a government should be to ensure the population's happiness, not to turn out a profit. i admit a profit is nice to have. but it shouldn't be the ultimate goal.

      if you support legault because he became a millionaire, remember he did it by screwing his initial partners. is that really a character trait you're looking for in a political leader? and remember sirois has put his money on this outfit as well. why? what is he in it for?!?

      "The tax burden has become so heavy and the bureaucracy/red tape so heavy that many companies are just leaving or not hiring people."

      how do you explain the current low unemployment rate, then?

      "Governments dont create wealth.."

      false. hydro-quebec was created by the government. cultural wealth is also possible via government subsidies.

      "I still believe we need some real world people..not lawyers..doctos.."

      that's silly. as if lawyers and doctors were not in the "real world". a leader can come from anywhere as far as i'm concerned. as long as i can beleive he's in it for the common good, as long as his speech makes sense and as long as he has a history of walking the talking. best example of this in quebec today is jean-martin aussant, in my humble opinion. worst may be couillard. and charest but he's out so good riddance.

      Delete
    5. Go to 3min.7sec., It will explain big C capitalism. In French but the animation is self explanatory We are screwed or maybe a revolution.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQJAP4ybQg

      @student Just fell on my a$$, Writing something interesting. There is hope for you. Congrats

      Delete
    6. El Studento -

      Government is not there to give you everything you want buddy. Unfortunately here in Quebec especially with younger people it seems that they EXPECT the government to give them cheap or free tuition..to give them cheap day care..to give them a good job..to give them free and accessible health care..to give them roads and free public transportation and so on. There is one problem with all of this and that mathematically its not possible..there is not enough money coming to pay for all the things that you and many people want. So governments keep borrowing money to satisfy the increasingly demanding masses..eventually they have to raise taxes and try to create more government jobs and so on..eventually the government cant borrow any more money because banks know they wont be paid back and voila you have Greece or Spain. Do you think its fun living in Greece and Spain now..with 50 percent unemployment for young people.

      We currently have a low unemployment rate because the government can still borrow money..the real estate bubble in Canada has created enormous economic strength but as it was in the USA its all based on increasing debt and essentially a Ponzi scheme. Real estate markets are dropping in many parts of the country now..believe me when prices fall significantly a lot of people will cut spending and the economy will suffer and unemployment will go up. We also have the clowns in the USA who are borrowing epic amounts of money..never seen before in history..just wait until they have to cut..it wont be pretty.

      Sorry but there are way way too many lawyers in politics..they are trained to defend anybody whether guilty or not..they are the ultimate manipulators..if you want them running the country as they have then they will run it into the ground. Doctors work for the government..anyone who works for the government lives in la-la land in my opinion. They never have to worry about making a living..the money just keeps flowing no matter what they do..they never had to build something from the ground up and risk their own capital and time.

      Quebec is incredibly bloated..in the worst financial shape of any place in North America yet most people here think the solution is more of the same..great logic.

      Hydro Quebec is one of the most inefficiently run utilities in the continent..yes they still make money but they could be making a lot more for us the taxpayers. The government needs the money because of the massive debt we are in.

      When you are morbidly obese you go on a diet or you die..if you are a drug addict you get rehabilitation or you die..if you spend more than you make year after year you go bankrupt eventually. Its no different with government..the money has to come from somewhere..and its all too often the poor taxpayer who keeps on giving more and more of his money to a bunch of bureaucrats who couldnt manage a lemonade stand.



      Delete
    7. Dudent,
      "as if lawyers and doctors were not in the "real world". a leader can come from anywhere as far as i'm concerned. as long as i can beleive he's in it for the common good" How many would-be lawyers say to themselves, "I'm going to go to law school because I want to help people"? I'll be generous ans say maybe 10% but I bet that's on the high side. Of the lawyers who run for parliament, do you think ANY of them don't think they're cabinet material? Do you think any of them just want to sit in the back bench and work for their constituents? I agree with Complicated. We have way too many lawyers in politics.

      Delete
    8. FROM ED
      Comp, Mr.Legault helped found things other than business like the Partyi Quebecois and the FLQ.In 1981 at the PQ covention, members of the FLQ having been released from prison walked into the room. The whole party rose as one and gave them a twenty minute standing ovation. The man leading the group that night was 24 year old Francois legault who introduced Pauline Marois for the first time. This would be like us applauding henry Richard Bain for murdering someone. Bain was out of his mind. Legault knew he was praising men who had murdered innocent people. I intend to make this fact well known just before the next election if Ihave to write every news organization in the country. I feel sorry for you. You sound so unhappy but for god's sake at least try not to take others down with you Ed I would rather be dead than live under such an animal. Ed

      Delete
    9. ED - He was 24 years old for goodness sake..many people believed and did all sorts of stupid things when they were that age. That doesnt mean they never change. Yes I am very well aware he was in the PQ..so was Raymond Bachand..does that mean they are seperartists forever..do you really believe that?? Do you really believe that people never change their ways or minds..that we all think and believe what we did when we were in our early 20s?? I can tell you that I would disagree with a lot of what I believed in back when I was in my 20s. Although perhaps there is some truth to it at least with many anglos on this forum who seem to be stuck in some sort of time warp..who never want to embrace any real change but continue to vote ad nauseum for the same crooks over and over no matter how badly they screw things up.
      Anyway I think we both agree that we will not agree on much. I am doom and gloom because its reality staring us in the face..please explain to me Ed how we are going to get out of the massive debt that we are in without serious pain..is there going to be some magic fairy descending from the sky that will shower us all with money??? I mean look at the numbers..you cant argue with the laws of mathematics.

      Delete
    10. complicated - Mr. Legault is still a separatist - he verifies it by saying it for Christ's sake - what more do we need to know enough not to vote for him - for the hundredth time - he is a separatist and wants to fix the economy to separate - when will you admit this to yourself and everyone on this blog?

      Delete
    11. Hydro Quebec was created with PUBLIC MONEY WHICH IS NOT GOVERNMENT MONEY - IT'S OUR MONEY!

      Delete
    12. @cutie003

      here one for you.

      if we assume that with a top shape economy support for quebec's independance would shoot right through fifty per cent and into clear majority territory, do you still hope that some politician take the decisions that will make quebec more prosper?

      also assume partition is not an option.

      Delete
    13. Partition is always an option - an option by the people and for the people - I want referendums NOW - not after you screw us up more economically - THE FINAL REFERENDUMS - GO YOUR WAY - Clarity Act Rules and your area can go - be accepted internationally - have your own ambassadors - your own seat at the UN if you like - just get to hell away from the rest of us! I no longer have any interest in keeping any of you within Canada - is that clear? No more sitting on the fence - no more blood sucking off the rest of us - no more "special" treatment - just be off - the faster the better!

      Delete
    14. @cutie003

      "I want referendums NOW."

      so the parti québécois has your vote, right? or is it another empty promise?

      Delete
    15. A vote for the PQ is not a vote a referendum... or so the PQ would have us believe. They actually had to gall to say that during the election campaign! Not even El Studento took that one seriously...

      Delete
    16. @true montrealer

      they're not gonna hold a referendum if polls are not favorable. why would they do that?!? i still think someone who craves a referendum like cutie003 should vote for them. they're her best bet.

      Delete
    17. FROM ED
      Complicated
      Most of us knew the difference between right and wrong when we were a lot younger than 24 and we sure as hell did not praise murders. How old does he have to be before he says it was wrong because it was wrong then and it is still wrong now.
      I see him as a man who praises murderers and I see you as a a man who praises a man who praises murderers. Is that what you want to be? Ed

      Delete
    18. @yannick

      i think it does, mate. not by itself, but culture contributes to keeping the economy running. for example culture is of paramount importance for tourism. montreal would be less attractive if it had no dance theater circus galleries or music. also, although it's difficult to quantify, i'm sure having its movies regularly nominated in cannes and hollywood helps quebec keep its reputation as a place where things happen. and that's also very good for the economy.

      in my humble opinion, the quebec government has a nice roi on its cultural wealth creation investments.

      Delete
    19. @ed

      "I see you as a a man who praises a man who praises murderers."

      yes sure, like vic toews once said, if you don't like c-10 you side with the pedophiles, or bush who said if you don't like his new privacy intrusion laws you side with the terrorists.

      ok my turn now, if you don't condemn the use of such bad arguments you side with toews and bush, ed.

      is that what you want to be?

      Delete
    20. "you seem to consider a state as a big business and that's all. that's very short-sighted, mate. the theoritical objective of a government should be to ensure the population's happiness, not to turn out a profit. i admit a profit is nice to have. but it shouldn't be the ultimate goal."

      I also want to live in a fantasy world where everything is free, where there's no such thing as "rich or poor", where there are trees and rainbows everywhere, where everyone loves each other, where there is no war or violence or poverty, and where everyone owns a unicorn.
      Wouldn't that be great? Quick, lets separate!


      "hydro-quebec was created by the government. cultural wealth is also possible via government subsidies."

      Heh, I've often mentioned what I call the "Hydro Quebec" syndrome on this blog. This is why you guys don't seem to care at all about the financial implications of separation, I'm sure you believe your government would simply take over all the dirty-english-owned businesses following a successful referendum. Lose jobs? Impossible!

      Anyways Hydro-Quebec is only profitable because of Churchill Falls. Without that, it would be another money pit, like everything else in this province.

      Please name 3 other publicly run companies in this province that are profitable.

      Delete
  17. FROM ED
    White African Canadian,
    You're right about letters to the P.M. They go nowhere. When it comes to the Catholic rights, it was more the Church than the politics that decided things back then. As far as French going only to french schools it seemed natural back then that English would want to go to English schools etc. Nobody thought otherwise. Have any other places used shale oil with success? Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shale gaz is a success story in the United States.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale_gas_in_the_United_States
      Also, many companies operate natural gaz development in Canada including Halifax-based Corridor Ressources.
      http://www.corridor.ca

      Delete
    2. Success????
      Getting Natural gas out of the ground YES
      For the companies making lots of money YES
      Creating many jobs YES
      For the environment ,our water supply, our health, at this point in time FRACKING NO
      You have to understand what fracking is. What I understand , fracking is cutting up your skin and you know what that does to the body. They open up the earth’s skin and let up all the poison into our ground water and air.
      This is an interesting article a must read.
      http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/21/pennsylvania-ground-zero-shale-gas
      Fracking causing earthquakes
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7m1QXq21HA
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw5K7DlC15g

      Delete
    3. I agree with White African. The whole fracking process is horribly damaging to the environment and fraught with all sorts of risks. Of course the companies doing the fracking dont actually pay the true environmental damage..if they did then it would not be feasible much like the oilsands in Alberta. Everyone is jumping on the fracking bandwagon because of all the stories of jobs and boomtowns in North Dskota..however long term its pretty bad for the environment and will result in higher future liabilities.

      Delete
    4. @liam

      mate! what do you think of fracking now that you watched and read what white african canadian found for you?

      Delete
    5. @student

      Mate! Are you genuinely interested in his answer or are you fishing for something else to mock?

      Delete
    6. @true montrealer

      i'm genuinely interested in liam's answer. but if it's a bad one i'll mock it.

      Delete
    7. Based on your previous track record, I don't believe you at all.

      Delete
    8. @true montrealer

      yes i know in a few instances i haven't mocked him lately, my bad, but i swear i'll mock him this time around if his answer is as bas as usual. you have to believe me, mate.

      Delete
    9. Obviously, you don't care about the greater number of people who mock you for your bad answers... is there any particular reason why you think that he should care about yours? Believe me, no one here cares about your bad answers, mate.

      Delete
  18. I don't think that she is that stupid. It is a move similar to Bill 14 to satisfy the base and to hope to get some votes over the frustration towards the federal.
    Actually, it is better for her to not get any new powers and build up the frustration and this is exactly what will happen.
    However, the frustration will never reach the level that would grant support for a referendum. So her actions are purely for her and are destructive for Quebec's future.
    Quebec got on a self-destructive past years ago by rejecting its federal seats by voting for BQ. Then, without a second thought, it rejected the PLC, opening the door as wide as possible for Harper.
    Now, Quebec is simply screwed and in full denial.

    ReplyDelete
  19. English has 10 times more words than French

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYWednesday, March 13, 2013 at 4:10:00 PM EDT

      French grammar has 26 tenses- verbs;)
      English.... only three/

      Im all about objectivity, boy

      Delete
    2. Anonymous,

      Since you seem to be fond and very knowledgable of linguistics, you might be interested in the following article : http://nadeaubarlow.com/un-million-de-mots/

      Delete
    3. @ UN GARS All languages are complicated. I'll let you count
      http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/tenses

      Delete
    4. Guy from Calgary, I'm glad to read that you are an objective fellow. I was taught years ago that English has 12 tenses : 3 simple, 3 perfect, and 6 progressive forms. I'm not sure about French but I'm sure you can find an answer if its important to you. But have you noticed that translators never have a problem finding a precise English equivalent for French verb tenses? Personally, I think English is more logical and easier to learn to speak and write for your average modern European or North American. French is burdened with archaisms that have no equivalent in English - for example : gender and diacritical marks or accents. Do you really need to know whether a table is feminine or masculine? And do you need a little slash over a vowel in order to pronounce a word? Its 2013, not 1713. But I'm still a francophile despite it all.

      Delete
    5. Sorry, you guys, but that’s not quite true. Being a mongrel language, English is an especially illogical language. English spelling bears little relation to its pronunciation. Imagine a non-native speaker trying to learn how to pronounce “tough, though, thought, through, thorough, throughout”.

      Even if one only looks at Western languages, some languages (such as German) have THREE genders and most languages use diacritics. More people use Spanish as a native language than English, and yet it uses diacritics. So does Portuguese, the next-most-spoken native Western language (also by total number of speakers). Most conveniently, unlike English, Spanish is pronounced exactly as it written. And Danish is a particularly difficult language to pronounce, even for Swedes and Norwegians!

      Besides, most of the world’s languages are not Western. Asian languages, for example, don’t have grammatical gender, present and future tense are often identical and definite/indefinite articles are nonexistent… so what? While it may be hard to imagine for people who grew up in the West, even for very smart people, English is a very difficult language to master in areas where it’s not a native language.

      Delete
    6. Read this aloud: "Even though it's rough, Loughborough is still better than Slough"

      Delete
  20. Déjà 68% d'insatisfaits - Les Québécois mécontents: Les Péquistes et libéraux sont au coude à coude dans les intentions de vote.

    What this also means is that if/when Couillard becomes leader of the PLQ, he'll blast the PQ clear out of existence in the next election.

    Should a provincial election have been called in the fall of 2011, the PQ faced the same extinction the BQ suffered.

    Given that they rebounded from their predicament in 2011 and only came out with barely 31% of the vote, I predict that we'll be done with them once and for all if another election takes place over the next 6 months.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYWednesday, March 13, 2013 at 4:08:00 PM EDT

      "Déjà 68% d'insatisfaits - Les Québécois mécontents: Les Péquistes et libéraux sont au coude à coude dans les intentions de vote."

      No.......................?????
      You don't say??????????????????

      When were quebecois ever happy with anything and not bitching ever?

      I still remember as a kid, drunken, bloody family quarrels and fights about politics, sad.
      I never witnessed any such comparables here in Alberta, where i feel at home, not quebec any longer.
      Dont believe me? You have a blog where anglos and francos can bitch and argue... In Alberta? none yet;)

      I am so friggin' happy I left that land of mediocrity known as quebec.

      Delete
    2. "I am so friggin' happy I left that land of mediocrity known as quebec."

      À force de le répéter,vous allez peut-être finir par le croire.

      Faudrait me payer très cher pour que j'aille "vivre" dans ce trou qu'est l'alberta...Pas surprenant qu'ils attirent les travailleurs avec de gros salaires.

      Faut vraiment pas avoir de vie.

      Delete
    3. The repeater complaining about repetition... my head just exploded!

      Delete
    4. Je me demande simplement qui il essaie de convaincre,lui ou moi.

      Delete
    5. Quelle est la vraie nature de ta haine?

      Delete
  21. Vive le Montreal libre.

    This province never represented us, and we never represented them. Are we really the jewel in their crown? More like a thorn in their side, and they in our's. We are all suffering needlessly because of it.

    A jewel in Canada's crown once upon a time yes. As my pure laine Quebecois colleague so aptly put it, the PQ's greatest victory, was creating Toronto.

    If I may take this opportunity to bring up an often overlooked, yet critical facet of this city: a great many of "Montreal's finest" (SPVM), are not even Montrealers. How could they possibly police this city? An hour's drive out of Montreal, you are for all intent and purposes in another country.

    ReplyDelete
  22. "Vive le Montreal libre"

    Libre de quoi?Des anglos?

    Héhé!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They left 40 yrs ago but you will never be free of them and you know why? They live in your mind, alive and kickin' in your head. You are totally and completely inundated by them. They are the first thing you think about when you wake up and the last before you go to sleep. Proof of that is that you live in here, on this blog, completely consumed by what they might say or do next.

      Meanwhile back at the ranch, they don't give a shit about you. You're literally, not even on the radar for them. And if by some miracle they do get an inkling of you, it's that they're reminded of an old pair of shoes they just can't wait to discard. But you, you're stuck here, a total slave to the thought of them.

      Delete
    2. I'd love to ship his ass back to Ontario, along with a list of all the shit he ever said against Anglos, immigrants and "Canadians."

      I'm sure the outcome would be something along the lines of "Inglorious Basterds."

      Delete
    3. hahahahahahahahahahahaah....u kill me R.E. ...you kill me...If you didn't exist, they'd have to invent you! LOL

      Delete
    4. Allez donc pendre un petit Chardonnay (bien frais) tous les 2.Un petit tête-à-tête dans resto "italien"

      Héhé!

      Delete
    5. They live in your mind, alive and kickin' in your head.

      This is the gist of his hate which he refuses to explain.

      Delete
    6. "Allez donc pendre un petit Chardonnay (bien frais) tous les 2.Un petit tête-à-tête dans resto "italien""

      The crackpot had a brainfart...lol...who knew!

      R.E....my treat! lol..

      @R.S...A few theories:

      But here's one in a nutshell. In Life, we either come from Fear or we come from Love...and these teach us...there rest of our Lives.

      Delete
    7. We can see that people who like to call others “colonisé” centuries later are actually the colonized ones… colonized in the mind!

      Apparatchik asked the troll a perfectly reasonable question:
      “Quelle est la vraie nature de ta haine?”

      Not wanting to actually discuss anything on this blog, the troll refused to answer him… I suspect because he is unable to answer him. The troll needs to be reminded of this at every opportunity.

      Delete
    8. Désolé "erresse",je dois dabord consulter mon psy et mon avocat.

      Delete
    9. Quelle est la vraie nature de ta haine?

      Delete
  23. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYWednesday, March 13, 2013 at 4:04:00 PM EDT

    ""Vive le Montreal libre"

    Libre de quoi?Des anglos?

    Héhé!"
    -----------------
    Who feels like arguing with an idiot?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i'm in too, mate.

      to make it trickier for me i'll let you chose what we'll argue on.

      what will it be? the negative outcome of your job search in quebec? your drunken family? the incommensurable bliss you enjoy so far away from home? you chose.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. How about youe abysmal command of the English language "Student?"

      Perhaps you'd be happier in life if you didn't come across as the Colon we all see you for.

      Just sayin'.

      Delete
    4. @resident evil

      "How about youe abysmal command of the English language..."

      you want to discuss about my command of english?!? how would that be relevant to the debate, mate?

      "Perhaps you'd be happier in life if you didn't come across as the Colon we all see you for."

      who's "we all"? i told you before to stop pretending you're some kind of spokesperson cause you're not.

      Delete
    5. Dudent,
      "i told you before to stop pretending you're some kind of spokesperson cause you're not."
      What's next? You're going to tell him he's not the boss of you? Grow up. From your writing and arguments I'd guess that at most you're 18 and probably more like 15-16 and while it's laudable that you're interested in debating with adults, in most cases you're out of your element and are lacking the education, maturity and experience to hold your own. Watching you go up against Apparatchik is like watching a mosquito take on the windshield of a Ferrari (and no, Mosquito Boy, you aren't the Ferrari). Hopefully, that won't always be the case, but is is now. And yes, Res Evil speaks for me, too.

      Delete
    6. @diogenes

      "Watching you go up against Apparatchik is like watching a mosquito take on the windshield of a Ferrari..."

      really?!?! so you also think that exploitative systems are just "the way it is"?

      and that all separatists "foam at the mouth" over the idea of taking over westmount's mansions because a dude hinted at this in the comments sections of an online newspaper?

      ah. i'm learning about you diogenes. as i assumed apparatchik was the only one with this kind of twisted morals.

      Delete
    7. Oh shit...look at him go!:

      "really?!?! so you also think that exploitative systems are just "the way it is"?

      and that all separatists "foam at the mouth" over the idea of taking over westmount's mansions because a dude hinted at this in the comments sections of an online newspaper?

      ah. i'm learning about you diogenes. as i assumed apparatchik was the only one with this kind of twisted morals."

      Looks to me like we struck a chord of truth.

      Our little child has become very aggressive all of a sudden.

      Delete
    8. These two deserve a double face palm.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNsrK6P9QvI

      Delete
    9. Oops, forgot to pay my props to Apparatchik's eloquence. While we share many ideals, I wish I shared his trademark delivery.

      But even though he's got me out-styled when it comes to formulating a statement...he's still the Ferrari that flattened the living shit out of Student on dozens of occasions.

      I'm talkin' about Macho Madness, baby!

      Delete
    10. Dudent said "ah. i'm learning about you diogenes. as i assumed apparatchik was the only one with this kind of twisted morals."
      "twisted morals"? What are you blathering about? Just because you've heard the word, doesn't mean you know how to use it. I've been following this blog for about 3 years now and while I'm getting a pretty good idea of some of the regular contributors personalities, I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to claim I know anything of their morals. You're learning about me? You know nothing of my moral code other than that you may have sensed that I strongly feel people should do the right thing even if it's not what they want to do. You know, I try to cut you some slack because of your age, but then you come out with some cretinous comment that looks sounds like an unsuccessful test of the Infinite Monkey Theorem. I think you should have a time out.

      Delete
  24. On the TVA game show “Le Tricheur” tonight, one of the questions was: “According to the OQLF, what is the approved name for this game?” (showing a backgammon board). None of the players were able to answer the question!

    The OQLF claims that backgammon should be called “le jacquet” but according to Wikipedia and its sources, jacquet was the 19th-century successor to trictrac but it died out in the 1960s. The correct name for the game is backgammon in French.

    In its rush to stamp out anything English-sounding, it is ironic that the OQLF blesses an outdated word that virtually no one knows and is actually derived from the English word “jockey”. Once again, so much for French “purity”!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and then what happened at la poule aux oeufs d'or, mate?!?!?

      Delete
    2. Just in case anyone still had any doubts that student comes here to be anything other than an S.R-level troll, let this answer settle the question once and for all.

      Also, note the “assimilation creep” that is going on (i.e. “anglos don’t speak French --> anglos learn French; “anglos don’t listen to Marie-Mai” --> OK, they still won’t listen to that crap). Instead of saying “Hey dude! That’s cool that you watch French TV instead of deleting the channel like most people do, mate!”, the troll finds something else to mock.

      Has everyone got it now? It doesn’t matter what you do, the separatists will NEVER be satisfied by it, so too bad for them.

      Delete
    3. @true montrealer

      i'm sorry. it was just a joke.

      i am very happy that r.s watches little tva quizzes.

      @r.s

      sorry mate. i think it's great that you watch little tva quizzes. when you're done tell me, i'll steer you towards better french tv.

      Delete
  25. FROM ED
    On the CTV news this evening they were duscussing Justin Trudeau. They asked opinions of people n the street and the general consensus was that he would be welcome here in quebec. Mr. Sauga how do the folks in your area feel about him generally? By the way Saugy, you crack me up. I love the Jewish expressions you use. This one has me still chuckling. "Oy Ed I swear the things you write could give an aspirin a headache." It made my day, Thank you. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  26. I beg to differ on immigration.

    It might indeed have the side effect of diluting the French but I doubt. The main purpose of the immigration is business - Canada cannot grow economically otherwise, given its economy is structured as a sandwich of resource and services and not much in between. Nor can some Ponzi-like schemes like the defined pensions of the government workers can be supported without demographic growth. Nor can the economy grow if people do not get solid education, and most do get educated enough to read the flyers. It is much cheaper to import educated people than educate them here, plus they ask much less of their rights than the natives. When I was imported in I was shocked at the level of general illiteracy; add to that that I was surprised to find I write and speak better French than the natives.

    Not to mention the seasonal workers immigration programs that bring in peoples from abroad to work for a period in Canada for less than $3/hour and then send them back. Wages are too low for natives but otherwise some type of businesses are not "competitive". IMHO this is slavery without the masters having the obligations the masters had in the antiquity.

    The "business" immigration class is essentially a way to whitewash money made elsewhere, at best in an illegal way, at worst through some criminal activities. Unfortunately, I know a few in this category.

    If I would be the apprentice wizard responsible of this experiment I would worry about this level of immigration. Is is no mistake there are Sharia pushers around and some day things will get out of the RCMP hands no matter how many informants they coerce in.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Editor, an interesting post. The Black Knight sketch is still funny, all these years later. But I don't agree with your premise that Marois is the victim of some Harper payback conspiracy. Very simplistic. Quebec's declining power is about demographics and economics. And I'm sure you recall George Brown from your high school history classes. Does "rep by pop" ring a bell ? Why is it the federal government's fault that the west and Ontario are attracting so much capital investment and the population increases that go with it ? And see the interview in the Globe and Mail today with Michel Patry, the director of HEC. The title is a quote from Patry : "We [Quebec] have a deficit of entrepeneurs". If you are in the mood to be depressed about the economic prospects of our beloved pays, read the article. Is that Harper's fault? Or Ontario's?

    And skip the constitution and the separation of powers, if that is what you are getting at with your last words re "preserving what little powers Quebec already has". Nonsense. Quebec's powers are enormous and equal to those of Alberta and Ontario. And it has great human resources and natural resources. But we are stalled. Why? The answer is complicated but you will not find it among the protesting students with their hands out or, I regret to say, in the ranks of the PQ. Meanwhile, the rest of the country advances. I've just returned from Toronto, now the fourth largest City in North America, and the contrast with the stasis in Montreal is shocking. Is that Harper's fault?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "But we are stalled. Why? The answer is complicated but you will not find it among the protesting students with their hands out or, I regret to say, in the ranks of the PQ. Meanwhile, the rest of the country advances"

      The answer is not complicated. We have stalled because we're staring at the pinstripes. Let's start focusing on the Debt and the Economy with the real intention to solve these problems; with the sincere intention to finally face reality and the truth that we better understand where we've been, and this has given us little results, actually, it's put us back several decades. Let's make a real concerted effort of dealing with one problem at a time and doing what needs to be done, to get out of the deep dark hole we're in.

      I overheard a conversation once, and this is what one guy said to the other: "You are either part of the problem or part of the solution, which guy you gonna be?"

      That is what this province has to decide. What they are, and who they want to be.

      Delete
    2. Anectote, I think we are on the same page. You say : "let's start focusing..." I agree. But the PQ is not doing that. They would rather play to their out of touch base and obsess about identity politics. The complicated part is how to change the conversation. Sure, it can be done but there is no sign of relief in sight. Certainly not from lightweights like Justin Trudeau or Tom Mulcair, federally, or the reorganizing PLQ. Legault gets the economy but can he get the seats? The Quiet Revolution is not over - yet.

      Delete
    3. Nice post Sandy. Currently, the PQ and the Liberals are just competing to see who plays the fiddle while Quebec burns. Time for some new blood.

      Delete
  28. FROM ED
    Sorry sandy, you're way off base with Legault . Everyrhing I read about him tells me he's done for. Vigile.net posters make it clear thatb the French hate him. The hard liners hate him for deserting the PQ. The Federalists hate him for having been PQ.
    Contrary to what you say there is a sign of relief in sight. Phillippe Couillard is the breath of fresh air we have waited for. The Libs will be reorganized in no time and back on top as soon as they can force an election. They may not have to force an election, I think the people might do it. French and English are beginning to see one thing in common, that marois is not capable of being a leader. To parphrase Dylan (not Thomas)
    "the times they are a-changin'" Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ed

      what do you mean "fresh air"?!? couillard was a charest minister and he's already hampered in his own ethical blunders before he's even started! fresh air?!?

      Delete
    2. ED, you may be right. We'll see soon enough. I'm not a partisan on this. My simple point is the old Clinton/Carville refrain : 'Its the economy, stupid'. Some free advice - don't rely on Vigile for the pulse of les franco Quebecois. Those poor fellows are lost in the woods somewhere north of La Tuque, and not a compass among them. And re Bob D, the song goes on : "...accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone..." Bring your raincoat to the next election !

      Delete
  29. FROM ED
    Has anyone noticed that we're not hearing anything from th CAQ's number 2 man, Jaques Duchesneau these days. He praised premier Jean Charest when Charest gave him the go ahead for the commission. he told how Charest was cooperative and supportive. When the electionn came along Charest suddenly bcame the world's worst bastard. How can they label this liar Mr.Clean and what has he found that makes him so silent these days? Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very good point, Ed. I had almost forgotten all about him after the jostling for his benediction since the election. Whatever happened to "Mr. Clean" anyway??

      Delete
    2. The reality is that Montreal and Quebec contract are 75% more expansive than the city of Toronto and the Government of Ontario contracts'. Quebec is corrupt to the core. The Liberal Party of Quebec are thieves that would rather see Quebec go down the drain economically and support the mafia friend than benefit the province. Bouchard was an incompetent idiot that cut the infrastrucure then support the province economy. The province can't even built a freeway between Montreal and Gatineau while Ontario highway is now all the way to Arnprior by now. Ontario saved 7 million when building Highway 416 between Ottawa and Prescott/Highway 401. Quebec is dysfunctional legislature with no long-term vision and an endemic corruption. The PQ might have hidden that fact by not investing in freeway but the problem was still existent. Legault is the only politician that want to fix it. Duchesnault was the only politician that revealed the problem.

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      R.S. We'll know more about Duchesneau when we see how he votes on boll 14. Legault wants to vote only on certain points. let's see how Mr. Order of Canada votes or if he shows up. Ed

      Delete
    4. You have it 100% right about the Liberals.

      "The Liberal Party of Quebec are thieves that would rather see Quebec go down the drain economically and support the mafia friend than benefit the province."

      This is exactly what we see at the Charboneau commission. Toni Tomassi, Franco Fava etc. The construction guys are pigs at the Liberal trough.

      Unfortunately the PQ also are at the same game. They have slightly less love for Mafia and more love for wasting money on unions and Pauline husband. All that money he spent on Tony Accurso financing. Of course it passes the "quebec smell test".

      It's a conflict of internest in "Canada" but Quebec is distinct with it's own distinct (totally missing) moral compass. "We didn;t pay the politicians for business! We are jsut their friends. We woud have given anyway" is the Quebec logic.


      Delete
  30. Guess what the latest popular show is on Radio-Canada?

    Believe it or not, it’s Downton Abbey… in French!

    Finally! Quebecers get to watch the wonderful “Upstairs/Downstairs”-style epic period British drama.

    The anglophobic separatists must be in apoplexy knowing that Radio-Canada is broadcasting such superlative television on our territory.

    http://www.radio-canada.ca/emissions/downton_abbey/saison1/
    http://borderlessnorth.org/blogs/sophie-in-the-city/downton-abbey-en-fran%C3%A7ais!!!/
    http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downton_Abbey

    And just in case any of you haven’t been watching it yet, it’s must-see-TV! Although it makes about as much sense watching British society dubbed in French as it did watching New Yorkers speaking French in "Sex and the City"...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ack! So many nuances are missing. There’s no way of telling which characters are speaking in British Received Pronunciation, working-class English, Irish-English or American-English accents… everybody sounds all the same in French!

      Even open-minded francophones are probably unaware of all the subtleties that they’re missing by watching this version of Downton Abbey… Still, I suppose it’s better than being cocooned in an all-Québécois bubble…

      Delete
    2. Ack! So many nuances are missing. There’s no way of telling which characters are speaking in British Received Pronunciation, working-class English, Irish-English or American-English accents… everybody sounds all the same in French!

      Even open-minded francophones are probably unaware of all the subtleties that they’re missing by watching this version of Downton Abbey… Still, I suppose it’s better than being cocooned in an all-Québécois bubble…

      Delete
  31. Liquid Nutrition is the latest target of the OQLF

    Never mind that that its menu is 100% entirely in French, never mind that it has been in business in Quebec for 8 years, never mind that the franchises in Quebec City haven’t received any complaints, never mind that other trademarks like Best Buy or Home Depot are acceptable…

    The language police are now attacking Liquid Nutrition for its lack of a vowel… or a descriptor.

    http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Language+police+sights+Liquid+Nutrition/8091841/story.html

    This is the way to “protect” and “respect” French in North America! Yeah!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Finally! One of these OQLF agents finally caught on camera.

      According to reports, this picture of the agent was taken when he chose to "celebrate" after his visit to Liquid Nutrition:

      http://screencast.com/t/6UnPXH5WZDCB

      Perhaps the Liquid Nutrition affair isn't really about language?

      Delete
  32. Don’t forget about Karim’s awesome first-time video mocking the OQLF’s excesses… would that I had the skill to make something so good. Like it if you haven’t yet!

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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, March 14, 2013 at 5:25:00 PM EDT

      Just watched the video.
      Excellent commentary from an outsider.
      Poor guy, but at least he tried his best. Sad.
      My take on it is that he marrying a quebecoise will be similar to a black man marrying a white woman in the south during the 1950's. Frightening...

      Delete
  33. Interesting, isn't it, that Catholics used the rule of 2/3rds + 1 in order to elect Pope Francis I?

    ReplyDelete
  34. How is that relevant? Are you taking the historical and cultural context of Quebec into account?

    Any "reasoning" that helps seppies destroy the province is good logic to them.

    The PQ would argue that only old stock Quebers are allowed to vote on separation if they could find a blood test that would work..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Were you replying to my previous comment or someone else? It's hard to tell with this antique Blogger interface.

      Delete
  35. FROM ED
    R.S.
    It is interesting considering Julius causer needed 66+1 to become 'magistraus extraordinarius' and had 85% of the vote in the Reichstag to become Chancellor, yet Marois rules with only 30% support. This is nuts. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  36. FROM ED
    I meant to say that Hitler had 85% of the vote in teh Reichstag. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  37. Genivar: près de 400 000$ versés au PLQ

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/dossiers/commission-charbonneau/201303/14/01-4630894-genivar-pres-de-400-000-verses-au-plq.php

    Quelle surprise!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FROM ED
      Three people have emailed me privately telling me to check what has been said by S.R. about the Liberals. He is trying to say the Genivar gave $400,000. to the Liberal Party. The gave that amount to the Montreal party The also gave amounts of cash to the Libs, the PQ and the Action Demacratique. These amounts were all properly registered with Elections Quebec. You see why I say don't pay attention to the trolls. Ed
      An interesting thought; In order to show humility, Pope Francis did not take the name of any other previous Popes. Instead he named himself after a Saint. Ain't Saints higher than Popes? Ed

      Delete
  38. Pope Francis' humility on display as he stops by hotel to pick up bags

    http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/03/14/pope_francis_humility_on_display_as_he_stops_by_hotel_to_pick_up_bags_after_praying_at_shrine.html

    What a surprise!

    ReplyDelete
  39. This is the view of recent events from an American who wishes to live to in Quebec.

    PLEASE, I BEG YOU TO LISTEN TO IT IN ITS ENTIRETY regardless of our natural tendency to casually skip ahead through everything as fast as possible.

    I SWEAR THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL VIEWING FOR READERS OF THIS BLOG. I’m not exaggerating.

    I'm absolutely dumbfounded at the genuine emotion of this guy’s feelings.

    For those who are wondering, the background music is Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie.

    Quebec through the Eyes of an American:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lu0rUAzBwo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for that, Cat.

      Unfortunately, I can't see too many separatists taking this to heart.

      What saddens me most is that he is spot-on about Montreal losing is multi-national appeal.

      I used to have the biggest love for the city, but I can't believe how different it is now than even just ten years ago.

      It is absolutely NOTHING like it was in the 90s.

      Back in the day, hanging out in the Latin Quarter was one of the most exciting places to hang out and you could meet people from all over the world there.

      Now, what you'll in the Latin Quarter are whitey-white-whiteys who have a hard-on for mono-culturalism and have nothing more than the homogenization of the city's population.


      Delete
    2. I’m not expecting any separatists to take this to heart. I do expect that everyone else will be saddened by the honest opinion expressed by someone who is not bound up with our bullshit.

      By the way, never mind the 90s, I remember Montreal in the 80s and the 70s (as do many others here, I’m sure).

      Delete
    3. 80s??!

      OMG Cat, you're Sofa King oooooold!

      (Just kidding around!!)

      Delete
    4. Yeah, yeah... you only WISH you knew about the Garage and the Limelight and all the other clubs when Montreal used to be IT!

      (Just kidding around!!)

      Delete
    5. I've never heard a more heartfelt plea than this against the damage that the language crazies are doing to Quebec. It takes a foreigner to wake us up from the language bullshit that we’ve been lulled into. WTF!?!

      Delete
    6. FROM ED
      Cat, this guy doesn't know what he wants. Please don't waste my time promoting some American's life problems We have enough of our own. If Quebec is more than he can handle, don't come. It's that simple. Heartfelt. Really! Ed

      Delete
  40. The following is what The Suburban wants to know from Mr. Legault - me too

    http://www.thesuburban.com/article.php?id=1150&title=ET-TU-FRAN%C3%87OIS-LEGAULT%3F

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  41. Oh noes! Paul Rose, the FLQ terrorist who was born where I live and who hid on the street where I used to live, has died today. S.R must be lighting a candle at church in his memory today.

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    Replies
    1. Awesome, now I know where to relieve myself on St. Patrick's day. Rot in hell!

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    2. I hope that he will also light a candle in memory of Pierre Laporte, the Quebec cabinet minister who was murdered by Paul Rose and his pals in the FLQ and is buried at Notre-Dame Cemetery on Mount Royal.

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    3. It provides some degree of comfort to the family of Pierre Laporte. Rose served a lousy 13 years for murder. See:http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/actualites-en-societe/373241/paul-rose-figure-marquante-de-l-histoire-du-quebec-contemporain-est-decede#haut

      Delete
  42. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, March 14, 2013 at 5:05:00 PM EDT

    I read somewhere that Rose was no where near the murder scene, that's why he was let out in 1982.
    Can anyone confirm?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Shit, UN GARS caught the Student disease...

      "Show me data!!"

      "Where's your proof mate?"

      "Come back when you can show me numbers"

      Seriously though, just the fact that he was even related to the FLQ he deserves to rot in prison...but given today's turn of events, I guess we'll have to settle with him burning in hell instead.

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    2. No worries man.

      I'm on your side.

      Judging by what I'm seeing on social media & news boards, a lot of people are very happy to see him dead.

      Shit, even Mathieu Bock-Cote denounced the man's "legacy." Now that's saying a lot!

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      Bernard Lortie and Francis Simard were the other two members of the Chenier cell that killed laPorte. lortie testified that Paul Rose found a coat hanger and twisted it around LaPorte's neck and Jauques Rose twistedd it farther until he was dead. Ed

      Delete
  43. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE CALGARYThursday, March 14, 2013 at 5:33:00 PM EDT

    "La Coalition québécoise contre la réforme de l'assurance-emploi s'élargit, alors que le mouvement tarde à prendre son élan en Ontario et dans l'ouest canadien."

    What's wrong with the above statement?

    http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/373244/opposition-a-la-reforme-de-l-assurance-emploi-la-coalition-s-elargit-au-quebec
    ----------------------

    I moved away from mMontreal because I could not find work... Why is it always that quebec has some twisted though process? They're not entitled to life long EI benefits.
    If you live somewhere with chronic unemployment you have two choices:
    1. Exploit natural resources, or;
    2. Move to a region where one can work.
    Don't they have any dignity?

    ReplyDelete