Friday, May 17, 2013

French versus English volume 84

This week in Quebec Corruption

Jean Roberge...."I'm a crook too"
While the province reels from the mass arrests made by the police last week in relation to corruption in Laval, (Quebec's third largest city) two actors were conspicuous by their absence from the list of the arrested. Both city manager Gaétan Turbide and assistant city manager Jean Roberge and were assumed to be in cahoots with police and were both scheduled to testify before the Charbonneau Commission this week. Strangely, they were both suspended from their jobs in anticipation of their giving evidence.
Here's the kicker.
On the very morning that Turbide was to testify, a Commission lawyer rose and announced that the witness was not to be heard because evidence had just been received putting his credibility in question.
What does that mean? ....they wouldn't say.

Anyways the second witness, Mr. Roberge was rushed to the stand and testified that Laval city hall was indeed one heck of a corrupt place.
How does he know all this for sure? According to him, he was one of the crooks! Read the story

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Here are the names and a description of the 37 people arrested in the operation by police targeting Laval corruption Link{fr}
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More bad news for SNC-Lavalin
"A division of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin has for years used a secret internal accounting code that former employees say was for bribes on projects across Africa and Asia, a joint investigation by CBC News and the Globe and Mail has found.
Former employees say some of the money was earmarked to help the company win contracts funded by international development agencies such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
CBC News and the Globe and Mail have discovered that a division called SNC-Lavalin International Inc. (SLII) that focuses on smaller contracts to design and supervise megaprojects has for years used the code words “PCC” or “CC” interchangeably to describe hidden so-called "project consultancy costs."
“PCC, they interchangeably used the word," said former SNC-Lavalin International engineer Mohammad Ismail. "Sometimes it was 'project consultancy cost,' sometimes 'project commercial cost,' but [the] real fact is the intention is [a] bribe." Read the rest of the story

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Disgraced municipal party Union Montréal dissolves
"The remaining members in former Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay's party, Union Montréal, have decided to abandon the party.
Interim party leader Richard Deschamps announced the dissolution of the party this afternoon. In his 20-minute speech, Deschamps detailed successes from Union Montréal's 12-year reign including the introduction of Bixi, Montreal's bike-sharing system.
Deschamps says members decided to disband because of the public perception of the party in the wake of damning testimony before the province's corruption inquiry." Read more

PQ Minister fans the flames of religious intolerance racism

Drainvile..."CALLING ALL RACISTS!"
Here's another episode of the Parti Quebecois fanning the flames of religious intolerance in order to play to their base of xenophobic racists and hardliners, who see any rapprochement with Montreal minorities as a sellout to the separatist idealism, where everyone must conform to a world of poutine, maple syrup, and atheism.

It seems that from the ivory tower in Quebec city a PQ minister Bernard Drainville has complained about the fact that a local borough in Montreal modified parking rules for a couple of days to give a break to the Hasidic community during one of its holidays, where they were bound not to move their cars.
"A PQ minister stirred up the reasonable accommodation debate Wednesday by criticizing a Montreal borough's practice of delaying street cleaning in front of a synagogue on religious holidays.

On the Jewish holiday Shavuot, which fell on Wednesday, observant Jews were not supposed to operate a vehicle. As such, some parking signs in a limited area around a school and synagogue in Cote-des-Neiges/NDG were altered temporarily. Drivers were not required to move their car for street cleaning.

“There's no necessity to do street sweeping in front of a synagogue on one of the Jewish High Holidays,” explained CDN-NDG city councillor Marvin Rotrand. “In fact, it doesn't cost anything not to do it and it doesn't inconvenience citizens if that particular day is skipped.
Bernard Drainville, however, disagrees. Quebec's minister for democratic institutions and active citizenship said he was outraged when he heard.

“There's no discrimination. Everyone must respect the same regulations, the same parking regulations. You can't start having parking regulations that are different according to your religion, because there will be no end to it,” he said."
Read the rest of the story
Mr. Drainville was quick to point out that once accommodations are made for one religious group, there will be no end to demands.
I wonder if Mr. Drainville is opening up a new battlefield which will include objections to Greeks marching down Park Avenue, forcing the closure of that important artery, or the closure of the entire downtown core on St. Patrick's Day, not to mention the infernal Santa Claus parade that forces street closures and parking restrictions all over the downtown core.

If religions are not to be afforded special consideration, because according to the minister, everyone must conform, how about special interest groups that appeal to a minority and are generally exclusionary.

How about the infernal separatist parade that closes down Sherbrooke street each year, another horrific accommodation to separatists, not to mention cyclists who collectively hold the city to ransom once a year for the Tour de l'Isle. Let's not forget those selfish twins, whose exclusionary parade is restricted to those who are beneficiaries of an accident of birth.
How about street closure to support those elitist rich bastards who attend the Grand Prix or aficionados of Jazz who force their music on neighborhoods without any consideration for others.

Evidently to Drainville, accommodating some minorities is a good idea, accommodating some other minorities is a bad idea.

According to Mr. Drainville, accommodations are only unreasonable when they implicate Jews or Muslims, or other minority religions, prime targets of the French language purists who see a Yarmulke, hijab or turban as a direct threat to their nationhood.

The sad part of this all, is that nobody complained about the accommodation that Mr. Drainville was so angry about, it has been in place for over thirty years without controversy.

Piling on this non-issue was Journal de Montreal columnist Richard Martineau who actually complained the Montreal's lazy-ass blue collar workers were badly inconvenienced (what a joke!)

He then goes on to say that as accommodations go, this one is not a big deal, not like an imam apologizing for stoning. Hmmm.....
"Pas de quoi déchirer sa chemise ou se taper la tête contre les murs.
Rayon accommodements, on a vu pire.
Les heures de piscine, les fenêtres du YMCA, un imam qui fait l’apologie de la lapidation et du fouet dans un haut lieu du savoir…" Link{fr}
Then Martineau  goes on to complain that "People will say the PQ is racist, xenophobic, allergic to religion, hostile to minorities...…

Correctamundo! 
They certainly will, because in the rest of the civilized world, that is exactly what the PQ presents as. 
Separatists just don't get it.
Not everyone wants to eat poutine and bacon, live out of wedlock, revere hockey, disdain religion and listen to Marie-Mai or even speak French at home.

If that is the obligatory price of remaining a citizen of Quebec, then it's time to hold a Quebec version of the Wannsee conference followed by breaking out the cattle cars.
Quebec's National Assembly & Montreal city Council

Let us remember that the PQ and Quebec language militants promote a society that is officially neutral when it comes to religion, but firmly attached to its Christianity by virtue of its 'heritage.'
That is why in a religiously neutral state, Christian holidays are state holidays, public institutions and streets are named after Christian saints and biblical personalities and that crucifixes are honorably presented in the National Assembly and throughout municipal councils across Quebec, even MONTREAL.

Don't get me, wrong, I have no problem with public manifestations in Quebec of the overwhelming dominant religion, but let's not pretend and call a spade, a spade.
Separatists want all religion removed in public life, except theirs....

(Thanks for the story to many readers including RWB.)

Sugar Sammy Award panned by separatist

The insufferable pseudo-intellectual separatist Mathieu Bock-Côté unleashed a snarly and vindictive screed in Le Journal de Montreal in reaction to comedian Sugar Sammy winning some sort of Francophone comedy award,
"I'm telly you. English is the DEVIL!!!!"
"Sugar Sammy has won this year’s Olivier Award. Obviously, he’s funny. No one is questioning his comedic talent. He has an exceptionally lively mind. But short of him telling us that his jokes are completely devoid of content, you have to take his words at least somewhat seriously. On stage, Sugar Sammy is an activist comedian. His humour is political.
Sammy was a Liberal activist during the 1995 referendum, and makes no secret of his federalism or commitment to multiculturalism. But, as he has previously observed, humour is infinitely more effective than putting up posters to "get the message across." He’s certainly not wrong. In a "just for laughs" society, whoever makes people laugh has a great deal of power, as he gets to define what is hip and what isn’t.
HIS VISION OF QUEBEC
Through his humour, Sugar Sammy puts forward his vision of Quebec. His trademark is ridiculing Quebec francophones, more specifically, those in favour of a French and sovereign Quebec. In his shows, he paints a portrait of these Quebecers as a collection of nasty, mean-spirited and uneducated xenophobes.
We’re all familiar with his "classic" joke. There are two types of Québécois. Those who are educated, sophisticated, modern, civilized, friendly and accommodating. And there are those who voted Yes in 1995. Hilarious, isn’t it? What’s more, in an interview, he once equated independence to "turning in on ourselves" without a trace of irony.
What never ceases to amaze me is the enthusiasm of some Quebec francophones, who trip over each other in their rush to praise him. I read a few days ago that Sugar Sammy "tells it like it is." But what is he saying? That we’re a bunch of inward looking bumpkins? That defending a French Quebec is being culturally paranoid?
By idealizing Sugar Sammy, they’re saying: Look at how open and modern we are. We want Sugar Sammy’s version of Quebec. We want a Canadianized Quebec, where bilingualism is the norm and reasonable accommodations come one after the other. We want a Quebec that agrees to fade away into Canadian multiculturalism.
This is a Quebec where many citizens are now "Montrealers first," rather than Quebecers first. Just think back to his show You’re gonna rire. A "bilingual" show, just like his vision of an ideal Montreal. A Montreal where people naturally mix English and French within the same sentence. A Montreal where Québécois should stop fighting to be served in French.
Some Québécois are psychologically flawed. They feel trapped in a francophone society because they’ve been told that being open to the world involves English. They’ve been convinced that by showing just a bit of contempt for Quebec, they’d finally be considered citizens of the world. They’re afraid of not looking "modern," of being "ceintures fléchées." So they like Sugar Sammy.
As long as we remain convinced that there's something intolerant about living in our home in French, as long as we believe that wanting a country is closing ourselves off from the world, we will remain convinced that it is admirable to sing the praises of a political comedian who insults us. If Sugar Sammy represents the future of Quebec, then Quebec has no future.
Thanks for a great translation from PlateauAnglo.
Please read the original article in French ICI

Evidently Mr. Bock-Côté  doesn't understand the humor of Sugar Sammy, who in the great tradition of Don Rickles insults and mocks his audience.
I hope he has a listen to some of Sugar Sammy's routines in English where he slays his own community, as well as other ethnicities like Montreal's Haitians.
Mathieu Bock-Côté is nothing more than a frustrated Grinch.

Watch a bit of Sugar Sammy;
Ethnical Difficulties Q&A  
Suspicious Middle Eastern Guys
Sugar Sammy - Trop Drole{fr}

When Sugar Sammy received his award at the French gala, he couldn't resist, telling the audience that they shouldn't blame his victory on the 'ethnic vote'  HaHa!

By the way,  in response to Mr. Bock-Côté's screed, a fellow columnist at the Journal de Montreal, Lise Ravary, wrote a scathing rebuke.
"When Yvon Deschamps applied his shock therapy Quebecers, we applauded wildly. When Sugar Sammy does the same thing, we feel ridiculed.  
Why? He was born here, grew up here. He lives here. Sugar Sammy is Quebec. Why doesn't he have the right to join the discussion?
If Sugar Sammy, is the future of Quebec, that Quebec will be part of my future. The future under the banner of ethnic nationalism is a lot less
interesting. Link{fr}

Great video protesting OQLF nonsense



Letter to the Editor: The language police visit a bank.
"While this Orwellian event may appear to most as an article taken from the Onion, I firmly place my hand on my Montreal Canadiens jersey and swear the truth to the gods of our city.
The event began on May 14, when a local federal bank that shall not be named was visited by Quebec’s language police. As a starting point, English-only pamphlets, which were skilfully placed next to French-only pamphlets, had to be removed from the customers’ area. Employees were told that they did not belong in the front; what if a francophone were to accidentally select the wrong pamphlet? The strain of placing the pamphlet back and appropriately selecting another is an injustice that the language police in Quebec luckily are here to protect us from.
Next up: a microwave. This seemingly innocent machine hides its evil by presenting the employees with hot Pizza Pockets and mom’s leftovers. Within this evil lie several words, written only in English. No, not even their own, private microwave is safe from the hands of the language police. Among these forbidden words: open and time. These frighteningly English words carry with them the desire to eradicate the French-speaking population of Quebec. With a few adjustments, employees will soon be able to safely heat up their favourite dishes in French."  Read the rest of the letter

PQ launches yet another commission... with notable boycotters

Both the Montreal police union and the Quebec Liberals announced that they would boycott the affair, claiming the whole thing is a put-up affair to cast blame on them.
The Parti Québécois government's special commission looking into last year's student protests is coming under attack from all sides.
Opposition politicians are questioning the PQ's motives.
Student leaders say the mandate is too broad, and the police will evade close scrutiny of their role in the student protests.

Police officers fear a witch hunt.
Public Security Minister Stéphane Bergeron says being attacked by people from opposite sides of the issue is a sign the government made the right decision by creating the commission and appointing Serge Ménard, Claudette Carbonneau and Bernard Grenier to sit on it.
But the Liberals and the Coalition Avenir Québec say the makeup of the commission is biased.
Ménard is a former PQ public security and justice minister. He also served as a Bloc MP in Ottawa and is clearly identified as a sovereigntist.
Claudette Carbonneau is a former head of the CSN trade union. The CSN, along with other big unions, helped finance the student protests last year." Read more

Bixi, Bixi, Bixi

Trouble in Bixiland 
"It is as Montreal as a two-cheek kiss, a made-in-Quebec success story that has garnered both awards and lucrative contracts around the world. Yet the Bixi bike-sharing system, best known for its sleek two-wheelers of the same name, is plagued by lack of administrative oversight, questionable management and a business plan that has it teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, with a whopping $37-million debt after only two years of operation."  Read More

Bixi Toronto: City urged to take over financially struggling bike-share program
"City staff want Toronto to take over the embattled Bixi bike-sharing program, according to a confidential report obtained by the Star.
The seven-page document, which was distributed at a behind-closed-doors meeting of Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee last week, outlines three scenarios for dealing with the financially troubled company.
According to the report, Bixi Toronto informed city staff in November that it was not able to make its loan payments “over the next few months.”
If the company defaults, Toronto is on the hook for an outstanding loan of $3.9 million. Read more

"Citibike (Bixi): I Don't Care What They Do In Paris, I Live In New York City,"
"When I drive into the Village it's going to be harder to park. I would rather not have them at all," he said. "It takes parking spots away from people like me. I just don't like it."
But perhaps the most telling line of the evening came before the meeting even began. "Can't we all just get along?" one Citi Bike supporter asked another. She shook her head. "We wouldn't be in New York." Read more

.....and just for good measure:
"No evidence cycle helmet laws reduce head injuries: study"


Quebec anglos continue generous tradition of giving

"A Montreal family is making a hefty donation to cancer care that is being matched by other philanthropic foundations.
The Rossy Family Foundation (owners of Dollarama-ed.) is giving $30 million, while $28 million will come from the cancer foundations of the McGill University Health Centre, the Jewish General Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital to create an initiative called the Rossy Cancer Network.
The money will help the hospitals and the Rossy Foundation share research, pool resources and build on their individual strengths by working together as four significant cancer centres." Read more

The Fondation du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) is delighted to announce one of the greatest gifts in its entire history. This outstanding show of support in the capital fundraising campaign Giving Ourselves the Best in Health Care comes from generosity on the part of the Molson Foundation which makes public today a contribution of 5 million dollars." Read more

Odds'n Ends

Conrad Black: Quebec Independence No Longer A Threat 
 "There is no longer a threat of Quebec independence because Quebecers have become "addicted" to transfer payments from other provinces, former media baron Conrad Black said Friday." Read more

Quebec firm tops off  New york Tradecenter skyscraper
The installation of the spire was completed Friday morning after pieces of it had been transported to the roof of the building last week. The 408-foot (124.36-meter) spire, weighing 758 tons, is a joint venture between the Montreal-based ADF Group Inc. engineering firm and New York-based DCM Erectors Inc., a steel contractor. Link

French academia in war of words over plan to teach in English
 The global spread of the English language has long been a sore point in Paris politics. Now a new battleground has appeared in the linguistic war as the Socialist government wants to allow English to be used as a teaching language in French universities, sparking a rift in academia. Link

Here's the same story from Le Devoir Link{fr}

 'Bowling' versus 'Quilles'
 Last week in the comments section we had a lively, if not infantile discussion about borrowed words, that is English words commonly used in French and vice-versa.
But the discussion also touched on the subject of whether Parisiaenne French is more prone than Quebec French to poach words.
It's a pretty ridiculous argument considering.

Quebec: parquer dans stationnement
France: stationner dans parking

At any rate.....
It seems that a French (France) movie that came out annoyed a Quebec reviewer because of the differences in the Quebec version of certain words versus the French version of certain words.

In fact the very name of the movie was deemed offensive.
As you can see, in France the sport is known by its English name of 'Bowling' while in Quebec it is ' Quilles

According to reviewer  Jean-François Chartrand-Delorme
"From a Quebec perspective, the presence of English in a French film is still disturbing, beginning with the title. In Quebec, we play "Quilles' where we make 'abats' while in France it's  'bowling' and  a 'strike' (pronounced "bouligne" and "straïque" ). The same goes for the soundtrack. Aside from some typical Celtic music of Brittany, it is "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls and "Shake It Out" Florence + the Machine. These songs are integrated into the soundtrack where we see women train for the championship final. It's all uncomfortable and rings false because it's like watching an American B-movie...
....For Quebecers, watching a French film,represents not only a desire to travel to another country, but also to  enjoy another narrative, which is not the case here." Complete Original story in French 
  France Will Tax Smartphones to Fund Exceptional French Culture'
"France is planning a tax on smartphones, tablets, and a bevy of other internet-linked devices in order to fund the production of French art, film, and music. This tax could charge up to four percent on the sale of these devices, starting as soon as next year."  Link

Can Quebec be far behind?

Parents’ group worries about cuts to U of A French programs

 "The University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean will suspend a first-year, college-level course in business administration, prompting a parents’ group to express concern that French language education will be reduced further this spring.
Parents were shocked to read  that enrolment for this fall was suspended on a blog by Martin Ferguson-Pell, acting provost at the University of Alberta a few days ago, said Michael Tyron, executive director of Canadian Parents for French, Alberta Branch. Link


Pauline the audacious....
I came across this paragraph in a piece by on Coolopolis entitled; 'Will Anticosti Island make Quebec rich'

"Premier Pauline Marois recently gave a speech in which she gleefully attempted to mobilize this news into support for separation, as she pointed out ruefully that under the current Canadian structure, a share of the future

Huh? I wasn't aware that the Premier could actually say something so juvenile idiotic  moronic (fill in your own adjective), so I tried to track down the source.
After a lengthy search, I can confirm she did indeed tell Quebecers exactly that in a YouTube ad (in French)  promoting sovereignty, where she said that if and when Quebec discovers oil on Anticosti Island, the province would alas have to share the wealth with the rest of Canada.
Are you listening Alberta? What unmitigated Chutzpah!

By the way, read the rather interesting article on the history of island. Link

Let's finish with a smile......

Saw this in a Montreal Loblaws, but I won't mention the location, lest the language police pounce.





Have a great weekend!

Bonne fin de Semaine!



48 comments:

  1. Sugar Sammy is hilarious and that's his act...he takes swipes at everybody...and I mean...EVERYBODY...I've seen his show in French, I've seen his show in English...I MEAN...EVERYBODY..

    So..if the "pseudo-intellectual" can't appreciate Sugar Sammy's humour, he's simply brain dead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Every time I see something MBC writes, my esteem for UQAM drops another notch. The fact that a blatantly bigoted blowhard like him was actually awarded a graduate degree there speaks volumes for the quality of the education that they offer.

      Delete
    2. I just want to add to Sugar Sammy's hatred. Check here and a little bit here.

      Bonne Fête de la Reine, tout le monde!

      Delete
  2. Lisée and De Courcy: We have listened
    By Jean-François Lisée and Diane De Courcy, Special to the Gazette May 17, 2013
    http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/listened+anglos+Bill/8397979/story.html


    I tried to read this screed with an open mind; honestly, I did. I do give the PQ props for trying their best to convince us of their bona fides. And yet there’s no other way to say it: this is the most monumental example of governmental doublespeak that I have ever read since “1984”.

    “French is the language of success”

    French is NOT the language of success; it is merely a language. Neither is Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese or Japanese a “language of success”. That doesn’t mean that all of those languages aren’t wonderful things and certainly worth knowing. However, it does mean that being unilingual in any one of those languages limits your opportunities drastically.

    “Re-establishing French as the usual and common language at work in this singular corner of North America requires renewed efforts.”

    Since when has French ever been the “usual and common language at work”? In New France, back in the 1600s?? This is a perfect example of the phony doublespeak they are foisting upon us and actually expect us to believe.

    “This means making sure that large corporations carefully distinguish between the many jobs in which bilingualism is needed and those in which it is not.”

    This will never be accomplished successfully by government intervention. The emphasis is never going to be whether bilingualism is an asset but always whether bilingualism is a hindrance. Even the public-service STM is still not able to understand this simple concept!

    “Or perhaps they didn’t notice that, over these past months, we were listening to all of our fellow Quebecers — including anglo Quebecers.”

    Mrs. De Courcy certainly never gave us this impression, ever, by her refusal to utter a single word of English to her fellow anglo-Quebecers. In fact, she is barely able to speak English at all. I am certain that she was unable to pen any part of this article herself and I would be surprised if she actually had any input in it whatsoever, even in translation. Based on her performance at the Bill 14 hearings, I believe her name was simply tacked on to this article as a courtesy.

    “Our overall aim, as we stated last fall, and as we will repeat as many times as needed, is to ensure the linguistic security and vitality of the French majority, the English community, and the First Nations.”

    By introducing a bill that no one asked for, one that does absolutely nothing to promote French but everything to do with hindering English, and does absolutely nothing at all for the First Nations??


    I’m curious how many of you believe this article to be a genuine, sincere expression of solidarity and support with Quebec’s anglophone and allophone communities.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Although the original bill did not set an automatic status review of bilingual municipalities and in no way endangered the possibility of obtaining services in English, the consultation and the debate surrounding the proposal highlighted the very strong attachment that citizens have for the practical and symbolic nature of the bilingual status of their municipality. It emphasized, as well, their attachment to municipal autonomy.

      Well, duh! Was there ever any doubt about this? What conceivable purpose was there in even proposing such a thing in the first place? At best, this is evidence of rank amateurs at work; at worst, conclusive proof of their duplicity.

      Delete
    2. These separatists can talk till the cows come home but their real desires and feelings were absolutely present in the presentation of Bill 14 to begin with. The only reason they are even explaining some of it now, and trying to curb the assault on our community, is because they want to, at the very least, get some of the articles through with the help of the CAQ. If they had been in a majority situation they wouldn't have even pretended to care how we felt about any of it and no moot hearings would have transpired - they would have shoved it down our throats and let the courts handle the illegalities of it before they would have changed one damn bit of it. If there is anyone on this blog that believes anything that comes out of the mouths of anyone of them, please state why you would take their word for anything - other than the usual stupid seppies of course.

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      Speaking of the STM, that two faced bastard Marvin Rostrad complains when Jews lose parking priveleges but would not stand up for Anglos in the Metro, where he has the power to intervene. This is a case of rights, not parking. Ed

      Delete
  3. Rob Ford surpris à fumer du crack

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/201305/17/01-4651746-rob-ford-surpris-a-fumer-du-crack.php

    Parfois les Donuts ne suffisent plus...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. En tout cas, on n’a pas de félicitations à faire à la population multiculturelle de Toronto. Car une population anglaise culturellement homogène n'élirait pas à un poste aussi important l'un de ces gros épais anglo-saxons à l'allure typique, qu'on retrouve notamment en Ontario et dans le West Island.

      Delete
    2. Une population homogène n'aurait pas tendance à élire un des siens -- ou oui? C'est comme vous dites n'importe quoi et son contraire -- dans la même phrase!

      Pourtant, on peut tout aussi facilement affirmer qu'on a élu l'an dernier au Québec une 'grosse épaisse Canadienne-française à l'allure typique' au poste de première ministre. Charest a pourtant mis 9 ans pour devenir aussi honni par la population.

      Penchons-nous un instant sur les bassins d'appuis.

      On reconnait assez bien au Parti Libéral le sobriquet de "parti des immigrants et des anglophones". Çà, ça ne date pas d'hier.

      Ceux qui votent à forte majorité pour le Parti Québécois, qui partagent ses "idéaux" de "liberté", qui se retrouvent dans ses politiques, et qui financent le parti et ses organes non-élus connexes (pensons notamment à Vigile) semblent pourtant appartenir à la même ethnie et souvent au même milieu (homogène) que ceux dont provient la Marois.

      Une base électorale aussi homogène -- sinon beaucoup plus -- que l'électorat que vous qualifiez dérisoirement de multiculturel au pays.

      Ça sent pas mal le réchauffé. Pas besoin d'aimer (ou détester) Rob Ford pour voir que votre constat est à l'image du vieux séparatiste frustré et rien de plus. Votre haine finira par vous consumer totalement. Arrêtez-donc.

      Delete
  4. Not that I give a shit about Rob Ford but has anyone ever seen a documentary on people that smoke crack? They are like skeletons so I don't think Rob Ford is too hooked on crack! lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pourquoi Sugar Sammy ne fait pas un numéro sur les Juifs?Question de tester leur sens de l'humour et leur ouverture d'esprit?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peut être parce qu'il y a déjà tellement d'humoristes qui font des numéros sur les stéréotypes et dysfonctions culturelles des juifs que Sammy s'est dit qu'il vaudrait mieux s'aventurer sur du terrain moins... cliché?

      Delete
    2. Ou moins...Risqué?

      Je ne sous-entends pas que les Juifs n'ont pas le sens de l'humour,bien au contraire mais j'ai l'impression que les blagues sont mieux reçues lorsqu'elles proviennent de l'intérieur.

      Delete
    3. Qui sont ces tellement d'humoristes (chez les francophones)?

      Delete
    4. L'argument selon lequel les blagues sont (ou encore devraient être) mieux reçues lorsqu'elles proviennent de l'intérieur m'a toujours paru hypocrite, fallacieux, et malhonnête, voire même un exercice de rectitude politique donnant lieu à une sorte d'autocensure trop souvent injustifiée.

      Pour moi, la force d'une bonne blague vient du fait qu'elle sait distiller l'essence d'une observation quelconque afin d'en démontrer l'absurdité, ou à tout le moins une divergence profonde de point(s) de vue de telle façon qu'elle arrive à susciter une réflexion plus profonde (même si parfois passagère) auprès d'un auditoire.

      Si Sammy faisait un sketch qui ridiculisait un aspect particulier de la réalité juive, serait-il vigoureusement condamné? J'en doute. Même s'il existe bien des groupes d'antidiffamation (juifs ou autres) qui à l'occasion se montrent un peu (trop) sensibles à certains reproches, la question se pose.

      Et se répond.

      Qui parmi nous n'a pas déjà vu ou entendu un numéro portant sur leurs spécificités physiques dites méditerranéennes (pensons notamment au gros nez). Ou encore au prêteur sur gages juif (que l'on dépeint souvent comme usuraire), ou d'une participation appréhendée à une conspiration mondiale. Ou à la mère juive culpabilisante qui se mèle de tout (et qui parle immanquablement avec un accent ou du moins une cadence Yiddish). Ou encore de la princesse judéo-américaine gâtée souffrant de la maladie du tout-m'est-dû. Ou encore -- et particulièrement -- chez certains humoristes Canadiens-français qui manquent tellement d'imagination (ou qui font preuve de leur propre éloignement de la chose!) qu'ils ont tendance presque exclusivement à dépeindre tout "juif" comme un hassidique d'Outremont (en habit 'traditionnel' ashkénaze style Pologne 16è siècle).

      Là où je veux en venir ("terrain moins... cliché"), c'est que tous ces scénarios/stéréotypes sont devenus si bien (re)connus qu'on peinerait quasiment à s'imaginer un sketch -- par un juif ou encore par un goy -- qui ne les intègre pas d'une façon ou d'une autre.

      Et même à ça, comment se fait-il qu'on s'attarde tellement à dénoncer Sugar Sammy? N'existe-t-il pas d'autres humoristes (d'origine canadienne-française, tiens!) qui font montre d'introspection et qui remettent en question eux aussi ce que certains appellent trop facilement le "consensus" politique, social, culturel, et linguistique du Québec? On a certainement des sketchs où on démontre notre autodérision (certaines thématiques moins controversées, bien sûr). Pensons notamment à nos comédiens bien connus qui n'hésitent pas à attiser la flamme nationaliste. Mais dans le sens contraire? Il y en a très peu. Et peut-être trop peu, à mon avis.

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    5. J'y vais d'une hypothèse, certes, mais je me demande, S.R, si ta réaction chimique contre Sammy ne serait pas en partie due à la quasi non-représentation de ses points de vue au sein du milieu médiatico-artistique francophone québécois qui sert une image déformée qui tend à établir un consensus qui repose sur une quasi pensée de groupe très pro-souveraineté et nationaliste. On reconnait bien à Falardeau, Miron, Deschamps, Vigneault, et Leclerc leur statut d'icônes culturels. Et c'est bien beau.

      Mais il existe aussi un autre Québec (le pendant, si vous voulez, autant au plan idéologique que démographique) qui se reconnait autant sinon plus dans Sugar Sammy. Je fais partie de ce Québec. Bilingues, ouvertement fédéralistes, issus (parfois) de milieux allophones, il y a des Québécois comme moi pour qui un comédien qui incarne et qui projette tous azimuts leur réalité sans s'excuser représente un vent de fraicheur dont ils croient avoir fortement besoin.

      Et je pense que c'est là-dessus qu'on se rejoint (ou sépare, c'est selon), vous et moi. Surtout que nos milieux artistiques francophones ont très souvent tendance à être à forte majorité souverainiste. Or, le Québec tout entier n'est pas du même avis, du moins pas dans la même proportion que l'Union des Artistes, par exemple.

      Un certain redressement au portrait global, ne serait-ce que pour en arriver à une représentativité d'où nous en sommes, est à mon avis très souhaitable et bienvenu. Si on peut remettre en question le Canada, on peut -- et devrait -- remettre en question au Québec aussi.

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    6. @Apparatchik: S.R., like many who've settled in Quebec from elsewhere (take, for example, several sitting cabinet ministers), shows his allegiance to his adopted homeland by assimilating the automatic responses of its most nationalistically-minded clique. You've no doubt noticed, Apparatchik, the tell-tale giveaways. For those of this persuasion, the mere mention of federalism prompts a reference to Elvis Gratton just as Pavlov's bell starts the dog salivating. An allusion to the repatriation of the Constitution can't go by without being followed immediately by a sneering reference to the "Night of the Long Knives." It's a litany that can be learned and recited by rote. To my mind, those like Sugar Sammy, who come from the allophone milieu and who are yet totally comfortable in their identity as Quebecers, are ideally suited to mock this nationalist old guard (and its younger hangers-on) into irrelevance. Those who are uneasy with the state of things in 21st century Quebec are the ones who will defensively insist on regurgitating Falardeau's old barbs.

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  6. Dieudonné: ses spectacles au Théâtre Corona sont annulés

    http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/05/11/dieudonne-spectacles-annules_n_1509785.html

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  7. Terrasse mayor slammed for ordering question to be answered in French

    http://offislandgazette.com/news/story/2013/05/16/terrasse-mayor-slammed-for-ordering-question-to-be-answered-in-french/

    Isssshh...Les commentaires sont très intéressants

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    Replies
    1. Plutôt un plaidoyer en faveur du gros bon sens dirais-je.

      Dans des cas comme celui-là, un aménagement bilingue (avec traduction immédiate) permettrait à tous le droit de s'exprimer et d'être entendu. Sans heurts.

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  8. B.Drainville: "You can't start having parking regulations that are different according to your religion, because there will be no end to it,”

    You can. All it takes is some bonne foi, the favorite phrase of the pequistes.


    Conrad Black: "Quebec Independence No Longer A Threat"

    Black is missing a point. Quebec independence being an actual threat is not so relevant, what's relevant is it being a political issue which even without looking realistic of materializing is still a thorn in Canada's side and a source of anxiety for many Canadians. Many Quebeckers know it, and as Reed Scowen wrote in his book, even those who can't articulate it somehow feel that a kind of belligerence towards Canada and Canadians brings home the goodies.This will remain a political issue for a long time, it will be kept alive by all political parties, the media, and pollsters. Because as a political issue, it serves its purpose, as Black points out in his article: "... it enabled this transfer payment system to addict the French Quebec nationalists to receiving money so they could run an all-white-collar economy." Quebec is addicted to the transfer payments and knows that the amount of $$$ depends on the effectiveness of the threat.

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  9. What does Sammy say just before Mme. Marois comes on stage about what Quebecois say that makes them distinct?

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  10. We just had a 5.1 earthquake in Shawville and it came to mind that, should any natural disaster of any magnitude happen in quebec, they would again be crying for the ROC to come help them bail out as usual as during the floods and the ice storm. Hope they're keeping in mind that there are many times they depend on the ROC to bail them out but as a separate country and the inevitable loss of good will, they may find themselves standing alone in times of real problems. Whitewash that you seppies.

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    Replies
    1. If we no longer get help from the ROC in case of natural crisis, do we still have to send income taxes to Ottawa?

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    2. "We just had a 5.1 earthquake in Shawville"

      Un client de Tim Hortons a fait une chute d'un deuxième étage?



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    3. "Un client de Tim Hortons a fait une chute d'un deuxième étage?"

      If I knew when I got up in the morning that'd I'd be writing things that are so idiotic and banal, I'd probably just stay in bed. Something to think about SR. We both know you don't have a job to get to anyway, must have been tough when they turned over spamming sites to bots.

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    4. Vous comprenez mieux maintenant ce que je ressens lorsque j'écoute les "blagues" de Samir Khullar.

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    5. Il y a pourtant assez (trop, à mon humble avis) d'humoristes Québécois d'origine blanche, catholique, et canadienne-française dont l'humour porte justement sur les anglais et le fédéralisme canadien.

      Vous avez une souris et une télécommande. Vous n'aimez pas? Changez de poste ;-)
      (Une notion qui devrait vous être assez familière d'ailleurs, surtout que vous adhérez à un mouvement qui souhaite changer de pays du simple fait de ne pas aimer ce qui sort de celui que nous avons déjà)

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    6. "If we no longer get help from the ROC in case of natural crisis, do we still have to send income taxes to Ottawa?"

      Quebec gets back far more than it sends to Ottawa in income taxes. Stop sending taxes to Ottawa and you will no longer receive the billions of dollars of transfer payments that are keeping Quebec from going bankrupt.

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    7. You know Durham, the more you tell these separatists about money the more they show their stupidity. How many times have they been told the above information - FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU SEND OTTAWA IT SENDS BACK $1.41 - They just don't give a shit about economics - it's so clear when you look at Vigil.net and listen to these guys that they just don't believe they will ever, ever run out of money. When we say that our Old Age Pensions and our EI payments are based on money FROM ALL OF CANADA, and the QPP is also from money that ALL OF CANADA CONTRIBUTES they still persist on saying the same thing over and over - they are better off economically without the rest of Canada. Complete and utter idiots that will not even check out the facts because they let all their politicians do their thinking for them and take every word they utter as gospel. I refuse to let them take the whole of quebec with them on their way to ruin - we must partition this province and kick those areas out that want to go with 30% of the land mass with the 30% of population that want to leave. They keep 30% of the federal taxes, they assume 30% of the national debt and 30% of the land. Only seems fair to me. I don't intend to trust the crazy separatists with any more money - they have proven they are inept with the amount they have now. Good grief - if I could stop paying them anything, I would do so so fast their heads would swim. Incompetent idiots that want to share the wealth with criminals, friends and acquaintances that support their fascist beliefs.

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  11. "Evidently Mr. Bock-Côté doesn't understand the humor of Sugar Sammy, who in the great tradition of Don Rickles insults and mocks his audience. "

    Bock-Côté couldn't care less about the humor aspect. He understands that Sugar Sammy's viewpoint, delivered rather powerfully to a mass audience which appears to be receptive (Bock-Côté: "What never ceases to amaze me is the enthusiasm of some Quebec francophones, who trip over each other in their rush to praise him. I read a few days ago that Sugar Sammy "tells it like it is."), and is a thorn in the side of political forces that Bock-Côté sides with.

    Like most of his pieces, this one is politcal and goes beyond not understanding the humor. Bock-Côté admits the politcal aspect himself: "In a "just for laughs" society, whoever makes people laugh has a great deal of power, as he gets to define what is hip and what isn’t."






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    1. Defining what is "hip"/important/fundamental/worthy-of-attention-and-even-repetition vs. unimportant/trivial/banal/"skip-able" should not be the job of some comedian of a "wrong" background, with "wrong", "non-standard" (even "dangerous") views that the "repsonsible" "reporterS" have banished into oblivion a long time ago. Defining should be the job of loyal "experts" like Bock Cote or Richard Martineau, i.e. people who have proved that they are "responsible" and will operate (however vigorously and even indignantly) within preset parameters. They will be critical of course, they will call power to account sometimes, but they will never step over the prescribed bounds. They are too responsible for that, and are thus trustworthy.

      Sugar Sammy on the other hand is a "loose cannon". He reached mass audience now, and he flaps his tongue spewing out "controversial" content to that mass audience. This is unacceptable.

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    2. Don't worry, the PQ will to find a way to make this type of "humour" illegal under their regime. He will be targeted in their next "Bill" to enforce "purity" of the french psyche. Can't have someone like that running around loose in our "sanitized" quebec!

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    3. lol - in quebec they worry about the money they send to Ottawa but the trillions they waste on nonsense goes on and I haven't heard one word from one seppie criticizing the PQ for any of this waste of taxpayer's money on so many bad ideas. It's sad to see so many people so deaf, dumb and blind in one society.

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    4. "the PQ will to find a way to make this type of "humour" illegal under their regime"

      Unlikely.

      There are better ways to deal with people like Sugar Sammy. One way is to have for every stand up gig of his, an avalanche of articles and television pieces spinning a contrary view. Such "balancing" is a common way. Another is omission. Let him have one show, then drop him for a while while you showcase more mainstream guys.

      In "democratic" societies we are too "civilized" to just ban or punish. We have developed more subtle ways of dealing with heterodox opinion.

      http://www.michaelparenti.org/MonopolyMedia.html

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    5. Actually adski - I should have noted at the end of the comment that I was being sarcastic. But then again, nothing surprises me about the separatists and their all out war on anglophones and allophones.

      Delete
  12. FROM ED, Adski, you may be right but while others are treading the status quo, putting people to sleep, Sammy is waking them up. Ed

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  13. Going to charge some poor jew for parking the same place he has for decades, fine, I'm sure PQ MNAs will welcome the jewish community with open arms to park in their driveways instead.

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    Replies
    1. FROM ED
      There is an upside to this. The PQ has alienated a very powerful section of our community. Another nail in the coffin. One little bee sting won't kill you but a lot of bee stings can. Ed

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    2. Well Ed this is from Dr. Couillard in case you haven't read it. It clearly shows that he has no intention of changing the bills that the liberals brought in to protect the french language - at least he's against Bill 14 but don't expect any repeals of any of his bills.
      http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Opinion+opposition+Bill+question+principle/8283089/story.html

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  14. FROM ED
    Cutie, I''ve been trying to tell you this for weeks. He will do nothing to change 101 for the English right now. He is not going to work for or against either side. Bill 22 was brought in to give the French language the upper hand as it should be. We are a minority. It also said French go to French schools and English go to Engllish schools which the majority of French and English people prefer anyway. Those complaining that French kids can't go to English colleges are a minority and for now, not in need of change.
    As for 101, I'm sure there are changes he will have to make in order to carry out his plan of equal rights for French and English but that is not a priority right now. His priority is getting elected and not giving the PQ anything to use to rally separatism like declaring the death of 101 before the election. Give it a rest. The man was a brain surgeon. I'm sure when he told somebody they would survive the operation, he did his best to keep his word. Let's concentrate on bringing about an election soon as possible. Ed

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  15. FROM ED
    Does anyone know how many Indian chidren go to French schools and how many go to English schools? Ed

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  16. FROM ED
    Cutie, it looks like most of us here have gone away for the long weekend. I hope the traffic getting off the island doesn't spoil it for them. Any way, we'll hold up our end.
    I'm trying to figure out what might trigger Pauline to call an election. If she thought the CAQ was going to back her she might try. On the other hand if she did, I doubt the CAQ would get the votes it expects. People are coming around and I think their leader's past with separatism (which nobody wants) would send them toward the Liberals. I'm waiting for a ride from adaptive transport to go to Church . After I pray, I will try to think up some vile scheme to fool Mudum Marois. So she'll call an election.
    I think we could live with the French advertising of 101 (minus the lingo dingos) it does make Montreal look more metropolis and most are used to it. For now, Anglos should act like Edith Bunker. She let Archie think he was running the house but it was always her steadfastness that kept things on an even keel.
    To para phrase Jimmy, "It's the economy mudum dumdum." Ed

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    Replies
    1. Have an affair with her and publicize it Ed - a scandal of that sort should do the trick - bring a bag - lol

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    2. Ick and double ick. That's just vile. On so many levels.

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  17. interim pologne-Nous sommes mieux Agence intérim en Pologne. Agence de travail temporaire spécialisée pour le recrutement des travailleurs polonais. Nous proposons de réduire vos dépenses par le travail de la main-d'œuvre polonaise.

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