Thursday, July 18, 2013

Pauline and Hubby......Another Fine Quebec Mess

The last time the PQ was in power, it sponsored a paper mill project in the money pit that is the Gaspé peninsula, the sinkhole that keeps swallowing Quebec taxpayer dollars without shame or remorse.

The 2001 project that sought to reopen a pulp and paper mill in Chandler, financed by the government, sunk like the proverbial lead balloon, costing about half a billion dollars with nothing to show for it.

The PQ government was blamed harshly by the commissioner appointed to inquire into the fiasco,

"In its report released Friday, Justice Robert Lesage denounced political pressure by the Parti Québécois to revive the paper mill in Chandler."
Judge Lesage blamed mainly the former PQ government for the failure of the project, accusing it of the sin of electioneering under the impulse of an interventionist ideology."  Link{fr}

If you've got a lot of time, read the complete report on the Gaspésia fiasco by commissioner Robert Lesage;

Rapport d’enquête sur les dépassements de coûts et de délais du chantier de la Société Papiers Gaspésia de Chandler {fr}

Pauline Marois and her husband Claude Blanchet were the showrunners of the project and never fully managed to wash the stink of the disaster off.
You'd think Pauline would have learned from that disaster, that fooling around with public money on a whim is not exactly the best of ideas, but alas she is at it again throwing good money after bad in the province's reckless pursuit of wind power, another billion dollar boondoggle.

Of course the people of the Gaspé live in a fantasy world where they actually believe they are innovators and pioneers in wind power and organic waste electric generation, instead of the panhandlers and beggars that they always were.
"This third contract with Hydro-Quebec confirms the leadership of Innoventé in the power production from organic waste. We rejoice that a community such as Matane has chosen the technology of Innoventé to revive the plant and implement a new viable, green and sustainable industry, declares Mr. Richard Painchaud, President of Innoventé. We are happy to be able to count on the collaboration of all stakeholders in the field".
For the mayor of Matane, Mr. Claude Canuel, who views his city as the Mecca of the wind power industry in Quebec, Innoventé's project will have a positive impact in strengthening the role of Matane in the field of renewable energy, rationalization of the forestry sector, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and achieving the City of Matane's objectives regarding sustainable development. Mr. Mayor Canuel went further by affirming: "I want to emphasize the determination of the President of Innoventé, Mr. Richard Painchaud, without which the revival of the RockTenn plant would not have been impossible". Link
Here's a blog piece on another fine French blog Agora.com entitled  Après Gaspésia, Éolia ?

I've taken the liberty to translate the piece because it is something that you won't find in the mainstream press and is well-written and of utmost interest.

If you read French please do the author the courtesy of reading the piece on his blog and if so inclined please leave a comment there.
In 2001, when the PQ was in power it had on the drawing board an ambitious project called 'Gaspésia', a plan to reopen a paper mill in the Gaspé:'' On 17 December 2001, the former premier Bernard Landry, Claude Blanchet and President of Tembec, Frank Dottori, announced the revival of Gaspésia, a $463 million project. The Solidarity Fund of the QFL would own 50% shares of Gaspésia Paper, Tembec and SGF (Qc government investment arm run by Pauline's Hubby ..editor)  splitting the rest of the shares. In front of 500 people, Mr. Blanchet hyped the presence of a partner "with deep pockets" as Tembec's Dottori hid his face in his hands, making the crowd laugh. During their press conference, Mr. Dottori said that "this is a high-risk project."'
The project was in fact a total fiasco, with refitting costs exploding by some $200 million. But the plant never opened its doors, and a total loss of $500 million was written off . At that time the finance minister was ... Pauline Marois.
Judge Lesage, analyzing this fiasco inculps Claude Blanchet and indirectly Pauline Marois:'' In his report, Judge Lesage takes Bernard Landry to task, but rips violently into Claude Blanchet, former CEO of General Finance Corporation. Between these two, Pauline Marois is not blameless, as finance minister at the time.
Everyone also remembers the press conference where Mr. Blanchet revealed that pressure had been put upon him to commit the SGF financially to the project. This pressure came not only from Premier Landry, but also "dear Pauline," his wife.''
To our great misfortune, there are similarities between the development of wind power as proposed by the current government and that disastrous Gaspesia plan: Both projects claim to help create jobs in disadvantaged regions and both  projects relate to industries in deep difficulty, with diminishing demand for paper products with the development of electronic media for Gaspésia and wind power too expensive to compete with the natural gas produced by our southern neighbors.
Even more disturbing is what Pauline Marois said in August 2012:'' The Parti Quebecois leader told us that she wants to "turn the page" on the fiasco that was Gaspésia. But she said she did not have any regrets.
''Her greenish Minister of natural resources, Martine Ouellet doesn't seem aware of the statistics released this week by the MEI in regards to the wind industry:'' For the Montreal Economic Institute, it is clear that the industry receives an implicit subsidy of $700 million per year, paid for by all Quebec consumers through their electricity bill'' For those less familiar with the matter, let me summarize it this way: the cost of generating electricity with wind power is 14¢ per KWH while the sale price on the export market (since we already have a surplus of elecvctricity) is ...6¢ per KWH. No private company would proceed in light of such figures!
Therefore, each Quebecer who pays taxes  donates $180 to the wind industry (each year..editor) . Yet despite these figures Minister Ouellet is convinced that the wind industry does not have to worry about its future! One of the problems in the Gaspésia project was the hyper-unionisation  that added to the cost of production. To build a Quebec wind turbine costs about 70% more than anywhere in North America, which adds more to the similarities between these two famous projects!
While in his tenure as prime minister, Bernard Landry cost this province one disastrous project, now Pauline Marois intends to make us relive the same type of fiasco, but  annually!
Worst in all this, is that her own party is more concerned with duplication of services with the federal  government. In this case one political party seems to have its eyes open, the Conservative Party of Quebec and its leaders who penned this opinion piece: Scandale éolien 
In that article, Adrien Pouliet, head of the fledgling Quebec conservative party made it painfully clear;
"Quebec wind turbines generate losses estimated at nearly $ 700 million per year according to the Montreal Economic Institute. The importance of these staggering losses deserves an explanation from the PQ government as to how such financial mismanagement has occurred and especially, why it persists and worse still, encourages more wind generation losses." Read more{fr}
Of course, Pauline dodged responsibility for the Gaspesia affair, choosing to blame the Liberal government which was forced to clean up the mess, after the PQ government fell.
 
For a definitive review of the folly of wind power read  The Growing Cost of Electricity Production in Quebec by the Montreal Economic Institute.

And so Pauline and the PQ go merrily rolling along, confident that she and her party can bamboozle Quebecers into paying $700 million a year to support  her fading dream of getting the Gaspé sinkhole off the dole, thus fulfilling her dream of keeping the area economically alive.

But not so fast.....

Unlike the Gaspésia disaster or the Caisse de dépôt $39 billion meltdown, news of which was sprung upon hapless taxpayers after the fact, the ongoing financial disaster in relation to wind power is drawing attention, a lot of attention, and I'm not sure that Marois and company can face the music of a concerted political campaign by both the press and the opposition.

Here is just a sample of what the Press is saying;
Blowing our tax dollars on windmills
"Who doesn't love windmills? The very word conjures up nostalgic images of solitary brick or wooden towers with vanes set against picturesque fields. Of course, wind farms nowadays are filled with row upon row of tall, steel tube towers, but even these wind turbines have a sparse, modern beauty to them.
The thing is, wind power is also expensive. In Quebec, it's about 2.5 times more expensive to produce than hydroelectricity from large dams in the James Bay area (roughly 14¢ versus 5.5¢ per kWh), which accounts for most of the electricity produced by Hydro-Quebec.
Moreover, the province has more energy than it needs, which is why the government cancelled six small hydroelectric projects earlier this year. If that's the case, why are Quebec taxpayers still indirectly subsidizing the wind power industry to the tune of $695 million a year? And why is the government announcing new supply contracts for wind power? " Link

Hadekel: Politics raising Quebec energy costs 
 Quebecers pay literally hundreds of millions of dollars a year to produce electricity from wind turbines that they don’t need,” economist Youri Chassin says in a note published by the Montreal Economic Institute. “This energy is 2.5 times more expensive than hydroelectricity.”
He figures the net cost of wind power, including transportation, distribution and integration into the grid, is a little more than 14 cents a kilowatt hour, compared with small hydro power at 11.5 cents and legacy installations like the La Grande and Manic dams at 5.5 cents.
The implicit subsidy to wind production works out to $695 million a year.
Now, you might have political reasons to favour wind if you think it’s a better source of energy at a time of climate change.
However, both wind and hydro are clean and renewable and hydro dams have a longer lifespan than wind turbines, which must be decommissioned after 20 or 25 years. Link

More and more articles are starting to be published in both the French and English press and a din of protest is rising. When the Fall session of the Parliament begins, it is likely that all Hell will break loose and with no defensible position,  Pauline is going to have to shuck and jive.

And so it is no surprise that the PQ government is making noises about creating a consultative commission to gather public opinion in relation to energy policies, perhaps a way to wriggle out of the ongoing disaster by shifting the blame.

After all, it's a Pauline specialty.

70 comments:

  1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTThursday, July 18, 2013 at 9:25:00 PM EDT

    I give it another 20 years. 20 years maximum before quebekistan sinks.
    Boy am I ever glad I don't live there any longer. waste after waste of taxpayer money. Unf@ckingbelievable.

    http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/energy/item/15069-14-000-idle-wind-turbines-a-testament-to-failed-energy-policies

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/05/10/the-faults-fallacies-and-failures-of-wind-power/

    http://www.energytribune.com/72221/the-corruption-of-wind-energy#sthash.xa3TlwT3.dpbs

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/03/14/germanys-green-energy-disaster-a-cautionary-tale-for-world-leaders/

    ReplyDelete
  2. LordDorchester

    The PQ relies upon the ignorance of it's supporters to keep them in power. This is a perfect example of how they operate politically. Keep the facts blurred, hype the "feel-good" aspects of renewable green wind technology and play to their base of clueless idealists who know very little of how the World actually works beyond Quebec's borders, kinda like the Church did for generations in Quebec. Wind power is at best an ancillary power source that can only complement a power grid with surplus power. From a practical point of view, it's horribly inconsistent and inefficient as it can really only work when it's windy! Would you hook up a dying loved one to a ventilator that relied only on wind power to keep it ticking? Didn't think so.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Anglophone Misconception in Quebec
    FROM: http://putbacktheflag.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-anglophone-misconception-in-quebec.html

    There seems to be a real division and misunderstanding when it comes to understanding the differences between Franco-Quebecers and Anglo-Quebecers. I writing this in an attempt to explain how I feel, and how many others (I assume) feel about their situation living in La belle province. In my explanation I will try to be as simplistic as possible in conveying my feelings on the subject.

    I was born in Montreal, Quebec and lived here all my life. In the city where I grew up in (Ville St Laurent), there was wide range of ethnic groups: Italians, Greeks, Armenians, Chinese and French Canadians. I went to an English elementary school and got along quite well with everyone in the neighbourhood. Of course, we would playfully rib each other during street hockey games but it never seemed absurd or unnatural. We always got along.

    One of my favorite shows before my first year of kindergarten was “Passe Partout”. I loved that show as did many of my friends. As an emerging Montreal Canadiens fan, some of my favourite players were Francophone, Claude Lemieux, Guy Carbonneau, and of course, Patrick Roy. Who did not want to be like Patrick Roy? As kids, we would all want to be the goalie on our team and tried to emulate his moves. For us, he was a hero and living legend. We did not care what language he spoke. When Les Canadiens won the Stanley cup in 1986, we all hugged each other in the streets and we were ONE. It did not matter what language you spoke, we were all Montrealers that day.

    During those earlier years, my family and I would take trips to la “cabane à sucre” and this became a yearly tradition. We never called it the sugar shack. Also, we never played rock, paper scissors, it was always “roche, papier, ciseaux.” We went to buy candy at the “dep” (short for dépanneur) and never did we call it the “7/11” or “convenience store”. As kids, we were scolded for using the words like “tabarnak” and “câlisse,” because believe it or not, we anglos use these words as well.

    The Montreal Expos were “Nos amours” not “Our love”. And I was probably not alone when I used to switch the TV dial in hopes of hearing Roger Brulotte calling out the games in French. “Bonsoirrrrrr elleeeee est partieeeeeee!!!” And even as Anglos we rooted for Denis Boucher and felt emotional when he got a standing ovation at the Big O.

    In our late teens and early 20’s many of us hung out in francophone night clubs, pool halls and bars, and many of us had francophone girlfriends/boyfriends. A few of us even got married to one. Some of us left this city, but many of us stayed. We are Canadians of course, but there is no denying that we are also Québécois. We love our province and like it or not, even as anglos, we are distinct as well.

    Our English is different from the rest of Canada, we say “gallery” instead of balcony, “guichet” instead of ATM, “metro” instead of subway. We “close” the TV (not shut off the TV), we “take” a decision (not make one), we “pass” the vacuum and we eat our pizza “all dressed” (not deluxe).

    As much as I hate the politics or occasional discrimination I may feel as an Anglophone, after spending time away from this province, I always feel at home when I come back. [ED: Me too!]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To the people who think that we do not belong, I have this to say to you: We stay here because we love it. We are here because we are different from the rest of Canada, if we did not feel this way, we would have moved out of Quebec a long time ago, but we are still here. We love the culture, we love the language and we love being part of a French province that is unique in North America.

      Anglophones in Quebec in no way threaten your culture, in fact we would stand right by your side to protect the French language here if we knew for a fact it was in a serious decline. What hurts us are the laws created that make us feel like we do not belong, that we are strangers in our own home... We are your brothers and sisters, this is our home as well. We have had generations work their whole lives to give everything they have to Quebec.

      Yes, we are Canadians, but we will always be Québécois and no one can deny that.


      Mike Kane, PBTF
      http://www.facebook.com/putbacktheflag

      Delete
    2. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, July 19, 2013 at 6:17:00 AM EDT

      @R.S.
      Yes, we are Canadians, but we will always be Québécois and no one can deny that.

      I can guarantee you that cutie the bigot* would strongly disagree with the above sentence.

      * bigot in the same class as SR, student and some others.

      Delete
    3. I am, and will remain, a Canadian long before I'm quebecois and I take pride in that and if that bothers anyone tough titty.

      Delete
    4. Our English is different from the rest of Canada, we say ...“metro” instead of subway.

      We Washingtonians also use "Metro."

      http://www.wmata.com/

      Delete
    5. @cutie003

      "I am, and will remain, a Canadian long before I'm quebecois and I take pride in that..."

      i find it strange that being such a loyal canadian nationalist you're not more undertanding for your quebec counterparts. when you diss them you diss yourself, really. kinda self-destructive. or just plain incoherent.

      Delete
  4. I thought this blog was set up for anglophones and the problems we have with the government of quebec while residing here; not for separatists that want to boot the province out of Canada. Perhaps contributors should ask the Editor the purpose of the blog and then follow the format

    As to wind energy - take a listen to Lowell Green at CFRA Ottawa and you will get an earful of what a waste of money this has been for the whole Province of Ontario. It has cost them billions and produced nothing. He gets really riled about what a boondoggle this form of energy has turned out to be and that it has never proven to be of any value. Of course, the separatists don't care; it's only taxpayer money and satisfies the "green" bleeding hearts in quebec.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @cutie003

      "Perhaps contributors should ask the Editor the purpose of the blog and then follow the format."

      follow the format?!? you're not in the army anymore cutie003. and if there was a format to follow, you are the one who'd need to adapt. here' a bit from the netiquette: "Readers with opposing views are encouraged to contribute to the discussion and should be offered respect..." so respect me or risk being blocked, mate. or even better come up with good comment and i'll agree with you! that'd be great!

      Delete
  5. All clean energy is good in my mind. Solar, wind, geothermal, hydro... As long as it doesn't produce greenhouse gases, it has a positive effect for everyone in the world. Climate change is an undeniable fact and we're no longer at the point where we can pollute away, without worry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm all for it too EDM but wind energy has proven not to be a viable alternative to anything unfortunately. There comes a point where we have to admit things don't work so try something else.

      Delete
  6. The British Corps of Army Engineers did a study several years ago on the viability of wind power. They found that in fact the economics did not work and that wind power was not viable. I wish I could find the report. Expensive and unreliable. The only thing that makes it viable at all from a business perspective is the huge government subsidies which for the most part underwrite the costs.

    But, of course, there are the tree huggers and apparently people like Marois and company who wish to ignore facts and realities.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The British Corps of Army Engineers also did a study recently on the ability of English-Canadians to have success in technical and scientific industries. Since it's been a long time that British brains don't come in number in Canada. They found that given the fact that English-Canadians have too much fails (Avro, Canadair, CANDU, Nortel, RIM), they should do only what Americans tell them to do, like Canadarm, which is a success. I wish I could find the report.

      Delete
    2. Well, I wonder what they would think of the Quebecois. Likely not on their radar due lack of significance.

      Delete
    3. Here's a report that is much-deserving of a BANG!

      http://nodogsoranglophones.blogspot.ca/2013/05/quebecs-hoity-toity-self-righteous.html

      Gotta love how separatists are so lost in the weeds, they somehow think that being the most indebted province and on the brink of economic collapse, that somehow makes them a "better, more distinct" society.

      Must be because they have those "original shows" of their to comfort them. Those shows can be found in the "In Quebec we have a distinctly more vibrant culture!" section of the link above.

      Delete
    4. What about Caisse de depot et placement? Who saved it? Right... An anglophone Canadian came to the rescue.

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

      Delete
    6. Surprenant que les Québécois soient supérieurs aux "canadians" en ingénierie,tenant compte que ces derniers sont plus nombreux et anglophones.

      Delete
    7. Definitely superior in handing out bribes to get engineering contracts, as to then doing the actual work..probably not, if they were our bridges wouldn't have to be replaced after 50 years.

      Delete
    8. @anonymous coward

      "they somehow think that being the most indebted province and on the brink of economic collapse, that somehow makes them a "better, more distinct" society."

      false. no separatists ever claimed its debt is what makes quebec better. the closest you'll get to this will come from ignorant federalist internet freaks lacking an argument.

      Delete
  7. FROM ED
    The Avro aircraft ws one of the best planes ever created. That doddering ld Diefenbaker cancelled it for no reason. Avro was not a Canadian failure. Diefenbaker was.
    candair was sold by Mulroney to Bombardier. It lives on in executive jets. No failure.
    Candu reactors made in Canada are providing warmth and comfort in many countries like India, Pakistan and many South American countries.There have been a few break downs in countries where maintenance was ignored. All in all a great Canadian success.
    In 2012 Rim has 77 hunred thousand (77,000,000) customers Sounds like a great success to me.
    I suspect now that Y L is just another troll trying to make Canada look bad so from hence I shall commit him to my memory as a separatist failure. At 77 my memory is short but I will try to remember whatever his name was. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  8. How many bridges have collapsed in Montreal? Is SNC not a Quebec based company......and Quebecois. The Quebecers are better engineers than the ROC engineers?....might well be better at rigging contracts and offering bribes but that is pretty much the level of their competence. Take a look around Bombardier....actually they have a exemption from the OQLF to allow English due to the number of English people and allos working at the place.

    Slow Reader strikes again with another foolish comment.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "How many bridges have collapsed in Montreal?"

      none to my knowledge.

      "Is SNC not a Quebec based company......and Quebecois."

      of course.

      "The Quebecers are better engineers than the ROC engineers?"

      useless question. both are pretty good would be my guess.

      "might well be better at rigging contracts and offering bribes but that is pretty much the level of their competence."

      that's quebec bashing. why do you do that westerner? you've got issues?

      "Take a look around Bombardier....actually they have a exemption from the OQLF to allow English due to the number of English people and allos working at the place."

      so? isn't this a good thing? what's your beef with bombardier?

      "Slow Reader strikes again with another foolish comment."

      yours was worse.

      Delete
    2. Hmmmm...

      "Quebec Bashing"

      When no other argument presents itself and pulling out the QB card is the cheapest resort.

      Always reminds me of the school twerp who'd punch other kids and then when they go to him him back, he'd threaten to call on the teacher.

      When all the separatist movement has to back itself up is the childish "Quebec Bashing" resort, it's no wonder the movement has collapsed to 28% support levels.

      My only question is this: if we have another election at the end of the year with the Libs leading and QS threatening to cost the PQ serious votes, what will the support level be then?

      15%?

      Yeah, that sounds about right.

      Delete
    3. @anonymous coward

      dude. you write quebec engineers's are only good at bribes. that's quebec bashing plain and simple. the only noble way to get out of this is to apologize. i'm sorry for you.

      Delete
    4. How many bridges have collapsed in Montreal?"

      >>Well actually two, that I know about, went down due to lack of rebar. A close associates brother was killed and my associate was in rehab for several years. The other most recent was on highway 13 I believe.



      none to my knowledge.

      "Is SNC not a Quebec based company......and Quebecois."

      of course.

      >>Great you acknowledge that....rumored they helped fix a lot of bids with their engineer prowess. Where is the former CEO now?

      "The Quebecers are better engineers than the ROC engineers?"

      useless question. both are pretty good would be my guess.

      ..Where to the bridges fail?

      "might well be better at rigging contracts and offering bribes but that is pretty much the level of their competence."

      that's quebec bashing. why do you do that westerner? you've got issues?

      ..No , actually facts as have been brought down by your own judicial enquiries (Charboneau) in Quebec.

      "Take a look around Bombardier....actually they have a exemption from the OQLF to allow English due to the number of English people and allos working at the place."

      so? isn't this a good thing? what's your beef with bombardier?

      >>Have no beef other than than the millions and millions of subsidies and loan guarantees given to Bombardier by the Feds (my tax dollars). Remember the deal with the CF18 contract and Bristol Aerospace from Winnipeg about 10 years ago. Bristol had the low bid but patriot Mulroney reversed it and gave it to Canadair.


      "Slow Reader strikes again with another foolish comment."

      yours was worse

      >>your entitled to your opinion but as usual your opinion is of no relevance!!!

      Sorry you live in such as shitty place.

      Oh , BTY, Quebecois engineers I have worked with , are not all that good, as they are biased with their Quebec foundations and chips on their shoulders, which actually clouds sound judgment. My son is a P.Eng.. he had one idiot Quebec engineer tell him that the only "real " engineers are from Quebec. Tried to tell him that the iron used for the Iron Ring Ceremony was all from a Bridge in Quebec. As I said..SNC ..and others firms are pretty much indicative of the situation in Quebec. Bad and worse.









      Delete
    5. @westerner

      "Well actually two..."

      which ones? it's gonna be your third comment about this. time to actually write something, mate.

      "rumored they helped fix a lot of bids with their engineer prowess."

      little to do with "engineer prowess". more to do with ethics. you're weird, mate; the two concepts are quite distinct.

      "Where to the bridges fail?"

      ontario and bc, according to this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridge_failures . you can add the concorde overpass in laval if you consider it a bridge.

      "Have no beef other than than the millions and millions of subsidies and loan guarantees given to Bombardier by the Feds..."

      oh that's your beef?!? why did you bring up bombardier's oqlf pass if your beef was about federal subsidies?!?

      "Sorry you live in such as shitty place."

      you don't know where i live.

      "My son is a P.Eng..."

      you have a son?!? that's a shame. will he end up like you or has he been luckier?


      Delete
    6. @Westerner

      I really wouldnt waste any time with these trolls.

      Quebec can do no wrong.

      It's like arguing with a Belieber.

      Come to think of it, if Justin keeps making the money he's making, he'll be able to
      buy Quebec in another ten years.

      Delete
  9. ‘Nobody understands’ spills at Alberta oil sands operation

    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/19/nobody_understands_ongoing_spills_at_alberta_oilsands_operation.html

    À vous de juger ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FROM ED
      There's not much can be said about wind power that the Editor has not thoroughly covered.
      Originally windmills were used to great extent on the coast of Holland where the wind coming off the sea was constant.
      In England water wheels were more abundant, scattered throughout the countryside. In the words of "There'll always be an England, they sing, "Where ever there's a turning wheel beside a field of grain." Men found a stream running strong enough to turn a milling wheel and built a wheelhouse, often living inside it. The farmers brought their crops of wheat, rye and corn to be crushed to powder by the giant wheels rubbing against each other. Usually a small stream would be dammed up to make the power stronger. I have a berautiful painting by John Constable called 'The Mill Pond'
      that shows a boy astride a horse hauling barges upstream to the mill.
      Waater is more dependable on wind in most areas. While windmills may not produce electric power. They have along with their fellow water wheels have fed most of the people on this Earth at some time or another. Ed

      Delete
    2. good job ed. everybody wins when you stick with reminiscing past english glories. that's totally your turf, mate.

      Delete
    3. Not to worry, Ed. It's not just 'angryphones' who appreciate Constable. His paintings, including 'The Hay Wain', caused a sensation when they were exhibited in Paris in the 1840s - they were among the principle inspirations of the French Impressionist school of painters (the other being Constable's rival, another great English painter: J.M.W. Turner). After Waterloo, there were few places more Anglophobic than France in the mid-19th century (except perhaps Quebec), and yet the genius of these painters was celebrated there. And this, moreover, when they were still largely misunderstood back in Blighty. Pretty poor defence of "le fait francais", 19th century Frenchmen! Fortunately, 21st century Quebecers are here to make up for your aesthetic capitulation to the British Invasion.

      Delete
  10. Finally, a federal minister who gets it right:

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-canadienne/201307/19/01-4672563-gouvernance-souverainiste-lebel-tempere-les-propos-de-paradis.php

    There's no need to quarrel with 'la gouvernance souvrainiste' because it's not even a threat.

    Time to just pet the puppies on their little heads and send them on their merry little way.

    BTW, did anyone set a space aside for Alexandre Cloutier at the adult's table?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "There's no need to quarrel with 'la gouvernance souvrainiste' because it's not even a threat."

      la gouvernance souverainiste is meant to get ottawa out of exclusive provincial matters. nothing more. pretending it's not important and closing the door is a great way to turn quebec "federalists" into separatists. are you sure this is the best attitude lebel can sport mate?

      Delete
  11. http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Mouvement+Qu%C3%A9bec+fran%C3%A7ais+wants+language+central+issue/8688717/story.html
    I hope Montreal is prepared for even more trouble with these language Nazis. What a bunch of losers. Now they want their hate carried into municipal politics to drive more "No" votes out of Quebec along with much needed taxes. Selfish bunch of bastards. Montreal doesn't have enough to worry about right now; let's start more wars.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cutie003,

      Could you please post the content of the article you posted? It is behind a paywall and I can not access it.

      Delete
    2. @troy

      you're wrong. it' not behind a paywall.

      Delete
    3. student,

      Maybe you better off learn the situation first before start typing your idiotic nonsense off.

      The Gazette paywall works on a monthly free quota, 10 articles IIRC. Once one passes that quota the pay wall kicks in.

      Delete
    4. @troy

      ah! ok sorry mate. why don't you subscribe to the gazette?

      anyways here it is:

      "MONTREAL — The Mouvement Québec français plans to become involved in Montreal’s municipal election campaign this fall.

      The president of the MQF, Mario Beaulieu, wants to ensure that language is one of the issues for mayoral candidates.

      Beaulieu said he’s targetting the mayor’s race in Quebec’s largest city because more than 85 per cent of the 50,000 immigrants each year in Quebec settle there. According to him, Montreal is becoming more and more anglicized, and he denounces the fact that no municipal party has proposed solutions to counter this phenomenon.

      Beaulieu recalled that 10 years ago, the city filed a municipal language policy with the Office québécois de la langue française but, as far as he knows, there has been no progress since. He said many municipal services are not respecting the principles of the policy, notably in distributing bilingual documents, in recording bilingual telephone messages, and displaying bilingual signage.

      According to the MQF president, the need to learn French becomes unimportant if all municipal services are systematically available in English.

      Beaulieu said he believes the status of French as the official and common language in Montreal is essential to allow for the inclusion of all citizens and immigrants in a common public space.

      The MQF will hound candidates during the campaign that is now heating up ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.

      The movement has established a municipal platform, distributed in the form of flyers during festivals and special events. Other actions will be revealed between now and election day."

      Delete
    5. @ Troy

      As proposed by student, why don't you subscribe to The Gazette? I'm the greatest fan of The Gazette. You know with the magic of the Internet you don't have to wait your newspaper in front of your door. Instead your newspaper is right in your computer screen. It's fantastic!

      I say that because when I subscribed I waited six months my Gazette at my door. Fortunately one of my best friends was released from Douglas Hospital and he explained to me that my Gazette is in my computer. I was really relieved, because all that time I thought I had given the wrong address. Now I would like to know how to give a tip to the one that brings my Gazette in my computer?

      Delete
  12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgZ53Vp-W3U

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elle est née au Québec et ne parle pas français?...C'est quoi son problème?

      Delete
    2. Doctors shouldn't play politics.

      Delete
    3. "Doctors shouldn't play politics."

      Ce sont les individus comme le raciste qui a chié cette vidéo qui devraient s'abstenir.

      "And once again Muhammad begs the racist francophones not to beat up on him by pleading "oh no we are not against you, really, please please francophones, just let us maybe live among you and not be discriminated against?" Pathetic."

      - former Quebecer

      Delete
    4. Yes, I believe it is only normal that an anglophone in Quebec should be expected not to be discriminated against.

      Delete
  13. I must say that the welfare of my province, the Province of Quebec is on my mind and has been for quite some time now. The Charter of the French Language (Bill 101) has resulted in the stifling of our economy, the inability of over 80% of our children to receive a good education, and most importantly, the removal of our basic human right - the right to choose.

    For close to 5 decades, Canadian citizens residing in the Canadian Province of Quebec have been unable to conduct their business affairs in the languages of their choice. Today, we have Language Police (OQLF) coming down hard on what they determine any infraction, big or small, of Bill 101.

    In education, the French-speaking population has been deprived of the right give their children a bilingual education, and immigrant children have to attend French-only schools. All these children will not be able to take advantage of the best jobs and careers when they enter the job market because of their lack of English fluency.

    So many have left this province in disgust over the decades, and the flow is unabated. As we see our infrastructure in the Montreal area deteriorate before our very eyes due to mismanagement of our budget, it has become more and more difficult to maintain a good quality of life in Quebec, and people have become disillusioned with the prospects of a better future.

    Now pay very close attention. The above injustices perpetrated by successive Quebec governments, as bad as they are, pale in comparison to the atrocities that are in store for us should Bill 14 ever pass legislation.

    English-speaking high school students will not be able to graduate high school without passing a difficult French examination. French and multi-ethnic high school graduates will no longer be accepted to English CEGEPs according to their marks: they will be forced to wait until the English speaking students who wish to attend English CEGEPs have been accepted; and if all the places have been taken, they will have no choice but to attend French CEGEPs in order to proceed to university. Canadian Armed Forces personnel will no longer be able to send their children to English schools.

    Search & Seizure
    The Office de la Langue Francaise will be able to conduct "search and seizure"operations on private businesses without giving prior notice and take their evidence to a criminal prosecutor without notification to the alleged offender.

    Businesses with 26 or more employees would have to make French their working language.

    Finally, municipalities would lose their bilingual status if the English population dropped below 50%.

    Folks, the National Assembly is to reconvene on the 17th of September at which time they will continue discussion on all parts of Bill 14 in order to determine whether the PQ government will present it for 3rd and final reading, intact or with changes. But make no mistake: ANY part of Bill 14 that passes will result in the end of freedom of choice for everyone.

    A massive rally against Bill 14 is now the only thing that may cause the CAQ to withdraw its support of the PQ. But this is a last ditch effort and will take everyone's participation. If and when an event gets posted, it will require a lot of help and sharing. Your commitment will be imperative!

    Norman Simon Please share this post. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "A massive rally against Bill 14 is now the only thing that may cause..."

      Vous êtes incapables de réunir 50 angryphones...C'est quoi votre problème?

      Delete
  14. FROM ED
    THE SKY IS FALLING, .THE SKY IS FALLING. Here we go again. At a time when people are trying to relax and enjoy summer, we are being given something to panic about. Cutie, the hysteria you try to rouse is right now spent in other directions.
    Most of us are worried about the victims of Lac Megantic, some of whom have yet to be found. Thousands in Montreal are without electricity due to storms at this time of year and many had their homes damaged. Hundreds of thousands of parents are trying to eke out a vacation for their families with the price of gas at one fifty for four cups of gasoline.
    Food banks always run low at this time of year and many of us worry about how to help the poor, who can't afford a vacation. Parks people are trying to create programs for children stuck in the city.
    And yet, you want to worry the population about something that is no where near and most likely will never come to pass.
    While most people try to think positive you have to roll out all the negatives you can find to panic people needlessly.
    Last we heard of Chicken Little, she was going to visit Colonel Sanders. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Geez Ed - here you go again! For God's sake man, this isn't from me - it's from groups working to stop Bill 14 because we have little time to act to get anything done. What the hell are you talking about? Because it's summer, everyone should just sit back and take no action AGAIN before it's too late. I'm passing on information and you talk as if I'm personally making stuff up to get people excited. What are you thinking? Sometimes I have to wonder exactly what you stand for. You want people to take action, get mad when they don't and still get upset about nothing when they do. What's stopping you from helping the poor or thinking about the tragedy of the fire and storms? Get a grip man.

      Delete
    2. I agree with you Cutie003. People should stand up for their rights. The very reason that we have a constant outflow of anglophones and allophones in Quebec is because of the artificial conditions of Bill 101, which state that communication in companies with 50 or more employees must be in French only (unless an exemption is granted). This has made the job market such that people must disproportionately leave the province for career opportunities, something that is rarely brought up.

      Now, I think a watered down Bill 14 will pass but if Anglophones continue to be docile, their rights will be continue to be eroded. So people can stand up and talk about it or put their head in the sand.

      I do want to commend Phillipe Couillard for being wholely against Bill 14, something the Liberals normally don’t do and he is ahead of the PQ and CAQ and the small separatist parties in the polls.

      So, there is hope.

      Don’t let the trolls on this site get you down. I have found for myself that they are a bunch of agents provacateurs.

      Delete
    3. Thanks Roger - it's hard sometimes but we have no choice - we must stop the continuous erosion of our rights and freedoms anyway and every way we can and I will try not to let those that disagree get me down. I will continue to post as much information as I can about the measures people are taking to put a stop to this.

      Delete
    4. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTMonday, July 22, 2013 at 5:00:00 PM EDT

      When it comes to supporting minorities rights of anglos in quebec, no one will ever stand up for them. Ottawa doesn't have the required spine to do so. Ottawa would never stand up for anglos of quebec. Too sensitive an issue even though that some rights are literally ignored by quebec.
      While quebec demands a bilingual country for the purpose of receiving services in french, they decide to deny those same principles to its anglo minority.
      The anglos I know have learnt french or moved away. You cant fight this uphill battle...

      Delete
    5. Sure you can. Silence won't settle any injustice and what appears to be untenable now won't always be that way in the future.

      BTW, tiny victories such as "pastagate" and the engraved English yogourt spoon controversy shows that light must be brought to bear upon things that some people would rather be in the dark.

      Only then can we progress as a society.

      Delete
    6. "...tiny victories such as "pastagate" and the engraved English yogourt spoon controversy..."

      Wow! ... "slow clap" Mdr!

      À ce rythme,Montréal sera bilingue en 3077 :)

      Delete
    7. "À ce rythme,Montréal sera bilingue en 3077..."

      Osti, SR, tu sais pas que Montréal est déjà billingue?

      Just ask your tribal leader, Mario Beaulieu. He says Montreal is anglicising all the time. MDR

      Read The Gazette to be informed: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Mouvement+Qu%C3%A9bec+fran%C3%A7ais+wants+language+central+issue/8688717/story.html

      I believe your fellow Canadian, cutie003 posted that article before, cris!

      Even the people at vigile say the same thing.
      http://www.vigile.net/Montreal-is-bilingual-poll-finds

      So nice of the people of vigile to have articles in English! héhé :)

      Delete
    8. @roger rabbit

      "if Anglophones continue to be docile, their rights will be continue to be eroded."

      what rights, mate? which one is being eroded?

      Delete
    9. @student

      "what rights, mate?"

      T'es drole ou quoi, etudiant? You are on this blog every day for years, even more than the anglophones, and t'as pas vraiment de mémoire?

      The right to work in English, the right to post English signs of any size, and the right to get government services in English are some of the rights that have been eroded. For the rest, please read this blog again from beginning to end.

      :)

      Delete
  15. @UN GARS

    Correct regarding Ottawa and their involvement. You notice how quiet Graham Fraser , the official language commissioner, becomes, when there is issues involving Quebec and anglo issues. (bill 14 etc) Meanwhile, heaping a load of crap on the ROC about how welcoming and hospitable we should be to our Franco minority. Double standard to the nines.

    We both know the solution to the problem. Separation, partition or a combination of both. At least then, there would be no further ambiguity about anglo rights in Quebec and Franco rights in Canada (read: Failed and discriminatory OLA).... People could then decide on their future place of residence in Canada without the "shades of grey" they face now.









    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You sound like that nutbar, Tony Kondaks

      Delete
    2. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTMonday, July 22, 2013 at 5:47:00 PM EDT

      @westerner.
      I concur. There needs to be a referendum in the ROC about kicking quebec out. The money saved would be amazing IMHO. At the very least quebec and Canada should split, very similar to what Czechoslovakia did in 1993. I'm fairly confident that some anglos would remain in a "Democratic People's Republic of quebec". A quebec-Canada split makes sense at this time.

      Delete
    3. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTMonday, July 22, 2013 at 5:54:00 PM EDT

      Also.... The four Maritimes provinces would probably have to receive a special status because they would be geographically separated. The St-Lawrence seaway would become 100% quebec's. Labrador would remain as is, a special maritime zone would be settled with regards to the Islands off quebec's arctic shores, which are de facto Nunavut's. Free trade -or not agreements would have to be worked out and free land passage between east and west Canada would have to be agreed upon.

      Delete
    4. @westerner

      "Meanwhile, heaping a load of crap on the ROC about how welcoming and hospitable we should be to our Franco minority."

      you think being welcoming for minorities is crap?!? do you mean this or are you a troll?

      Delete
    5. "you think being welcoming for minorities is crap?!? "

      Oh. give me a break...the one who supports bill 101 and other similar tabled anti language laws.

      Quebec is the Queen of Mean with regards to minorities.

      Oh , I forgot, Quebec is given a free pass to have laws of discrimination but the ROC is held to a higher standard and must support your folk language across the nation. Cut the crap, grow a spine and leave. Well, that's not likely to happen with your lips tight on the teat of the ROC. N'est pas.

      Unbelievable your lack of appreciation for those that pay your f'king bills



      Delete
    6. I hate to agree with you Westerner but I do. They are the most spoiled brats anywhere in the world and appreciate f--- all that is done to help them preserve their language and culture. Partition this place and kick them to the curb - that is the democratic way out of this mess - we get rid of them, they get rid of us. Can't happen soon enough for me!

      Delete
  16. FROM ED
    Cutie, I don't care where the post is coming from, I know that you are the one who posted it. You might have had better response if you waited till at least the holidays were over but not you. You can't wait to stir things up.
    For God's sake there's nothing we can do right now. Much of the success in politics is timing, like fighting a bill when it's there to fight. You want everyone to jump up and start shadow boxing. We're trying to enjoy summer. That's why the Legislature is closed down, because it's summer. When the
    time comes we'll organize, For God's sake, give it a rest. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed - This blog was set up for a reason and if you don't give a shit about the reason, then ignore the blog. You continuously complain about everything but want to talk about "summer vacation". THERE IS NO SUMMER VACATION - The National Assembly resumes on 17 September and if you are not interested in talking about the problems involved in the upcoming session, then stop telling others what to do, think and say. God, you're the most overbearing man I've ever run across. Do what you will; I have the right to do as I will and if I can assist the groups that are trying to pull the organizations together to fight the separatists, I will do what I can when I can and do not appreciate you telling me what to do or when to do it! Post your sentiments about the past and leave those that take action alone to do the work required.

      Delete
    2. Better yet, go talk to your priest - you seem to think prayers are the way out of this and teaching "love" and "brotherhood" to our separatist foes, which is so ridiculous that it makes me want to lie down on the floor and roll over with laughter! Stop trying to control this blog with your silly comments about waiting until "Summer Vacation is over" and to everyone out there that wants to take action in upcoming events please join the FB Communities - some of the names: Put Back the Flag, The Quebec Anglophone Community, Quebec Office of the English Language, Boycott the IGA, Bilingual Montreal and many other groups are active on-line and will welcome new participants.

      Delete