Thursday, December 19, 2013

French versus English Volume 100

Quebec’s getting more equalization money from Ottawa next year.

Attention Mario Beaulieu !... Add this to your Quebec-bashing report!
"According to federal finance ministry numbers posted online Tuesday, Ontario will receive just under $2 billion from the feds in 2014-15, down from $3.2 billion this year.
Quebec will see its piece of the equalization pie rise to $9.3 billion next year from $7.8 billion in 2013-14.
Equalization payments go to so-called "have not" provinces to ensure that Canadians get access to comparable level of services regardless of where they live in the country.
The Stephen Harper government was not pleased when Ontario, the most populous province in the country, became eligible for equalization payments for the first time in 2009-10.
Quebec's equalization payment next year will be larger than its Canada Health Transfer or its Canada Social Transfer.
Other provinces in line for the payouts are P.E.I. at $360 million, Nova Scotia at $1.6 billion, New Brunswick at $1.7 billion and Manitoba at $1.8 billion.
The remaining provinces are not eligible for equalization." Read more at Sun News

Here are two predictions  cocerning this piece of news;
The Quebec government will not say 'Thank-you, Canada' and
defenders of the Quebec model will remind Canadians that per capita, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI, get more equalization money than Quebec.

Now I'd like to make a point about these transfers from the federal government and Quebec's hypocritical position.

Last Spring, Nicolas Marceau, Quebec's finance minister dredged up the old complaint of the so-called 'fiscal imbalance,' whereby it is claimed that Ottawa takes out too high a proportion of taxes and leaves the provinces (read;Quebec) scrambling to pick up the crumbs.
 "Quebec fears Ottawa is trying to balance its budget on its back and plunge both levels of government in fiscal imbalance....." 
....Mr. Marceau believes that there is a disproportion between the tax revenue of each level of government and services to the population for which it is responsible. "The unilateral decisions taken by the federal government lead us to believe that Ottawa wants to clean up its finances on the backs of the provinces," mentioned the Quebec minister. Link
A decade ago, Quebec was so concerned about the 'problem' that it created a commission to study the so-called 'fiscal imbalance."
Its conclusion was not surprising;
"This situation can be summed up fairly easily: the federal government occupies too must tax room compared to its responsibilities." Link
But what everyone fails to understand is that the fiscal imbalance (if it exists) FAVOURS QUEBEC!!!
Let me explain;
Every time Ottawa takes taxes out of the provinces, it returns the money disproportionately, with Quebec the largest benificiary.

Let's take the equalization program as an example.
The federal government collects $17 billion in taxes across Canada to fund the program. Quebec contributes around 18% of that total, or $3 billion, but takes out 55% or $9.3 billion.
The same goes for programs like Employment Insurance, where Quebec also gets back more than it pays in, by about $1 billion as well.
By the way, Quebec then stupidly complains that the feds are unfairly skimming the surplus from the EI fund, when in fact, any amounts of money they do skim, is returned to Quebec disproportionatly!

It's simple, the more Ottawa taxes all of Canada, the better Quebec makes out, it isn't rocket science.
Quebec contributes about 18% of federal taxes, but receives back about 25% of the benefits.
If Ottawa taxed an extra $10 billion from across Canada, Quebec would contribute  about $1.8 billion, yet would receive about $2.5 billion back.
Complaining about the fiscal imbalance is the very embodiment of  looking a gift horse in the mouth. (à cheval donné, on ne regarde pas la denture)
If Ottawa was to tax less, Quebec would be the biggest loser.

Quebec’s credit rating downgraded to negative from stable  

And the outlook is....."Minable!"
"Fitch Ratings has downgraded its outlook on Quebec’s credit rating to negative from stable.
The agency said on Friday the revision to the long-term rating reflects the decision of the Quebec government to push back its zero-deficit target to fiscal 2016 from 2014.
“The delay is based on slower economic and revenue performance since the fiscal 2014 budget was tabled and the consequent reduction in forecast economic and revenue growth thereafter,” the agency said in a news release.
In reaction to the downgraded outlook, Despicable She pooh-poohed the whole affair as not a big deal.
Journalists reported that Fitch was actually on the verge of downgrading its rating of Quebec, instead of just the outlook and it took an intervention by the PQ with Fitch to avoid that calamity.
Nothing is known about what the PQ promised behind closed doors.

In a further interview Pauline then said that the downgrade was the fault of the previous Liberal government.
Hmmm, wonder what she will say next year, when she blows the budget again?

...meanwhile  Canadian Business reported;

"Looking for work? You're in luck; employers seem to be in a hiring mood. There were more than half a million-job openings in Canada in November, a 22% jump over the same period last year, according to new data from Workopolis.
The online job site is reporting year-over-year increases in job postings in every employment category and every region of the country, except Quebec where the number of job postings declined 4%."   Link





Pauline in Paris

It was a meeting of the like-minded in Paris as Pauline Marois met with French president Francois
Hollande.
La Pauline can take comfort that she is twice as popular in Quebec as Hollande is in France, although that isn't saying much.
Pauline has an approval rating of 32%, a number Hollande can only dream of. The sad sack French president stands at an approval rating of just 15%, which has to be the lowest approval rating for any  leader in the developed world.

Hollande and Marois struck it off so well that La Pauline actually referred to the French president by his first name in public, a diplomatic gaffe that he seemed to forgive.

Mr. Hollande gave open support for Quebec's Charter of Values, secure in the knowledge that it was inspired to a great extent by French legislation limiting religious freedoms in France.

Perhaps in private he told Marois that after the Quebec legislation is passed, the province could expect to enjoy the same wonderful race relations as exist in France.

Feeling particularly chummy, Marois took advantage of their mutual admiration, by asking for a favour.
She asked the French president to give Quebec its own seat at the climate conference to be held in Paris in 2015.
She told Hollande that it would be greatly appreciated because Quebec has a different position on climate change as compared to Canada.

Maria Mourani stabs sovereignty movement in the back

Maria Mourani accepts separatist award from smiling Mario Beaulieu....this photo from her personal website pulled today!  I've got two words for Ms. Mourani......"STATUS UPDATE"
It's a long road from being named Patriot of the Year by the separatist Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste in 2012, to becoming a declared federalist, one who publicly denounces the sovereignty movement and vaunts the advantages of Canada.

"Maria Mourani, former Bloc Québécois MP who quit the party after a disagreement over Quebec’s proposed secularism charter says she’s no longer a sovereigntist.
Maria Mourani made the announcement in an open letter, where she writes that she’s leaving the “independentist” movement because it has changed for the worse.

She writes that she now believes federalism is the best way to defend minority rights.

Mourani says she’s remaining as an independent MP and won’t join a new political party for now." Link

Mouraini was particularly stinging in an open letter in which she embraced Canadian federalism and trashed the PQ and Quebec's Charter of Rights.
She dumped sovereignty after a long career as a useful idiot, a rare ethnic who supported Quebec indenedance.
Here's a small translation of part of  the open letter she penned.;
"Canada, the best defense for our Quebec identity
"The ease with which the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of Quebec may be modified or terminated, convinced me of the relevance of the Canadian federal system. I came to the conclusion that my membership in Canada, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, better protects the Quebec identity of all citizens and all citizens of Quebec. I'm no longer an independantist
. "
The pill is particularly bitter for the PQ and hard line sovereigntists like Mario Beaulieu, head of the SSJB who couldn't hide his disappointment in saying;
"She won the prize for her past actions, but to claim that the Canadian Charter protects the Quebec identity, we would like to know where and how," said Beaulieu.

"The Charter was used to defeat Bill 101, promoting multiculturalism an attempt to drown the Quebec identity. It's really disappointing from Maria Mourani, "said he added 
Link{fr}
Her about face on sovereignty is a real disaster for the PQ and separatist insiders must be fretting mightily. Her defection to the federalist cause is a clear signal to ethnics that they have no role to play in the sovereignty movement and if she chooses to become a militant spokesperson, she will no doubt remain a festering open sore that threatens to become a gangrenous infection.

Emotional  denunciations from separatists are pouring in at the moment, but after some time for considered reflection, sovereigntists against the charter (yes, there are many) will be emboldened and openly question the Marois' and the PQ's policy of alienation.

One last note on the subject.
The whole Mourani affair is a lesson in political amateurism.
I don't want to overly dump on Daniel Paillé, the ex-leader of the Bloc who resigned over health issues, but truth be told, it was he who brought on all this misery to the sovereignty movement by kicking  Mouraini out of the PQ caucus in a fit of pique.
At the time, the Bloc hadn't even pronounced or taken a position on the Charter and how much better would it have been to allow a little dissent.
Compare Paillé's handling of Mouraini with that of Philippe Couillard's handling of Fatima Houda-Pepin, who like Mourani broke ranks with the Quebec Liberal party over the Charter. Instead of kicking her out of the caucus, the Liberal leader met her half way and kept the disagreement from causing extensive damage.
You may want to call Couillard a flip-flopper on the issue of the Charter, but he's doing the best he can to take away the PQ's only election issue.
It isn't pretty, but that is politics. Those who say Couillard isn't leadership material are either his enemies or just don't understand the art of politics, like Daniel Paillé, who by the way, at his press conference announcing his decision to resign, looked about as healthy as did Jack Layton did at his last press conference.


OQLF Creole-gate affair proves that a leopard can't change its spots.

As you've no doubt heard the OQLF has once again made fools of themselves by intervening in  affairs that they by law and regulation have no right to do.
Another infamous anonymous complaint led to the OQLF demanding that two Creole-speaking Haitins at work in a hospital address each other in French , even when speaking in private.
Listen to a sad interview  by Barry Morgan of Montreal radio station CJAD with an OQLF spokesperson


The hospital wasn't amused with the complaint and went public with the issue to humiliate the OQLF.
Mission accomplished.
Once again the OQLF displays its uncontrollable obsession with eliminating English from the workplace, legally or illegally.
While the spokesman claimed innocently that the OQLF was just investigating and that there was no disposition of the affair, the truth is that in sending a letter warning the hospital that it faces a $20,000 fine was just a plain old-fashioned case of extra-judicial intimidation.

At any rate, the hospital over-reacted. They could have safely told the OQLF to stuff it, because unless the OQLF was willing to reveal the identity of the anonymous complainer, there  is no case.

Let me explain....
The OQLF can follow-up on an anonymous complaint when it is about a sign, website or advertising material. They just need to verify the actual material themselves and the complainer's name is of no import.
But when the anonymous person complains about a scene that he witnessed and one that the OQLF cannot verify in any way, shape, or form, no reasonable investigation can take place if the alleged guilt institution is deprived of the abilty to make an independent determination by confronting the accuser and the veracity of the complaint.
The OQLF would be laughed out of court if they pursued a case based on a complaint by an anonymous witness, who they will not identify or present in court.
In order to be more politic, the hospital should have  just have written to the OQLF demanding to know when and where the incident happened and in front of whom. Otherwise, they could not make any determination.
The OQLF, refusing to reveal its source would abandon its case quickly.


Let me add a contrasting footnote to the story .
In Toronto a restaurant, the Papillon on the Park, (which incidentally is Quebec-owned) was held liable  by the Ontario Human Rights Commission to pay three employees $100,000 in damages for abusive practices;
The allegations;
  • A cook  was forced to taste a dish containing pork, contrary to his religious beliefs
  • An employee was forced to work on the day of Eid al-Fitr
  • A Complainant was treated as "crazy" because he refused to eat a meat pie during the Ramadan fast
  • An Employee was forced to speak English rather than Bengali in the kitchen
  • A complainant was threatened to be replaced by white employees
In Quebec, the Charter of Secularism would deem refusing to taste pork an unreasonable accommodation because it is part of the job and asking for a day off for a religious, but non provincial holiday, also an unreasonable accommodation.
And of course the Pièce de résistance, being fined for forcing employees to speak a common language.
Which side of the Quebec/Ontario border is the Twilight Zone?
Read the story in English or en français

Between a rock and a French place

In light of the Supreme Court's rejection of the Harper paln to install a single national regulatory agency to regulate all of Canada's stock market, the feds have thrown the language issue back into Quebec's court as it pertains to the issue of French translations of prospecti (the formal legal document, which provides details about an investment offering for sale.) 
In the past many companies provided brief summaires in French based on the more complete English version, something that the organization that does the translations objects to. They appealed to the PQ government to make complete translations mandatory, but the PQ government is stalling.

The reason  that  the PQ is balking on supporting the translators is because it is faced with a bitter dose of reality.
Over the last three years over 1200 issues weren't translated into French at all, with companies telling unilingual francophone investors to lump it or leave it.
But banning these issues from being sold in Quebec is not the same as banning English toys like Buzz Lightyear. Telling brokers that they can't sell issues that don't provide a French language prospectus would penalize Quebec investors adversely. It would also lead to Quebec investors moving their brokerage account to Toronto or Ottawa, after all it's all done online anyway.

So the Quebec government is in a fine language pickle.
Imposing the language law on Quebec brokers will do more harm than good and so in the spirit of cooperation the Finance Minister's department is talking 'compromise'.
Read a detailed story in French

Really?.....

France is actually looking to Quebec for advice in how to combat its high-school drop-out rate; Link{fr}
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The Quebec government is advertising for university students in France in order to fill empty classrooms.
One of the benefits, according to the government is "an interactive Anglo-Saxon experience" Link{fr}

*****************
After the PQ came to power a very good friend of Pauline Marois and hubby Claude Blanchet, Jean-Yves Duthel, was given a $90,000 for a one-year contract to represent Investissement Québec, in Germany, a kissoff job from the boss.

But before he took up the position the office of the  Directeur général des élections announced that it
was going to charge Duthel over an alleged illegal $500 campaign contribution.

And so the government decided that Mr. Dutel wasn't apt to take the job, to which Duthel took exception and threatened to sue.
And so, the government paid him $50,000 to end the contract.
Mr. Duthel never worked a day.   Not kidding. Link{fr}

By the way, Mr. Duthel is Pauline Marois' biographer.

*****************
 I've written before on how Quebecers are Canada's cheapskates when it comes to donations.
A new study confirms that this year once again, for the 15th year in a row, Quebec has maintained its miserly position.
Quebecers give on average  about $615 to charity as compared to Canada which gives more than double that amount. Link{fr}

I daresay that the average would plummet if the donations from the very engaged Quebec Anglophones and particularly the Quebec Jewish community, were removed from the calculations.
The Quebec Jewish community raises almost as much money for Jewish charities as does all of Centraide and Jews generously contribute outside their community as well.

At any rate, a TV panel led by the esteemed Richard Martineau explained away the anomaly by claiming that Quebecers are certainly as generous as other Canadians, its just that they are taxed heavily and have mandated the government to donate for them. Ha!!!
What a load of crap.
Put aside the donation question and I'd like the panel to explain why Quebecers are also in last place in donating their time to charitable organizations.


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121 comments:

  1. The cost of the inquiry into the student protests will double. Can't they just ask MNA Leo Bureau-Blouin to fill them in and save some taxpayer money?

    http://globalnews.ca/news/1036215/inquiry-into-student-crisis-will-cost-close-to-1-million/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daniel Efosa Uyi - fan from Nigeria? Right.

      Delete
    2. Good job, Theo… not only are you the one and only person who bothers to respond to obvious spam (something which the Editor used to be more alert about quickly erasing), but you’re also responsible for inciting increased garbage commentary from trolls like S.R. (who has been dropping his utterly useless turds here daily for literally *years* now) and student (a newish smartass who participates in bad faith), neither of whom has any genuine interest in dialogue.

      By doing so, you are beginning to establish a similarly poor reputation as a contributor to this blog. Congratulations!

      Delete
    3. @anonymous

      get lost mate. we're having a discussion here.

      Delete
    4. @Anonymous

      So who the hell are you? Are you the blog policeman?

      Delete
  2. That report on equalization, if it's true is sickening to the stomach.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There seems to be no limit to Quebec's appetite to pick the pockets of the ROC and/or Ottawa's willingness to subsidize this province. Absolutely incredible considering the social programs that Quebec maintains at the expense of those that do not enjoy the same benefits. Absolutely ridiculous.

      Delete
    2. Again though there are 4 other provinces receiving much more per capita than Quebec. By the way editor you forgot to mention Manitoba as the fourth province which receives way more per capita. Manitoba has 1.2 million people and is receiving 1.8 billion dollars. Multiply 1.2 by 6.5 and you get about 11.7 billion which is a lot more than quebec will bet getting. New Brunswick with a population of 750,000 about 1/10 of Quebec is getting 1.7 billion or the equivalent of 17 billion which is almost double what Quebec is getting.
      So lets be fair about this..the author always talks about the absolute numbers..its really the numbers per capita that are important and quebec is far from the worst.
      And the argument that Quebecers are not loyal canadians rings hollow when all anglos and allos are fiercely loyal and I would say at least 40 percent of francophones are pretty loyal canadians.

      Delete
    3. By AnecTOTE

      "Again though there are 4 other provinces receiving much more per capita than Quebec..."

      While this may be true, fact remains those provinces aren't constantly threatening, manipulating and blackmailing the Federal government by kicking and screaming they want out of Confederation. It is completely hypocritical of quebec to accept this money. The numbers don't lie and quebec makes much more than it doles out AND THEY KNOW IT. I think I agree with whoever said, the other day, in the last post that, we really don't have anything to worry about, seppies have a big mouth but at the end of the day they know very well they have it good and cushy in Canada. They want to keep their Posse entertained with all the bla bla...whatever, my biggest beef is that their rhetoric hurts this province's Economy and for that reason, the PQ must go, and the faster the better. Energy should be focused on how to perpetuate its downfall and FAST.

      Delete
    4. AnecTOTE and complicated: You've taken the words right off my fingertips. It's true the minorities and Anglos, for the most part, are fiercely loyal federalists, but so what? You keep voting for the same old thing, i.e., a Quebec political party, whichever one it may be, and they still put the screws to you, and you all just make like sitting ducks and take whatever you're hit with.

      Equality Party 2.0 seems to be a failure. Why? If you want your rights, then it is the civic duty of each and every able-bodied and able-minded individual of voting age in the minority community to get up, get out there and fight for your rights. The CRITIQ meetings seem to be only the more mature grey-haired crowd, and when Hugo Shebbeaure organizes a protest, only a few dozen people appear.

      That's not going to do it. That's not going to achieve anything so if somewhere along the way the RoC turns around and bites all Quebecers, you're all on your own, and you'll deserve to be on your own.

      I'll be writing my MP and Mr. Harper about my thoughts on this sugary sweet deal for an ungrateful and impudent Quebec. This will NOT go unanswered!

      Delete
    5. "and when Hugo Shebbeaure organizes a protest, only a few dozen people appear."

      Je crois qu'une commandite de Tim Horton contriburait largement à augmenter le volume de participants.

      Surtout ne me remerciez pas!

      Delete
    6. OK, here comes the trolling. Please ignore this individual's interjections. Thank you.

      Delete
    7. Anectote - Its only the PQ which is threatening to seperate..they only received 32 percent of the vote..that is far from the majority of Quebecers. Too many people here equate Quebec with the PQ party. Quebec is a lot more than the PQ. Lets get our facts straight..its the PQ and the seperatist community which is the problem not Quebec. Again there are 4 provinces which receive substantially more money per capita than Quebec does and that is a fact.
      So lets not play the deceptive games the PQ likes to do..when Marois talks about sending 50 billion to Ottawa. The way the editor describes the entire amount of the equalization payment and the total amounts since the 1950s is very deceptive..it makes it appear much worse that it is. The atlantic canada provinces receive double or more per capita than Quebec does..with the recent exception of Newfoundland.

      Delete
    8. @complicated

      "...Its only the PQ which is threatening to seperate..."

      false. quebec solidaire also does. and option nationale. and caq says let's fix the economy first. how many caq voters will want to separate when the economy is fixed? a lot. all together these parties got 68% of the vote last time. don't try to make it seem like separatists are a minority mate.

      Delete
    9. They are a minority, hence why two referendums have been lost by them, and there is no strong push for another one, as loosing three times would just be sad. You are erroneously conflating voting for a separatist party and the subsequent intention of voting for separation, which unfortunately occurs because all of the major political parties in Quebec support separation except 2 (you imply 1), so people hold their noses and vote for the party they most agree with on the issues largest for them, which for a lot of people is not separation. Poor form old chap.

      Delete
    10. student -
      I was referring to a party that has a viable chance of winning. The CAQ are neutral IMO and are not nearly as provocative as the PQ are with respect to Canada.
      A lot of people who voted for the PQ would not vote for seperation..many voted for the PQ because they were fed up with the corruption and mismanagement of the Liberal party. And even then they could only manage 0.5 percent more than the Liberal vote and 4 more seats. Many who votef for the CAQ would not vote for seperation.
      The seperatists are really about 1/3 of Quebecers.

      Delete
    11. @complicated

      as a federalist, i don't think it's in your best interest to underestimate the proportion of separatists in quebec.

      Delete
    12. @ student

      I estimate 1/3 separatist, 1/3 federalist and the other 1/3 just blow with the wind.

      Delete
    13. @theo

      "...the other 1/3 just blow with the wind."

      that third third, if we want to be more specific, is comprised of unsecure nationalists. as soon as they get confident enough in themselves, they'll vote yes. so keep on the mean fear mongering, it works well on them.

      Delete
    14. @student

      I would think that for an important issue like which country you want to be a part of, one would have a position and one would still to it. During the 1980 referendum, PQ MNA Lise Payette belittled some women with her Yvettes comment. This resulted in loss of support for the Yes side and gain in support for the NO side. I find it strange that some can be so easily swayed.

      Delete
    15. A large majority of Quebecers wish to remain in confederation with the other provinces of Canada.

      Two-thirds of Quebecers being against separation from Canada and one-third being separatists is quite right. In other words, this corresponds to a glorious “nation” of 2-3 million separatists, a population that is even smaller than that of Montreal and fully half the size of the city of Toronto (who should likely name René Lévesque as their patron saint, given that he is the single individual who did far more to help build up the economy of Toronto than any other individual in history).

      There are many thousands of “nations” that make up the world, yet there are only about 200 countries. Most countries of the world do not represent a single “nation” and “nations” overwhelmingly do not constitute countries.

      Continuing to seek to further harm Quebec based on this separatist dream is irresponsible and hateful toward Quebec, most especially given Quebecers’ repeated democratic expression of their will against this fanciful, rejected idea.

      Delete
    16. student -
      Every poll I have seen over the past few years has had support for seperation in the 30-35 percent range. You are right..there is another 20-30 percent who are wafflers..but they are the ones who will be swayed by the economy. Given how pathetic the economy has been since the PQ took over I dont see how any of these people will want to cast away Canada in favour of a PQ led country.
      If the PQ under Marois had shown even a hint of being able to manage the economy then it might have been a different story. They have done worse than even I thought was possible..we are clearly underperforming every province in this country and its due to a government that only cares about one thing..power and language. They could care less about whether or not the economy suffers or even worse they dont have a clue how to create an environment where the economy flourishes. And this is even with massive transfer of money from Canada..the second largest city in canada..the city with the highest number of students per capita..a bilingual and often trilingual work force..a major port..proximity to a market with 100 million people within a few hours away..massive amounts of natural resources. Quebec has great potential but the total mismanagement by the PQ and even the PLQ have completely wasted this potential.

      Delete
    17. @theo

      " I find it strange that some can be so easily swayed."

      me too. it should be easy to make up your mind between more freedom and not more freedom. and stick to it.

      Delete
    18. @complicated

      "You are right..there is another 20-30 percent who are wafflers..but they are the ones who will be swayed by the economy."

      yes. that is what i meant by "unsecure nationalists".

      "Given how pathetic the economy has been since the PQ took over..."

      what indicators do you look at mate? i don't see it being pathetic. even if it was pathetic, i would be careful before switching responsibility from corrupted liberals to the pq. you don't turn around a systemic corruption state on a dime.

      "I dont see how any of these people will want to cast away Canada in favour of a PQ led country."

      i do. and it's important to understand the pq will not lead for long after separation, as it's a coalition united by article 1 of it's program. it will desintegrate shortly after independance. and you'll get a normal country out of it. nice.

      Delete
    19. Geez,,,Marceau goes from a balanced budget to a 2.5 billion dollar debt in 3 months..and blames it on weak revenues..ie the economy sucks. At least the Liberals were reasonably close with their budget forecasts.
      The editors link which shows Quebec as the only part of canada which has seen a decrease in job postings. The gdp growth looks like it will come in as last or second last of all the provinces this year. And countless anectots from friends and colleagues of how poor the economy has become in Montreal since a year ago. Its all a direct cause of all the negative publiciity that the PQ has generated and their total ineptness at managing the economy. Hard to believe they could be worse than the Liberals but they have clearly succeeded. Good luck keeping your tuition fees low..they will skyrocket within a few years as a bankrupt quebec loses control of its finances.

      Delete
    20. @student

      What are examples of 'normal' countries? What kind of country does an independent Quebec want to model itself after?

      Delete
    21. @complicated

      "...Marceau goes from a balanced budget to a 2.5 billion dollar debt in 3 months.."

      he never said the budget was balanced three months ago, he said he was still aiming for it. nuance.

      "At least the Liberals were reasonably close with their budget forecasts."

      that's a lousy alternative when the forecast has been a huge hole for every one of their nine years up there.

      "...shows Quebec as the only part of canada which has seen a decrease in job postings."

      oh well. unemployment rate holds up, so no big deal.

      "The gdp growth looks like it will come in as last or second last of all the provinces this year..."

      speculation.

      "And countless anectots from friends..."

      haha.

      "...Its all a direct cause of all the negative publiciity that the PQ has generated..."

      you are naive if you don't realize who it is that generates bad publicity for quebec.

      "...their total ineptness at managing the economy."

      "Hard to believe they could be worse than the Liberals but they have clearly succeeded."

      i don't think so. corruption is down, spending is under control and big projects are underway.

      "Good luck keeping your tuition fees low."

      thanks mate.

      "...they will skyrocket within a few years as a bankrupt quebec loses control of its finances."

      speculation. with a big dash of fear mongering. invalid crap. too bad it's your finale.


      Delete
    22. @theo

      mate i didn't expect you to be unaware of countries where the election's main topic is not separation. here's a few: argentina, japan, france, australia and norway.

      Delete
    23. @student

      I didn't know what you were calling normal, as many countries have their own issues. Does Quebec aspire to be like France?

      Delete
    24. @theo

      it aspires to be like france in some aspects, one of them being not having every election about separation. apart from this fundamental thing that it needs to copy from others i think quebec aspires to be like quebec.

      Delete
    25. student -
      he never said the budget was balanced three months ago, he said he was still aiming for it. nuance

      so he is a total incompetent then. any finance minister who cant forecast 3 months in advance is totally incompetent or lying.

      that's a lousy alternative when the forecast has been a huge hole for every one of their nine years up there.

      actually the deficit this year will be higher than last year when the liberals were in power..even though the pq promised only 3 months ago it would be balanced..total incompetence..you are in denial student..these are facts.

      you are naive if you don't realize who it is that generates bad publicity for quebec.

      oh boy..believe me it is clearly the seperatists..pastagate..creolegate..charter of values..turban issue and on and on and on. the economy is an afterthought for the pq.

      i don't think so. corruption is down, spending is under control and big projects are underway.

      corruption is down..how do you know its down?? big projects that were started when the Liberals were in power..nothing new since then.

      speculation. with a big dash of fear mongering. invalid crap. too bad it's your finale.


      I know how to count and you dont even though you are a university student. 200 billion and counting..time is up student.

      Delete
  3. By Jove! Parizeau says Quebec finances are in good shape.

    http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/votre-opinion/201312/18/01-4722284-non-a-la-peur-oui-au-realisme.php

    ReplyDelete
  4. By AnecTOTE

    It is about time Maria Mourani wakes up and realizes her invite to the seppie movement was an "after-dinner one". Welcome to the real world you silly little girl, ...about time you woke up.

    We must appreciate one thing however, the serendipitous gift she has made to the Federalist side with the missile she's delivered to Indépandatistes side, by openly endorsing Federalism...we shall enjoy this for some time to come!

    (To the sep's: You screwed with the wrong immigrant, lol, sweet dreams and Merry Christmas, lol)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. By AnecTOTE

      Just a word of advise to Maria M...(if she's game),..to make an even bigger splash than she has already, she ought to take that seppie award given to her by that clown Mario B, call a news conference and officially announce she is retuning the award. The press would eat it up..just sayin.

      Delete
    3. Reste à voir quel parti va vouloir récupérer cette girouette qui d'ailleurs est toujours amie avec M.Landry :).

      @Y.L

      Mdr!

      Delete
    4. By AnecTOTE

      One last thing Mme Mourani, after you've called that news conference and returned that dumb award, maybe you can have a charter-burning ceremony as well...I mean if you gonna do this...heck...go the whole nine yards, lol.

      Delete
    5. Et pour tout cela, nous ne demandons que la laïcité de l'État

      http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/tania-longpre/nous-ne-demandons-que-la-laicite-de-l-etat_b_4474291.html

      Excellent texte de Tania

      Delete
    6. Aussi...Merci au président français pour son appuie...Qui est cette Mme Mourani déjà ? :)

      Delete
    7. OK, here come the trolls again (Y.L. and S.R., not that I'm naming names;))! Please ignore their interjections. Responding only makes for unnecessary jousting.

      Thank you.

      Delete
    8. "Aussi...Merci au président français pour son appuie"

      No issues here. France is in just as bad economic shape as Quebec> As they say.

      "birds of a feather flock together." What was the presidents approval rating?

      Heh SR> you can afford a few more cases of Welfare Beer with the latest increase to equalization. When are you every going to buy me a beer?

      Mdr. :)

      LOL

      Delete
    9. Yeah talk about pathetic. France is a total disaster..massive debt..chronic high unemployment..constant strikes. Zero opportunity for the youth which has been sacrificed because of the greed of the older generations. Its quite sad really..France abandoned its french colony in Quebec 300 years ago and Quebec is still trying to garner favour from them even though they are clearly in rapid decline. But its all about the language..thats all the PQ care about..it doesnt matter that France is a basketcase..all that matters is that they speak the right language.

      Delete
    10. By AnecTOTE

      @complicated

      It isn't even about Language, though the hide behind this excuse. It's simply that they hate the other side for conquering them and have continued to do so till today.

      Delete
    11. Yeah you have a point..there is a lot of vindictive behavior in it and a lot of jealousy also. I think there is a huge inferiority complex as well. Its a pretty childish attitude overall.

      Delete
  5. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, December 20, 2013 at 9:26:00 AM EST

    Regardless of how things go, Canada needs to grow a pair and should vote in a referendum on quebec's place in the confederation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 'Mr. Sauga

    That report on equalization, if it's true is sickening to the stomach.' Oh its true but its much worse then this...

    Their "state run" Hydro company is giving a 40% subsidy for cheaper rates which in turn means the government needs more transfer payments from the rest of Canada.

    And the aggravating part of it is its NO SECRET. Even prominent
    well respected people like Danny Williams have made light of this.

    SEE IT HERE...

    http://youtu.be/MhPcV0gtFR0?t=1m32s

    Quebec is ripping off the country, right, left and center…

    The hydro scam, the tuition scam, the dairy scam, the phony bilingual (french) jobs/hiring scam (only outside Quebec) see clip below...the list is so long in regards to how Quebec is ripping off Canada, i don't know where to begin.

    They run Quebec, they control Ottawa...they funnel money all over the place...we will never know how much money has been funneled into Quebec since Trudeau and his gang of anti - English language, anti - BNA bigots arrived in Ottawa...sadly the truth will never come out...why? The system is now corrupt to the core, from the top down, and the bottom up, just like in Quebec.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZz61S3sTA8

    How much more proof do you need?



    ReplyDelete
  7. http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walking-tour-denounces-english-presence-in-montreal-1.809011

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cutie003,

      It is an old, old story. The Editor even made a piece out of it some times ago.

      Delete
    2. Both the Journal De Mtl and the Gazette both published pieces about the walking tour which I dubbed the "Tony Hill Finger" tour.
      Is it a coincidence that both papers dredge up an old video two days after the story is featured in this blog?
      Just asking.....

      Delete
  8. By AnecTOTE

    I can't resist..this piece was particularly delis....and deserves to be relished..so enjoy.

    http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Opinion+Lisée+seems+have+distorted+view+Canada/9306248/story.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnecTOTE,

      The article is behind paywall. Could you post it in its entirety here?

      Delete
    2. Comme vous êtes radin et malhonnête Troy,un vrai de vrai "liberal".

      Delete
    3. OK, here comes the trolling again. Please ignore this individual's interjections. Thank you

      Delete
    4. @Troy

      No, the article is not behind paywall. Try deleting cookies and/or changing IP.

      Delete
    5. By AnecTOTE

      @Troy

      It is lengthy and I won't go into the reasons here why I am reticent to do so, (for this reason provided link), but perhaps Editor has special permissions and can do so. It basically calls out our minister for Anglo Montreal on his ...crap, his two-faced, disingenuous ...and politically opportunistic double-speak ....CRAP. What is appalling to me is, since we know this charter was nothing but a political ploy (engineered by same minister) to divide the masses so that those soft (racist) separatists side with the hard liners (at the cost of losing the small group of ethnics who were following Maria Mourani's lead), to win a PQ majority at the next election, why are we not demanding this government's resignation? Political posturing is one thing, but practicing overt racism like this, is quite another. Such attitudes have in the past led to war crimes, how can civilized people ...a civilized populace allow this? This is more than "un-canadian" and "un-québécois", this is downright "un-civilized".

      Delete
    6. The print newspaper headline was:
      How un-Canadian! How un-Québécois!
      Jean-François Lisée overlooks a long tradition of “live and let live”

      Opinion: Lisée seems to have a distorted view of Canada

      By Christopher Neal, The Gazette, December 20, 2013

      WASHINGTON — Jean-François Lisée’s recent suggestion that Quebec is already in the process of being “de-Canadianized” is of a piece with his evident penchant for the world of make-believe, especially with respect to Canada. His public utterances and published work suggest to me a persistent tendency to misconstrue and, now that he is an elected politician, to promote a distorted view of Quebecers’ role in Canadian history.

      Some years ago, a position I held in a certain federal government department gave Lisée reason to write to me seeking a grant for an international relations think tank at the Université de Montréal, of which he was then director. The substance of the request is not at issue, but what stayed in my mind was the fact that he had made a point of writing the letter in English.

      Now, I think Lisée knows that the federal government operates in both official languages, but he seemed to want to believe that it was otherwise. Never mind the facts. If Canada, including its people (the English-speaking ones, at any rate) can be depicted as an oppressive, unilingual monolith that systematically belittles Quebec and its people (the French-speaking ones), so much the better for the separatist option.

      His “de-Canadianization” idea, set in the context of the values charter that Lisée’s government is promoting, suggests an effort to define and emphasize “identity” in ways that appear forced, even peevish. The approach, with its hint of menace, seems to impose and exclude, based on the idea that Quebecers are somehow threatened by people perceived to be outsiders. These would evidently include people in Quebec who self-describe as Canadians, and also those of religious persuasions that involve headgear.

      One can only react with dismay that Lisée’s obvious intelligence is not tempered by an equal share of wisdom. From the United States, where I have now lived for long enough to develop insights about American values, what strikes me as I look north is how much the values of English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians or Québécois (who cares what they choose to call themselves?) are deeply alike. The Quebec writer Jean Larose put this archly in his 1987 essay, which took the form of a letter to a fictional friend living in New York, titled If You Come Back to Canada. “What is unforgivable about Canadians,” he wrote, “is that they are just like us (Québécois), only worse.” A bit caustic, but it makes my point.

      What is common to Canadians and Québécois alike is their shared commitment to peaceful coexistence, a “live-and-let-live” comity that goes beyond simple tolerance to actually embracing difference. This comity is rooted in the mutual respect among the founding “races” and provinces that created Canada. It’s among the reasons that a francophone community has survived, against the assimilating juggernaut of the revolutionary American republic south of the border.

      Delete
    7. Speaking of the U.S., Lisée and Bernard Drainville recently wrote The New York Times to take umbrage at a commentary by Maclean’s journalist Martin Patriquin that likened the PQ’s charter to the U.S. Tea Party’s pandering to hidebound white populist voters.

      The two ministers traced the charter’s lineage instead to Thomas Jefferson and his insistence on the separation of church from state. Strange that he should feel so warmly toward Jefferson, who wrote in 1812: “The acquisition of Canada this year, as far as the neighborhood of Quebec, will be a mere matter of marching.”

      I happened to be in Toronto in 1995 when Jean Chrétien, prime minister at the time, addressed the media there, upon the announcement by then-Quebec premier Jacques Parizeau that a referendum on Quebec independence would be held later that year.

      “Quebecers want a happy life,” Chrétien said, “and that is what Canada offers them.” It had an artless simplicity of expression, for which the former PM is well-known. But it also expressed a basic truth, rooted in shared values, that has prompted so many people of different faiths, languages, races and ethnicities to make Quebec their home.

      By fomenting a fiction that Quebec is being de-Canadianized, and that some of the province’s people should abandon forms of dress to which they are accustomed, Lisée threatens to diminish what makes Quebec a happy society. How un-Canadian! How un-Québécois!

      Christopher Neal is a communications manager in Washington, D.C. A Montreal native, he is a former Gazette city reporter.
      © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

      Delete
  9. I think a good leader, as in Dr. Couillard, should have consulted his caucus before publicly declaring "over his dead body" and then have to backtrack - he knew in advance that this would be a "hot button issue" and a good leader thinks ahead on such matters. Let's hope that he improves on these things now that he has a seat in the NA or the handle of "Phillipe flip flop" will stick and will turn voters off. I know that federalists have no other options but the liberals but that makes it even more important that he be a strong leader and not make these mistakes.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, isn't this a nice Xmas gift for Queen Pauline! They threaten her, too.

    "Hacker group Anonymous goes after Pauline Marois"

    http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2013/12/20/watch-

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C'mon S.R., Marois is a major world leader, just like Obama. When you're at the top of your game, everyone wants to take shots at you. Marois is really, really, really, really, really important.

      Delete
  11. Congratuation SR, Xmash came early for you!
    It's really funny to see miss Piggy boasts about how Kebek cares about environment. She forgot to mention that welfare is the largest industry here and we all know that it's really clean, "vert", zero emission.
    Rite SR?

    ReplyDelete
  12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA0-psDcdnk

    Good for Danny Williams, the only politician in Canada speaking the truth…how sad, how pathetic the rest of you are…

    This scam, this corruption has to be exposed...

    ReplyDelete
  13. No brilliant comments from the humble student yet ...

    ReplyDelete
  14. There is an interesting development I see.

    Now there is an open declaration that one does not need to abandon the independence cause to oppose the Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and the equality between women and men, and providing a framework for accommodation requests. That independence activists further denounce the Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and the equality between women and men, and providing a framework for accommodation requests as merely a tool for the PQ to gain majority and brings the independence cause nowhere closer to its target.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Now there is an open declaration that one does not need to abandon the independence cause to oppose the Charter..."

      you weren't aware of that troy?!? you too thought, like mourani, that quebec's independance and a secularity charter were the same thing?!? please stop trying to analyze this issue troy you don't have a strong enough hold on key concepts.

      Delete
    2. One doesn't need to abandon the separatist movement if they don't want to support minority discrimination, but they would be prudent to. Mourani only saw the light after she was discriminated against, and realized, if the largest separatist party in Quebec was pushing for a law that would violate the Quebec charter of rights and freedoms (something that shouldn't be allowed except under almost unanimous acceptance), and could do so with a weak minority government, the only thing that would hold the tyranny of the majority in check would be the Canadian charter or rights and freedoms, which is entrenched in the constitution and still much more difficult to modify and cannot be done unilaterally by one government. However if Quebec was to separate this protection of rights and freedoms would no longer exist and discriminatory laws like the charter would be much easier to pass and enforce.

      Delete
    3. I really do not understand her hysterics. Why did student yell at me? After all, I just restated what the activists wrote. Should she not yell at S.R who wrote repeatedly that those who do not accept the Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and the equality between women and men, and providing a framework for accommodation requests and the independence of Quebec should just take Highway 401 to Ontario?

      Delete
    4. @troy

      yell at you? sauga yells. anectote yells. cutie003 yells. i don't.

      i was just wondering why you though it was relevant to share the most obvious opinion ever: secularity charter and quebec's independance are not the same issue. so troy? why?

      and no i think s.r's advice is not bad. if you're not happy in quebec, leave. there are other options of course like trying to change it and all, but leaving is also a very valid solution. so i won't yell at him troy.

      Delete
    5. @student

      If you're not happy in Canada, leave. There are other options of course like trying to change it and all, but leaving is also a very valid solution. (Try France or some other French-speaking country.)

      Delete
  15. http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/12/19/matt-gurney-protecting-the-french-language-one-lunch-break-at-a-time/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By AnecTOTE

      @Cutie

      Thank you for that link, it was hilarious and it made my day. Anything that is fanatical becomes embarrassing indeed. The French Language Supremists may have to In fact, move to another planet to protect their language and we need to start recommending they do so when they tell us to hit the 401, cause the rest of us moving out of this province, still won't solve their problem. THEY need to move to Mars at this point if they insist on protecting French in this exemist fanatical and obscene way.

      Mostly, it has become embarrassing to those who reside in this province to harbor the "Ayatollahs" of the French Language...truly truly embarrassing. It is humiliating not to know when to quit, not to understand that the entire world is making fun of you and ridiculing you in this fashion....crap who the hell wants to be associated with that?

      To the Language extremists: Move to Mars already, cause even if you become your own "nation" and the rest of us move out and abandoning you to starve, (before starving even), you still won't accomplish your lofty goal of seclusion. You need to go where no man has gone before: Mars......Move to Mars! LOL...MDR!!!!

      "Wanted: Rocket Scientist to build Space Ship for travel commute between Quebec and Mars"
      (there you go...start with that) !!!!!!! LOL

      Delete
    2. @

      Leave Earth? That has been suggested before.

      http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/05/29/matt-gurney-to-protect-the-french-language-quebec-must-separate-from-earth/

      Delete
  16. The downgrade of Quebec's credit rating to negative by Fitch coupled with the prospect of increasing interest rates means Quebec will be paying much more just to service its's staggering debt. That translates into less money for health and social services. The government refuses to grow the economy by proposing job killing laws (Bill14) and horrible public policy decisions that are offensive to immigrants and religious minorities (Bill 60). Either the Quebec government puts its pants on and starts making sound financial decisions and spending cuts or Wall Street will make the decisions for us. Think the $325 Charest tuition hike was bad? Wait for what these sharks have in mind.

    ReplyDelete
  17. With sovereignty languishing in the pits, there's a very good reason I hope La Marois remains in power:

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-quebecoise/201312/18/01-4722253-legault-se-dit-decu-de-la-tournee-europeenne-de-marois.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_politique-quebecoise_559_section_POS4

    And on that same token, a little mockery of our less than mature, less than ready "leader":

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/201312/19/01-4722633-harper-presque-le-reste-de-lhumanite-ne-comprend-pas-marois.php

    Harper and Marois are both heads of state.

    The key difference (aside from the obvious):

    When La Marois hits Europe, she confines herself to the only countries that can understand her verbal diarrhea.

    Harper on the other hand, can visit the countries she visits and communicate with their leaders with ease AND also visit and communicate with the other countries that make up Europe.

    Couldn't be a sadder, more pathetic time to be a part of team OUI.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Anonymous Coward

      I sometimes think that it would be better if Marois hangs on to power. She is effective at breaking up the separatist "team" with the Charter putting separatists on opposing sides. She is not well-liked within her party and by the public. Her clumsy efforts are putting more nails in the PQ coffin. She is the first female premier but she could be the last PQ premier.

      Delete
    2. Marois is pretty much stuck to visiting francophone countries when she goes abroad and that’s it. Don’t forget about her terrible idea to visit Scotland earlier this year and “help” them with information about Quebec’s repeated failures.

      Alex Salmond of the SNP turned her down, essentially informing her that Scotland has no lessons to learn from Quebec and is not interested in the failed tactics of Quebec nationalists, with their convoluted trick referendum questions, determination to act unilaterally/failure to cooperate with the federal government, ethnic cleansing tactics, internationally embarrassing language police, etc…

      Remember her interview where she told lies in halting English to the BBC? No other North American leader (including native Spanish-speakers and including all previous PQ leaders) has ever made their jurisdiction sound so bad.

      NOTE TO EDITOR: In your multiple-topic posts (such as this one), it would be helpful if you could set an ID attribute for individual stories using HTML anchors that would enable each sub-heading to be linkable (as opposed to only being able to link to the overall page and hope the reader will manage to find to relevant sub-topic somewhere further down the page).

      Delete
    3. Anonymous Coward,

      When La Marois hits Europe, she confines herself to the only countries that can understand her verbal diarrhea.

      Damn right. I honestly can not see the tangible benefit of visiting Monaco. The biggest economies in Europe are Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, France and Italy. Yet Marois wasted her time just in France among those European bigs.

      Delete
    4. In Monaco (to attend the 6th “World Policy Conference”, a shiny, new think tank with unilingual English signage, incidentally), she was pointedly asked “Why are you trying to destroy Canada?”).

      Instead of promoting Quebec products or making economic announcements on this surprise, unannounced trip, she mostly went to talk about Quebec sovereignty and what people wear on their heads. Oh, and cheese… Quebecers continue to overpay for milk and cheese so she went all the way there to warn about not endorsing the Canada-EU free trade deal unless she extorts some more money from Canada as “compensation” for European competition. (I wonder who she’ll extort money from if she achieves her goal for an independent Quebec and then has to compete internationally all alone.)

      Delete
    5. @Troy

      Does Monaco have nice weather this time of year? Good restaurants, casinos, etc? Sounds like a vacation on the taxpayer dime.

      Delete
    6. As usual, Lise Ravary, in her Journal de Montréal blog, had some very interesting and pertinent comments to make about this latest PQ junket, comments which are certain to send hardcore separatists into apoplexy, the most incoherent and uneducated of whom need to reply with “Lise Ravary! Err…” because they never have any substantial commentary nor intelligent rebuttals to offer:

      Pauline Marois in Monaco
      LISE RAVARY - DECEMBER 15, 2013
      http://blogues.journaldemontreal.com/liseravary/societe/pauline-marois-a-mpnaco/

      Now, from what hat did Pauline Marois pull this trip to France, Belgium and especially Monaco? Much as I scoured the premier’s public agenda and pored through the press releases issued by her office, there was not a word about this official-sounding trip (given that she was received by the French President, François Hollande).

      In fact, the trip had only been announced on the Ministry of International Affairs’s website on the eve of Madame Marois and Minister Lisée’s departure.

      Sweet France

      It is quite normal that the premier of Quebec should travel the world in search of investment and recognition. That Quebec maintains close ties with France will not offend anyone. On the other hand, when the communiqué informs us that Pauline Marois will “present the new ‘Employment Priority’ economic policy to the French authorities”, I question not only the usefulness of such a thing but especially the vocabulary used.

      What a strange choice of words, “the French authorities”, to describe a foreign country.

      Quebec must be one of the few places on earth where we miss and long for the colonizer who abandoned us nearly three centuries ago so much, to the extent of sticking to its sneakers like bubble gum on hot asphalt.

      Dear Monaco

      Let’s just skip her visit to France, which has been much discussed in the media. It is her presence in Monaco, for the World Policy Conference last weekend (an event organized by the French Institute of International Relations, a private think tank) which puzzles me. Let's have a look:

      What is the World Policy Conference? An annual meeting of mid-sized powers that likes to think of itself as a counterweight in international governance. A kind of private sub-G20.

      Its goal? The stability of the global system. Saving the world. Nothing less.

      And what is a mid-sized power? “Any regional power that is willing and able to expand the definition of its interests to embrace the structural stability of the international system as a whole.”

      Quebec is not there yet.

      What topics are discussed during the meeting? The Middle East situation, Asia’s strengths and weaknesses, the challenges of cyberspace, the European social model, the future of diplomacy, the destruction or transformation of the global legal order, the European banking union, Africa, politics and religion.

      Without the shadow of a doubt, nothing but topics that are directly related to the immediate concerns of Quebec…

      Delete
    7. A sampling of the participants? Prince Albert II of Monaco, the banker David de Rothschild, Prince Turki Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Minister of Iran, the president of the Bank of Poland, the Ambassador of Palestine in London, the Archbishop of Constantinople, the president of the Bank of Monaco, the Secretary-General of the Franco-Austrian Centre for European Economic Convergence, a close advisor to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, a judge from the Supreme Court of the United States, another from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the Consul of Croatia to Monaco, the president of Kenya Airways, the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the vice-president of the Rome Club, a member of Supreme Petroleum Council of Kuwait, the permanent secretary of the Finance Ministry of Lebanon, the president of the Corporation of Highways and Tunnels of Mont Blanc, some Harvard professors, some journalists, all sorts of consultants and wall-to-wall lawyers. Many ex-presidents of this and that, as well as some senior African dignitaries. In short, the elite of diplomatic chic blahblah, who are reunited by a need for international recognition… or client states with unlimited budgets.

      The only other participant with a status similar to that of Madame Marois was the governor of the state of West Bengal.

      This very special set moves from one conference to another, which are always held in luxury hotels and resorts. Its most famous members have names with particles indicating their nobility, starting with the chairman of the event, Thierry de Montbrial, as well as many participants such as a certain Jean Desazars de Montgailhard de Ciment Lafarge, Jean de Kerguiziau de Kervasdoué, Professor of Economics at Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers of France and Loiseleur des Longchamps, from Total Petroleum.

      This, of course, is exactly the type of crowd that will serve the interests of Quebec.

      Why this mission?

      What was the premier of a Canadian province, one who is the head of a minority government that has lost control of public finances, one whose outlook has been downgraded to “negative” and has been placed under watch by a credit agency, doing in this tax haven and crossroads of European luxury and corruption before an audience that couldn’t give a hoot about Quebec and its “five euro” daycares?

      During question period, a French participant brought Pauline Marois, the trainee head of state, back down to earth: “Why do you want to destroy Canada?”

      A predictable question but one that reminds us that, apart from French socialist circles, there are a great number of Europeans (who themselves are seeking an increasingly unified Europe) who struggle to understand why Quebec would want to withdraw from the Canadian federation, which to their eyes is an enviable model from all points of view.

      To close this prestigious weekend as a head of state would, Ms. Marois left Monaco under police escort in a Tesla, a luxury American electric car. This, after the French Prime Minister has criticized her for the lack of French cars in Quebec, a reproach that he would have been better to send to French automobile manufacturers, who have abandoned the North American market...

      I repeat, there is nothing wrong that the premier should take her pilgrim's staff to sell Quebec, hill and dale. However, I do not see the relevance of this stop in Monaco, other than it being an exercise in vanity.

      Delete
    8. "Go away, crazy woman" they told her in Monaco, just like they did in Scotland. :)

      Delete
    9. Thank you Cat

      Wouldn't anyone want to see the bills for these trips? I know I would. I wonder if our education, hospitals, infrastructure problems could use this money? Guess not. More important is Miss Piggy's elite lifestyle and inflated ego as a premier of a mere 2-3M separatists in a great country. What a waste and embarrassment when the witch should be at home looking after her own problems - mainly our bankrupt province. Next we'll be importing some of those "special" electric vehicles from France for all her ministers. The cost be damned.

      Delete
    10. The controversial M. K. Narayanan, the governor of the state of West Bengal (adjacent to Bangladesh), still represents over 91 million people, triple the population of Canada, whereas La Marois nominally represents 8 million people (but in fact only represents 2-3 million separatists, a population half the size of Toronto).

      Delete
  18. http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/sol-zanetti/manuel-pour-quitter-ou-integrer-le-mouvement-independantiste_b_4482136.html

    ReplyDelete
  19. "Josie Battaglia

    Our community is dying. Our institutions are dying. We must come together and act NOW before it is too late."

    Haha!...Désolé...C'est déjà trop tard :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ S.R.

      It is never too late. The English are not cheese-eating surrender monkeys. :)

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese-eating_surrender_monkeys

      Delete
    2. "We must speak now and I want people's ideas. We speak about partition but we do not act. We speak about a Political Party but we do not act. We require people to act in order to accomplish. We must act NOW."

      " Donut-eating surrender monkeys" ?

      Delete
    3. @ S.R. Who are you quoting and what is that quote from?

      Delete
    4. Josie Battaglia

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/QAC.CAQ/

      Delete
    5. @ S.R. I don't use Facebook so I can't login to see your link.

      Delete
    6. Sadistic SOB - complains all the time about french dying all over North America but it's OK to kill off the english community in quebec. Hypocrites, liars and destroyer.

      Delete
    7. +/- 500 000 sur 350 000 000,c'est presque rien.

      Delete
    8. @ S.R. With a comment like that, you are justifying Francophobia.

      Delete
    9. @theo

      "... you are justifying Francophobia."

      no he's not. francophobia can never be justified. you're wrong again.

      Delete
    10. @student

      So then explain what he is saying.

      Delete
  20. Bonne nouvelle pour Madame de Sade et Madame Mourani :

    Prostitution: Ottawa devra réécrire sa loi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course it is good news for the province of Quebec. After all, Montreal is the capital of sex industry in Canada. Montreal is the third largest producing city of pornography in the world (after Los Angeles and Amsterdam) and by far the largest producer of French-language pornography in the whole wide world. Be proud, Montrealers, be proud.

      Delete
    2. @Troy

      Don't forget the strippers! All the best strippers come from Quebec. When I saw photos of nearly naked girls walking the streets during the student protests I thought that these must be strippers-in-training.

      Delete
    3. "All the best strippers come from Quebec." ?

      Je tombe des nues.

      Delete
    4. some culture...poutine, strippers, porn...lolll...what a joke...lol

      Delete
    5. "some culture...poutine, strippers, porn...lolll...what a joke...lol"

      another denier, another reason for quebec to boost its culture preservation programs.

      Delete
    6. La NSA traque les pratiques pornographiques des prédicateurs islamistes

      http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2013/11/27/01003-20131127ARTFIG00583-la-nsa-traque-les-pratiques-pornographiques-des-predicateurs-islamistes.php

      Seriez-vous un prédicateur Anonymuslim ?

      Delete
  21. Matt Gurney: Protecting the French language, one lunch break at a time
    Matt Gurney | December 19, 2013
    http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/12/19/matt-gurney-protecting-the-french-language-one-lunch-break-at-a-time/

    The Office Québécois de la langue française (OQLF) has done it again, springing into action just in the nick of time to save the French language from another dire threat. This time, the brave warriors of the OQLF — better known across Canada by their nickname, the Language Police — were responding to reports that two workers at a psychiatric hospital in Montreal’s east-end may have been — wait for it — speaking a language other than French.

    Well, good heavens. We certainly can’t have that. Doesn’t everyone know the mortal danger that anglophone Quebecers pose to the very survival of the French language? Wait, what? Oh, the two employees weren’t speaking English? Well, what were they speaking, then? Haitian Creole, you say? Oh, I see. Isn’t that derived from French?

    Indeed it is. The two employees who were subject to an anonymous complaint by a co-worker at Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies are reported to be Haitian immigrants. Reportedly fully fluent in French and able to converse in that language while carrying out their hospital duties, they would sometimes chat with each other in Creole — the primary language of Haiti, derived from a blending of 18th century French and several African languages during that nation’s colonial era. Some of these conversations apparently were private, during their lunch break. Others apparently were during routine work duties. And that’s a big no-no.

    Because the Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies is a French workplace. When an employee made a complaint about all the Creole talkin’ to the OQLF — the hospital confirms that no internal complaints were ever made, and the complainant went straight to the language police — the OQLF was compelled to get involved. It warned the hospital that, unless it provided a satisfactory response, the OQLF would send inspectors to investigate the hospital’s working environment, and could levy a fine of as much as $20,000. Think about that for a minute — one branch of the government was threatening to fine a public health-care facility because of what language two people were chatting in while eating lunch.
    The hospital, having been put on notice, responded by holding a meeting with all employees in the relevant department and reminding them to speak French while at work.

    “Something happened in a ward where some employees — probably two Haitians — were talking to each other in front of a Québécois employee, a francophone, who didn’t understand what the two people were saying,” Johanne Gagnon, the hospital’s director of communications, told the Montreal Gazette. “We met with the personnel and told them that they have to work in French.”
    It’s bad enough, in an ostensibly free country, that something like this can even happen. But you can have some sympathy for Ms. Gagnon, and the hospital’s leadership. The language laws may be ridiculous, but they are the law, and the hospital has better things to spend $20,000 on than paying off fines when an awkward meeting with staff can head the whole thing off.

    But Ms. Gagnon went further, telling The Gazette that this was an isolated incident. “I don’t think there is an epidemic of Creole [at the hospital],” she said.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. An epidemic?

      That’s an interesting choice of words. Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Quebec’s history can understand why the status of French and English are always going to be controversial and emotional issues. But comparing a lunch-time chat to a potential outbreak of infectious disease reveals much about the current tenor of language debates in Quebec — after all, outbreaks of disease are eradicated before they can become epidemics. Let’s hope Creole isn’t catching.

      Ms. Gagnon herself may not be a French-language crusader — I can’t speak to that point. But she has, perhaps unintentionally, highlighted how ludicrous this entire situation has become. According to StatsCan’s most recent figures, more than 94% of Quebec residents are capable of getting by in French — maybe not all perfectly fluent, but they can use French effectively enough to live and work without need of English or another language.

      In other words, the French language is safe. The English threat has been contained. The language two French-speaking hospital employees choose to chat in during their lunch break doesn’t matter, because when they go back to work, they’ll be using French in a francophone hospital in an overwhelmingly French-speaking province that’s a member of a bilingual federation. Now would be an excellent time for Quebecers, even ardent nationalists, to consider what good the OQLF is doing anymore, beyond aggravating people and embarrassing the province it ostensibly seeks to protect.

      National Post

      Delete
    2. By AnecTOTE

      "Now would be an excellent time for Quebecers, even ardent nationalists, to consider what good the OQLF is doing anymore, beyond aggravating people and embarrassing the province it ostensibly seeks to protect."

      There no longer is a reason for the OQLF to exist. These are all vain attempts to hang on to cushy jobs so they have to literally invent reasons to bitch about. It is clearly one of the agencies in the myriad of useless agencies in the quebec government we pay for, that has to go.

      Delete
    3. @hands off my hijab

      "There no longer is a reason for the OQLF to exist."

      it exists to deal with issues with french language in quebec. it will cease to be relevant when the last quebec francophone dies. how do you argue your weird opinion on this?

      "It is clearly one of the agencies in the myriad of useless agencies in the quebec government..."

      myriad? what are the others?

      Delete
    4. Its time for francophones to adapt to the majority. We have been accommodating them long enough. Just like Quebecois have been accommodating religious groups in the past and now they don't want to. Maybe we should do the same for french . It's just a language, a skill that could be learned not like a religion that needs to be believed in.

      Delete
  22. Today I saw an English Xmas decoration at Tim Hortons in Kirkland. It said "Let It Snow". The horror.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let it Snow? Make it so!

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSn2JuDQSc

      Delete
  23. A partial transcript of the relevant comments by Gregory Thomas, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation, regarding the equalization program and the receiving provinces:

    [1:15]“[Equalization payments] were brought in in the 1950s by the Liberal government of Louis St. Laurent and the idea was for the provinces to deliver comparable services. So if you’re down east in one of the Atlantic provinces, for example, the federal government would give you equalization payments so that you could deliver the same health care and education, what have you, that you could in Ontario or Quebec, which at the time back in the 1950s, was the most prosperous province in the country.”[…] [NB: Gee, I wonder what could have happened politically since then…]

    “Ottawa is going to turn the taps way down in 2016, the year after the next federal election, when they’re only going to be increasing their contributions by the same rate that the economy is growing. Right now, Ottawa is transferring money to the provinces faster than inflation and faster than the rate of growth in the economy, so as a proportion of the overall economy, transfers are growing faster than any other element of federal spending.” […]

    [6:15] “Let’s face it, the equalization program is a mess […] Atlantic provinces are over-equalized. They have higher spending on education, higher spending on health care… they have more government employees in relation to the population, more bureaucracy, more debt. Even though the federal government has been taxing Ontario and taxing the West to provide equalization payments to other other parts of the country, notably Atlantic Canada and especially Quebec… Quebec gets a vast proportion of its budget from federal transfer payments, which Ontario does not, Alberta certainly doesn’t, and yet Quebec has the highest debt load of any province in Canada. And Atlantic Canada governments are also heavily indebted.

    So when you compare some of the bailouts they’ve been talking about in Europe, for example, bailing out Greece or bailing out Ireland, every time Europe steps in and bails out one of these economies, they come in with a strict austerity program. They insist on moving these national governments into balanced budgets. In fact, Europe just adopted a treaty! If you can imagine this, 24 different countries with 23 different languages all signed onto a treaty that mandates, moves toward reducing deficits and balanced budgets in exchange for the backstop of the European government.

    Here in Canada, we just mail cheques to provincial governments, willy-nilly, every year, year in and year out, with no accountability… no accountability on spending, no accountability on borrowing, no accountability on debt levels. And so we have this bizarre situation where provinces with balanced budgets and prosperous economies are being taxed heavily to send money to provinces that are in deep deficits and declining economies, and yet there is no obligation on these provinces receiving these equalization payments to do anything about it.”

    […Time for a totally bogus, biased social media poll question by some floozy…]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. - [10:17] How would you change it? I mean, you can’t just willy-nilly stop equalizations. Scale it back?

      “Well, I think you have to look at what you’re spending the money on. What we see in Atlantic Canada and Quebec is that every dollar that gets shifted into those provinces is immediately sucked up by government employees unions who demand higher and higher government services … and special-interest groups. For example, Quebec has the lowest tuition in the country, it’s less than half of what Albertans pay for post-secondary education, and yet when the Quebec government tried to institute a modest increase in tuition payments, you had radicals rioting in the streets and civil unrest and that government lost the election.

      So, a sensible program for the federal government to help these provinces would be to direct these payments to reducing their debt load… so they’re reducing the amount of interest that they’re paying to offshore investors and the people who own the bonds of all these provinces.

      Because unlike Europe or any sensible federal jurisdiction, the federal government doesn’t restrict the amount that these provinces can borrow, so on the one hand, they’re taking billions in transfer payments and on the other hand, they’re going deeper and deeper and deeper into debt.

      So, number one, the federal government should help these provinces get out of debt. If they have lower debt, then they have lower interest payments and then they have more capacity to cover their own budgets from their own tax revenue that they raise on their own territory.”

      Delete
    2. I believe you can scale it back just using facts.

      Think about it for a second. No one in the rest of Canada has 7$ day care…Quebec has the lowest tuition fees in the country… Their provincial run Hydro company is giving a 40% subsidy for cheaper rates which in turn means the government needs more transfer payments from the rest of Canada…

      This is how Quebec rips off the rest of the country every year…this is just a fact and should be dealt with by reducing transfer payments to Quebec NOW…its not complicated but for some strange reason, NO party is willing to deal with this!!!

      Delete
    3. “We need to do better than the others because we have a larger debt, because our population is aging faster than that of the rest of Canada.” – Quebec Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau, on why Quebec needed a balanced budget.

      “The desirability of it remains, but the feasibility of it is not there anymore.” – Nicolas Marceau, this time confirming the balanced budget is on hold.

      Sounds like a pretty simple, handy-dandy excuse that can continue to be used perpetually by the PQ…

      Delete
  24. There's an incredible new opportunity that is gaining rapid popularity online.

    Major companies are paying average people for simply giving their opinions!

    You can make from $5 to $75 per survey!

    And it is open to anybody from any country!

    ReplyDelete