I'll be back after New Year's and until then I want to thank readers for making this blog a small part of your life.
Without you, this blog would have ended a long time ago...
On a positive note, I'd like to remind those who call me a Francophobe and label this blog as hateful, that nothing could be further than the truth.
I like and admire francophones, their industry, their humour, talent, and their sense of fair play and respect for democracy.
In forty years of travelling this province I have never been insulted over language or race.
We tend to focus on the negative because that's what people want to talk about, but in truth we live in a wonderful environment, even though talking about the positive interests few.
Here's a couple of videos which will warm your heart and perhaps convince sceptics that most Quebecers are not afraid to embrace the world.
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| Medical students from University of Sherbrooke proposal for 'sexy' calendar for charity shot down. |
Mr. Berlach,
ReplyDeleteI know that you have spend plenty of your time and energy to keep this blog running and I really do appreciate it, and that this blog is entirely yours that you may write whatever you want. However, with all due respect, I need to say that I think this line of yours is somewhat disingenuous, and I am sorry for that.
In forty years of travelling this province I have never been insulted over language or race.
Of course. You are white and you have complete command of French. Not to mention that you are a person in the position of power. What is there to insult you about? On the other hand, I can write this line below from my own experience living in Quebec.
In less than ten years of travelling in parts of that province, I have been more than twice on the receiving end of derogatory remarks over my non-Caucasian race and my less-than-perfect French.
Troy, don't worry I've have complete command of both languages, and white.. and I've been at the receiving end of derogatory remarks as well. Called every bad word because of my English lastname and English language. So much so, people don't even believe me when I say I'm a Francophone.. fun eh?
DeleteBut let us not think such negative thoughts.. It's the season to give and forgive.
Be good, enjoy the holiday season and be safe.
All the best to you.. and everyone else around you.
Happy\Merry [insert what you want here] !
@anonymous
Delete"Called every bad word because of my English lastname ..."
berlach is not a french canadian last name. and the editor claims he has never been insulted in forty years of travels through quebec province. so it's either the editor is a liar, or you are a liar, or maybe you assumed people were insulting you for your last name when in fact it was something else. what could it be? are you a arrogant bastard? if you are it could be a lead. up to you to follow it up.
FROM ED
ReplyDeleteMERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY.
It's a gloriusly bright sunny Christmas morning. May the joy that Jesus brought to Earth live on in your hearts
forever. That special Christian and Jewish thinking that was in the hearts of the men who founded and built our beautiful nation.
Ed
FROM ED
ReplyDeleteTROY, our Queen is white speaks French fluently and is in a position of power. Yet, she still gets lots of insults from Qubecers.
Why do you take for granted the Editor could not do this. His personality is the key to not drawing anger.
Try it , it works. Like calling him EDITOR as he asked us to do. Make people happy, you don't get insulted.
Ed
All the best of the Christmas season to everyone on the blog. Let's hope the new year is really a New Year in Quebec politics. We could sure use a break and something positive to discuss once in awhile. Maybe we'll get lucky in 2014. Keep your fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteMy oversight - to the Editor - thank you so much for giving all the time and effort that you do to make this blog available for us as a sounding board for the anglophones and allophones that live in quebec. I know you give a lot of thought and research to your comments and it is appreciated by most of us. You know who we are and we really don't care about the rest of them. Keep up the good work in 2014 and may you and your family enjoy the holidays.
Delete@cutie003
Delete"All the best of the Christmas season to everyone on the blog."
thanks mate.
Alright everyone - Armistice Day is over.
ReplyDeleteYou are to recommence shelling of sovereignist positions as of 10 hundred hours.
First target: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/sends+guide+holiday+discussions+about+charter+values/9323611/story.html
Question: what is is about seps and their weaksauce need to come out with propaganda to indoctrinate anyone holding out on their "vision"?
This "guide" reminds me much of this pathetic attempt to infect children: http://www.radio-canada.ca/radio/maisonneuve/30032006/71231.shtml
It never ceases to amaze me just how low these wastes of life will stoop.
BTW, here's my favorite out-take regarding the new guide to the Charte des Voyous:
"The primer lists several prominent Quebecers who support the charter, including former Supreme Court Justice Claire L’Heureux-Dubé, academic and sociologist Guy Rocher and TV personality -->> Julie Snyder <<--. It also points out that many unions have shown their support, from the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé to the Centrale des syndicats du Québec."
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more racist, anglophobic sep than Julie (with the exception of Michel Brulé).
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteFROM ED
DeleteAnonymous Coward'
I wonder if they realize what this is doing to their children. To paraphrase an Israeli politician, " They must learn to love their chilfren more than they hate Anglos." Ed
It was former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir that coined that phrase. Good analogy, Ed.
DeleteFROM ED
DeleteMr.sauga.
It was thanks to th e dtermination of Golda Meir and davis ben Gurion that the Jews have ahomeland today. It gives them a voice tgo the world at the U.N. for example. Ed
@anonymous coward
Delete"You'd be hard-pressed to find a more racist, anglophobic sep than Julie..."
where can i find a proof ot his, apart from in your nightmares mate?
FROM ED
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas message from our Queen was "to slow down and think about the Earth and it's needs. the Planet itself needs to be put in shape in order to accomodarte the life styles of it's people. WE must do something about the melting of the ice caps.
and the incredible physical, psychological and long lasting damage of war."
She is right of course. We must come to the realization that war and waste is needlessly killing the only ground we have to live on. We don't have all the answers but we know they don't just lie in technology. The answers that can save our Planet are in the hearts of mankind. If we use our cars instead of public transport or if we don't go that extra few thousand to get an electric car the techno;ogy of building them is wasted. People that drive alone to go to work every day are selfishly killing all of us.
We need to rethink about war. When some group in a foreign country decide to rebel against their leadership we must think twice about gettig involved. Syria is a perfect example. The people rebel with pitch forks against cannons and call for other countries to support them with weapons. Now they have hungry children shivering in refugee camps. How is that better for them? To what end should we get involved.
Another needless example is Iran and Iraq. After putting the richest countyry in the world in debt and causing untold misery and expense to the whole western world nothing has been accomplished. they still hate us. Ed
These countries need to clean up their act but let's allow our actors to peerform for our country.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Peter+Hadekel+Quebec+forecast+Canada+again+2014/9325571/story.html
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas past, and a Happy, prosperous New Year!
ReplyDeleteAbove all ..Peace and Serenity.
thanks mate.
DeleteI wish a happy new year to all. If any of you want to move out of quebec but can't afford it let me know on here and I will donate.
ReplyDeleteCan I assume that all anglos in quebec are happy? No need to move?
Delete@un gars bs de frankfort
Deleteit would be safer to assume no one cares about your tacky parvenu bragging mate.
Taliban boy wrote:
Delete`it would be safer to assume no one cares about your tacky parvenu bragging mate.`
The quebecois always secretly envy all things english. For `student `to so cleverly emulate that is the phoenix. LOL. In anyway this blog is beyond putrid. Just because of student:) Thanks for the laughs mate.
Fais-moi donc le rigodon du colon canadien francais...
Un gars bien sympathique de Frankfort,
Deletestudent is a female. You would be more correct to call her "Taliban girl".
@troy
Delete"student is a female."
where did you get that mate?!? i'm curious to know because i never gave any hint about it.
or ar you a sexist like anonymous coward and sylvain raciste and you think using "female" will decrease my credibility?
Congratulation to the Editor, Mr. Philip Berlach.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is now mentioned by name in a piece by Mouvement Quebec francais.
This blog is racist. It denounces the quebecois radicals as anti-democratic, fascist, intolerant and racist but all the while this blog allows racist comments. The owner also posts suggestive remarks that are also racist. Kinda tit for tat, no?
Delete@troy
Deletewhy do you keep refering to the editor by his real name when he clearly wrote he'd prefer you to stick with editor? here's something for next year: be more respectful for your favourite blog's owner.
That's what she said!
Deleteun gars - You do have a point. There is at times a certain level of hypocrisy on this blog. Some of the comments towards Quebecers are really no better than the comments that we hear from the seperatists towards anglos. So not sure either side can claim any moral high ground.
DeleteI do wish this blog was a little more fair at times. Its so incredibly biased..we all dislike the PQ and their policies but lets take a breath sometimes.
For instance there have been a couple commentaries from the editor which I found unfair. They were in reference to the Quebec entertainment industry and how it pales in comparison to Hollywood. Honestly I think Hollywood produces a lot of absolute crap..its all about the marketing in the end and the americans can market anything and make it sound great. I think Quebec produces some great movies and has some pretty talented artists especially given its small size. I wish for a world with far less american culture. And english canada is an absolute embarassment..the shows are just unwatchable..its essentially a lame effort to mimic american culture.
What I find pathetic is how the canadian media talks nonstop about Hollywood and their so called celebrities. Most of these people are among the lowest form of life in the world..people like Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, kanye west - wow such intellect such incredible talent..give me a flipping break. You turn on the radio in Montreal and they are gushing over what some american talk show host said last night..its embarassing how Canadians lap up all the american garbage.
What I have realized on my many trips to the USA is how hyped up everything is down there. How many times do you see signs like " worlds best burger" or worlds best something. Then you go try it and its very average in the end. The americans are incredible self-promoters but honestly in the end much of what they have to offer is disappointing.
+ According to some people on this blog, immigrants are not allowed to be separatists...
DeleteFollowing the introduction of the Charter, they would be complete fools to be involved in any kind of separatist movement knowing that they will never be accepted as "Quebecois" = if they didn't know before that is (which was always evident). At least now they have movement within Canada = should quebec separate, there goes that luxury.
DeleteFROM ED
DeleteYes Abdull, How long will it take you to get it? The PQ does not want immigrants, They want your votes and talents but they will never consider you a Quebecois. Think about it! We Angolos have been here for more than two centuries and even though we speak French as well as English they don't consider us full citizens of Quebec. If you give them your support, they will use you to help get reelected and after you will be second or third class citizens as they will decide until they get you out of the province: Exactly the same as they are doing to us. Ed
http://www.tagtele.com/videos/voir/131351/1/
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21591853-century-there-are-uncomfortable-parallels-era-led-outbreak
ReplyDeleteThe economist comparing things going on it the world to the warm up to WWI.
"" Madness, whether motivated by race, religion or tribe, usually gives ground to rational self-interest. But when it triumphs, it leads to carnage, so to assume that reason will prevail is to be culpably complacent. That is the lesson of a century ago.""
Madness is the seppies, race/religion/tribe. Check check check
""" Politicians are playing with nationalism just as they did 100 years ago."""
Hmm, that's Quebec bashing even tho they don;t call us by name.
The PQ doesn;t give a shit if the downside gets really bad. The leaders don;t care and the followers are too stupid to understand it's a possible outcome.
FROM ED
ReplyDeleteFrom the Gazette one year ago. I seem to remember from Andrew Coyne
"Looming large over Mme. Marois and Nicolas Marceau, her finance minister, is the increased scrutiny that any separatist government faces when it comes to the annual deficit and the Quebec debt. It has been the practice of the financial markets to put greater pressure on PQ governments to deliver good financial management than their Liberal equivalents since the threat of sovereignty would increase the required yield on Quebec debt. As long as Liberal governments were cooperating with Ottawa, there was no threat that Quebec would go it alone and there was implied support from their federal partners. If Quebec were to seek to acquire further powers in an effort to distance itself from Ottawa’s intrusions, then the corollary would be that it would also withdraw from the fed’s support as well, most notably concerning transfer payments. Quebec cannot move out of its parent’s house and still expect the old homestead to help it make ends meet at the end of the month – the other provinces would have nothing of it. The question Quebeckers need to ask themselves at the outset of this government’s mandate is whether or not, based on historical and current activities, the PQ government can be expected to deliver sane financial management within which investment and employment can continue to grow."
For those who continually ask, "What have the Liberals ever done for us?" The answer is they kept us in Canada and kept the economy moving ahead. They gave us peaceful government and a province we were proud of and free. Let's get them back in office. Ed
http://www.timminspress.com/2013/12/30/time-to-take-a-stand-against-quebec
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Quebec environmentalists.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time ever, in 2013 Montreal Trudeau International Airport places itself in the 4th position as the busiest airport in Canada, after Toronto Pearson International, Vancouver International and Calgary International. In the years past, YUL was in the 3rd position, a position that is now taken by YYC. This news is surely a good news for Quebec environmentalists since it means that Montreal suffers less air pollution from air traffic than the other cities.
It is worth noted that from its beginning in the 1940s until 1975, Dorval airport was the busiest airport in Canada, by a wide margin.
FROM ED
DeleteTroy. You're right. I remember when Dorval was the only airport in Canada big enough to land the Jumbo Jets when they first came out. Montreal having the best harbour helped. Cross Atlantic air travel was expensive. People from Europe arrived by ship and flew across North America.With the death of passenger shipping to Montreal, Dorval became the link for practically all of Europe, South and Central America and some of the mid east. By the way the reason Plattsburgh airport is growing is because of the cost of travel in Canada. My sister flies to California to visit our other sister twice per year. She flies or I drive her to Plattsburgh where she saves hundreds of dollars from there. Ed
Hello,
ReplyDeleteMcgill ranked Montreal with the second worst air quality in all of Canada next to Sarnia, Ontario. The reason for this is because of the high number of wood stoves and fireplaces that are in use on the island that produce large numbers of particles in the air that lead to respiratory issues, premature heart attacks and eventually lung cancer. The World Health Organization recently put air pollution as being a direct link to lung cancer. I have tried desperately to try and get municipalities in the West Island to try and place bylaws or burn bans on smog days to try and stop the air from being poisoned by air pollution. There seems to be this attitude among many Quebecers that we are more environmentally friendly because we support electric automobiles and other initiatives and have better environmental practices compared to Alberta and the oil sands. Unfortunately, over 40% of air pollution comes from wood stoves and fireplaces in the winter time whereas only 15% is caused by automobiles because of advances in combustion technology that prevent cars from shooting out more exhaust then they need to. Many Quebecois like their stoves and fireplaces as a cultural and ritual practice and for recreational purposes rather than taking a practical stand based on science and health information which are telling homeowners to abandon these devices because of their effects on the health of others. The editor of this blog wrote a nice article about the misconception of Quebec being environmentally friendly a few months ago. I would imagine that the hit to the economy would be a bigger problem for the airport as other cities have large airports and have less air pollution than we do. Also, based on Geography, Plattsburgh airport is starting to steal passengers away from Montreal and the big apple's airports on the east coast don't help either compared to Toronto which is a major hub like Newark, NJ. I don't know why Vancouver's airport would be larger than Montreal's but maybe there aren't as good alternatives south of the border on the West coast? At this point, i'm surprised that Toronto doesn't have 2 major airport hubs based on population size.
FROM ED
DeleteChris, When talking about wood stoves one has to remember Quebec Geography, Quebec is mainly farm areas where wood and oil stoves are essential. Many homes in the outlands have no electricity and people are primitively oliving as their forefathers did. My Grandmother lived in Weir near St Adele for 14 winters with only a wood stove and no electricity whatsoever. The home she lives in is still without electeric.
In Verdun my son has a wood stove that takes one special low admission log and the whole is house is warm. They ust it only on extremely cold nights and when the electricity goes off. As it did recently for hundreds for thousands of Quebecers. Hydro Quebec is not a sure thing. A wood stove is for heat and for cooking.
Wood stoves are disappearing rapidly in Montreal as land lords modernizing houses remove chimneys which can't be replaced. At the moment Hydro rates are reasonably low but a change of government might bring some big surprises. I hope they don't move too fast on this. If a hundred thousand Montrealers have to switch to electricity can Hydro handle it? There are questions to be answered. When comparing emissions to cars, remember that wood stoves are only used in cold weather, autos and buses and airplanes pump out their smog all year round.
If it's any help my guess would be that businessmen and tourists to the orient make Vancouver large on top of the fact that it's also an international shipping port. Ed
RIP Vito Rizzuto
ReplyDeleteED -
DeleteYou want to know what the Liberals have done for us. They have added as much debt as the PQ over the past 40 years. They have passed and maintained many restrictive and unconstitutional laws against the english language. They presided over probably the worst corruption in Canadian history and either did not know about it, actively participated in it or didnt care..in all three cases its a big fail. They completely mishandled the student strike in 2012.
IMO their time is up..nothing will change here if we keep electing the Liberals or the PQ and anyone who says otherwise is a fool
Vito Rizzuto > Liberals
DeleteIn your opinion Peter - we don't all feel that way.
Delete@cutie003
Deleteit has nothing to do with feelings mate.
Actually, Peter, Cutie and Student are all wrong here.
DeleteAnyone who knows anything about the Mafia knows they have no political loyalties.
Which means that if anything, the PQ/separatist movement got more funding from the Mafia (mostly inadvertent) by way of public unions.
Do some reading - unions are the number one syphon filter for laundered money and third-party bribery.
Al Capone pioneered this in modern times and the practice continues today. Why do you think the heads of hte FTQ tried to prevent the Charbonneau commission from playing wire recordings?
Mafia bribery >>> unions >>> Government
Happy New Year AC - Yes, I agree with you. The unions, especially in quebec, are involved with the mafia. But, I also believe, all the provincial political parties, knew about the corruption and "overlooked" it when doing their jobs. I think every political party in quebec in involved in the corruption that has been going on for 75 years or more. I think it was cebeuq that brought it up earlier; all I know is the ones that may be innocent are the ones that were just formed in the last 5 years or so and that is because they haven't learned how to do it correctly yet!
Deletehttp://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=267606
ReplyDeleteLatest fun from the Separatist Terror Militia (STM), and what happens when they use subway rolling stock that's over 50 years old! No problem they say, this happens several times a year!
Hah, maybe running the cars with the doors open between stops is their alternative for lack of air conditioning!
Maintenance is bad. It delays purchases from Bombardier for new rail cars.
DeleteThe STM is full of useless acn;t find the end of the string union members. Fixing and maintaining "rolling stock" is way too complicated except for the 10 real mechanics that work there.
Al the other union mechanics are "no work" and "seppie friend" jobs. They can;t jump start a car let alone fix a bus or metro car.
FROM ED
DeleteSTM, It brought a smile to my face when you mention running with the doors open. It brought to mind the old Montreal street cars. There was a steel step that folded down at the back door where you had to get on. A half dozen people would crowd on the step holding on the three bars as the machine started to move and had to wait for people to get off the front door. On Notre Dame street your ass would be flying above the parked cars and you hoped nobody had their
radio antenna up. The street cars that were built before the war were being used after the war in ice and snow with times when everyone had to get off and help slide the machine back on the tracks Air conditioning is so small by comparison. There have been no accidents due to aging cars. It used to take me an hour from Verdun to my place of work riding buses, street car and the bus again. Today it takes me 20 minutes from home to the same place (although I no longer work there).in reasonable comfort and warmth. . Ed
FROM ED
ReplyDeleteComplicated, You're wrong there! There is one thing that will change if we reelect the Liberals. The PQ will be gone. Why can't you see that? The millions of farmers in the back woods are not going to vote for a party that they never heard of. They will vote PQ or Liberal..
Do you think these ancient types are going to go for something new. The Liberal party has established people in these areas.that go way back unforgotten. It would take decades to establish a new party in areas where people still think after two hundred years that we are invaders. Why do you want to elect the PQ again. We don't even know which way CAQ is going to. We will only know when an election is called and parties will be forced to declare themselves. In the mean time you're doing the same thing you did before the last election. Putting the Liberals down and promoting CAQ is what gave us the PQ. Why not work as a team to get rid of the real terrorist Partie Quebecois. Ed
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ReplyDelete