Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Drainville Leads Quebecers to the Dark Side

Some of you were surprised at my perhaps nasty characterization of Francophone attitudes in regards to the Charter of values whereby I said that many are taking delicious delight sticking it to the Anglos and Ethnics, in a chest-thumping effort to remind us all who is in charge.

Some pointed out that this opinion is at odds with what has been a common theme that I have maintained wherein I've advanced the position that Quebecers are a generally kind, gentle and no more racist than anyone else in Canada.

In this regard it's important to note that racial incidents of all kinds, including overturned gravestones, hateful graffiti, street confrontations or spoken, written or online hate is no more predominant in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada, perhaps less so.
It's hard to make sense of statistics, not many religious or linguistic communities keep good data on the subject, but in terms of prosecutions for hate crimes, Quebec actually has proportionally less.

Again its hard to put these statistics in context. Take for example the fact that there is twice as many antisemitic incidents in Ontario as compared to Quebec, when based on population, there should only be 50% more.
But then consider that there are twice as many Jews to be discriminated against, living in Ontario as in Quebec, so the numbers can be seen to line up pretty evenly.

To say that Quebec is a racist province is to say that Ontario is one as well. It's a cheap shot.

But one thing is evident, that incidents against Muslim women are certainly on the rise, fuelled of course by the PQ government's attempt to ban Muslim religious regalia.
"A network of women's centres says it's seen an alarming rise in intolerance, racism and violence against Muslim women in Quebec, coinciding with the debate over the Parti Québécois government’s proposed Charter of Quebec values. Link
Of course these incidents are the work of a tiny minority of misguided lowbrows, who believe that it's their God-given right to accost perfect strangers in the street to deliver lessons in citizenship.

But in truth, we still live in a province where these incidents are an embarrassment to the majority of citizens of all backgrounds, who condemn these actions unreservedly.

But like it or not, this anti-Muslim crusade has unleashed a barrage of emotion, some of which can only be described as ignorance and hate, aided and abetted by Bernard Drainville and the PQ who and which have made dire warnings of impending doom, without a shred of evidence.

Mr. Drainville cannot tell us how many government employees wear these beastly religious accoutrements or how many 'religious accommodations' are being meted out.
In truth, he hasn't a clue. It is policy based on whim.
Drainville demands that judges across the province be forbidden from wearing religious clothing, when a quick search reveals that not one judge does so today.

But good people can be led astray by con artists, we've seen it before in civilized and democratic countries where unscrupulous politicians  have dragged citizens over to the Dark Side like Darth Vader, in order to maintain or advance their political position.

Making people afraid of the unknown or scapegoating a minority is by no means a new strategy, it  has been practiced  as long as mankind has organized itself into societies.

Drainville has made many of the good people of Quebec (English AND French)  fear Muslims, just because they are Muslims.

Make no mistake about it, this law couldn't pass if it targeted Jews or Sikhs alone, there aren't enough of them.
There are about 8,000 Sikhs in Quebec and if half the men wear turbans, it makes for just 2,000 offenders.
As for the Jews, aside from the Hasids, I don't think 5% of the men wear kippas outside of synagogue, in their daily life, meaning that there is no more than 2,000 Jews who 'offend.' and these gentlemen are hardly a threatening lot.
And truthfully, Jews who are inclined to wear a kippa in a hospital (just about the only place they work for the government) can easily switch to a baseball cap, its effect is the same and who's going to ban baseball caps?

But the Muslims are a different story, aside from being the focus of a considerable fear campaign, whipped up by Darth Drainville, many, many Muslim women wear religious head dress, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 50,000.
It is the fear that Muslims will do here what they did in Europe that drives the Charter of Values debate and that gentle readers is a fear that is hard to be reckoned with.

That the government pretends that the debate can be calm and serene, is at odds with the strategy of creating fear.
How on Earth could the PQ otherwise explain the selection of a family of redneck Muslim-bashers to be one of the first to testify before the Parliamentary hearings into the Charter. Watch the video (with Eng. subs)
It surely set a tone, one which the PQ set in motion.

Every time we hear of an incident of Muslim-bashing, Drainville is first to condemn the incident, claiming that it isn't the Quebec way.
But he understands the essential element in fear-mongering. Always claim the high ground but encourage the nastiness.

If you wonder if my attitudes over the good spirit of Quebecers, their sense of decency and democracy and openness has changed, my answer is NO.

We are being tested by an evil mastermind named Darth Drainville, but in the end, I hope he will suffer a similar fate.

93 comments:

  1. The simple fact of the matter is Québécois de vieille souche, especially outside the Montreal Area, are a collective of ignormauses and sixty-odd years after the Quiet Revolution, they may have abandoned the Roman Catholic church and all the stupidity they professed to their flock, but they still needed someone or something to blame.

    Instead of making babies like rabbits as directed by the Church as per la revanche des berceaux, the birth rate cut back to a very low point and is still below the rate necessary to keep the population at the status quo.

    Of course, having more babies means sacrifices that French Quebec doesn't want to make, so to keep the French speaking numbers where they are, they import French speakers through immigration, and then expect the immigrants to assume their way of life yet not give them jobs in both the public and private sector according to their demographics. Police hound the black-skinned immigrants in Montreal North and other neighbourhoods, add to the tension, so WTF?

    Why should these people adopt Quebec nationalism when they are conspicuously treated like aliens? Many Muslims from North Africa came over and started having large families instead of the Québécois de vieille souche, so shouldn't the Québécois de vieille souche be happy that their French-speaking immigrants are doing the job, getting busy and making the sacrifices necessary to multiply their French-speaking population?

    Tsk tsk tsk! Some people are just impossible to please!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Houda-Pepin accuse Couillard d'avoir marchandé son appui

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-quebecoise/201401/22/01-4731412-houda-pepin-accuse-couillard-davoir-marchande-son-appui.php

    Tiens donc !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C'est assez normale pour les politiciens n'est-ce-pas? Je pense que plusiers péquistes ont dit la meme chose il y a quelques années.

      -Kevin

      Delete
  3. A Washington Post letter writer once pointed out to me that Quebec is one of the few jurisdictions in North America where police have refused to set up formal hate crime units. This in spite the pleading of linguistic and religious minorities to do so. Last last year, the Montreal police seemed to be moving towards setting up such a unit. Any news about it? Seems that Quebec's hate crime statistics will continue to be skewed downward unless this critical step is taken.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I checked the Montreal Police site for hate crime unit. They have a brochure.

      http://www.spvm.qc.ca/upload/documentations/hate-crime.pdf

      Delete
  4. http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/St%C3%A9phane+B%C3%A9dard+Parti+Qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9cois+government+house+leader/9416124/story.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. So 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 prescribes that those in public service are not allowed to wear religious symbol, which includes yarmulke and turban. What about this man then? He is obviously in public service and he wears that. Is he acceptable in Quebec?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quebec has no authority over him.

      Delete
    2. That man looks way cooler as a cowboy.

      http://www.mikaelkjellstrom.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=4&p=4&a=0&at=0

      Delete
    3. Peu importe son costume,il semble toujours aussi insipide.

      Delete
    4. @ Theo: Good gosh --- that picture of S. Harper makes him look like a member of the Village People, Drumheller chapter.

      Delete
  6. FROM ED
    One thing to remember in Franco unemployment is the education level. In Verdun where I grew up most French boys never went higher than grade eight. By the time they were fourteen they were on a bicycle delivering groceries. The reason that the french economy fell behind was because the English pushed education to at least grade ten creating a world of managers as opposed to grunts. With the Franco [population growing by ten child families there wsa not enough learned people to handle the jobs.The French people on welfare are not there because of just laziness although it's easy to slip into when you have nothing profitable to do. They are there because they were not educated and were told they didn't need to be. Catholicism was learned by rote. The Church didn't want any one educated higher than the clergy. The Liberal party of
    Jean Lesage freed the French from linguistic bondage and Rene Levesque threw them right back in. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds about right to me, Ed. This is all the fault of the Roman Catholic church, and so that was their enemy, not the minorities, so they should get the hell off the backs of the minorities.

      It was the minorities that moved forward to educate themselves, it was the minorities that had smaller, more manageable families, and it was the minorities that often started by coming to Canada with what they could carry. For the British who established businesses, what's wrong with that? They didn't suppress the Francocatholics, the Francocatholics were suppressed by their own church. Two hundred years of perpetually uncontrolled procreation and blind obedience to their church. Not the fault of the English, not the fault of the Jews, Italians, Greeks and others.

      Delete
    2. 60,000 Greeks in Montreal, surrounded by millions of French and a mass of English beyond that. The Greeks manage to retain their language and culture. The parents and family are responsible for preserving one's language and culture. Why can't the French preserve their heritage, on their own, without laws, without blaming everybody else?

      Delete
    3. By AnecTOTE

      "Two hundred years of perpetually uncontrolled procreation and blind obedience to their church. Not the fault of the English, not the fault of the Jews, Italians, Greeks and others.

      You are correct Mr. Sauga ...but they will never be honorable enough to look at themselves in the mirror and admit the problem is staring back at them. I'm convinced they will never accomplish great things even while they have centre stage because of this very inability to take responsibility for their shortcomings. No great society is built this way...they only fail this way.

      @Theo

      Excellent question...the answer is simple: Insecurity. They do not believe that they can pull it off by themselves, they lack strength of character and rely on illegitimate laws to accomplish what they are incapable of accomplishing on their own...without muscle if you will. They themselves don't believe in the relevance of the French Language hence they rely on discriminatory Language Laws.

      Delete
    4. @hands off my hijab

      "the answer is simple: Insecurity."

      that's right. now if you want to be part of a betterment, try to work towards phasing out this insecurity. by learning french for example, or stop denying french canadian culture is fragile, or stop insulting french canadians on blogs. there's many things you can do instead of constant smearing. you nailed the problem but you haven't pined the solution. of course here i assume you like peace. i might be wrong here. so if you prefer conflict, though, carry on.

      Delete
    5. By AnecTOTE

      I can't let this one slide,

      It is not my job or anyone else's to help phase out YOUR sense of insecurity and/or inadequacy, it's YOUR job. Seek councelling or Therapy so that the vicious cycle ends with your generation and doesn't perpetuate to future ones. THERE..that's how YOU contribute to your own betterment without expecting others to do it for you and solve YOUR problems.

      We do enough...by carrying the burden which is this deadbeat province. We live here, we work here and we pay taxes here... through are noses may I add, even when some of us can easily live anywhere else in the world; so that the lot of you can literally sit on your asses collecting BS checks or be blog trolls, WE DO ENOUGH. If you can't say Thank you, say nothing and shut the f...up. It's time to lose that sense of entitlement, WAKE UP.. it's gotten you no where.

      Delete
    6. @Hands off my Hijab By Anectote

      Once again, EVERYONE ELSE is responsible for their insecurity. They can chase out the anglophones, allophones and any other undesirables, then form their own country but that feeling of insecurity will ALWAYS be there.

      Delete
    7. By AnecTOTE

      @Theo

      Playing the victim gets old after a while.. right? At a certain point they'll have to get up off their behinds and actually accomplish something on their own.....like walking without the crutch of blaming everyone else for their own shortcomings.

      Hard to fathom...but yeah...Life is not a free ride.

      Delete
    8. I’m glad to see you’re also aware how separatists *always* expect consideration to be one-way only (i.e., toward them).

      I just refrained from insulting student for his latest very bad comment on this blog. He claims that this kind act of mine will help him to heal his perpetual feeling of insecurity.

      I don’t believe him.
      He is lying (again).

      Delete
    9. Helping separatists phase out their insecurity by “Learning French” is the separatists’ “Big Lie”.

      When you do learn French, the separatists find something else to whine about (e.g. you don’t listen to Marie-Mai). No matter how much things improve, they deny all the tremendous efforts that have been made. They demand respect while offering next to none themselves.

      Worst of all, they propose even more restrictive laws like Bill 14 to “protect” what is already the world’s most legislated language.

      There is no pleasing them and therefore no reason to bother trying.

      French culture is not fragile in Quebec, nor has it ever been in its history. That phony pretext is nothing but PQ mythology.

      We are not responsible for the bug they have in their head.

      Keep calm and carry on speaking whatever language you please.

      Delete
  7. http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/01/22/minister-faces-calls-to-resign-over-wiretap?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1077469 - well CNN have nailed it - nice to know that the rest of North America are not asleep when it comes to quebec politics.

      Delete
    2. By Canada911 | Posted 8 hours ago | Dorval, Quebec

      Haha!

      Le meilleur et le plus juste des 2 seuls commentaires :

      This article is a gross exaggeration of the actual situation here in Quebec. While the debate over the Charter have caused language tensions to rise higher than they have been in decades, the events described in the article are hardly daily occurrences, as this article implies. Threats and hyperbole are high in both directions, as extremists in both camps take advantage of the relative anonymity and safety of social networking to make comments they would not normally make in public.
      The writer does not offer any historical or even current context to the issue. Without that context your readers will form an opinion as one sided as this article.
      The article is essentially correct in stating that the current debate has increased cultural tensions and brought out all the most extreme viewpoints on life in Quebec. The charter has given a "raison d'etre" to the bigots and xenophobes in our society, but to say it is an accurate reflection of life in Quebec would be a serious misrepresentation of the reality. As an English speaker (bilingual) I live and shop and work every day among my French speaking neighbors and colleagues and friends without issue, without harassment, and without fear.

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      Finally got S.R. to post in English. Even though he pretends it came from someone else, we know he wrote it. Ed

      Delete
    4. By AnecTOTE

      Why are you inviting the trolls into the conversation? Btw you are so out to lunch, if he authored that I'm the tooth fairy. He can't express himself in English to save his life. The other troll writes only in English cause she's afraid if she writes in French we'll figure out who she is, she's probably a deadbeat blogger for a French language daily and and figures the nuances will betray her.

      Delete
    5. FROM ED
      Anectote., I forgot you're a newcomer. SR used to post often in perfect English befire the election. I have not invited any trolls, so why are you here? You have ruined so many posts trying to impress student,how dare you jump on me for commenting about a troll scam this one time.? Hypocrite. Ed

      Delete
    6. Or she's just another defeated, bitter welfare Francocatholic who has nothing better to do sitting on her ass all day while the money comes in.

      Delete
    7. Ed, the text posted by SR is a comment to the article from cnn.

      Delete
    8. FROM ED
      I know thatv TS. I'm just tryin to have some fun at S>R> expense but I can't even do that without being critisized for it. But to be criticisez by the mistress orf troll play is hypocritical. Ed

      Delete
    9. By AnecTOTE

      "Or she's just another defeated, bitter welfare Francocatholic....."

      Mr. Sauga...Really? Me?

      Here I thought we were getting on so splendidly you and I. We all know that Ed is a old delusional, misogynist, classless kiss-ass PLQ cheerleader who still thinks they are gonna rescue his sorry behind not to mention has done more harm to the conversation in here than the trolls if that's even possible, I mean...s.r. likes him...nuff...said....but what's you excuse? Other than being an unsatisfied, resentful embittered ex-pat who rather than putting up an honest fight way back when, ran away hightailing it down the 401. Maybe had you grown a pair and stuck around AND learnt French like the rest of us you wouldn't have wasted 30 yrs of your Life away from home being angry. It's a bitch liven' away from home ain't? I don't care what you say...your beef ain't the so-called economy and transfer payments to qc, like you'd like everyone to believe, and if you are honest, you'll admit that..between you and quebec ...it is totally personal.

      A word of advice to the both of you..DON'T EVEN!

      Now ..either contribute something worthwhile or shut the hell up...this blog ain't about you or I......grow up and stop acting like wounded little boys over the things I have stated or comments I have made, it's unbecoming.

      Delete
    10. AnecTote: I had to go through this thread a couple of times to determine how you thought I was criticizing you. I was agreeing with you in your remark about SR, NOT ED's comment about you! I guess you thought I was fortifying what Ed wrote. I was actually agreeing with you. My bad for not specifying to whom I was addressing myself.

      Delete
    11. I apologize

      Your comment followed Bron's...misunderstanding I guess.

      (Still mad at you for splitting...really really mad...I can't help it, we'd would have been better off had u stayed put..along with many others...and so would you have been, maybe even happier, but everyone's Life is their own......) ...again sorry.

      Delete
  8. Mario Beaulieu's francophobie campaign, started about a month and a half ago - 3188 signatures.
    http://francophobie.org/

    Protection for animals campaign, just started - 8260 signatures. Animals get more respect than crazy French people.
    http://animalsarenotobjects.ca/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Il y a beaucoup plus d'animaux au Québec que d'anglos...Just saying.

      Delete
    2. By AnecTOTE

      And you treat both despicably.

      Delete
    3. @theo

      your finding kinda disprove what cutie003 and apple iigs have been screaming about lately then. they wrote and repeated that mario beaulieu was a powerful leader and that québeckers don't care about animal rights. hopefully we won't read these lines ever again. but i doubt they have the integrity to refrain from doing so. thanks anyways.

      Delete
    4. If Quebec were a leader in animal welfare (or even just averagely concerned about animal welfare), then they wouldn’t have established the worst reputation in North America and there would be no need for celebrity websites dedicated to improving the atrocious situation of animal welfare in Quebec:
      http://www.isfoundation.com/news/creatures/improving-animal-rights-quebec

      Even a law professor at the separatist-friendly UQAM has published a paper deploring the deteriorating situation of domestic animal welfare in Quebec:
      http://www.grida.uqam.ca/upload/files/Reglement_P-42_v3_EN.pdf

      This is a very enlightening article that contrasts the approaches taken by two Canadian cities, Montreal and Calgary, concerning their cat populations. Calgary adopted their Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw in 2006. Meanwhile, Montreal is fiddling with bylaws based simply on the number of pets owned, which would punish responsible owners of multiple pets while ignoring irresponsible owners of a single pet:
      http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Canadian+cities+keeping+cats/9257796/story.html

      Montreal’s for-profit animal pound, the Berger Blanc, has been the subject of a devastating report on Radio-Canada’s “Enquête” program and yet it continues to operate:
      http://youtu.be/K5NmSTakew4

      The Berger Blanc even has a website dedicated to its cruelty towards animals:
      http://www.bergerblanccruaute.com/en/

      If more people would complain about their boroughs paying for the Berger Blanc’s “service”, the not-for-profit Montreal SPCA (where most animals are adopted rather than euthanized) would benefit.

      Delete
  9. By AnecTOTE

    Watching Gen Bouchard down under, she may have a French last name, but her temperament and composure is all English. She is so amazing and what a fantastic ambassador for Canada. Exceptional.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, but Quebec francophones will not claim her now. After all, she is beaten by a Chinese woman.

      Delete
    2. By AnecTOTE

      My dear Troy, they are calling her the future of Tennis, she represents Canada ...tough nookies for the local losers her who snub her...her star is rising and I will tell you she is meant for amazing things. She improves speed, court coverage and improves her serve to wear she can count on big weapons like aces to exploit key moments she 'll be unstoppable. Tennis is absolutely physical, but I can tell you most matches are won with mental strength, even when you have mastered physical conditioning. That girl is one cool cucumber, hands down.

      Delete
    3. "...most matches are won with mental strength..."

      Which is why separatists don't succeed in sports. They lack character.

      As for the seps disowning her for her astounding success: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_mentality

      Delete
    4. @anonymous coward

      submissiveness is a more respectful character trait than independance in your humble opinion?!? if it's the case you sport one weird value kit mate.

      Delete
    5. @student
      In one comment you've nailed everything wrong with the sovereignist movement's thought processes.

      Thinking that federalists are submissive is just plain-ass bonkers. Everyone knows that separatist french Quebecers, who were forced to submit for centuries to the Catholic church, are now just looking to submit themselves to the state (and that's why the Charter is so popular: it's another form of forced submission.)

      -Kevin

      Delete
    6. "submissiveness is a more respectful character trait than independance in your humble opinion?!? if it's the case you sport one weird value kit mate."

      Hmm yet that's exactly what minorities have been told in Quebec, submit to Quebec culture and language, oneness will create social harmony! The irony is delicious.

      Delete
  10. meanwhile in the rest of the world
    US military relaxes uniform rules for religious items link

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. back to good old crusader uniforms i see. do you reckon this is a step forward mate?

      also, do you think quebec should just imitate whatever is being legislated in the usa?

      Delete
    2. It simply shows that Quebec is moving backwards to the rest of the civilized world.

      -Kevin

      Delete
    3. Meanwhile in Calgary, this happens since 1999. Why is there not any social friction there as it is feared here? What is the difference between there and here?

      Delete
    4. The PQ thinks we should imitate what's being legislated in France, maybe we should rethink this whole charter thing considering there's no evidence for the need for it and we wouldn't want to just imitate another country with no evidence of a problem, lol.

      Delete
    5. Editor - are you now reviewing comments before they are posted? Not that I care but I published a link a little while ago and the message came on that it will be posted after review. Thank you.

      Delete
    6. "US military relaxes uniform rules for religious items"

      J'espère qu'il sait que son turban ne le protège aucunement des balles et que sa barbe peut devenir une prise de choix pour l'ennemi.

      Delete
  11. Yeah, this pretty much sums it up --> http://screencast.com/t/WVnTAAtJtZLt

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Charter debate is a classic example of why the public needs to be led when it comes to social issues: on average, the people are reactionary, think new things are a bad idea, dislike change and 'others'.

    Polls can show you that right now, most Canadians want the death penalty. Almost half of Canadians want restrictions or to ban abortions.

    Ten years ago polls showed that more than half of Canadians opposed gay marriage.

    In the 50s and 60s, polls showed that half of Americans thought that blacks were not as intelligent as whites, and did not deserve the same educational and employment opportunities.

    Polling Quebecers about the Charter and expecting a reasonable response is stupid. After all, this is a province where if you live anywhere except on the island of Montreal, you are unlikely to meet a non-white-francophone until you are legal drinking age.


    -Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  13. Finally someone writes an article that makes total sense:

    http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/natasha-macdonalddupuis/en-finir-avec-anglophobie-au-quebec_b_4634580.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Her neighbors and friends will ostracize her.

      She's sticking her head above the crowd and thinking for herself. Clearly she didn;t spend enough time in the Catholic Church education.

      They need to put a lid on that and pressure her to stop before other francophones get the same ideas.

      Delete
  14. Le Collège Marie de France plus sévère que la Charte

    Alors que plusieurs établissements scolaires publics ont récemment annoncé un véritable chaos dans les écoles si les signes ostentatoires y étaient proscrits, un collège privé très multiethnique de Montréal interdit depuis déjà plusieurs années le port de symboles religieux entre ses murs. Et ça fonctionne très bien.

    http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/education/201401/22/01-4731470-le-college-marie-de-france-plus-severe-que-la-charte.php

    ReplyDelete
  15. More great content that explains Marois' nature in a simple picture: https://twitter.com/Maxime_Roy/status/426352224164274177/photo/1/large

    ReplyDelete
  16. http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/votre-opinion/201401/21/01-4731040-du-droit-douvrir-sa-gueule.php

    The right to open your "mouth".

    Marcos Ancelovici
    The author is professor of sociology at the University of Quebec in Montreal .

    In a column dated January 18 (" The Debate" ), Pierre Foglia nostalgically evokes his Italian immigrant childhood in France. Foglia writes: "At that time, immigrants behaved as guests. Essentially, a guest is someone who shuts his mouth and says thank you, thank you very much for your hospitality, it’s so kind of you, thank you , thank you ( ... ) Even today, I think of an immigrant as someone who should shut his mouth and say thank you. This is why I 'm bothered by this debate on the Charter. "

    So [according to Foglia], in the old days, it was better, as immigrants knew their place and stayed in their place. They knew that this was the price to pay for having the immeasurable opportunity to be welcomed with "open arms".

    A denial of citizenship

    Such remarks are deeply shocking as they constitute a real denial of citizenship: we want immigrants take any job and under any conditions, and agree to be discriminated against and stigmatized. And most importantly, they do should not open their "mouths" and ask to be respected! Especially since they are not full citizens! They are here, but we do not really accept them; they are tolerated, but we did them a favor. They should be grateful and be discreet.

    When Mr. Foglia says, "We can say that the problem is not Muslims ... maybe a little" he reveals the depths of her fears. Indeed, throughout this debate, the fundamental issue is not secularism or religion per se, but rather Islam. And especially the fear of Islam, which is said to prevent any real integration.

    But they said more or less the same thing about Italians in the United States in the late nineteenth century. In southern United States, Italians were considered a "race" apart, nonwhite, forced to attend schools for Blacks. Similarly, in 1875, the New York Times opined that Italians could never fit in and it was useless to try to "civilize" them. Should have Italians "shut their mouths" and said thank you?

    Open your "mouth" to integrate

    Mr. Foglia knows that immigrants face strong discrimination in the labor market. He knows very well that racism exists and that it is not a fad invented by a multiculturalist plot. As soon as we recognize these facts, how can we demand that immigrants say thank you and "shut their mouths ?" As if Mr. Foglia never bothered to open his "mouth" .

    Facing Quebecois identity nationalism, immigrants must open their "mouths". We cannot expect "real Quebecers" to stand up for us so we can then thank them, as Mr. Foglia recommends. As said one feminist slogan: "Do not release me, I will do it myself".

    In addition, the act of opening one’s "mouth" implies precisely becoming of a full participant in the public sphere and thus integrating into the national political community. We "mouth off" because we feel concerned and we feel concerned because we are integrated. To quote the slogan of undocumented immigrants in France: "We work here! We live here! We stay here! ". And we could add: "We mouth off here! "

    ReplyDelete
  17. Breaking News:

    http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/ftq-leader-arsenault-resigns-in-controversy-over-ties-to-marois-1.1527833

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cutie, he's not guilty of being anything except a PQ Quebecer.

      It's not his fault that his culture never taught him about stealing, conflict of interest or anything else.

      In his mind he "created jobs". The structures and building and jobs would have been built anyway. It's just the price would have been 50% less.

      All the legitimate companies that went bankrupt over the years so Accurso and his cronies could benefit. Now they claim it's actually a benefit for society to overpay and have jobs and them as leeches.

      Quebecois logic over and over.

      They just don;t understand.

      You can lead a horse to water but you can;t make it drink.

      Even confronted with unassailable logic a seppie is unable to process and evaluate the normal outcome.

      Think different, think like "Les Quebecois".

      When things don;t work out then "Va Parlez a Pauline".

      If that fails then you behave like Zakaaib "The less I know the better".

      No Italians or Liberals involved in that.

      Imagine the outcry from the PQ if Jean Charest Wife was mentioned in recordings having a deal to prevent the inquiry?

      It's unimaginable.

      Delete
  18. An excellent retort to JF Lisee's "argument" that since the neutrality of the state requires that government employees "sacrifice" their beliefs and leave their PQ t-shirts at home, it should also require that people of religious faith leave their religious garb at home.

    http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/votre-opinion/201401/21/01-4731043-les-fonctionnaires-sont-deja-neutres.php

    The premise of Fournier's retort is that religion is not involved in the legislative process of a secular government, while political parties are, so there is no need to hide the faith of the official as it has no connection to the legislative power, while political allegiance does have such connection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about our civil servants hide their political beleifs at the same time.

      Since 80% of the civil service are union PQ members it would be good to have them stop pushing their views from every vantage point.

      Improperly using their place of power to push seppie goals.

      Delete
    2. @editor

      preceding comment from student at 11:01 is not from me. i'd appreciate if you deleted it. thank you.

      Delete
    3. "preceding comment from student at 11:01 is not from me. i'd appreciate if you deleted it. thank you."

      Never could understand this about seppies.

      They spit and piss all over non-"pur-lainers" all day and night...then come back sucking up to them in cases like these.

      "When will we ever have our own country?" they ask.

      When you grow a set and develop an ounce of integrity.

      Delete
  19. Ex Montreal cop willing to name names in the biker matters. Should be interesting to see who comes up there also.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The PQ hope to get him to name some Liberal ministers.

      That way Quebec can become more of a circus act.

      Delete
    2. God I hope more than the liberal names come up in the next few weeks - this stuff has to be aired for the separatists to see how guilty they all are. Even if they weren't directly involved, all these politicians had to damn well know about it.

      Delete
    3. Cutie,

      There you are thinking like a anglo/immigrant again.

      Seppies don;t understand corruption or why what happens at Charbonneau is wrong. This kind of back scratching is the way they think business is done and should be done.

      You can confront them with it over and over but they don;t understand why it's wrong.

      They have never been taught morality.

      They have been taught the only most important thing about anything is that it's French. Otherwise the rest doesn;t matter and they don;t understand it.

      Remember you can no more change into "mother tongue francophone" then they can learn morals or human decency to fellow citizens.

      I think this is one of the area's the "ED" and I agree on.

      Delete
  20. 'Hey Ben': Canadian PM Stephen Harper Serenades Israel's Netanyahu

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByzcL3jhb5Y

    Ambarrassant...J'ai honte.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh how I miss the way the old-school did it up and stood up to separatists: http://bit.ly/1bkKhyy

    Translation: "You're going to get it ten-times worse than you give it - give up now or face the consequences."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The link you included does not work for American viewers, but from the title I assume this is referring to Pierre Trudeau's famous "Just watch me" response made in 1970?

      P.S. I assume that Trudeau was referring to the October crisis in 1970 when it appeared that Quebec was about to be plagued by terrorism the way Northern Ireland was in the 70's and 80's. On a side note, MASN the local regional sports channel that broadcasts games of both the former Montreal Expos and Baltimore Orioles has rebroadcast on several occasions the 1970 World Series which the Orioles won. What does that have to do with this? The surviving videotaped footage which they use comes from Canada, and before the footage of the game begins there's a CBC anchorman talking about the terrorist attacks in Montreal.

      Delete
    2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0

      Original link, Trudeau telling the media "Just watch me". I can't see the current Trudeau being able to stand up to agitators like his father did.

      Delete
    3. @Theo

      Agreed. In that video, you see no fear in Pierre, be it his risk of being an FTQ target, losing his job or being labeled a tyrant.

      The only thing he cares about is doing what's right and his son will never measure up to that.

      Pierre was literally one in a million.

      Delete
    4. @Anonymous Coward

      I think you mean FLQ and not FTQ. During the 1st referendum we had Trudeau fighting for Canada then for the 2nd referendum we had Chretien. I don't see which federal leader would be cheerleading for Canada if we have a 3rd referendum.

      Delete
  22. http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Letter+Philippe+Couillard+lost+respect/9421068/story.html

    Sorry Ed - this is what's happening - here and now - listen to CTV news at noon and hear what LaPierre and McPherson say - None of this bodes well for the liberals and he should have stuck to his guns as he said in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cutie,

      The only moral principles that the political parties in Quebec understand is opportunism to co-opt the Quebecois hatred of anglophones and steer it to their benefit.

      The idea that harassing and social engineer the population is wrong isn;t something Quebecers understand.

      Flash a few english words in front of them and claim they "will lose their culture" and all logic goes out the window.

      None of the politicians stand on the principle of anything. It's just simply a short term popularity contest where they say anything to get votes no matter how absurd or destructive to our society.

      Delete
    2. Yeah I know and it looks that way more and more every day. Democracy in this province is one big joke on all of us that have any principles or morals. What a society and what a culture - I'm really starting to think that there is no hope for any of us and the place will have to crash and burn before they learn one damn thing. It is a depressing thought but perhaps this will be the start of some kind of new political party that do have some backbone and morals. We can't be any worse off than we are at the present time and more and more harassment to come from these crazy people that don't respect any rights or freedoms for others.

      How this kind of behaviour can go unchecked in a free world is beyond my comprehension. I hate to see trouble but boy are we headed there and big time - 2014 could be the straw that breaks the camel's back of this hateful province. The place is full of crooks and a whole society of malcontents are running and ruining the future for so many of us that I don't see how it can go on for much longer without there being consequences. Sad, sick society that is living 200 years ago.

      Delete
  23. There are still some dangerous student protests.
    http://trouble.voir.ca/axe-du-mad/un-etudiant-de-luqam-manifeste-seul-a-chaque-22-du-mois/

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm sure the Editor will comment on this in a future blog entry, but for now let me express me condolances to the families of the victims who died in the Residence du Havre fire in L'Isle-Verte.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Supreme Leader Marois gets FerroAtlantica to invest $375 million and create 300 jobs. The usual deal, with discount hydro rates and a 10-year tax holiday. Alcoa has threatened to shut down if it doesn't get cheaper rates. Sounds like discrimination. In Darth Drainville's dark side, will anyone worry about jobs? Everyone can be a government fonctionnaire with a job for a life and a pension.

    http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/marois-sympathetic-to-bombardier-workers-as-new-jobs-announced-at-another-firm-1.1651999

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  26. http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Downtown+Holiday+close+this+spring+shedding+jobs/9416878/story.html

    In case anyone missed it, Quebec's largest Holiday Inn hotel (located in downtown Montreal) is permanently closing April 30th and will result in another 60 jobs lost. The building will be converted into low cost student housing, just like the landmark Delta hotel that closed October last year.

    This is the 11th major hotel closing in Montreal in recent months. Red flags should be going up, these aren't little mom and pop motels closing, these are huge high rise hotels and conference centers! So much for Montreal's tourist industry....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says he will launch an investigation into how Tourisme Montréal manages its funds. The mayor demanded that the former head of Tourisme Montréal resign his new job as chair of Montreal's Council of the Arts, just one day after Quebec's auditor general revealed Charles Lapointe had claimed lavish expenses while at the tourism board."

      http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/coderre-demands-tourisme-montr%C3%A9al-s-top-brass-step-down-1.2444384

      Corruption at Tourisme Montréal. Surprise to no one, I figure.

      Delete
    2. Montreal’s economy is being destroyed by policies that are based out of Quebec City… but that’s OK, because we're being destroyed by artificially imposing *French* on everyone.

      Shhhh! Don’t let anybody know the “secret” to our success!

      Delete
    3. '"Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says he will launch an investigation into how Tourisme Montréal manages its funds. The mayor demanded that the former head of Tourisme Montréal resign his new job as chair of Montreal's Council of the Arts, just one day after Quebec's auditor general revealed Charles Lapointe had claimed lavish expenses while at the tourism board."'

      Thats priceless... and beyond funny, lollllllll. Do you know how much all of these investigations are going to cost the province? A fortune...hearings, inquiries, meetings...all code for spin, time wasting expensive nonsense...nothing will change.

      Denis Coderre sat beside the most crooked, corrupt politician since his pal Trudeau was in office...adscam, Shawinigate...millions gone missing all over the place, all over Quebec...you have no idea who you just elected mayor...the city is toast, more and more debt, corruption... so sad...used to be great...never again...Bill 101...we are not coming back, ever...

      You are in for a very rough ride Quebec...its happening now and will only get worse...

      Delete
    4. I agree 100% James Wolfe, This place is on a downward spiral and will soon implode. There is no culture here as we need to mimic the English, like I said before there would be no industry here if it wasn't for the English. There would be no economy and certainly no Montreal. It would just be another Sept-iles.

      Delete
    5. You are right student...learn to speak English and get out while you can...

      Delete
    6. The dread
      True, but keep in mind that without the French there would have never been a ville-marie, thus no Montreal….but you’re right though in a sense, without the British , this place would still be another sept-ile and not the city as we know and I’m glad there was a conquest for that matter. Also, there would be no such things as Westmount and Beaconsfield, my dream places in Quebec( coming from a guy who's been in all regions in the province (e.i Abitibi, iles, de la madeleine, beauce, Quebec city, lanaudiere, Gaspésie, laurentide, outaouais, monteregie , eastern township, Bois-Franc, Saguenay, Charlevoix, cote-nord, baie-james…except for ile de l’anticostie, never been there)

      On a side note, I wish that Mtl was no longer part of Quebec as the Province doesn't even deserve it

      Delete
    7. “This is the 11th major hotel closing in Montreal in recent months”

      Seems to me that the city is headed down the same path as Detroit!!!hmmmm, not good!!!

      Delete
  27. 'I'm not a racist! I just hate everyone that does things different from the way I do them. Not the same thing at all!'

    ReplyDelete
  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete