Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Quebec Language Insanity... Volume 002

Judge suspends 2 articles of Bill 96

"Quebec's new language law suffered a first defeat on Friday, as a judge temporarily suspended a provision requiring English court documents to be translated into French.

Sections of Bill 96 that require corporations to pay a certified translator to produce French versions of legal documents could prevent some English-speaking organizations from accessing justice, Quebec Superior Court Justice Chantal Corriveau ruled.

Earlier this week, lawyers for Quebec's judicial council -- Conseil de la magistrature du Quebec -- and for three senior provincial court judges, including Chief Judge Lucie Rondeau, filed a suit to strike down parts of the law allowing the justice minister to decide which judicial postings require knowledge of English. Those sections of Bill 96 violate the 1867 Constitution Act, the lawyers said."   Read the whole article

Qc's Chief Justice defends her turf

If the law is found to violate the BNA act, then the notwithstanding clause cannot be invoked.
But the government knew in advance that this would be challenged and likely be tossed.
Simon Jolie Barette the CAQ justice minister is channelling Dr. Camille Laurin, who also deliberately included dubious clauses in Bill 101, clauses that he knew would be rejected upon court challenge, 
The idea was that the rejection by the court would enrage and inflame Quebecers and thus fan the flames of sovereignty.

In the meantime Quebec's chief judge is taking aim at the law, declaring that some clauses are clearly unconstitutional and thus invalid.
This is round 2 of the battle between her and the justice minister who failed to appeal a decision in which he challenged the independence of the judiciary.
In that first round, the judge ruled that the justice minister cannot set criteria pertaining to the selection of judges, which invalided the current requirement that judges be bilingual.

Le Journal de Montreal reported that the Chief Justice of the Court of Quebec, Lucie Rondeau, brought a civil suit against Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette to have a measure annulled which prohibits the quasi-systematic requirement of bilingualism in the appointment of new magistrates.

Judge Lucie Rondeau 2 Simon-Jolie-Barette 0

Martineau and his dumb comments

It is a little sad to see a mainstream journalist hack stoop to quoting unedited, unfiltered and cherry-picked comments from the Twittersphere to make his point that Canada hates Quebec with a passion.

That is the gist of an article that he penned using a selection of dumb Twitter quotes to support his argument.
The fact that Mr. Martineau's own account  @RiMartineau has been suspended from Twitter doesn't stop him from consulting the site regularly.
Last Tuesday, on his Twitter account, Jean Charest wrote that he hoped that the next debate on August 3 between the candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada will be bilingual, because "bilingualism is the strength of Canada" and that " the two official languages must be defended equally”. Here's a quick rundown of the comments his tweet elicited.  Link{Fr}
  • No one gives a damn about bilingualism, except Quebeckers who believe their language is important for the rest of the country.” 
  •  I do not believe that the French language should be imposed by force on the Anglophone majority of Canada. 
  •  “Sorry, but most people have no interest in French. 
  •  Charest seems to forget that Quebec is a unilingual French-speaking province. We should stop imposing French in Canada and we would save billions. Long live Poilievre!” “
  •  By trying to appease Quebec with bilingualism, we weaken the presence of Western Canadians in essential positions in the country.”
  •  “The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages ​​is a waste of public money. We should abolish it. 
  • Life in Quebec has become a horror because of language restrictions.
  •  With all the problems Canada is experiencing, the issue of bilingualism should be number 300 on the list of priorities for the next leader of the CCP.

Having been banned from Twitter, perhaps Mr. Martineau can channel Donald Trump and create his own version of Truth Social where he and others can freely slag Anglos, ethnics and Canadiens without fear of being called out or banned.

At any rate, in another dubious post on Facebook where he slagged a  group of stores for using a picture of a potential employee in a hijab, a reader offered a selection of equally nasty comments under his post.



  • What's the name of the stores, I'll boycott them” 
  •  Quebec- Allah's land.
  •  Just refuse to be served by an employee wearing a hijab.
  • While people focus on Covid, we are being brainwashed with ads featuring hijabs.”
  • Frightening!
  • Reno should be ashamed, undoubtedly bought by Islamofascists.
  • We've been double-crossed.

 So much for comments from the peanut gallery.

Quebec's biggest racist

You'll remember the radical sovereigntist website vigile.quebec which got into trouble years back for several antisemitic stories which had mainstream nationalists and politicians abandoning support.

Now the website regularly publishes opinion pieces which promote sovereignty in a respectful, intelligent and coherent manner and I read many of the stories with interest.
Where the problems lie are in the section "Tribune Libre" where ordinary readers are given a platform to sound off without any editorial oversight, which sometimes leads to blatantly racist, Anglophobic, anti-native, anti-black and anti-immigrant pieces which are something to behold.

That a Canadian Quebec website would publish these racist diatribes is simply amazing and I challenge anyone to point me to a mainstream English website that treats francophones with such utter disdain and hatred.
I'm going to share some of these pieces, translating one juicy column per post. I'll start with Rejean Labrie who must be Quebec's biggest racist who in post after post outdoes himself with outpourings of racism and hate..
He is a jewel.
"The place of Anglo-Montrealers is elsewhere in Canada, not in Quebec
Réjean Labrie February 25, 2022
The place of Anglo-Montrealers is elsewhere in Canada, but no longer in Quebec.
It is up to the entire population to become aware of this and to ensure that a vast relocation plan to another province be initiated in the near future.
An Anglo who learns French is still an Anglo.
This is why there will always be too many Anglos in Quebec.
Even if he manages to cope with the pain and misery of French and makes himself understood when necessary, he continues to live exclusively in his Anglo world, in Anglo culture, in the Anglo media.
It's quite simple: in Montreal, to hear less English, we need fewer Anglos.
Anglophones know practically nothing about the people of Quebec, about current events in Quebec, about Quebec culture, which they do not consume or live. Anglos do not associate with  Quebecers.
Anglos has no  interest in the Quebec reality and our culture and will never develop any. This is why it is only a vain illusion that it is enough to francize the Anglos and then let them continue to live quietly in Quebec in their world apart.
This laissez-faire attitude means that they continue to increase in number, numbers that will only accelerate the influence of North American English culture in Quebec.
A second disadvantage of letting them increase in number is that it also increases the appeal of English among allophones who, too, don't care about the French language.
Remember that all allophones would like to become English-speaking Canadian citizens, not French-speaking Quebec citizens. It was their first choice, what attracted them here and it was what they expected when they came to Canada. Most of them even believe that they have been played a very bad trick by having been assigned to reside in Quebec. It is well known that all the allophones join forces with the anglophones to vote for the Liberal Party of Quebec, now deserted by the native French speakers, clearly positioning themselves against all the legitimate aspirations of the Quebec people, starting with the desire for a French Quebec or the idea of ​​becoming an independent country.

Neither of the two groups is on our side. We understand that it is not in the national interest to allow one or the other to expand on our territory.
There is no other solution to this problem than to ensure that the English speakers of Quebec decrease in number (as well as the allophones opting for English of course) and are relocated to another province of their choice. It would be desirable that they feel a certain pressure not to delay.
Bye, bye Anglos. Send us postcards, in French I hope."   LINK{FR}

Phony language statistics debunked

Everyone knows that statistics can be made to support just about any argument and when a statistician has a political agenda, all manner of bullshit can result.
Such nonsense is the case of go-to sovereigntist statistician Charles Castonguay who has been pedalling his contrived, massaged and misinterpreted statistics indicating French is in trouble in Quebec for years. As the author of  “Le français en chute libre” (French in Freefall),  he is the poster boy of mangled, twisted and misconstrued nonsense masquerading as facts. 

His statistical account of how French is in trouble along with other studies of the same ilk has finally been debunked by an ex-professor of UQAM Calvin Veltman who destroys the phony methodology and conclusion of these sovereigntist shills.
The dominating paradigm in Quebec is that French is on the way to extinction. This is what statistician Charles Castonguay stipulates in his essay “Le français en chute libre”. Even Premier François Legault has claimed that Quebec could become Louisiana if it does not obtain all the powers from Ottawa in matters of immigration. Multiple forecasting studies by demographer Marc Termote, notably this one, as well as those by René Houle and Jean-Pierre Corbeil also seem to reinforce this perspective. 
 
However, all these studies are based on methodological principles which, from a sociolinguistic point of view, are untenable. 
The division of multiple responses, such as the declaration of a mother tongue or a language of use such as Arabic and French, pro rata between the two groups, falsifies the figures, as does the refusal to recognize the presence and meaning of “regularly” spoken second languages among allophones. 
In this article, I demonstrate that 280,000 francized allophones are not taken into account in studies on the decline of French. As a sociologist and sociolinguist, I have published numerous studies on linguistic mobility in the United States, Quebec and Alsace. 
All the data thus suggests that the French/English ratio continues to evolve in favor of French, which remains at at least 73%. This this now brings the share of French in Quebec to 83.6% according to the sociolinguistic methodology, an increase of three points compared to the calculation proposed by Castonguay.
The announced "fall" of French isn't happening soon!

Read the detailed article in French  

MORE STATISTICAL NONSENSE 
According  to the study, conducted by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) based on 2016 census data, people who use only English at work earn an average of $46,047 per year, or 20% of more than the average income of $38,346 for those who use only French. 
“It’s insulting and downright unacceptable to see that the person who uses only English in Quebec earns more than the person who uses only French”, indignant Jean-Paul Perreault, president of Impératif français, an organization defense and promotion of French. Link

Now let's add a little context.
Those who work in English only are almost all in jobs based in Montreal which boasts salaries higher than the rest of Quebec.
Secondly, companies or jobs that work only in English are usually in very high-paying industries, like high-tech, aviation, pharma, research, legal and engineering.
Not many English-only jobs exist in lower-paying echelons like the public service, factory, trades and the retail industry.
Consider that the very few English-only jobs are being compared to the massive amount of French-only jobs. It is statistically dishonest. 
Let us remember that anglos attend university at a 30-40% higher level than francophones, boosting their earning potential. So much for the outrage

Short stuff


Racist Francophone harangues family over English .

See the video here  

Encouraged by the current language hysteria, a racist goes off on a neighbour over lack of French.

"Go back to India or Pakistan!"
"You have no business here if you don't speak the language!"
"Go home to where you belong!"

To her credit a francophone neighbour tries to intervene and asks the fellow politely to leave.

Quebec language paranoia is good for Alberta…


Quebec anglophones, feeling forsaken by the Liberals, weigh their options

Julius Grey, the lawyer challenging Quebec’s French-language law, deplores its ‘massive abuse of civil rights

5 comments:

  1. Part 1 of 2

    My lady was in a phone conversation days ago with her cousin. After several years in Toronto, for economic reasons, he moved back to Montreal. Big mistake, but out of necessity.

    He had a 127-minute fiasco on the phone with the Quebec government as he did not receive a replacement for his expired RAMQ card, and needed to get his new card. The call was frustrating beyond the pale as nobody would speak English to him, until one English speaker came on the phone claiming it is ILLEGAL to speak English to him. I had to look this up and I came up with the following:

    As you know, I heard your experience with the Quebec Government this morning, (as the speaker on the phone was turned on with your knowledge for me to hear). I can only surmise you'll be going through this from now on. You mentioned someone on the phone who spoke English apparently said it was against the law for him to talk to you in English? I think that's preposterous, but I imagine, being in a government department, he's probably being scrutinized by zealous fascists who don't want him speaking English.

    ...See Section 13.1 and 13.2, the first paragraph. Then go to paragraph (3) and this is how to read it together:

          13.1. The civil administration shall, in an exemplary manner, use the French language, promote its quality, ensure its development in Québec and protect it.

    In the same manner, the civil administration shall take the measures necessary to make sure it fulfils the obligations incumbent on it under this Act.
    (i.e. to ensure French is used exclusively, but see paragraph (3) below):

          13.2. For the purposes of section 13.1, an agency of the civil administration uses the French language in an exemplary manner if, in all its activities, (i.e., oral and written)
           (3) it uses exclusively that language whenever it considers it possible in cases where the provisions of this division grant it the option to use a language other than French and it does not make systematic use of that other language.      

    Can you die? Paragraph (3) implies certain provisions within that Division I must be met before they'll even CONSIDER using "a language other than French" (read: English). What are those "provisions"?

    Read on in .

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  2. Part 2 of 2

    22.3. An agency of the civil administration may depart from paragraph 1 of section 13.2 by using another language in addition to French in its written documents

    (1) where health, public safety or the principles of natural justice
    (WTF is "natural justice"?)

    (2) to accomplish one of the following purposes:

    (a) providing services in English to a person declared eligible to receive instruction in English under the provisions of Division I of Chapter VIII, other than sections 84.1 and 85; (fuhgeddaboudit... (i.e. those two sections, that applies to people temporarily in the country where their children are eligible to receive English education--think American V.P. Kamala Harris who benefitted from those sections); technically, Paragraph (a) applies to this individual.

    How's that, you ask? Look right in the first sentence of Subparagraph (a). HE was eligible, and did receive your elementary schooling in English, and in Quebec. Originally, in order to qualify for English schooling (he went through the system before Bill 22, enacted by a so-called federalist, Robert Bourassa, in 1974, so even French kids could go to English school, no questions asked), you had to have at least one parent who received at least six years of elementary schooling in English - IN QUEBEC! High school carried no consideration.

    That was subsequently challenged all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and the highest court in the land declared, and indirectly created the "Canada Clause", i.e., any child, from anywhere in Canada, who attended English schooling prior to coming to Quebec, became entitled to English schooling automatically. You should've heard the separatists in the National Assembly spewing vitriol IN ENGLISH (intentionally) on that ruling! As the author wrote, much of Bill 101 and this evermore stringent Bill 96, intentionally contained then, and now, clauses that would be surely defeated in the Supreme Court.

    Based on that very narrow condition, he is entitled to services in English! Be that as it may, though, he shouldn't expect the civil to bend over backwards for him. I surmise they'd make life difficult anyway, and the onus would be on HIM to provide proof you received your English elementary schooling in English. Do you readers out there have any proof you went to English elementary school? You'd need your old report cards, or some other proof (I can't think of any that would exist, except perhaps your original registration document, and I'll bet your parents threw that out ages ago!)

    (b) providing services to bodies referred to in section 95 or to Aboriginal persons;

    (c) providing services to welcome immigrants within Québec society during the first six months following their arrival in Québec;
    (how TF do they determine the "six months"? I guess those immigrants better retain their landing documents! Of course, after "six months", where NOBODY, or at best, very few can become proficient in French, they're S.O.L!)

    (d) providing services and maintaining relations outside Québec; (else who would understand them speaking Joual?)

    (e) providing tourist services (oh, su-r-r-r-e, that...there's foreign moolah involved); or

    (f) any other purpose determined by regulation of the Minister. Despite the first paragraph, an agency of the civil administration may use another language only where it made or reviewed the directive provided for in section 29.14 or, in the case of a body referred to in section 29.15, where the government department referred to in that section made or reviewed the directive provided for in that section, provided the directive was either approved under section 29.16 or 29.18 or sent under section 29.17.
    (These are technical issues you can look at or ignore. They're not relevant to this discussion).

    That fellow was, to say the least, colossally exasperated at the conclusion of his 2+ hour call!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please note the inconsistencies using the second and third person singular (you, he/him). I took this information directly from an email I sent to my lady's cousin to confirm what he went through, albeit disgustingly, was true. I didn't consistently convert writing in the second person per the email to the third person for this blog. Please pardon the inconsistencies.

      Paragraph 22.3(2)(a) (the portion written in bold above) indicates that only those who are/were entitled access to English education (but not foreigners in Quebec on temporary measures whose children were entitled to attend English schools) can "consistently" receive services in English--talk about splitting hairs. As stated above, I'm pretty certain proof will have to be provided in order to be the beneficiary of that special and limited privilege!

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  3. In the link above: "Quebec anglophones, feeling forsaken by the Liberals, weigh their options", was this journalist born just yesterday?

    Anglophones have been forsaken now just over 48 years, when on July 31, 1974, Bou-Bou Bourassa and his minions passed Bill 22 into law. This was followed by the far more stringent Bill 101, then Bou-Bou screwed Anglophones 100% x 2 (i.e., Bills 22 + 178 = 200) almost 15 years later in his second iteration as premier. Then there was separatist Bill 104 plugging a loophole for English private schools accepting students (at full tuition, of course), and when that law was defeated in the Supreme Court, the replacement premier, non other than that "great so-called federalist, Captain Canada", one John James "Jean" Charest, replaced the repealed bill with his own, a.k.a. Bill 103. Then separatist (they're ALL separatists, really), Louise Beaudoin tried to introduce this Bill 40 where zealous tongue troopers could INVADE<.b> businesses at virtually anytime in search of "illegal English" (whatever the hell THAT is), but it seems Section 174 of this latest anti-English legislation will take care of where Beaudoin's Bill 40 failed! Finally, during her short reign as premier, Pauline Marois brought in the failed Bill 195, the Quebec Identity Act. Having won an election with only 37% of the popular vote took care of that piece of infamy.

    My only surprise in all this was it took, going back to Parasite's failed Referendum night, almost 27 years to get this far more stringent legislation passed. I figured it would come much sooner, but like night follows day, day follows night, blue skies, green grass, death and taxes (payable after death as well), Bill 96 was inevitable.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Panier Bleu story was almost humorous, but at least I must applaud Mr. Désy, the founder of the company in his scramble for survival with the sudden onset of COVID.

    The humorous part is the good money chasing bad (service) when comparing Panier Bleu to Amazon. As mentioned, it took Jeff Bazos nearly a quarter century to start enjoying his super-sized largesse, and I can't see this little competitor ever coming near what Bazos has achieved. That the Quebec Government, Desjardins and others are chasing this no-chance upstart is just too much, but Quebec has been feeding Bombardier for decades, along with losers like Trudeau, but Bombardier puts in too many political contributions to be totally ignored, albeit out of necessity. Whatever happened to Quebec subsidized businesses like Québecair, Sidbec, the Asbestos Corporation and other grand flops? Small wonder Quebec is the most heavily taxed jurisdiction in North America, and that includes generous federal equalization payments among other goodies only a few select provinces receive in much smaller amounts!

    Sean Monahan, the Habs' newest acquisition from Calgary, is in for a shock when he sees how much bigger the tax bite will be on his first paycheque in Montral compared to his last one in Calgary, with Alberta taxing the least in the country (Canada, that is).

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