tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post6442038013381486150..comments2024-02-17T03:22:53.951-05:00Comments on No Dogs or Anglophones: French versus English Volume 38Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05699783315783642466noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-72408894582408468112012-01-27T13:27:32.284-05:002012-01-27T13:27:32.284-05:00You are so ignorant... Does anybody ever came in Q...You are so ignorant... Does anybody ever came in Québec? I think you just don't know anything about our history and our culture. We do have successful businessmen. And WTF about the Québécois being "metis" Anonymous? I mean there is no sense about it, we are not real french, but you are not real english people too. You are a mix of english, irish, and every nation that emigrated in Canada over its history...Descendants as we are because we developped a different culture than the first colonisators.<br /><br />And we are not all separatists. Even if you're not happy with it, quebecers have been part of the foundation of this country, even more we were there before you. We have rights like you have. Would you live in Quebec? I don't think so, as we wouldn't live in a place where everything is done under anglo-canadian rules and manners.<br /><br />I've been in english Canada, very beautiful country and nice people. It's sad that people like you, racists, ruin it.stop racismnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-63651750832262367562011-11-11T09:37:17.771-05:002011-11-11T09:37:17.771-05:00Fisk's take on poppy lapels is spot on.Fisk's take on poppy lapels is spot on.adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-87313968414762359352011-11-07T11:09:25.281-05:002011-11-07T11:09:25.281-05:00Or they can start their own chain and name it the ...<i>Or they can start their own chain and name it the way the hell they want.</i><br /><br />That brings up an interesting point though.<br /><br />The french people have never been the "we'll do it ourselves" type. They'd much rather wait until someone else gives it to them or does it for them.<br /><br />Business names are a great example. If Jean-Guy and Ti-Guy had started more successful businesses themselves, they could set up their "Magasins Du Future" right beside the Future Shops. And since so many french people want french stores, they'd have no problems getting plenty of business, which would drive the dirty english businesses out of town, right?<br /><br />You can also look at the unions in this province. We have the highest percentage of unionized workers in North America. And I'm not talking about real jobs, the unions are trying to get convenience stores cashiers now (Couche Tard), simply because the owner of the chain is making money. (how unfair!)<br />It's a BS mentality that's stuck with the french people in this province, where they do as little as possible, and then expect hand outs and for everyone to share everything they have.<br /><br />And when it doesn't happen, they bitch and moan about it.<br /><br />What do the french Québécois think of successful Québécois businessmen?<br />Just look at Péladeau's popularity among the french people...<br /><br />It's no wonder this province is going downhill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-34235587286909568882011-11-07T10:45:14.327-05:002011-11-07T10:45:14.327-05:00Congenital, not "congenial" arrogance. O...Congenital, not "congenial" arrogance. Of course.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-11391214652721413532011-11-07T10:43:02.365-05:002011-11-07T10:43:02.365-05:00"If they aren't happy (or the name "..."If they aren't happy (or the name "Future Shop" is too confusing), they don't have to shop there."<br /><br />Or they can start their own chain and name it the way the hell they want.<br /><br />But how dare they attack a business that is a product of creativity and investment of OTHER people? There is just something very arrogant about it. <br /><br />I guess fighting for a "cause" ("defense of language and culture" in this case) and being arrogant, excessive, and moronic in the process are not mutually exclusive concepts. Both can occur at the same time.<br /><br />And it begs a question - what's the cause and effect here? Is the futility of the fight for the "cause" that makes these people arrogant, or is it their congenial arrogance that made them find a cause?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-12123320759455965262011-11-07T10:10:09.433-05:002011-11-07T10:10:09.433-05:00There is a valuable lesson in this for all other c...<i>There is a valuable lesson in this for all other companies.</i><br /><br />Indeed:<br /><br /><b>Stay the hell out of Quebec!</b><br /><br />This gets brought up often when dealing with this topic, but I'm still confused.. Do these people not know about how business works? Perhaps someone should give them a quick lesson on the law of supply and demand.<br />If they aren't happy (or the name "Future Shop" is too confusing), they don't have to shop there.<br /><br />But I guess the damn dirty english people (not to mention ethnic people and those with money) force the Jean-Guys to buy stuff at Future Shop instead of at "La Shoppe à TV à Ti-Guy".<br /><br />I can tell you that if a shop opens up with signs written entirely in spanish, I probably won't shop there. I won't be outside protesting either, I have better things to do with my time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-55738172441166960982011-11-07T10:06:20.374-05:002011-11-07T10:06:20.374-05:001:17 : the report finally admits that 101 allows n...1:17 : the report finally admits that 101 allows non-french trademark names, but then they add that the business name has to have "quelques indications en francais"<br /><br />Whaaaaaat? Is there anything like this in the law? I don't think so. You can have Burger Kind, Roots, Best Buy, Future Shop, Banana Republic, etc...without any additional "indications"...<br /><br />What are these people on? How can Radio Canada sink so low and straight out lie about the law?adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-73053955969432794972011-11-07T09:57:07.526-05:002011-11-07T09:57:07.526-05:00Here's the coverage from Radio Canada:
http:/...Here's the coverage from Radio Canada:<br /><br />http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2011/RDI/2011-11-05_17_00_00_tj17h_0001_04_500.xml<br /><br />At 0:37, they demand Les Cafes Second Cup changed to Les Cafes Deuxieme Tasse...("Les Cafes" was added to Second Cup a while ago as a compromise with the very same militants) <br /><br />There is a valuable lesson in this for all other companies.adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-50610242372311669462011-11-07T09:49:30.630-05:002011-11-07T09:49:30.630-05:00I find it amazing how these french nazis never see...I find it amazing how these french nazis never seem to target things they enjoy, like their precious "Loft Story" ("Histoire De Loft" anyone?) Have you EVER heard them say anything against that name?<br /><br />Either way, you can clearly see on the pictures how many people were there, and how brilliant (not to mention young and dynamic) these people are.<br /><br />I don't understand why TVA gives these crazies so much attention.. I mean, there's groups of people who will protest for any cause you could come up with.. TVA's coverage seems to make it worse, as they make it seem like it's bigger than it actually is.<br />Just because 20 people show up, it doesn't mean it's a news-worthy event.<br /><br />But I guess TVA's target audience is any separatist on BS, so they didn't have much choice but to cover it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-13750782697697437092011-11-07T09:25:45.875-05:002011-11-07T09:25:45.875-05:00Apparatchik: "showcase a French society, Mont...Apparatchik: "showcase a French society, Montreal isn't a bilingual city,"<br /><br />Trudel said that Montreal isn't a bilingual city in the beginning of the clip, and shortly beforehand, he went on about Montreal being less than half French and becoming less and less French. So he contradicted himself in the first 1:30 minutes of the interview. I cannot believe that the interviewer didn't pounce at the contradiction and told him to make up his mind - either Montreal is bilingual and becoming more and more so, or it is not bilingual.<br /><br />Towards the end of the clip, Trudel said something to the effect: "look, it's not like English is going to disappear" in reference to the fact that Quebec is surrounded by the "sea of English". But this must be the worst argument ever. It's equivalent to when polluting corporations say: look, it's not as if trees or rivers are going to disappear if we pollute or destroy this one. What if I said to Trudel: look, it doesn't matter if French disappears from Quebec because there is a country in Europe called France with tens of millions of French speakers, so it's not like French is going to cease to exist...I wonder how he'd reply to that.<br /><br />The point which he doesn't get is that it's irrelevant whether French or English exist somewhere else. The fact that they exist in place A do is not a green light to cleanse them from place B.<br /><br />And what about Algonquian or Cree? These languages don't even have a European country or an African colony to fall back upon...Why isn't Trudel defending these languages then?adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-56761266876857873412011-11-07T09:14:39.583-05:002011-11-07T09:14:39.583-05:00Apparatchik, I might write them a letter. But I do...Apparatchik, I might write them a letter. But I do realize that getting objective coverage on tv these days is impossible. In Quebec, and outside Quebec.<br /><br />Media are now spokesmen for the ruling elite as well as enterprises/businesses that need to protect their interests and mind the bottom line. What's the connection with language fanatics? Well, stations like TVA, Radio Canada, etc... are French-speaking channels, and thus depend on a French speaking audience. If the pool of french speakers diminishes (or in the language of the SSJB - le francais recule), so goes the francophone media's raison-d'etre. So they found a common ground with the militants, but the reasons are different. For the media, it's all about ratings that generate revenue, thus their involvement here is purely cynical.adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-23818258496797284912011-11-06T20:48:42.656-05:002011-11-06T20:48:42.656-05:00Yadda yadda yadda, less than 50% on the island, le...Yadda yadda yadda, less than 50% on the island, less than 80% in Quebec, need to FORCE the immigrants "toward" French, we're losing slowly, national affirmation as a people, showcase a French society, Montreal isn't a bilingual city, respect for our common language... <br /><br />It's all getting so very tiring even on those of us who DO want to see French promoted.<br /><br />I'm starting to think it'd be easier if we reprogrammed/assimilated only these clowns. I'm sure we'd still be left with a society that organically functioned largely in French because it genuinely wanted to and not because it was so compelled by language vigilantes. <br /><br />"Denis Trudel, comédien et porte-parole... "<br /><br />Yeah he's a comedian alright.<br /><br />Adski, I think you need to write to TVA on this. We've seen way too many one-sided stories with half-facts on this that are causing the people of Quebec to be woefully misinformed.Apparatchiknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-61093973453854756152011-11-06T20:15:29.132-05:002011-11-06T20:15:29.132-05:00http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#u...http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2011/CBF/Radiojournal201111051800_1.asx<br /><br />They say at 0:30 that language zealots want the Future Shop to become La Boutique du Futur, and La Lunetterie New Look to become La Lunetterie Nouveux Regard.<br /><br />1. Future Shop is not in violation of the law. Future Shop is a trademark name.<br /><br />2. A few months ago New Look decided to compromise with the militants and added the word "Lunetterie" to its name. At the time it happened, I wrote on this very blog that it was a bad move on the part of New Look, because 1. the trademark name is like your personal name - you don't change it because some bully wants you to change it, and 2. it will not close the case BUT LEAD TO MORE DEMANDS...The time proved me right on that one...Lunetterie New Look is not enough, as it turns out. I hope New Look learned their lesson: never compromise with bullies. They always come back for more.<br /><br />----<br /><br />LCN's coverage of the march:<br /><br />http://tvanouvelles.ca/video/1260346844001/denis-trudel-le-porte-parole-du-mouvement-montreal/<br /><br />LCN's interviewer talking to Denis Trudel spins the story in favor of the MMF. She doesn't challenge Trudel as to the legality of the affichage that his people were protesting against. Roots, Payless Shoe Source, Future Shop, Best Buy, American Eagle, etc... are all in compliance with 101...Too bad the "reporter" failed to mention it...adskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-15587799434736886572011-11-06T10:49:06.724-05:002011-11-06T10:49:06.724-05:00In the debate "Was Falardeau racist or not&qu...In the debate "Was Falardeau racist or not", those who claim he wasn't a racist have a burden of explaining why he referred to Dr.Suzuki as a "Jap" (japonouille)...and of all, he did it on "national" (provincial) television...After all, Falardeau could have said "this Japanese guy is not going to tell us how to vote", and even that would have had racist overtones, but he went further and used a racial slur...If he said "a guy from BC", or "a guy from the ROC", there would have been no problem. But he did delve into Dr.Suzuki's ethnic background, and employed a racist insult in relation to that background...<br /><br />But even if we assume, for the sake of argument, that Falardeau was not a racist, we still have a strong case against him in showing that he was an intolerant, repugnant, contemptuous, unapproachable, fanatical, uncompromising extremist...He wasn't the kind of guy that you could approach and have a casual conversation with. First you'd be vetted as to what political positions you hold in reference to Quebec, then if your positions were unaccaptbale to him, he'd spit on you, if your positions were acceptable, he'd embrace you and call you his "frere"...There was no middle ground with this guy...you could have been either his enemy or his friend...But what if you wanted to be neither? He wouldn't have it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-31061594846352470612011-11-05T19:32:09.768-04:002011-11-05T19:32:09.768-04:00@ Damien,
"Falardeau a racist ? Not only are...@ Damien,<br /><br />"Falardeau a racist ? Not only are you not giving an example but you just accusing the guy of having been a racist (BTW, he's dead, guys). Not an example, just an accusation. Besides, the guy was anti-racist. He ridiculed racism in his movies..."<br /><br />Here's an example: Falardeau called David Suzuki "a bearded Jap." Not racist? Hardly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-80495354283349363192011-11-05T18:53:03.702-04:002011-11-05T18:53:03.702-04:00http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/...http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-do-those-who-flaunt-the-poppy-on-their-lapels-know-that-they-mock-the-war-dead-6257416.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-46515674021293439902011-11-05T15:16:35.740-04:002011-11-05T15:16:35.740-04:00The old guard separatists like Parizeau, Laurin, F...The old guard separatists like Parizeau, Laurin, Falardeau, Villeneuve, Larose and their ilk DID articulate Quebec nationalism as one rooted in conservative ethnic French-Canadianism (oops, I should say, Québecitude). Lionel Groulx in his wildest imaginings could have never imagined the Kirpan controversy, much less his contemporaries imagine that Haitians might populate their hypothetical Laurentie. As these old fossils die and the movement comes to its necessary conclusion, it'll be up to the younger generations who just want a job to articulate what values a multi-ethnic, pluralist society will have. <br /><br />For one thing, many of us who are francophone have managed to escape the poverty and misery that characterized the realities of our ancestors. Those of us that "get it" realize the role and importance of bilingualism - and multilingualism in general - in achieving this goal. And for those of us looking to improve our lot in life, repackaging the same old death howls by setting them to trendy music won't really cut it anymore.Apparatchiknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-45383963477129764422011-11-05T15:16:19.366-04:002011-11-05T15:16:19.366-04:00> Falardeau a racist ? [...] He used to say oft...> Falardeau a racist ? [...] He used to say often: "Moé le monde, j'veux pas savoir d'où y viennent [...] S'y veulent v'nir se battrent avec moé, c'est mes frères." <br /><br />Damien, you should translate the rest of that passage:<br /><br /><i>Il faut arrêter de toujours s’excuser<br />Le problème est ben simple<br />Le Québec, c’est un pays conquis et annexé par la force<br />T’es conquis par la force des armes en 1760<br />Pis annexé par la force avec l’Acte d’Union en 1840<br />La Confédération, c’est juste la suite de l’Acte d’Union<br />Donc, le peuple québécois est un peuple soumis, un peuple vassalisé, un peuple inféodé à un autre… </i><br /><br />(Translation: We need to stop apologizing/The problem is pretty simple/Quebec is a conquered country and has been annexed by force/You've been conquered by the force of arms in 1760/Then annexed by force with the Act of Union in 1840/Confederation is just a follow-up to the Act of Union/Thus, the Québécois people is a subjected/oppressed people, a vassalized people, a people enslaved to another).<br /><br />Damien, if you lose a (colonial) war, you play by the rules of the winner. France wasn't the only colonizing power that lost in North America. Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Mexico, and even Great Britain were kicked out of various parts of this continent and in all cases left with their tails between their legs. Falardeau's acerbic tongue and attempt to stoke nationalist passions in all his productions did little more than fuel the resentment that French-descended Canadians had about their forefathers being left to fend for themselves by a mother country more interested in spices, sugar, and slaves.<br /><br />Parizeau was actually the poster-boy for the pro-Anglo-British way of just about everything... until he came up against a few bigoted English-Canadians who arrogantly decided there was no way an upwardly mobile "Frenchy" to break the ethnolinguistic glass ceiling of early-1960's Canada. If the upper-crust of Canadian society told me all the efforts I make to be bilingual were pointless because I'm part allophone, I'd be pretty damn pissed too. The only difference is that I'd stand my ground rather than embark upon a spirited crusade to turn my large estate an ethnic enclave. <br /><br />Even then, I look at the civil rights struggles of African-Americans and compare them with those of French-Canadians (my own ancestors, at least in part!) during the same timeframe. While both situations were both far from ideal, I'd say Jim Crow was more extreme than John Bull, at least in a relative context. Despite the presence certain violent black supremacists, few African-Americans today wish to make a separate country out of Mississippi. If U.S. blacks don't need a separate country with a lot of sun to ensure their tan/survival, Canadians of French origin don't need one with a lot of franco-shade to ensure theirs either.<br /><br />> [Parizeau's] declaration after the 1995 referendum wasn't racist. It was politically clumsy and certainly tactless [...] but it was mathematically and sociologically accurate, like it or not.<br /><br />True. Remember, though, that Parizeau's point in making those comments wasn't to engage an electrified and partisan audience in a statistical analysis of the results we had just obtained. Rather, in the mold of French-Canadian polemicists before and after him, he wanted to rattle the cage and stoke the passions, frustrations, inadequacies, and old hatreds that have been the separatist movement's mainstay since its inception. Why else do you think your immigrant mother flushed her PQ membership card? She knew right then that the guardians of the movement she attempted (I assume very hard) to belong to would never truly see and treat her as an equal. (It turns out beggars CAN be choosers!)Apparatchiknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-46405098725340965142011-11-05T11:43:56.925-04:002011-11-05T11:43:56.925-04:00Here are the songs I was talking about. You won...Here are the songs I was talking about. You won't get them if you can't understand French, obviously:<br /><br />La Paix des Braves (The Peace of the Brave): http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_457690&v=sLscnMn_6iQ&feature=iv&src_vid=CvlYBsaZKiI<br /><br />Malamalangue (meaning My Tongue Hurts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAwD8TIKg8c&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL3A159D676225D7F5<br /><br />Lyrics from Langage-toi (Language/Engage yourself): http://www.musikiwi.com/paroles/loco-locass-langage,toi,721972.html<br /><br />Oh, and Falardeau and racism, for the namecallers out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCFHvNOlraMDamienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07931817172160279760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-57254094068644429362011-11-05T11:15:43.158-04:002011-11-05T11:15:43.158-04:00@ Anonymous
You state:
"But there are very ...@ Anonymous<br /><br />You state:<br /><br />"But there are very good examples:<br /><br />Falardeau, with his constant and obvious racism. It's worse when you consider that his money mostly came from our government, and thus our pockets (as is the case with most "artists" from Quebec who can only sell in this province). A lot of people consider him a national hero.<br /><br />Parizeau, with his drunken hate speech after the 1995 referendum. Not only is his racism a terrible example, but so is his alcoholism. And yet you don't have to go far to see how much he's idolized by the separatists.<br /><br />Loco Locass, who are considered official spokespeople for separatists and french language nazis. These are people who have no education and have no respect for the french language (read the lyrics to their songs), and yet they are separatist heroes."<br /><br />Falardeau a racist ? Not only are you not giving an example but you just accusing the guy of having been a racist (BTW, he's dead, guys). Not an example, just an accusation. Besides, the guy was anti-racist. He ridiculed racism in his movies (Elvis Wong anyone ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VY4v7fcy0U) and made several clearly anti-racist declarations. He used to say often: "Moé le monde, j'veux pas savoir d'où y viennent, j'veux savoir où y vont. Qu'y soient blancs, jaunes, noirs, mauves avec des pitons jaunes-oranges, j'm'en câlice. S'y veulent v'nir se battrent avec moé, c'est mes frères." (translate: "Me, people, I don't wanna know where they're from, I wanna know where they're goin'. They can be white, yellow, black, purple with yellow-orange dots, I don't give a sh*t. If they wanna come and fight with me, they're my brothers.")<br /><br />Parizeau is yet another non-example. He's not racist, he's not even anti-English. Remember he studied at LSE, and married a Polish, with whom he had all his kids ? I guess he must hate his half-breed bastards, uh ?<br /><br />Besides, his declaration after the 1995 referendum wasn't racist. It was politically clumsy and certainly tactless (I remember my immigrant mother was highly insulted on that night, she threw her PQ membership card down the drain), but it was mathematically and sociologically accurate, like it or not.<br /><br />Now your last example, the Loco Locass, is the worst. First of all, they are university graduates, so I don't think they can be called uneducated. Second, I don't know where you got that they have no respect for the french language. These guys love their language and defend it in so many songs (see songs "Malamalangue" and "Langage-toi" for blatant examples). Besides, these guys are fricking wordsmiths. They play with the language like no one else in the french-speaking world does. Nobody rhymes like they do, they have a very good mastery of their language, which is otherwise unheard of among rappers, including rappers that rhyme in English.<br /><br />Oh, and I guess you're going to call Loco Locass racist as well ? Listen to their song "La Paix des Braves" featuring Samian, an algonquin rapper. Or see how they praise Sans Pression, a black rapper. Or how Chafiik, one of the group members is not a "pure-laine".<br /><br />Really, this separatism=racism joke is getting auld folks, move on.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07931817172160279760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-42377373832555745272011-11-05T10:41:37.432-04:002011-11-05T10:41:37.432-04:00Many commentators of this blog state that the fact...Many commentators of this blog state that the fact our new Auditor General has promised to learn French is an appropriate answer to criticism about his unilingualism. Moreover, Mr. Ferguson promised he would do so within a year !<br /><br />Gosh, this nonsense reveals how many English-Canadians from the ROC are clueless about the act of learning languages. Of course, they share that characteristic with the majority of anglophones on this planet, who are understandably among the less likely to learn a second or third language. Indeed, those commentators greatly underestimate the difficulty to learn a new for an unilingual *adult*. Within a year ? Not even in your dreams. Clueless about language learning I tell you.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07931817172160279760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-71666785618520046122011-11-05T08:46:59.260-04:002011-11-05T08:46:59.260-04:00Haven't got much time, but let's see...
&...Haven't got much time, but let's see...<br /><br />> "Weekend Update" was pretty much lame..... <br />Meh, but I see your point.<br /><br />Regarding Harper appointing unilingual anglos, meh as well. Especially if those anglos end up learning French. Competence before bilingualism DEFINITELY, but once you've got the spot, learn both.<br /><br />> French studying in English<br />I don't see what the problem is here, nor why we need to pontificate to French people on how to study in our province. Either we drop the program altogether (our tax dollars funding foreign students' education?!) or we shut up and let them study what they want, where they want, and how they want. Besides, they already speak French...<br /><br />> Separatist Parade a gigantic bust<br /><br />Let's see... 22 separatist organizations, 200 protesters. If only there were a clue.<br />As Elmer Fudd used to say, "be vewwy vewwy quiet."<br /><br />> More racism on vigile.net!<br /><br />Surprised much?<br /><br />On a slightly-related note: one small item that might be lost on some of our non-Quebec readers. "White Niggers of America" is a term Vallières used to refer to French-Canadians in the context of their socioeconomic position (of exploitation by English-Canadians), and not the turban-wearing, brown-skinned MP.Apparatchiknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-1789120477789170192011-11-05T07:41:47.093-04:002011-11-05T07:41:47.093-04:00Interesting how much of a shit storm has been crea...Interesting how much of a shit storm has been created in Quebec media circles over the appointment of a gentleman who has difficulty speaking French (who has vowed to learn it within a year) to the Auditor General's post while practically every single politician in Quebec City can barely string a sentence together in English. Truly laughable. As for the NDP, a party with no vision that will say anything to anyone just to scam their vote, they are decrying his appointment too, can anyone recall a display of such political hypocrisy??? The NDP ran unqualified unilingual Anglos in Quebec hinterland ridings!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-39855021902558478202011-11-05T02:05:40.509-04:002011-11-05T02:05:40.509-04:00...to Anon @ 11:15AM (on the 4th): Right on! Now ......to Anon @ 11:15AM (on the 4th): Right on! Now some sour grapes Québécois has quit his job in the Auditor General's Office over the new appointment. Big cry baby. A long time ago, when CJAD was a good radio station, Neil McKenty, host of an open phone-in show called Exchange used to have lemon and laurel shows. To the cry baby protester who cut his nose to spite his face, I award him a rotting lemon. To our prime minister, I award a laurel for putting qualifications ahead of language.<br /><br />How dare that self-righteous committee grilling the new Supreme Court appointee make him apologize for not speaking fluent French. The whole goddamn west, where French is barely spoken, should have to learn it for the sake of the minority when the minority within the Quebec minority is being berated, and the use of English is not only discouraged, but in certain cases, illegal.<br /><br />All Harper is doing is righting a wrong that went on for decades, partially because, except for a short time in 1979, we went from Trudeau in 1968 until finally we have a prime minister from outside Quebec with a majority mandate in 2011? That's 43 years less a 7 month interruption with prime ministers all from Quebec or 38 years (to 2006) plus Harper's minority governments until now.<br /><br />Now you know why I stand by my credo that one Prime Minister Trudeau in Canada is enough! Justin may have sidestepped the mantle of leadership for now for family reasons, but his children will grow up and I'm sure he won't be out of the limelight forever. He'll still be young enough to go for it even when his kids reach their 20s.<br /><br />Isn't this why most government hearings have simultaneous translators? Let them do the talking for those who don't understand the two official languages.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. I think everyone contemplating a high profile career in the public sector should make an effort to prepare to be bilingual, but it should not be the be-all and end-all to being an appointee or simply hired through a job competition. Besides, too many appointees are friends of the governing party already. This is where the Americans have it right. Judges, auditors general and other publicly held positions are obtained by election, not by the will of one politician. The same goes for their senate.<br /><br />Quebec had the balance of power over the rest of us for far too long. After 1/3 of a century of the tail wagging the dog, Quebec finally shot itself in the foot by not voting for the governing party. Too, Harper learned a valuable lesson: Appeasing Ontario with 39% of the population is far more rewarding than appeasing Quebec with 23% of the population! The orange tide coming into Quebec in 2011 will go out with the tide in 2015. Mark my words!Mr. Sauganoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7963035472241877292.post-7460287655582427152011-11-04T16:52:45.764-04:002011-11-04T16:52:45.764-04:00"One of our readers, GEN sent in this picture..."One of our readers, GEN sent in this picture of a manhole cover in the city of Verdun adorned with English-only text.<br />She wondered sarcastically if the OQLF might force the city to replace it..... Mebbe!<br />Sheesh...it must be really old."<br /><br />There are may of these scattered around, including in parts of Québec where the English have always been a rare sight. However, historical records remind us that, since at least the late XVIIIth century in Québec, English has been found in public signs and other public writings all around, regardless of the language of the local population. That's the kind of privileges you win for your language when you win a war.<br /><br />Unlike the once-was-a-ciy borough of Verdun, which has had a sizeable anglophone population for more than a century - in fact I think it was majority English at a point in its history.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07931817172160279760noreply@blogger.com