Separatists to Gather at Plains of Abraham

As you recall, the re-enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which was to take place next week was cancelled due to pressure from nationalist groups and the threat of violence.

In it's place, a group called Le Moulin à paroles is staging a 24 hour read-a-thon to commerate the battle in a less 'violent' and 'respectful' manner .

The public is invited to listen to famous Quebec personalities give various readings from books, speeches and letters that have some historical context.

Notwithstanding that a few anglos were invited to read, the whole event has morphed into a sombre sovereignist gathering, where a wake-like atmosphere will mark the 250th anniversary of "LA CONQUETE" Quebec nationalists very own version of the Palestinians "NAQBA"

The regular cast of nationalist characters will be front and center, including Patrick Bourgeois, the leader of the Réseau de Résistance du Québec, the group that led the successful attack against the re-enactment. Other stalwarts include ex-PQ Premier Bernard Landry, Louise Beaudoin, MP from Rosemount and longtime anglo foil and of course the chief blockhead himself, Gilles Duceppe.

Yes, it's revving up for a fine weekend of teary lamentations and sovereignist dissertations. The tenor of the whole affair has started to scare scheduled federalists from attending, not however Premier Charest who refused the invitation from the start, knowing full well where the event has headed.

Mayor Regis Lebaume of Quebec City, decided to cancel his appearance, calling the whole affair "too partisan.".Instead, he's off to Colombus, Ohio, to give a speech (in English!).

An unnamed Liberal MP has also cancelled, calling the text he was to read by Robert Bourassa, "too nationalistic"

I'm sure that the event won't attract the same crowd that Paul McCartney drew last summer when he gave a free concert on the "Plains," even for sovereignists, the event sounds like a crashing bore.

Ontario Lottery Board Example Shames Quebec

This week chairman Michael Gough and the entire board of directors of the Ontario's Lottery Gaming Board were asked to resign in the wake of some disturbing expense claims.

Provincial Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced that CEO Kelly McDougald was "dismissed with cause," and therefore will not receive a severance package.

"Over the last two years, senior staff at the OLG billed taxpayers for, among other things: expensive bottles of wine, a Weight Watchers membership, babysitters, luggage replacement, credit card fees, and a cloth grocery bag, according to documents released by the province of Ontario." Ottawa Citizen

"Today we are taking another step to protect taxpayer's money. New leadership at the OLG will work under a mandate to instill increased accountability and a culture of respect for the public interest and taxpayer dollars." – Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance

Wow could this ever happen in Quebec? Never!

"Dismissed with cause" is a foreign concept in Quebec government circles. When civil servants are caught abusing the public purse, they are quietly reprimanded or outright excused as in the case of Hydro-Quebec's Thierry Vandal.

Remember Jean-Guy Chaput the Quebec boss of SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles) who's lavish expenses led to him being relieved of his position.
When told that because of his unacceptable spending spree, his services were no longer required, he threatened to sue.
In order to end the bad publicity and the embarrassment as soon as possible, the government decided to pay out his contract, which cost taxpayers a further $100,000.

In Quebec it's always better to sweep these things under the rug.
Everybody agrees.
Nobody cares.

La Presse Editiorialist Annoys Sovereignists Again

I've taken the liberty to translate an editorial written this week by Andre Pratte, La Presse's resident federalist and foil of every true sovereignist. Read the original text here.

"One of the great mysteries in my life is that it (Quebec independence) has not happened yet," said Bernard Landry at the opening of the documentary 'National Issues', which premiered last night at the Festival des Films du Monde.

But there is nothing really so mysterious about it. The key is actually found in two excerpts from the film.

First, from this speech by René Lévesque in 1970:
"We want to stop being a caricature of poor people in a wealthy society that are manipulated by others."

Then today, about Mr. Landry:
"When I say to foreigners that we are the third largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, they hardly believe it. When I tell them that of the several multinationals that dominate the planet in their area ... the Caisse de depot is the third or fourth largest real estate investor in the world!"

Between these two statements, are four decades of dazzling economic, social and cultural development within the Canadian federation.

Independence? What for?

"For 50 years, 111 countries gained their independence, why not Quebec?" Ask the authors of the documentary.

Because the vast majority of them were imprisoned in colonial regimes that blocked their development and bullied their culture. Independence has appeared in such nations as the only solution. Quebeckers have had time to take another path.

In an interview he gave to National issues, the Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, made a surprising prediction: "What happened to the Franco-Canadians and Acadians, their rapid assimilation, this is what will happen in Quebec. We can not wait 50 years. "


More than six million Francophones assimilated, really?
We've already survived the 'Conquest' and "cultural genocide" which, according to Pierre Bourgault, has beset Quebec since 1867.

There are similarities between the situation in Quebec and two other minority nations, the Catalans and Scots. The parallel between them and us is particularly fascinating. The regional government in Scotland is now run by a separatist party. The Scottish National Party was elected in 2007 after a campaign in which they spoke little about independence. However, the SNP promised a referendum on the subject in 2010, a referendum in which they had chosen a "soft" issue. Does that ring a bell?

In Scotland, independence gets only 28% support, according to the latest survey. The reason for this indifference is simple: Scotland has managed to preserve its culture and thrive in the United Kingdom. However, the Scots, as Quebeckers simply do not see any need to venture into independence.

There is no mystery. -André Pratte La Presse

Candian Justice Versus Chinese Justice

A repeat drunk driver offender who killed a young woman in Montreal East in 2007 was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday.

"Raymond Levesque's criminal life as a drunk driver began in 1985 when he received the first of seven convictions over the next 11 years, including a jail sentence.

Ten years later, on May 8, 2007, Levesque was driving with twice the legal amount of alcohol in his blood when he hit several parked cars and then pinned Methot as she tried to get into her vehicle.

Police caught up with Levesque not long afterwards based on witnesses who reported his license plate number." CTV.ca

Since then Levesque has spent 27 months in jail and so at worst he'll be out in about five and a half years. That's because time spent in jail before sentencing counts as double in Quebec. But that's the maximum.

He doesn't qualify for accelerated parole (1/6th of the sentence) because he's a repeat offender, otherwise he'd be out already!

However, he will definitely qualify for regular parole (2/3 of the sentence) so he can possibly get out of prison after serving 80 months. He's already credited with 54 months because of the double/double rule and so we can assume he'll be back at the wheel of a car in exactly two years and two months!!!!

I can't wait!!

Now in China..........

Sun Weiming, a 30-year-old company executive in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was found guilty of endangering public safety.

He is thought to be China's first drunk driver to be charged with "endangering public safety."

Sun drove his Buick into four oncoming sedans on Dec 14. Tests after the pile-up showed he had 135.8 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. A person is considered a drunk driver at 80 milligrams.

Investigation revealed Sun had been driving without a license since May 2008.

He was sentenced to death by the Chengdu Intermediate People's Court.

Hmmm....

Where is Hydro-Quebec's Thierry Vandal?

If ever there was a cowardly display of cynicism and disdain, it is Thierry Vandal's arrogant and shameful decision to hide from the public.

Caught with his hand in the public purse, sending Hydro-Quebec money to his alma mater, (College Notre Dame) where he sits as the president of the board of directors, it remains inconceivable that he is stonewalling the media and the public.

It is also a sad testament to the complacency of the public and media who make a big deal about the story for a couple of days before getting back to the more important business at hand, bitching and moaning about anglophones and Ottawa.

Why does public indignation over dishonest or unethical behavior by public officials evaporate so soon?

Why is the public's attention span so limited?

It may not be fair or decent, but Mr. Vandal may be right to hide out and ride out the storm.

Quebeckers are notorious for their short memories.

Look at the example of our illustrious Premier, who is again riding high in the polls. Who would have believed he could recover so quickly from the fury directed at him for essentially fooling voters about the disaster at the Caisse de Depot

We deserve the leadership that we have.!!