Great Day for Canadians- Not so Much for Sovereignists..

Sunday's overtime goal by Sydney Crosby, sealing Canada's victory over the United States for international Hockey's symbol of world supremacy, the Olympic gold medal, was for myself a breathtakingly memorable experience, as I assume it was for most of you reading this column.

By the way the term  'Golden Goal" is usually reserved as a soccer reference, but Wikipedia has within hours of Sydney Crosby's goal already updated and redefined the the reference to include his goal against the Americans. Cool!

For me and my family we shared the explosive moment together in our den, three generations holding our collective breath, just like your family or friends!

French/ English, did you really care who of scored the the winning goal for us?

I hope you enjoyed the moment, it was glorious! It doesn't happen often in a lifetime and I hope you remember to cherish the moment. The last time I felt this way was when Paul Henderson scored that amazing goal over the Soviets to seal Canada's victory in the 1972 series. I think Crosby's goal will go down in Canadian sports history as one that is just as important.
In thirty years from now, most every Canadian will easily remember where he or she was when the goal was scored. Trust me, I remember Henderson's goal like it was yesterday.

One of the most interesting signs was out out of Kandahar in Afghanistan where Canada's military hoisted a sign that said;

"CANADA/USA, BROTHERS IN ARMS- NOT ON THE ICE.

Nations go through ups and downs, it's hard not to think of Chile and Haiti in our moment of triumph, but our achievement at these Olympics is something valued, something shared and something to be remembered as a collective accomplishment.

For Anglophone and Francophones who love this country, we probably lived the proudest moments of our lives these past two weeks.

For those Quebeckers who hate Canada, I am truly sorry for your pain.

I am sorry you can't feel the elation we feel as a country.
I am sorry you can't feel the pride of accomplishment as a nation.
I am sorry that the Canadian flag hoisted to the top of the podium causes you such distress.
I am sorry that when you see Francophones bursting with pride and hauling around the Canadian flag, it makes you feel that they are traitors.
I'm sorry that you will never live this dream. For you and those who share your fantasy of a Quebec team at the Olympics, it's just never going to happen....

For those of us who were elated, I'd like you to share your moment of triumph when we scored our golden goal with our readers;

Where were you and with whom?
What was it like?

Please comment, it will contribute to our joy!!!

By the way here's an inspiring video aired on CTV just before signing off on the Olympics. I can't think of a more perfect homage to our bilingual Canadian Olympic success story. Enjoy!

 

Not Enough French in Vancouver? Separate!

It's a sad spectacle to see all the hard-line separatists fulminating in the press in mock-indignation, over the perceived lack of French at the Olympics.

For these people, the crocodile tears they shed belie their true feelings of joy and elation that the Olympics have in some small way become a French/English issue.

Let's face it, die-hard separatists view these Olympics as another sad reminder that Quebec is not a country and watching Francophone athletes perform proudly under the Maple Leaf is just about as  painful as it gets.
In blog after blog, ones reads about a mythical 'Francophone' team and how many medals they would win under the glorious Fleur-de-Lys. Lists of francophone athletes are compiled and fantasy teams created, one which even claims Roberto Luongo as a francophone!

Understandably, Anglos and the English press are annoyed that these nationalist whiners want to rain on Vancouver's parade (Vancouver's had just about all all the rain that they need!)

Chantal Hebert, a nationally syndicated columnist, takes aim at what she perceives as the 'racist' over-reaction of Anglos in reaction to the complaints over the lack of French at the Olympics. She cites several examples in the comments section of various national newspapers as proof. She included in her piece a sampling of what is being said across the country;

You can see all her 'examples' here or just read a small selection here;

"....Enough already !!!! There was too much French. French speaking people in Canada represent 25% of the population and they got their fair share......I’ve had it with the whining!!!"

"Give me me a break! The Olympics are a world event, being watched by the world. Most of the world speaks English, so get over yourselves...."

"....Of course it was quite predictable that the whining would start from those who are never satisfied."


"English speaking Canada has the French language rammed down our throats while French speaking Canada shuns English, even making it illegal in parts of Quebec."

Pauline Marois, leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois opposition party,  picked up on the theme and claimed that these comments were Quebec-bashing at it's worst.

"The PQ leader accused certain English newspapers of tolerating anonymous comments on their website "unimaginable, alarming and unacceptable" against Quebec and the French fact." Link

Now as hate goes, I wouldn't exactly put these missives as excessively racist. To me, they simply  express outrage and frustration that is justified in reaction to what radical separatists are saying in Quebec.
At any rate, you be the judge.

Let's hear what the French radicals in the Quebec media have to say on the subject. Remember, these aren't anonymous commentators, but leaders of the radical sovereignty movement that are widely published.

Pauline Marois, leader of the separtist Parti Quebecois Link

"Canada has shown its contempt for all Francophones Friday at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games"

Josee Legault, syndicated columnist LINK

"Luckily we French weren't asked to dress up as Indians to better make ourselves invisible and inaudible in a crappy show where French culture melted like snow in Vancouver's rain."

Louis Plamondon LINK

"If one wants to end once and for all the insults like that of February 12 in Vancouver, and all the other indignities past and future, there is a solution. This solution is that Quebec becomes a country, a real country, French language, with its own athletes and national teams at the Olympics."

 Mario Beaulieu president La Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste (SSJB) de Montréal   Link

"This only adds insult to the long tradition of discrimination against Quebec athletes by Canadians.....More and more Quebeckers must realize that we should  have nothing to do with this country. This farce has gone on long enough. There are one too many peoples living in this country."

Louise Prefontaine LINK

"Oh they were beautiful, the thousands of Canadians, waving their scarlet cloth, believing that for one night, Canada was something else other than the dissolute cancerous outgrowth of American-ness, having succeeded in getting rid of the culture of Latin French that sullies its divine land from coast to coast....

Oh weren't they adorable, these Quebec athletes, all dressed all in red, standing in the middle of the track as  embellishments for  the mercenaries paid to cite their tearful "I Believe" between ads for McDonalds and Purolator."

Richard Nadeau, spokesman of the Bloc Québécois

"The message that Canada sends us repeatedly is that the Quebec nation, a nation with a francophone majority has no place within the Canadian federation." 

  

Jean-Luc Proulx  Republique de bannes
This post is just about the most hateful thing I found. It's vitriolic attack on Canada and Anglos includes this nifty picture of a KKK cross burning which is somehow representative of Canada. 
The following quote is the mildest of what was written. Follow the link and translate the posting if necessary, (using Google) You're in for a festival of Anglo bashing like no other!

..."the only real option open to correct this historic injustice that has been reinforced by Vancouver's Olympic Games is, indeed, the outright independence of Quebec and nothing else

VIVE LE QUEBEC LIIIIIIIIIIBRE !!!!!!!

But not everyone thinks that French is under-represented in Vancouver. In an article reprinted in Le Droit written by  Nathalie Alonso for the foreign press agency,  Agence France-Presse, she gives an alternate perspective.

"Defenders of the French believe that the Games organizers in Vancouver have made real efforts to promote the French language, despite the criticism of Canadian politicians after the opening ceremony of the Games.
Vancouver is an English speaking city, where the second language is Mandarin, because of the very large Chinese community. But French, the official language in Canada and the Olympics is still very present during this fortnight of competition.

"It's very different from the Beijing Games," says Christine Sotteau, Director General of the Federation of Francophones of British Columbia (Vancouver area). "We as Canadians, are entitled to have a true representation of the French in the Olympics, not only because it is the official language of Olympicism."

The Olympics will not make Vancouver a French city, but French has indeed conquered the public arena since the start of the Games and not only on the signs.

A little away from hustle and bustle of downtown, the Plaza de la Francophonie has over 100 performances by francophone artists, and broadcasts competitions in French in a bistro-like atmosphere.

And despite the criticisms made by Canadian politicians, including English, regretting the lack of French during the opening ceremony on February 12, Francophones in Vancouver and elsewhere are generally satisfied.

On a visit to Vancouver as part of his mission to bear witness for the Francophonie, Switzerland's Pascal Couchepin shared the  disappointment concerning the opening ceremony, but otherwise, the commitment towards French was successful on the ground, he said .
"Over the last couple of months, we resolved  those problems over bilingual announcements at Olympic venues, all are French and English, including bilingual volunteers," he noted.

Even Alexander Paulin, Montreal songwriter who describes himself as a "defender of the French language" was "surprised" by the presence of the language of Molière during the Games, both in the reception by volunteers and in the signage .
"Upon arriving in Vancouver, I expected to find myself in uncharted territory," says this artist who is present every day at Quebec House, representing 'La Belle Province' during the Olympics.

The controversy surrounding the opening ceremony denotes that the subject is touchy and that the defence of French is a thorny issue in a bilingual and multicultural Canada, highlighted by the weight of the Quebec separatists in the federal Parliament in Ottawa.

"It's good that it is the Canadians who are publicly highlighting the lack of French during the Olympics," said  Pascal Couchepin, former President of the Swiss Confederation, which has three official languages: "It's a problem in cultural policy. In Canada, French is a struggle everyday.

PQ Construction Inquiry Petition a Humiliating Flop

You may or may not be aware,(probably not) that the Parti Quebecois launched an online petition demanding that Premier Charest call a public inquiry into the nefarious graft, contract rigging, payoffs and tax-avoidance goings on in Quebec's construction industry.

Even if a million people signed the petition, Premier Charest would resist, to his death, any notion of a public inquiry. There are just too many skeletons to bare and even if the government would be found blameless (which it wouldn't) for the shenanigans, they would still pay the price come election time.
It's likely that the PQ is well aware of that fact and probably decided on the petition as a way to keep the controversy in the public eye.

For Mr Charest, the lesson of Prime Minister Martin, who's government was shot down over the sponsorship inquiry, which he foolishly himself launched, is not lost.

As Jean Chretien said, scoffing at the inept decision making of Martin, " Better to sweep the whole thing under the carpet, even if it makes a big bump!"

No amount of political heat compares to the damage that would be caused to the Liberal government of Mr. Charest had he gone ahead with the inquiry and after all, Mr. Charest's parents may have raised chubby boys, but not particularly stupid ones. He is the ultimate political boxer, knowing when and where to attack, but more importantly, when to duck and play rope-a-dope.

The petition is now closed and for the PQ, the issue will soon be mercifully forgotten. The project, which seemed like a good idea at the time, backfired badly, it's dismal performance actually serving as validation for Mr. Charest's strategy of 'Batten down the hatches.'

How bad did the petition do?.... Very bad.

Less than 1 out of every 120 Quebeckers signed.

The 60,000 signatures the petition garnered is humiliating when one considers that there are over 100,000 card carrying members of the Parti Quebecois party itself!

There's just no underestimating the apathy of the Quebec electorate. Perhaps if the PQ had included the ADQ as a sponsor of the petition, they'd have done better, but because they went it alone, it was seen as just another partisan, cynical political gambit.

I tried to get a copy of the petition and see who signed it. I'm convinced that it's roll is full of many 'Donald Ducks' and 'Capitaine Bonhommes', the petition is just to fat a target for pranksters to miss.

As you may recall, Quebec humorist Jean-René Dufort known as INFOMAN cast a vote via telephone in the ADQ leadership race last year. He voted under the name of OMAR BONGO, the recently deceased notorious dictator of Gabon, in Africa.
The eventual winner of the race, Gilles Taillon won by just two votes! The affair got many laughs and much publicity and so, I am sure that the PQ petition was subject to many such fraudulent signatures.

Unless the petition is actually delivered, which it has not been up to now, we'll never find out.

Everything related to the project has been an abject failure. When Bernard Drainville the PQ MNA attempted to create a photo-op by soliciting signatures in the Longueuil metro stations, he was filmed getting hassled by Metro cops who threatened him with a ticket for illegal soliciting. It was quite a humiliating scene.

Last year the PQ set up a web site where people could sign the petition, which included a blog which wrote about the activities of the petition. The web site has 42 blog entries going back to last May and generated a pitiful 31 comments in almost a year.

Yikes, even I do better than that!

Vancouver Needs to Fix Opening Ceremony Gaffe

English Canadians are mighty sore at the uproar coming out of Quebec over the lack of French at the opening ceremonies of Vancouver's Olympic games. The comments sections of most Canadian newspapers are replete with anti-Quebec harangues that reflect Canada's impatience with what they perceive as more whining and complaining emanating from a province that always seems to want more.

For those who read my column faithfully, you know that I'm the strongest of defenders of Anglo rights and someone who spends a great deal of time denouncing the pettiness and vindictiveness of Francophone extremists.

That being said, it doesn't mean that I dislike Francophones, the opposite is true, otherwise I wouldn't live here in Quebec and in the case of the Olympic opening ceremonies I am going to come down squarely on the side of the whiners who said that French culture was under-represented.

First of all, the most virulent criticism coming out of Quebec came from people who already hate Canada, the ultra-nationalists, sovereignists and language extremists. These people want the games to fail and relish the fact that there was some English/French controversy. They'll do anything they can to inflame emotions and sow dissent. It is they who screamed the loudest using words like "contempt" and "humiliation. Unfortunately it is these people who get the news coverage and it's natural that Canadians react defensively in the face of cynical and cruel attacks.

But every time Canadians throw up their hands and say "To Hell with Quebec!" I get defensive.

I remind these Quebec bashers that in terms of numbers, there are more federalists residing in Quebec than there are in every single province in Canada, except Ontario!!!!
That's right!

In the last federal election 62% of Quebeckers voted for a federalist party and considering the size of it's population, versus every other province, Quebec cast more votes for federalism, than all but Ontario!

So when people write off Quebec because of what they hear from radicals, they are being disloyal to their fellow proud Canadians that reside in Quebec, both French and English and that includes myself.

The snub to Quebec at the opening ceremonies was hard to digest, not for extremists, who fed on it, but for loyal Francophone Canadians living in Quebec and across the country.

It's as though you go to a family function, a wedding, confirmation or Canada Day party and the host mentions all of the family except your branch of the family because you don't share the same language.

Was there a snub? Indeed there was, if you didn't see it, you are blind.

Quebeckers were every bit as excited as the rest of the country to host the Olympics, not one peep was heard about the Federal governments financial contribution and it's billion dollar security bill. The only ones complaining seemed to come out of the west coast.

Most Quebeckers didn't make a big deal of what happened, they wanted the games to succeed no matter what.

Quebec athletes are proud to put on the red and white and compete for a united team under the Canadian flag. Nobody can ever accuse our province of under performing when it comes to athletes and achievement.

If VANOC believed that the Olympic games belonged to Vancouver and British Columbia alone I could understand their actions, but they even failed on that account. If they wished to showcase their province alone, they excluded the Chinese and Indo-Canadian communities that far outweigh it's native population.

But from coast to coast, Canadians rightly believe these games are hosted by Canada and all it's regions and inhabitants. It was incumbent on the organizers to be inclusive and representative of all and on that account they failed miserably.

Instead of defending their actions for the debacle of the opening ceremonies, they should be re-tooling the closing ceremonies.

And a piece of advice to them.

Reduce the prominence of the Indians in the closing ceremonies, we've had enough of that farce.
Let's see the true face of Canada, which is 23% Francophone. Let us see and hear from Blacks, Browns, Chinese and Indo-Canadians as well.

Canada (and BC) is not just a country of English White Protestants and Natives, it is so much more.....
VANOC should show Canada for what it is, not what they wish it to be.

Another Post on Comments

I'm glad that this blog is starting to generate more and more comments.

I'm also thrilled that there are some who express themselves in French. Continuez !!!!

Because we are getting so much cross talk, I'd respectfully advise those who post, to use a psuedonom so that those who respond can direct their comments appropriately and that readers can follow conversations.

Don't use your real name, but start each post with a handle (fake name) that you have invented, like this;

"Ragdog  says;"  Blah, Blah, Blah......

My pseudonym is "NO DOGS"

That way, we can follow your train of thought and other posters can respond to you directly without actually identifying yourself.

If you don't agree, well just keep posting anonomously!

At any rate speak up!!! Your opinion contributes to the debate.