Quebec Solidaire's Communist Manifesto

There's an interesting news piece making the rounds of the French media which unfortunately hasn't crossed over to the English side of the media.

A Quebec City reporter for the Journal de Quebec got around to reading a Quebec Solidaire document written a while back, that outlined its vision of a 'new' Quebec.

Since then, the story has been picked up by various media outlets and Mario Dumont did a piece on it on his daily news and interview show. If you understand French, you can watch the seven-minute piece here, on YouTube

The French language document (not available in English,) entitled "Cahier de perspectives- Pour une société solidaire et écologique" can be downloaded  HERE

Now every time I describe Quebec Solidaire and it's chief cook and bottle washer, Amir Khadir as 'communist,' I get a slew of comments from the indignant, accusing me of slander and yellow journalism. (it should be libel, not slander. Perhaps Todd our resident language expert, can set them straight!)

Because Khadir and his family are long time communists and the Communist Party of Quebec is an integral part of Quebec solidaire, I find it difficult to understand why all the objections to the label. After all if the shoe fits....

By the way, just last week, Jafar, Amir's father, was out campaigning for Fidel Castro and mugged for a television news camera framed by an inspiring portrait of Che Guevara. 

It may pain the Quebec Solidarniks (wow, I've coined a new phrase!) to be outed, but the Cahier de perspectives is the smoking gun that will convince even the most ardent skeptic that the QS is exactly what I, other bloggers and journalists have been calling them - a communist inspired party.

The aforementioned document, is nothing less than a modern re-hash of the Communist Manifesto and I'm a bit surprised that no commentator has yet made the connection, since the document borrows quite heavily from Comrades Marx and Engels.

Marx & Engels-  Inspiration for Quebec Solidarniks

Now to the Solidarniks who complain that there's nothing wrong with being a communist, I can only say that there's nothing wrong with being a member of the Flat-Earth Society, or just a plain idiot for that matter, but at least idiots bear no personal responsibility over their reduced mental acuity and as such, their propensity to be gullible.
A modern-day Communist however, is a willing stooge, one who fully ignores the historical reality of a failed ideology and continues to support a discredited, destructive and fatally-flawed model, that country after country around the world has abandoned.
There is no excuse for being a communist other than mindless self-deception, which unlike idiocy is a conscientious choice.

Now before I offer highlights of the 'Cahier de perspectives,' it is useful to review the ten principles of the Communist Manifesto, written over 150 years ago. I shall grant readers leave to draw their own conclusions as to how much of influence that treatise had on the Solidarniks who drafted the 'Cahier de perspectives' 

The 10 principles of the Communist Manifesto 

1. The expropriation of landed property and the use of rent from land to cover state expenditure;
2. A high and progressively graded income-tax;
3. An abolition of the right of inheritance;
4. The confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels;
5. The centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by the establishment of a state bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly;
6. The centralization of transport in the hands of the state;
7. An increase in the state ownership of factories and instruments of production, and the redistribution and amelioration of agricultural land on a general plan;
8. Universal obligation to work and creation of labour armies especially for agriculture;
9. The unification of agricultural with industrial labour, and the gradual abolition of the differences between town and country;
10. The public education of all children. Abolition of factory labour for children in its present form. Unification of education with economic production.

(Note; the yellow highlighted parts below are in my estimation, directly lifted from the Communist Manifesto.)

Gentle reader, all I can say to prepare you for what comes, is to be prepared to laugh out loud..

 *******************

And so let's begin with the preamble of the document, which pretty much says it all.

STATEMENT ON THE ECONOMY (page 2)

"...The capitalist economic system is based on infinite growth which is a source of social inequality, in addition to being non-sustainable in the long term. This is an expropriation of the future by short-sighted interests. Based on competition and laissez-faire, rather than solidarity, capitalism excludes not only the collective control and democratic process, but also the more equitable distribution of the  collectively-produced wealth..."

See where we're headed?

The rest of the document contains a mixture of propositions and philosophical dissertations. Here is a selection of my favourites.

STATEMENT ON PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF BUSINESS (page 3) 

"...These proposals seek to determine how we want to maintain a  private element in our economy, and under what conditions. It also asks us to consider the integration of new types of economies. Finally, if we opt for the elimination of the private sector, we must determine how we see to the gradual implementation, management and socialization of the economy..."

PROPOSITION 1.1.1.c (page 3)

Excessive or unwanted  economic growth should be limited by;

1. Regulation (or)
2. Reversing  economic growth (or)

It is proposed to replace the Gross Nationa Product (GNP) with Gross Naional Happiness Index which includes unpaid work...

PROPOSITION 1.1.1.A (page 3)

1. Allow private ownership of business under strict limits  (or)
2. Center the economy around small and medium business and either nationalize or turn  large business into cooperatives  (or)
3. Convert all business' to cooperatives.(or)
4. Socialize the economy by converting business to cooperatives and by the nationalization of strategic sectors

STATEMENT ON PRIVATE CAPITAL (page 5)  

"The financial sector has become the dominant pillar of the contemporary capitalist economy. The proposals in this section are intended to limit, regulate or even eliminate the influence of private financial capital in Quebec..."

PROPOSITION 1.1.2.A (page 3)

1. Regulate interest rates and financial charges
2. Create a government owned bank
3. Convert all business' to cooperatives.
4. Nationalize all the banks

PROPOSITION 1.2.1.A (page 7)

It's proposed that we nationalize the following;

1. Natural resources (forests and mines)
2. Green energy
3. Hydrocarbons (Oil and Gas)
4. Public Transport
5. Large industries like aluminum, pulp and paper manufacturing
6. Telecommunications (Internet and telephone)
7. Recycling industries 

STATEMENT ON PERSONAL WEALTH (page 9)  

"..In addition, a tax reform on the transmission financial assets by inheritance would limit the ability of the wealthiest to transfer their wealth from one generation to another and thus continually reproduce their privileges.

PROPOSITION 1.2.2.A (page 9)

1. Increase the number of tax brackets from 3 to 10.
2. Enforce strong anti-tax evasion measures,
3. Limit the right to inherit money except for the home, furniture and personal items.
4. Nationalize all the banks

STATEMENT ON OVER-CONSUMPTION (page 10)  

"....To discourage the unnecessary consumption of pollutants and / or  of sexist stereotype products, it is proposed to introduce forms of taxation aimed at promoting behaviour corresponding to the values ​​of Quebec Solidaire.

PROPOSITION 1.2.2.c (page 10)

1. Abolish the provincial sales tax
2. Impose taxes on luxury items
3. Impose taxes on products that are a nuisance to the environment
4. Impose taxes on sexist products (topless bars, cosmetics)
   

ECOSOCIALISM (page 11)

"...In its logic of infinite production of goods and the promotion of consumerism, the capitalist system is intrinsically environmentally harmful and destructive..."

PROPOSITION 2.1.3.B (page 15)

1. Limit the use of cars, particularly in urban areas.
2. Encourage people to adopt eco-friendly driving habits.
3. Introduce a transportation tax on food and goods  to encourage local shopping
4. Increase gas taxes and introduce road tolls
   

OR:

1. Over a period of ten years, ban personal car ownership by way of a series of measures including restricting car access downtown and increasing the cost of vehicles.
2. Over a period of ten years ban the transport of goods by any truck that is not a hybrid or totally electric.
3. Ban the building of anymore freeways

STATEMENT ON OVER-CONSUMPTION (page 20)  

"One consequence of over-consumption that characterizes our society is the increasing production of  residual material  too often considered and treated as waste. We should organize ourselves collectively and gradually to move towards a society that does not produce garbage."

 PROPOSITION 2.3.4 A (page 20)

1. Establish production quotas to prevent overproduction. 
2. Phase out the big shopping centres and return to local shopping.
3. Require manufacturers to take back their containers for reuse or recycling.   
4. Establish standards to minimize packaging and replace them with more   environmentally friendly packaging. 
5. Require manufacturers to guarantee the durability to their products, to extend the guarantee and to design products that are more easily repaired. 
6. Encourage the installation of thrift stores, eco-centers and other local depots for the exchange and reuse of materials and consumer goods of all kinds

STATEMENT ON FULL  EMPLOYMENT  (page 23)  

"Many  proposals supporting a policy of full employment is related to the policy of the reduction of part time employment and the profound transformation of the economy with a view to overcoming capitalism and suppression of wage labour.

PROPOSITION 3.1.1 A (page 23)

1. Expansion of public service employment in the areas of social services, construction and maintenance of the infrastructure, clean environment and key sectors of the industry.
2. Creating an active and effective employment policy that includes retraining and continuing education programs, voluntary, free and funded by business and government, with financial support including relocation allowances for workers who want employment in another region.
3. Reduction of working time.
4. Require the Central Bank to give priority to employment and not to fighting inflation

PROPOSITION 3.1.1 5 (page 25)

1. Increase minimum wage to $10.66 an hour (for 40 hours work-week)  (OR)
2. Base minimum wage on 60% of the median Quebec salary ($12.05)          (OR)
3.  Make minimum wage 50% higher than the poverty line ($15.99)

STATEMENT ON FULL  EMPLOYMENT  (page 25)   

Capitalism is characterized by a profound power imbalance between employees and employers. This situation is intolerable in a democratic society...

PROPOSITION 3.2.2D (page 27)

1. Strengthen penalties for anti-union practices.
2. Ensure that workers have access to information on the economic health of the company by opening the books. 
3. Grant all workers an annual day off  for training in trade unionism, labour standards and union organization.  Introduce into the high school curriculum, courses on the history of the labour movement and trade unionism.

PROPOSITION 3.3.1D (page 29)

1. Immediately reduce the work week to 35 hours and gradually reduce it to 32 hours without loss of pay, without increasing the workload or forced overtime, to be offset by increased hiring. 
   OR 
2. Reduce the workweek to 32 hours without loss of pay.
   OR
3. Reduce the work week to 32 hours without loss of pay with the alternative possibility of extending holidays. In the business that are cooperatives this should be a voluntary measure, but still with minimum requirements to avoid voluntary overwork.

And of course this wouldn't be a real communist manifesto without a demand that May Day become a national holiday!

The entire document is a childlike description of a Utopian society that cannot exist in the real world.
I have much to critique but will turn it over to the Commentors to have their say. Go to it!

As for the Solidarniks who continue to hide the truth from the public about the political leanings of the QS, I would ask them to consider the advice that Karl Marx offered in the face of critics who had the audacity to call out communists;

"It is high time that Communists should openly, in the face of the whole world, publish their views, their aims, their tendencies, and meet this nursery tale of the spectre of communism with a manifesto of the party itself.

To everyone, have a great weekend!

'Grenadiers March' a Bittersweet Pill

I watched the Canada Day ceremony from Ottawa and like most Canadians I was brimming with pride at the truly magnificent spectacle put on by the Feds, an extra measure of mustard added to celebrate the presence of the Royal couple William and Kate.
The government spared no expense, knowing full well that the event, or highlights thereof, would be broadcast around the world, with hundreds of foreign correspondents covering the Royal visit with the vim and vigour of Hollywood paparazzi.

It's hard not to swell up with pride watching the pageantry of the smartly uniformed, handsome (and now fetching as well, because of the female element) soldiers parade in perfect cadence to the tune of catchy military music.

As the soldiers marched past the adoring crowds, I caught a few bars of a military band's rendition of the 'March of the Grenadiers.'  
Take a listen, you'll recognize it instantly;

It sent chills down my spine..... but not in a good way.

You see, I recently finished screening Dan Snow's 'Battle for North America," the documentary of Great Britain's victory at the Plains of Abraham which of course led to British control of Canada.
You can catch the documentary, if so inclined, in four parts on YouTube, by starting HERE. It is indeed fascinating.

The documentary brought to life the events of the Battle of Quebec in way that the dry history books we studied in high school never did. The human drama and suffering depicted so honestly by Mr. Snow, gave me a perspective of the war that I never had before.

A few months before the famous Battle on the Plains of Abraham, General Wolfe, the commander of British forces was encamped on the east side of the Montmorency river with the French defending the other side. Wolfe hoped to launch a ground assault on the city of Quebec, but would first have to take out that local French garrison. The Montmorency river drains into the St. Lawrence River via the famous Montmorency Falls and Wolfe's plan was to sail around the Falls on the St. Lawrence and then land back ashore to attack the French.

The preparation for the assault was a testament to poor planning  with the attackers landing far from shore because of the failure to allow for the tide. The execution of the plan was no better, a testament to poor discipline.
The Louisburg Grenadiers, having been cooped up in camp for months, scrambled to shore with gusto. Whipped into a frenzy by the beating of the drums and the piping of the "March of the Grenadiers" they imprudently ignored their officers' orders, attacked the heights foolishly and were cut down by the French rather easily. In minutes, over 450 were dead or injured. The attack failed miserably and a furious James Wolfe was forced to abandon the attack and retreat unceremoniously.

Here is a passage from a soldier's account of the battle by the Serjeant-Major of Gen. Hopson’s Grenadiers. LINK

" The First Push we made was on the 31st of July: with 13 Companies of Grenadiers, supported by about 5 Thousand Battalion-men;-- as soon as we landed we fixed our Bayonets and beat our Grenadier's-March, and so advanced on ; during all this Time their Cannon play'd very briskly on us; but their Small-Arms, in their Trenches, lay cool 'till they were sure of their Mark; then they pour 'd their Small-Shot like Showers of Hail, which caus'd our brave Grenadiers to fall very fast: Brave Gen. Wolfe saw that our attempts were in vain, so he retreated to his Boats again: The number of kill'd and wounded that Day was about 400 Men; ...;"

Forced to change plans Wolfe plotted a new attack, but not before taking revenge for the defeat on the local French villages in the surrounding area. Saint-Paul, L’Ange-Gardien, Château-Richer, Saint-Joachim were all burnt to the ground with hundreds killed.

"The most inhuman revenge was perpetrated by Captain Alexander Montgomery, an officer of the 43rd. He was responsible for a terrible incident near the village of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. A small group managed to keep the British at bay by taking refuge in a stone farmhouse.... Rather than take them prisoner, Captain Montgomery ordered their execution in cold blood and shot all the citizens after raping the women and girls (the crime reported by Scottish Fraser in his diary). At Chateau-Richer, several farmers barricaded themselves in the church. The English brought them out by promising them that they'd be spared, then slaughtered and scalped them in the Indian fashion. Link{FR}

Not their finest hour.
Some British officers were so appalled by Wolfe's cruelty that they recorded accounts of the barbarism in their personal journals.

The Battle for Quebec itself was no less savage. The British, using superior technology launched an artillery barrage from the opposite side of the St. Lawrence, that for weeks pounded the city to the point that when Quebec surrendered, there was hardly a building standing.

These are the unfortunate truths of war. Not very pretty.

Although the Grenadiers faced a humiliating defeat at Montmorency, it was they who marched victoriously into Quebec to accept its surrender.  No doubt, the chilling notes of the March of the Grenadiers sent fear and loathing down the spine of the defeated.  

Although the Battle at the Plains of Abraham was a great victory for one side, it was also a terrific defeat for the other.

And so the "March of the Grenadiers" proudly played in Ottawa on Canada Day by our military in front of the Royals, represents a direct link to the past and a celebration of those sad events in 1759, a historical reality that we should acknowledge, but not celebrate.

Considering that Francophones and Anglophones are partners in this great country, I question the wisdom of retaining the "March of the Grenadiers."

Tradition is tradition, but just as the Confederate flag was retired, isn't it high time the regiment picked a new ditty?

Separatist Demonstration a Royal Flop!

RRQ-not much of a turnout!

If you live outside of the province of Quebec and are unfamiliar with the particularities of our regions and cities, you should understand that the capital of the province, Quebec City, is much like Ottawa, dominated in large part by successful middle class civil servants.

As such, the city and the greater metropolitan region is more entrenched and conservative, representing the last bastion of Conservative party support in the province of Quebec.
The city itself is well-run, particularly safe and immaculately clean. The mayor, Regis Lebeaume is a tireless promoter of the Quebec City brand, locally and internationally and has raised its profile considerably since taking office.

His  single-mindedness and bullheadedness pursuing his civic goals (like an NHL franchise) has made him the subject of media attacks, but he shrugs off the criticism like water off a duck's back.
He enjoys a voter approval rating of over 70%, a number that would have any politician  preening with pride. 

Yesterday's ceremony in front of City Hall honouring the Royal 22nd Regiment (the Vandoos), was a credit to the City and its citizens and no doubt an utter humiliation to the RRQ and its members who valiantly tried to put a damper on the ceremonies, to no avail.

Unlike last year, when the RRQ disrupted Charles and Camilla's visit to Montreal, the protesters were hardly noticeable and had zero impact on the festivities. 
The RRQ promised to produce up to 500 protesters, but by Radio-Canada estimates, their numbers topped off at a few dozen.
How times have changed!

The Prince acquitted himself quite well and his speech, delivered exclusively in French, had an endearing effect on the crowd and television commentators who were duly impressed. Many of whom came to see the royal couple out of curiosity, left quite impressed.

Will and Kate greet friendly crowd in Quebec

The visit went off so well and the crowd was so friendly that William and Kate undertook a remarkable impromptu 'bain de foule' (walkabout.) Security forces felt so confident of the crowd, that they actually let them wade in, something that would be inconceivable a few years ago.

As for  Labeaume he described the event as magnificent. "I saw nothing but smiles!"

For the RRQ and other separatist militants, the success of the Royal visit to Quebec city is another grand humiliation, another reminder that Quebeckers have matured and are no longer susceptible to Chicken Little warnings of assimilation.
No matter how the RRQ spins events in the coming days, for them, it was nothing less than an unmitigated disaster!

And so, things haven't gone particularly well for the sovereigntists since last May's federal election. The downward spiral in support for the sovereignty movement doesn't appear to have touched bottom and in describing separatist fortunes of late, I can perhaps steal a line from the Queen, who once described her family difficulties as an Annus horribilus.

The protesting RRQ adopted the theme first enunciated by Amir Khadir, who declared rather rudely that the Royals were parasites.

I'm not so sure. Maintaining the monarchy costs each Canadian about a $1.50 a year, a pittance compared to the billions and billions of dollars that our government wastes annually.
Considering that Canadians spent about $30 each on the G8 summit in Toronto last year, the Royals are a right bargain.  That money could have kept the Royals in cucumber sandwiches for 20 years!

To all the sovereigntist militants who are squealing over the unpopularity of the monarchy in Quebec, the sad reality they face, is that according to the polls the Monarchy enjoys more popularity than sovereignty.
A fine kettle of fish!

Here's some raw video of the day. It will put to lie any claims that the  RRQ makes in the next few days that their small protest had any bearing. More importantly, the large, appreciative and cheering crowds attest to the  reality that Quebec is not what militants portray it to be.

While we are accustomed to hearing the rantings of the separatists in the press and the media, yesterday is proof that they have a much smaller constituency than we are led to believe.

French versus English - Volume 30

French militant group campaigns for Anglos to be good citizens
A militant French language group is extending its hand in 'friendship' to we Anglophones, if only we agree to speak French in public.
In a magnanimous compromise, the lobby group concedes anglos the right to speak English at home, as long as we speak French when we interact in public...hmmm.
It's not clear whether two anglophones in public should communicate with each other in French...
The lobby group is running a French commercial to that effect on English television. You can screen the ads here:  Link
The leader of Impératif français, Jean-Paul Perreault told reporters that; 

"We deplore the arrogance of Anglo-Quebecers who impose English everywhere. We are reaching out to them to help us protect the identity of Quebec. We believe it is important to speak French in public when we choose to live in a place where the national language is French. We invite anglophones, francophones and allophones to speak French in public." 

Now that's what I call friendship!

The name of this nifty campaign?

"Be an Anglophone, but live in French"

Incidentally, the campaign is being financed by the government of Quebec.

Thanks to TROY, TODD and other readers for the heads-up.  LINK

Committee for the Defence of the Revolution French language
It seems that every region of Quebec is getting its very own volunteer organization of militants dedicated to defending the French language or rather, keeping English in its place. Regions that boast less than 2% anglophones are nonetheless preparing to defend their turf lest the infectious wave of English spreads from the already fatally afflicted Montreal.

The newest addition is the Le Mouvement Québec français (MQF) de la Capitale-Nationale, operating in the Quebec City area, dedicated to the ideal that the pervasive Anglo influence should never be allowed to wash over the region and wreak linguistic genocide on the pure.

The latest justification for mounting these defence committees comes from blowhard Mario Beaulieu who told members that;

"Anglicization threatens the right to work in French as employees from other regions are forced to speak English when dealing with Montreal companies"

Bit of a stretch, I'd say....

As these committees proliferate, I'm reminded of the revolutionary zeal that swept the island of Cuba after the Communism revolution in 1959.

"The Committees for the Defence of the Revolution or CDR, is a network of neighbourhood committees across Cuba. The organizations, described as the "eyes and ears of the Revolution", exist to promote social welfare and report on "counter-revolutionary"...

....Its defenders note that CDR have other important responsibilities beyond their function to monitor the individual's political and moral background; these include arranging festivals, administrating many voluntary community projects, and organizing mass rallies."..Wikipedia

 Sound familiar?

Immigrants fail to succeed? Blame the English!
The hysterical anglo-bashing coming out of the above-mentioned French language defence committees is now bordering on the pathetic. 
Readers might remember last week's  story in the French versus English post, in which I recounted that the Quebec government will scale back immigration from French-speaking countries in North Africa, collectively known as the 'Maghreb' because of the community's horrendous unemployment record and failure to assimilate.
The immigrants were selected because they speak French, but are otherwise sadly unprepared for life in a western society. It seems that most use their French language skills exclusively at the welfare and unemployment office.
According to Maria Mourani, Bloc MP for Ahuntsic and a founding member of the Le Mouvement Montréal français, it's the fault of the Anglos;

"When recruited, the immigrants are told," Come to Quebec, it's French." We're encouraging a francophone immigration, such as the North African community, which is highly educated. They arrive in Quebec, then they find themselves unable to work because they are asked to speak English."

...as they say  down at the unemployment office;  C'est de la bullshit!

Damn those English Magazines!

More complaints about English, this time over a magazine store  having the audacity to pin up English magazines in its window, thus disturbing the linguistic peace of the Plateau Mont-Royal district of Montreal
The veteran complainer, Yves Chartrand makes a not-so-subtle call to violence by advising militants that they should;
 "Get a gang together and meet in front of the window"
("On devrait aller faire un tour en gang devant la vitrine.")

The writer goes on to complain that horror of horrors, the Montreal Transit System is accepting ads that are bilingual, a practice that should be rejected, even if it means giving up the advertising revenue. LINK{FR}

Hijab-clad  teen can't referee soccer match
"A Quebec teen who has been told she can no longer referee soccer while wearing her hijab says she's going to fight the red card.
Sarah Benkirane, 15, said her Montreal-area soccer association informed her she could no longer referee games wearing her traditional Muslim head scarf after someone filed a complaint with the league.
Benkirane, in her second season as a ref for the Lac-St-Louis Regional Soccer Association, was told religious symbols like hijabs may not be worn on the pitch."  Read the story


La Petit Larousse adds French words.

Just like the Oxford English dictionary which does it for the English language,  Le Petit Larousse illustré recognizes and entrenches new words annually to its French dictionary, words that have become part of common lexicon. This year the dictionary made a big jump, adding over 3,000 words.

My favourite new entry is 'smoke-meat' and so we no longer have to officially use the mostly-ignored 'viande fume" which no francophone actually uses in real life.
On the other hand some words have been retired. It is no longer kosher to use the word  'drink' in French, a return to the more traditional 'prendre un verre' is now the rule.

I was thinking about all this (I don't have much to think about, apparently) as I passed a French  billboard (aren't they all) on the south end of the Champlain bridge featuring a lithe and sultry model touting her "Skinny Jeans"
"Skinny Jeans!" my word. Is that actually French?
Apparently so, its use is quite pervasive as I have come to appreciate. Perhaps Larousse next year?

NOW PETE'S SIGN IS AT LEAST  HALF LEGAL!

Islamophobia rocks Rimouski
During a lunch time conversation with a francophone colleague of mine I was a bit surprised to learn in passing conversation, that Muslims were invading the small town of Rimouski.
.......Whaaat?
The city of 45,000  is the regional center of the lower Gaspe peninsula about 300 kilometres from Quebec City and is about as pure-laine as can be. I know the city well and remember eating in a Chinese restaurant that had no Chinese employees. It was a bit weird being served by a francophone wearing a Chinese smock!
And so you can imagine my skepticism at being told that the Muslim population has exploded from four families to four hundred in just one year. I gave it no further thought until I came upon an article in the Journal de Montreal saying that a email entitled "Invasion de Muslims à Rimouski" has been making the rounds of Facebook accounts and apparently has reached Montreal. Here's a translation;

INVASION OF MUSLIMS IN RIMOUSKI
In 2004, four Muslim families came to Rimouski to settle ...
In the  of Spring 2005, 14 other Muslim families joined them ...
In the Summer and Fall of 2005, another 26 families arrived ...

In 2006, Rimouski received 55 Islamic families, some of whom are very affluent and who applied to the City of Rimouski to have at least one street named after one of their high priests ...

In 2007, 65 new Islamic families arrive in Rimouski and  in the Fall of 2007, they received the OK to name a street in their honour ...
In Spring 2008, a new street appeared, near the Wal-Mart, the first street south of Boul. Arthur-Buies, which is now called: "Rue Mohamed Alei SAB" ....

In 2008,  90 Islamic families arrived in Rimouski  ...
In 2009, 140 more families of the same type arrived in Rimouski ...
In 2010, 25 Islamic families PER MONTH arrived in Rimouski  ...

Yes yes, you read correctly, 300 Islamic families in 2010 alone ...
In 2011, 400 such families are expected ...

To make matters worse, according to the same source, 400,000 new Islamic families are to arrive here in Canada by 2015, according to Immigration Canada.

Expect to see Rimouski grow in the coming years with a lot of  development between 2nd Street and Southern Blvd. to Arthur-Buies East, where they own 95% of the property ...

I almost died when I heard about that on  RDI.ca  / Radio-Canada
All this in just seven 7  YEARS ...
Watch-out for the next 20 years ...

The mayor of the city is furious over the propagation of what he termed an urban legend. He told reporters that there are actually only forty Muslim families in the whole city.
"Not only is the information false, but it contributes to religious intolerance, which goes against the principles adopted by elected officials.
He has called in the police to investigate.... Good luck with that! Link{fr}

Dot Quebec (.quebec) to become a realty next year.
Next year the Internet will welcome a flurry of new internet address domain designations, one of which will be .quebec 
A Quebec lobby group Pointe Quebec has worked for over four years to get the unique extension.

The cost;
Over $200,000 to get the  project going, but most Quebeckers believe that it's worth it.
Next year expect the new appellation to appear and rest assured that the government of Quebec will be switching over.
Another Quebec 'country' fantasy..... sigh

Lousie Beaudoin Defends English French Immersion School
"When you think of politicians who might come to the defence of an English school, Louise Beaudoin probably isn't on your list.

After all, the former Parti Québécois cabinet minister is a staunch defender of the French language.

But after meeting with a group of parents from Nesbitt School and visiting the facility, Beaudoin threw her support behind the elementary school." LINK   Cached Version Gazette article***read note

NOTE TO READERS:. The Montreal Gazette has moved to a pay model which requires readers to pay for access. However limited free access remains available. I will endeavour to link to the Gazette only when the story is exclusive. I have however found cached versions of the story and will link to those. Could somebody email me to tell me if this 'cached' link works for you.
Thanks for your help.

Finally;

OMG- We're famous!

Further Reading: French versus English Volume 29