Language Flap Damages Canadiens Brand

When we were all little kids, one of the first lessons we were taught is that we can't always get what we want.

For me, that realization came early.
I remember as a toddler seated in the grocery cart, being pushed up and down the food-laden aisles in Steinberg's grocery store and pointing to all the things on the shelf that I wanted.
My demands, punctuated by tantrums and fits of tears, were met by a steely "NO" from my mother, who remained stoically unimpressed by my animated exhortations.
She didn't even explain why not. It was just the way it was.

As we grow older and mature, we learn that there will always be things that we want, which we cannot have, obstacles and circumstances that we cannot overcome or change, and that we must accept these things as they are, or else be doomed to grow up bitter, frustrated and unfulfilled.

As they say in Alcoholics Anonymous,

...Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change...

There are unfortunately, too many language militants in Quebec who never understood this principle and have never come to accept the world-wide dominance of English, resulting in growing up, a frustrated and bitter bunch, doomed to see their dreams of glory, dashed over and over and over again.

And so they never accept the fact that there is nothing they can do to change the enduring fact that English dominates and that Quebec will never be immune from that effect.  Never.

French language supremacists, continue to believe in a fantasy where everything and everybody cross an imaginary language curtain at the Quebec border, where all is magically transformed from English into French and from French to English upon leaving.

It is a childlike fantasy, as underscored by journalist Jean-François Lisée, who told a television audience recently that a Quebec based company, operating a powerful international conglomerate which uses English as the common corporate language around the world, can successfully manage its empire operating its head-office in French.

It's wishful thinking that plays to the innocent and naive, an unreality where French language militants believe that others will act not in their own selfish interests, but rather for the betterment of Quebec and the preservation and promotion of the French language.

They naively believe that legislation can cure the language defect, as if a law ordaining that summer be extended by three months can actually have an effect, based solely on the force of legislative will.

When faced with the cruel reality that such is not the case,  there is nothing left but bitterness and rancour.

So let me pop another bubble.
Not even sovereignty can turn an English NHL team into a French or even bilingual NHL team, it just isn't in the cards.
If the Nordiques return to Quebec City and hire a French general manger and coach, the team will still operate in English, on the ice and in the dressing room, the use of French, an illusory veneer.

The other reality that sports writers and fans fail to understand or accept, is that hockey players have no interest in learning French whatsoever and few or none who come to play for the Canadiens will ever bother with anything more than a 'Merci-Bonjour.'
For most of these players, not from the highly educated class, its a struggle to learn English, but do so because it is critical to their success.

The idea that players toiling for the Canadiens will learn a third language, a language that they will almost never use, is nothing more than a fanciful pipe dream.

Rejean Tremblay the insufferable Francophone sportswriter, who brings language into practically  every sports column he writes, is the poster boy of the indignant whiners, unable to understand or accept that for hockey players, learning French or becoming part of the French community is a non-starter.

Mr. Tremblay has in the past castigated Saku Koivu for having the audacity to remain captain of the beloved Habs for ten years without learning French as well as berating Andre Markov for his lack of French, on the occasion of him earning Canadian citizenship.

Each time I pass the Saku Koivu Cancer Centre in the Montreal General  Hospital, I am reminded that the blowhard Tremblay has branded Koivu disrespectful and an enemy of the Quebec people.

So why the ferocious reaction by French language militants to an English coach or two unilingual bosses at the Caisse de dépôt or one English boss at the National Bank?
The reaction seems a little disproportionate.
Why so much rage and bluster?

It is in fact, a bigger, much bigger deal than we Anglos can fathom.

The existence of these unilinguals in Quebec puts paid to the myth pedalled by language supremacists that Quebecers need not learn English because the language curtain surrounding Quebec is inviolable.

It breaks the promise that everything entering Quebec will be translated and that every artist, athlete, boss or politician who sets foot in Quebec will learn and use French to communicate with employees, fans, friends and colleagues.

It  makes mockery of the theory that Quebecers need not learn a second language because hockey players will learn a third.
And most importantly, it destroys the French language supremacy movement's most hallowed tenet, that Quebec can exist without English.

It is a big deal...a very big deal.

It is why little language issues are blown out of proportion.

Like in North Korea, Quebecers are indoctrinated with a fantastical bill of goods. They are told that English is irrelevant and unnecessary, while the rest of the world believes the opposite.
Like in North Korea, any real or perceived breech of this fantasy is met by a ferocious reaction by language protectors, doing their darnedest to hide the truth by obliterating reality.

And so Quebec has it's very own twenty-first version of the Bamboo or Iron Curtain, where language militants carefully attempt to stage society in their own Utopian image, to hide the reality of the outside world.

Zealots like Mario Beaulieu and Jean-François Lisée continue to discourage Quebecers from learning English by promising that they need not do so because the world will speak French to Quebec.
In this context, it is easy to understand the exaggerated reaction to English names on stores, English signs and yes, even English Quebecers, themselves.
Our very presence is a disturbance.

As long as we Anglos and Ethnics exist in Montreal, living our lives in English or bilingually, Quebecers are exposed to an alternate view of the universe, something French language militants cannot abide by.
The venomous attacks on bilingualism, remain a required element, if the myth of Quebec as a French-only society is to be preserved.
Let us remember, it is not only we Anglos and Ethnics who are targeted, but those francophones who refuse to drink the Cool-Aid and pursue bilingualism on there own. In the eyes of language supremacists, they are the the ultimate betrayers.

But there are devastating consequences to this manic pursuit of a non-existent French Shangrila.

Failure to accept the linguistic reality of the world, is a cancerous tumor on Quebec society, sapping the province of its strength and vitality.

The rally on Saturday night in front of the Bell Centre by about 150 French language militants was just another desperate attempt to alter realty.

Beaulieu framed by "Down with Molson the Traitor" sign

RACISTS MESSAGES OF HATE
The mantra of the militant leaders that their movement is not about the hatred of English, but rather about the promotion of French, is a lie that signs like these ones attest to.
What if Albertans had a demonstration and wore T-Shirts saying that there were too many Francophones in the federal government?
I'm sure Mr, Beaulieu and company would be screaming 'Francophobia' at the top of their lungs!

So what can we expect as a result of this demonstration and the messages of hate towards English in the Montreal Canadiens organization?

Loudly demanding that the Montreal Canadiens tilt towards French, has no other effect but to thin the ranks of those willing to try a career in Montreal, especially those elusive free agents who are presented with 29 less bothersome destinations to choose from.

 "Mr. Molson-There's too many Anglos on your Boat"

(By the way, this realty of talented people refusing to come to Quebec over language is repeated in industry after industry)

And so the Montreal Canadiens brand will forever be diminished by the language brouhaha surrounding Randy Cunneyworth's unilingualism.
When he is ultimately sacrificed on the language altar, it will serve as a cautionary lesson to the entire NHL community.

Skip Montreal, it is a hateful place where English people who don't speak French are unwelcome.

If nice guys like Cunneyworth, Koivu and Markov are to be vilified ...well count me out.

Call it the 'Lindros Effect' or whatever.
Agents of star players will cross off Montreal from the list of acceptable destinations and so the Canadiens will choose from has-beens, also-rans and aging veterans closing out their career. Its already happened, but no one will admit it.

"Montreal Is Under English Occupation"

This coupled with the strange fact that francophone stars eschew Montreal as well, ensures that the team is on a downward spiral, sucked into a linguistic black hole, never to escape.

There is a price to pay for the foolish preoccupation of battling a language enemy that cannot be defeated.
Quebecers to this day have never realized what this preoccupation has cost them, shielded by successive governments which immunized them from the consequences through deficit spending and indulgent transfer payments from English Canada.

Quebec is on its way to a rendezvous with destiny.

When the province hits its fast approaching debt ceiling and the Rest of Canada decides to no longer support the current equalization program, it will be time to face the music.

Sadly, that swan song will be English.

***************************************************************

POSTCRIPT;

Having just completed the last episode of HBO's stunning hockey documentary, 24/7-Road to the Winter Classic, I am struck by the level of skill, toughness and dedication that professional hockey demands from every single one of its participants, on every single level.

Unsuitable for the Canadiens?

Thinking back to the nonsense published by Quebec language supremacists that somehow francophones are discriminated against in the NHL and that teams deliberately play or draft lesser-talented non-Francophone players is so ridiculous that it remains nothing less than a sad fantasy woven by the self-deluded, tilting at windmills.

Imagine Flyers general manager Paul Holgren telling coach Peter Laviolette that a certain talented French player won't be playing in the Winter Classic because it's important that the English language be preserved as the dominant force in the NHL.
I daresay that the Flyers would have played a unilingual-Swahili-speaking-Black-half-Jewish/Muslim-dwarf, if they thought it could help them beat the Rangers. 

Watching the virtuosic performances of both Peter Laviolette and John Tortorella behind the bench and in the dressing room, was nothing short of enthralling.
It was to say the least, an exceptional experience, one that made me feel as if I was spying secretly through a keyhole, a rare opportunity to observe two maestros at work in their natural element, akin to a National Geographic special observing wild animals in their natural habitat.

Masterfully combining toughness, sympathy with single-mindedness, both these gentlemen showed viewers what a top-notch NHL coach is made of.
It's hard to comprehend that should either of these men become available to coach the Canadiens, he would be automatically rejected over language. Bah!!!

One last thought...
Both Laviolette and Torts were pretty consistent, carrying the passion and animation displayed inside the dressing room out to behind the bench. What you saw inside you saw on the outside.

It got me thinking about that the deadpan expressionless, demeanour of the recently fired coach of the Canadiens, Jacques Martin.
If what we saw behind the bench, that aloof, dispassionate and unemotional attitude, carried into the Habs dressing room, well.....it was high time he was fired.

It takes a hell of a lot of talent to be an elite NHL coach and when French language supremacists tell us that they are a dime a dozen, I'll just beg to differ.

At any rate, it's like saying that rejecting a Placido Domingo, Yehudi Menuhin, Stephen Hawking or Lady GaGa over their lack of French is just fine, because there are plenty of capable Quebec francophones that can replace them.

Sorry....t'aint so!

Read:

How to Make the Monteal Canadiens More French (Humor)

Read:
Heaven Help the Montreal Canadiens!

French Versus English Volume 42

French militants to demonstrate at Bell Centre before game.

"The grumbling continued Thursday over the Montreal Canadiens’ appointment of a unilingual anglophone coach.
The latest to denounce coach Randy Cunneyworth was the Mouvement Quebec Francais (Movement of French Montreal), which issued a statement that a peaceful demonstration would be held before the Canadiens’ next home game, Jan. 7." Link

Montreal Bars advertize New Years party in English only

An article in Le Journal de Montreal took several Montreal bars to task for advertising their New Years Eve bash in English only.

The newspaper produced a list of fifteen bars that had posted English-only advertisements touting the celebrations.

When questioned by reporters about the slight, bar owners insisted that they were just targeting tourists who made up over 90% of their clientele. Hmm.....

Bars have always been 'selective' on who they let in, using doormen to cull potential clients and admit those that fit in with the 'image' that the club wants to project.

Although never admitted, most clubs attempt to control what type of clients enter their premises based on dress, sexual preference, colour, race and now apparently language.

While nobody may be refused or admitted exclusively on the basis of these criteria, it happens every day and patrons understand where and where they are welcome.

And so it seems, that these bars are promoting an 'English-only' affair, something that upsets French-language militants.

The ever-indignant Mario Beaulieu misses the point entirely, thinking that the bars are trying to attract francophones by using 'cool' English.

"It's deplorable. I don't know why, but it seems that people think they must speak English to appear cool with younger people," he denounced, "It's something to be changed. Otherwise, French will be in real danger in Montreal."

Mr.  Beaulieu fails to understand the message being sent. 

It's an English only party, so don't expect Loco Locass to be played or French commentary from the deejay. Link{Fr}

Bombardier union frightened by language attacks on company

I guess someone is worried about attacks over English at Bombardier and the spectre of losing jobs. The union representing employees is painfully aware of the international nature of the company and the tenuous grasp each division holds on its jobs. It moved the union to make an official statement supporting the company;

"The progress of French at Bombardier Aerospace may be imperfect, but it has grown steadily over the last two years, said union representative , Eric Rancourt..."We cannot be said to be in favour of the agreement (a waiver to allow English..ed.,)but we are far from being against it, because that provision affects new development programs at Bombardier like the CSeries that create jobs," he said.. Link{Fr}

Wow.... Talk about doublespeak!

Health agency to stop serving immigrants in French

"Quebec's medicare agency is taking steps to reduce the dependence of immigrants on the English language, according to The Canadian Press.
Starting January 30, 2012, the Regie de l'assurance maladie du Quebec (RAMQ) will impose a one-year limit on communicating in English with immigrants, even if their knowledge of the French language is weak." Read the rest of the story

Quotes of the week

Anne Lagacé Dowson, the insufferable leftist bore (recently sacked from the radio station CJAD) told a French language television panel that;
"Bill 101 saved Canada"
When Tasha Kheiriddin complained that many Canadians object that unilingual anglophones be excluded from consideration for top governments jobs, the host of the debate, Céline Galipeau told her that;
"There are plenty of bilingual francophones who can replace these people." Link{Fr}

English bonus legal

"After offering a bilingual bonus to 40 of its employees, the City of Sherbrooke was the target of a lot criticism from certain politicians and organizations fighting for the protection of the French language. Three months later after the story broke, the Office québécois de la langue française(OQLF) confirms that the premium remains perfectly legal.... "From a legal point of view, it is not forbidden," ruled a spokesman for the OQLF, Martin Bergeron." Link{Fr}

This ruling has infuriated the French supremacist group Impératif français which in a news release fumed that;
"Quebec is a nation occupied by the English language. Even the  Office québécois de la langue française contributes to this influence!...
Although it was created to defend and promote French in Quebec, this agency has declared "legal" the discriminatory practice of offering a bonus to some employees who speak English in Quebec" Link{Fr}

Phoenix versus Phénix
The continuing controversy over the name selected for a new QMJLH hockey franchise in Sherbrooke continues to brew.
But an article concerning this debate intrigued me for another reason, the last paragraph particularly where the journalist claimed that there is opposition to an Anglophone head coach.
"By appointing an English coach,the Phoenix organization has become the target of much criticism. Fans are demanding a francophone coach and propose the appointment of Patrick Roy, who is willing to listen to an offer by the Phoenix, even if he  is already the head coach and general manager of the Quebec Remparts.

I guess it doesn't matter if the Anglophone speaks French or not . The fact that the fans demand a francophone, no matter what,  doesn't seem to be that big a deal to the  the journalist.....Hmmm.... Link{Fr}

Too much English at Montreal city hall
Vision Montreal councillor Elsie Lefebvre complained in public that French was being disrespected in City Hall by the overuse of English.
The mayor, Gerald Tremblay dismissed her claims saying that such ideas were in her DNA, being a former Peekist.

"Tremblay's remarks follow Lefebvre's decision to rise on a question of privilege during a meeting of city council on Tuesday to contend her rights as a city councillor were being belittled "because this municipal council becomes more anglicized month after month, week after week." LINK{Fr}

This follows a complaint that a bilingual flyer was sent to homes around the Park avenue area encouraging people to shop on the street during a bothersome construction project.
The OQLF deemed the flyer legal, but chastised the city for setting a bad example. Link{Fr}


Vigel.net continues strong support for murdering Assad's Syrian regime 
In its pursuit of a policy of opposing everything that Canada, America or Israel supports, regardless of any moral imperative, vigel.net continues publishing stories favourable to the Syrian regime.
In a series of articles, some of them outright fantasy, the radical website attempts to explain why killing unarmed civilian protesters is legitimate.

vigile.net touts Assad 

"As you recall, the decision to attack Syria was taken at a meeting at Camp David, September 15, 2001, just after the attacks in New York and Washington....

....President Bashar al-Assad is not like his father. He is not an autocrat. He governs with a team. The strategy of his government is on the one hand to preserve civil peace and deal with attempts to destabilize and sectarian division, and also to strengthen its alliances, especially with Iran, Russia and China." Link{Fr}

Why the urgency by the international community, to announce new sanctions without being concerned about who are the real perpetrators of this violence. We know that states, grouped behind the United States, decided from the very beginning of this story, that President Bashar Al-Assad is solely responsible. Witnesses and analysts who argue along the lines of another explanation are ignored." Link{Fr}

Also featured on the website is a video showing Assad being wildly cheered by adoring crowds. The video entitled 'Syria Loves Bashar' can be seen on vigle.net or YouTube

Two standards for bilingual websites
Le Devoir ran a story entitled "No French for Baird and his collegues" in which English ministers  were called out for running English only personal websites. John Baird, Tony Clement, Jason Kenney, Joe Oliver, Jim Flaherty, Peter MacKay and  Diane Finley were all mentioned in the story as the guilty parties.
The article did however mention that two ministers ran French-only websites, but this wasn't reflected in the headline and the story which highlighted the linguistic faux-pas of the Anglos only.

'Quebec Delegate General in New York communicates in English only...
(NDOA exclusive story)

While the Quebec government tut-tuts the use of English at the Caisse du Depot, its very own Director General in New York, responsible for relations with eight States across the eastern seaboard communicates with Quebeckers in English only.
John Parisella, who acts as Quebec's 'ambassador,' to the United States, has been serving in the job since September 2009. He has been writing an official blog (in English only) about his activities for almost two years.  Quebecnewyorkblog.org.

Says Mr Parisella on his front page in English only;

"I intend to use this space to keep you informed on my work and to update you on my government’s actions in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond."

He also has a FaceBook page and Tweets regularly on behalf of the office, all in English only, as well.

In fact the Twitter account associated with the blog, @QuebecNewYork, follows 101 other Tweeters, all English, except one! (Radio Canada Info)

This from an official Quebec government representative.

'Short stuff
After a few months of operation, the Quebec based site modeled after WikiLeaks has quietly gone on hiatus. Problem- nobody sent in anything to leak ..Link{Fr}

A veteran separatist and self-proclaimed 'intellectual' Gilbert Paquette complained that his Federal MP has dared to send a bilingual pamphlet to his home.
"I hope your future mailings will respect the French fact in Quebec until such time that we can remove the control of Quebec by the Parliament of Canada." Link{Fr}

Another unilingual Anglo has been publicly outed and denounced, this time a coach for the University of Montreal football team. Link{Fr}

In a fantasy too often repeated, a letter writer in La Presse, tells readers that in business, its more important to learn Mandarin, Spanish or Portuguese than English.... Portuguese. REALLY? Link{Fr}

Blame Canadiens Language Fiasco on Geoff Molson

For those of us Anglos who live in Quebec, even those stridently pro-English, the decision by the Montreal Canadiens to hire a unilingually English coach seems not only ill-conceived, but extraordinary foolhardy.

It's hard to understand the utter disconnection that exists between the management of the team and the political reality of the day.
Let us for the moment put the politics of language aside and consider that the Montreal Canadiens are a business, more importantly an entertainment business.
If I were to run an independent movie theatre in south shore Brossard (a town with many Chinese residents), I'd certainly consider bringing Chinese movies and having a staff (or some significant portion thereof) that could talk to an important part of the client base in their own language.
Same goes for a bookstore in Chicoutimi, where I'd likely concentrate on French books.
It isn't rocket science.

The most basic rules in commerce is recognizing what customers want and successfully delivering it. Companies spend billions on market research trying to figure out exactly what that is and relentlessly pursue this mission as if on a quest for the Holy Grail.
Whether or not it was the right hockey decision, let's be honest, only an idiot would hire an English unilingual head coach in today's Quebec.

Enter Geoff Molson.

When Geoff Molson bought the team and made the decision to dump the eminantly experienced Pierre Boivin as president, he took on the ultimate responsibility of top banana, a job he is clearly not up to.

It doesn't surprise me, children born of the silver spoon seldom achieve much on their own and Quebec's rich kids are no different.
There are notable exceptions, one that comes to mind is Pierre-Karl Péladeau, who after a rocky start at the helm of Quebecor has since found his rhythm and become a force to be reckoned with, a rough sort who actually has blossomed into a bigger and nastier SOB than his father.
Take that last description of PKP as a compliment.
Nobody can deny that his success in turning around the faltering dynasty that his father left him is based largely on the force of his personality, where his willingness to play rough is coupled with a keen single-mindedness and an amazing ability to manipulate.

But make no mistake, PKP is the exception.

Most children of billionaires and hundred-millionaires are not cut from the same cloth.
Most are coupon-clippers, who recognize their limitations and keep out of the public eye, content to occupy themselves with trivial pursuits while leading the life of genteel aristocrats. Most are uncomfortable dealing with the great unwashed and live in constant fear of being outed as unworthy and unsuccessful.

How do I know?
Well for many years I was the president of an important charitable foundation and as such trolled for dollars among the gazillionaire class.
Of course, most of the board of directors of foundations where I solicited donations were stuffed with a lot of these children of the rich and over the years, I grew to actually feel sorry for many of them who were bullied, belittled and marginalized by their parents and as adults grew into badly-adjusted and complexed human beings.

Many of them were in their forties and fifties, never really having done anything worth a lick in their entire lives and who resented their parents and their own wealth, but trapped by their own lack of skills.
I'm not going to mention names of those rich kids who choose wisely not to get involved in public life. They deserve their privacy.
I'm also going on record now as saying, that Geoff Molson was not one that I knew or dealt with, but alas he shows the classic signs of a rich boy underachiever.

From his less than stellar academic record, to a bunch of gimme jobs at Molson, he hasn't exactly set the world afire.
Here he is, looking like a clown, in a really bad television commercial.

This is the owner of the Canadiens?

Here's a video of him sucking up to Michel Arsenault the controversial and sometimes nasty leader of the Quebec Labour Union, the FTQ  Link

Now when underachievers get their hands on the throttle of real power, the results can be disastrous as is underscored by Montreal's Bronfman family.
Like all billionaire dynastic families, succession remains problematic and hotly contested. The reigns of power of the business empire of the late Samuel Bronfman had been successfully transferred to Edgar Bronfman, who in turn, when the time came to retire, made the disastrous decision to hand his son, Edgar Bronfman Jr. the top job.
Suffice to say that the Bronfmans remain a rich family with a small fortune.
Problem is that when Edgar Jr. took over the company, they had a large fortune!

One bad decision after another saw the Bronfman fortune fritter away and today the family fortune is just a pale reminder of what it once was.
Reading the history of the collapse of the family fortune is a sad reminder that a storied family name does not a businessman make.  Read Fortune's Fool

They say that most commercial airline crashes are the result of more than one error, a confluence of unlikely circumstances coupled with poor decisions. In reaction to a deteriorating and unsafe flying situation, a pilot makes a tragic miscalculation that the co-pilot does not pick up on.

It sounds like a good description of what happened to the Canadiens and their decision to hire Randy Cunneyworth.

Bad judgement times two.

Clearly both Geoff and the hapless Pierre Gauthier underestimated the public's reaction to a unilingual coach.
The decision remains stunningly stupid, because you, I and the panhandler on the street could have told them both, that hiring a unilingual Anglo wasn't the brightest idea.

You might ask how a francophone like Gauthier could be so disconnected from reality that he did not see the impending public relations disaster that was to result in his decision to hire Cunneyworth.
But Gauthier is a francophone in name only, his long career in the NHL has always been conducted in English and when he got the job with the Habs, he decided to remain in the USA by setting up his family in Burlington, Vermont, where his kids attend an alternate school. Gauthier and his anglophone family lead an alternate lifestyle and eschew the big city life in Montreal.
Unfortunately his time away and his choice to live in the USA has insulated him from the realities of Quebec, especially the explosive language issue. At any rate, how on Earth as a General Manager can he convince a free agent to move to Montreal, if he himself won't live there?

He is to say the least, the worst fit possible for Molson, who needs a francophone well-rooted in Quebec culture and an ex-member of the hockey world, either as a coach or player.

Molson's biggest failure is his inability to see Gauthier's firing of Jacques Martin for what it is, a panicked decision made in haste without a clear and cogent plan, an attempt to transfer blame for the on-ice fiasco from himself to Martin.

Jacques Martin may not have been the greatest coach, but the Canadiens problems could clearly be laid at the doorstep of Gauthier, who since taking over from Bob Gainey has made one bad personnel decision after another.

But more importantly, the person that Molson replaced, Pierre Boivin, would never have allowed what happened to happen.
Here' what he told a reporter;

"Although he believes that his team is disadvantaged by its desire to hire someone who speaks French to address the fans and media during the regular season, the businessman also believes that the Canadiens have a role to play in this regard and it is his duty to hire a local coach. "It's almost an obligation that the next coach will be able to speak to supporters and media in their language, but we are but one team among 30 who is concerned with this and it limits us in our selection process, " "I think our team deserves to finally have a coach of experience, we have to stop looking in junior or the AHL. We'll cross our fingers for there to be some French experience available, "he added. Link{Fr}

 And there it is, as honest an assessment as can be made.

Boivin brought the right balance of business and hockey to the job. I've always admired how professional and cool he remained in a very tough job. His personal life, so full of tragedy, perhaps steeled himself from making rash decisions.

For Geoff Molson, his immediate and panicked reaction was to throw Randy Cunneyworth under the bus, promising fans that he'd be gone at the end of the year.
For Cunneyworth, it's an unfair betrayal, the same fate that befell the unfortunate Don Lever last season, sacrificed over language.
A little better planning could have avoided all this.
Canadiens are going nowhere this year and if they had to wait until the off season for a suitable candidate for coach to present itself, then that's what they should have done.

Hockey fans in Quebec are emotional but not stupid. Everybody knows that it was Gauthier that should have been fired before Martin.

Everybody it seems, except Geoff Molson.

Anglo Quiz Revisited...

I hope you enjoyed the New Year's Day quiz and almost all the questions were answered correctly.

A couple of comments;

Question 4. 
Name two of Montreal's most famous steak houses?
Although correctly answered I thought someone would mention 'Gibby's'

Question 12. 
Name one borough that is home to a large part of Montreal's Haitian community.
Montreal North?

Question 13. 
Why is there a flower stall installed on Place Jacques Cartier in Old  Montreal?
This was without a doubt the toughest question.
There is a flower stall because the site was donated to the city and was to remain a public market forever. Without fresh produce being sold on the site, the property  would revert to the heirs.


Question 30.
What do Morris Fish (Supreme Court Justice), Irving Layton, David Lewis (former leader of the Ndp) William Shatner and Mordechai Richler all have in common?
Yes, Baron Bing High School.

Question 35.
What two famous historical adversaries have back-to-back street named after them?

Yes, Wolfe & Montcalm Streets.


Question 53.
Where is Montreal's version of Moncton's 'Magnetic Hill?'
Surpised nobody got this. The hill is  the little hump that connects Cedar avenue to Cote de Neiges. Drive to the bottom of the hill, place your gear in neutral and your car will seemingly drive back up the hill. 

 

By the way, Montreal police are used to people stopping their cars and giving the hill a whirl. If there's no traffic or its late a night , they won't complain.

 Question 57.
What famous Montreal fast-food joint will celebrate it's 100th birthday next year.
Although Mr. Sauga identified the joint as 'St. Lawrence Pool Hall' (I gave him credit for a correct answer), it is indeed the 'Montreal Pool Room' which hasn't had pool table in decades, but serves legendary steamed hot dogs.

Question 68
In addition to Chinatown and Little Italy, what is Montreal's third and newest ethnically named neighbourhood? 
Yup. as correctly answered, it is 'La Petit Mahgreb,' located around Jean Talon and named for the Arab community from North Africa.

Question 77

From this old photograph, can you identify the street you are looking down?

Look close, you can identify the big SNOWDON theatre sign that still exists on Decarie Blvd.

Question 83
What is Montreal's most famous strip bar?

While I accept SUPER SEXE as a correct answer, I always thought CHEZ PAREE was Montreal's most famous strip bar.

Question 96
What are Montreal's two most-preferred public suicide sites?

Before the Jacques Cartier Bridge erected anti-suicide barriers, it was in the world's TOP TEN most popular suicide sites. The other popular suicide site is the Montreal Metro, where about 25 people throw themselves in front of oncoming trains each year.

By the way, the Montreal press does not report suicides or attempts for obvious reasons. 

Tomorrow: 
Blame Canadiens Language Fiasco on Geoff Molson

Quebec's Extraodinary Public Servants

As a foodie, I do have a weakness for cooking shows, especially those that are realistic and provide useful information to part-time hobby cooks like myself.

The only French language show in the food genre that I watch regularly is Radio Canada's l'Epicerie, which is a show about food, rather than cooking and includes background on how and where our food is produced with an accent on Quebec and Canadian products.

A couple of weeks ago I was lounging on the couch and decided to run an episode which I had recorded earlier, certainly not looking for content for this blog!
The first story was about meal preparation at some of Quebec's public senior citizens homes, which I have to admit, I didn't have much interest in watching.

When I think of these institutions, visions of dreary and grim establishments manifest in my mind. Prison-like institutions built for seniors who cannot afford private placement and where warehousing these seniors is done as cheaply as possible. Places where elder abuse would not be surprising and where 'inmates' would be fed a cheap diet of Kraft Dinner, Jello and processed cheese sandwiches, then and trundled off to their unkempt rooms as early as possible.

Why did these visions run through my head?
Dunno, but we see so many grim stories of elder abuse at senior homes that I'd assume that if it were to take place, a public institution with uncaring and bored state employees would be the first place where it would happen.

My hopes weren't lifted when the hosts told viewers that the daily budget for food, three meals and two snacks was a paltry $6.00 per resident.
Six bucks! Considering that a large coffee at Starbucks goes for around four bucks, I could only  imagine the crap residents were fed.

That gentle reader is when my eyes were opened, to a world I never imagined existed!

A world where industrious government employees work hard and efficiently.
A world where innovative government employees work smartly!
A world where caring government employees consult and listen to those they serve!
A world where dedicated government employees take pride in their work!

Yes readers, this world does exist!
In Quebec you might ask?..........Yes.

The television story went on to chronicle the inner workings of the meal delivery system in several senior citizen homes in Quebec and viewing the story of these dedicated public employees doing a superb job brought tears to my eyes.

First correction.
The institutions aren't dreary, neglected or unsanitary. Not by a long shot.
Residents seem to be happy and living fulfilled and interesting lives. The caring staff are attentive and hard at work placing the welfare of residents first.

As the story rolled on, I felt a little embarrassed for making so many  wrong-headed assumptions.

The management of these public senior homes have bandied together to purchase food in bulk and save up to 60% from what we pay in the supermarket. The food budget is fixed, so they spend what they have and no more. The government isn't going to underwrite deficits, so close attention is paid to spend so much and no more. How refreshing!

Nutritionists prepare monthly menus in consequence to what can be bought, whether it be fresh vegetables when cheaply available in the summer or frozen during the expensive winter months. Stretching a budget is raised to an art form, something generally unheard of in government.

The menus provided are outstanding and positively impressive. Nutritious and healthy, they include meat, fowl, and fish and are tailored to the preferences of seniors, most of whom were born in the thirties.

Dedicated chefs prepare meals for hundreds of residents as if it was for their own family. Special attention by administrators is made to listen to residents through regularly scheduled meetings that discuss preferences.
More tomato soup. "Yes we can do it!"

I don't want to go overboard, but I was duly impressed by the evident pride shown by all of those interviewed for the story interviewed.
I don't think administrators of these homes provided a budget for yoga or hotel stays for their employees, nor do I think there's money available to send a team to the Bahamas or Hawaii to study how things are done there.
When I think back to the English Montreal School Board defending expensive trips abroad, I shudder.

Things can get better. I don't know what type of leadership exists in these institutions but it should be bottled and sent around to every government department.
I'm sure things aren't perfect, but what goes on here is so much higher above the bar of your average government department, that if replicated, it would likely save taxpayers  billions of dollars.

Alas to dream.....

And so readers,  while I promised to remain positive until the New Year, alas, I have to tell you another story at the other end of the kindness spectrum.

Each year local newspapers bring us a bunch of hard luck stories in an effort to drive donations to local Christmas holiday charities, be it the Salvation Army or what not.
I'm usually immune to these tales of woe, which I find overly exploitive, but it does not stop me from donating anyway.

Here is perhaps the nastiest and cruelest story that I've read all year. If you don't want to feel sad, skip past it.

Marisol Turcious is a 39 year old mother who is dying of cancer. Thirty-nine years old!
She is already in the latter stages of the disease and in palliative care, she doesn't have long to live.
Friends and family have contributed around six or seven thousand dollars for funeral expenses and a lap top computer that she uses to record messages for her four children, aged three to eighteen.

Marisol records these messages during periods of lucidity, the strong painkillers affecting her mental abilities, most of the time.
Two weeks ago her children were given permission to spend the night with her in the hospital.
That night someone broke into the modest apartment and robbed it of everything, the laptop, the money and anything else of value.
Marisol is devastated!

As I read the story, an unbelievable rage built within me. Really, WTF!

Readers, I don't know what to say...I think you'll agree that this is one SAD SICK story...

The crime remains unsolved, what else is new?
Our police are too busy giving out tickets to be concerned.

Read the story in English. Read the story in French

Here is a picture I clipped sometime this year. It says alot.

Translation- THIEF- We're immigrants, We don't have riches

Kinda makes the hulabaloo over Randy Cunneyworth's lack of French a case much ado about nothing.

Let's think about that as Christmas approaches.

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Before I go for the year, let me remind you of a typically Quebec news story. One that will provide a smile and a grimace.

A Châteauguay couple, whose home was burgled found their camera, part of the stolen loot, in a local pawn shop.
After calling the police, they were informed that it would be quite an ordeal to prove ownership and as such the police wouldn't bother seizing the property.

So what did the police advise them to do instead?
Buy back the camera, cops told them, after all, the pawn shop was only asking 50 bucks! Link{fr}
Arghhh.....

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Loyal readers, I'll be off for a while, but I've prepared a very interesting post for New Year's Day.

It's an offbeat quiz geared towards Anglo Quebecker or expats and as you nurse your hangover, you might find it a spot of fun.

By the way, a special thanks to all those who make this blog interesting by participating in the comments section.
I've been told by friends, it is the most interesting part of the blog and I heartily agree.
Whether you support my position or are a strident opponent, conversation, arguments and vehement online disagreements are always better than violence.

People continue to ask me to censor insulting posts, but as a libertarian, it's not something I'm keen to undertake.
For or against.... speaking out is a democratic imperative and yes, insults do serve their purpose and contribute to an understanding of what people are actually thinking and feeling.
To me, the important thing is to provide a different type, a forum for all.

Sometimes it's hard for anglos to tolerate those harsh sentiments offered by French language militants who post here, but more often than not, it's the other way around.

Thanks to all who participate in the comments sections, it is you all who make for an interesting read.

 Merry Christmas!   Joyeux Noël!

Happy New Year!   Bonne Année!