Watching the ongoing Quebec language debate over these last years, I remain sorely disappointed how easily the issue has been manipulated by French language militants into a public discussion based on a series of false premises that twist reality, resulting in public discussions over unreality.
One of the most blatantly false premises concocted by French language militants, is that of the calculation of Quebec English-speakers versus that of French-speakers.
Readers know my position on statistics and how they can be manipulated to more or less support any position one might want to promote or attack.
In this endeavor, French-language militants are expert in parsing, twisting or interpreting facts and statistics to suit their own purposes and it is our own fault and that of the Press that we give these conclusions any weight or credence.
In Fridays post one of our readers made the point that French students are clearly superior to English students because in a certain study among fifteen year-olds, French students scored higher than their English counterparts in reading by a score of 522 to 520, a statistical difference of about one-third of one percentage point.
Of course the alarming dropout rate in high school or the shameful performance in university graduation rates as compared to English speakers is of course conveniently omitted by the commenter, typical of the dishonest tactics regularly utilized by French language promoters, in the statistical war waged on the English.
But more importantly, there is another practice going on in the language debate that is more dangerous and insidious. That is the promulgation of a dishonest debate based on a false premise.
Consider two teams asked to debate whether the flat end of the Earth culminates in a cliff or a waterfall.
Participating in such a debate which starts off with such a decidedly false premise is absolutely pointless and so, the resulting 'winner' of said debate, is really of no consequence!
Believe it or not, we are engaged in that very same type of debate here in Quebec, over the issue of anglophones, Francophones, Ethnics and language.
Here French language militants have cleverly manipulated the basic premise of the debate between the relative weight of the French and English languages in Quebec by making a fundamental and dishonest leap.
I like to call that slight of hand 'Anglos with Red Hats.'
The simple issue of how many people use English rather than French in Quebec is manipulated and twisted by subjecting the rather simple question into a discussion about the number of Anglophones, versus Francophones, versus Ethnics with the resulting false premise adopted, that only 'pure-bred' Anglophones should be counted as English-speakers. It's nonsense.
By dividing English speakers by ethnicity, history or parentage and only counting a portion thereof, French language militants have been able to reduce the number of Quebec English-speakers from the very accurate count of 13.1% made by Statistics Canada, to that of 8%, or 5% or even 3% as I heard make mention.
Every time I hear the phrase "Historical Anglophones" or some other nonsensical qualifier used by militants, I think of 'Anglos with Red Hats,' a device whereby the numbers are reduced by dividing English speakers in sub-groups and then using just one of the sub-groups as a debating point.
Now as I mentioned in an earlier piece, I have a friend whose mother immigrated from Italy over forty years ago and believe it or not, doesn't speak a word of English or French.
She is as you would probably agree, quite an anomaly, not representative at all of the immigrant experience, but it is this type of 'ethnic' that Quebec language militants would have us believe is the norm, rather than the exception, and so can be counted as neither French-speaking or English-speaking, thus removed from the debate. Very convenient...
The reality is that almost every immigrant, their children and their descendants adopt either English or French as the language they use in public, regardless of what they speak around the dinner table.
Even there, the adopted language, either English or French soon becomes the lingua franca of the family and in fact, the children and grand children of immigrants usually lose the 'old' language as assimilation into the host society runs its course.
There are few Quebec Jews who speak the Yiddish that their grandparents came over with from Europe and that holds true among Italian, Greek and other immigrant families where the children and grand children lose fluency in the old tongue rather quickly.
It takes but one or two generations for the descendants of immigrants to become solidly entrenched in the English or French side of Quebec life, language included.
And so, regardless of mother tongue, ethnics adopt either English or French, take your pick.
It is this all important choice that Bill 101 tries to influence, so the government does acknowledge what French militants won't, that Ethnics will by choice become part of the French or English community.
So why all the different classifications?
Why do French-language militants insist on discussing Anglophones, Ethnics or Historical Anglophones versus Francophones, when in fact all we should be looking at is English-speakers versus French-speakers, period.
Obviously it is not convenient, especially with Ethnics, where the division of into English-speakers and French-speakers is asymmetrical and benefits the English side immensely.
More ethnics become English-speakers than French-speakers, so when debating the issue, its always more convenient for French language militants to return to the Anglophone versus Francophone debate while ignoring those pesky ethnics who assimilate to the English side in too high numbers.
Every time you hear or see a French-language militant use the terms Anglophones, Ethnics and Francophones in relation to language, remember that they are using a device to avoid talking about the real issue, English-speakers versus French-speakers.
Instead of comparing Apples to Oranges, they attempt to pull the wool over the shoulders of Quebecers by comparing 'Granny Smith Apples' to Oranges, (omitting the rest of the apples) a rather neat trick......
In Quebec's language debate, the amount of Anglophones, Ethnics or Francophones, is in fact, irrelevant.
All that counts is the number of English-speakers versus the number French-speakers, a fact that militants try hard to repress.
And so any discussion of history, ethnicity or mother tongue is just a case of counting"Anglos with red hats."
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” -Oscar Wilde.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Fans Lose Faith in the Habs
A lot of players have turned their backs on the Canadiens. |
When Cammallerie called the team a bunch of 'losers' or as they say in French, 'loosers,' it set the stage for another desperate move by management dealing him off to Calgary without even bothering to poll other general mangers for a possible better offer.
It was a sad confirmation that the noble Canadiens organization had gone off the rails.
When my son, as loyal and dedicated supporter as can be, gives up on the team, it tells me that the Habs have lost the respect of its most loyal fans, a group that would forgive practically anything (even an English coach,) but not losing like this and not a sad sack management team that acts like a bunch of bumbling clowns.
I have never in my life seen fans so down on the Habs as now. It's shocking.
Talk shows, newspapers and coffee cooler conversations are largely in agreement that the Habs are toast and that it's time to blow up the team and look for a lottery pick.
Over the
I choose today to relive my top Montreal Canadiens memories;
10. Earliest Memories
Going to the old Montreal Forum on Sunday afternoon to watch the Junior Canadiens play. 50¢ got you into the door and bought a standing room place behind the barrier on an aisle that separated the arena midway up the stands. I must have been 13 or 14 years old. It was a pretty good view. I watched the likes of future Habs stars like Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Jacques Laperrière, Guy Lapointe, Jacques Lemaire start their careers. The 1969 team was perhaps the greatest junior team ever assembled, with at least a dozen future NHLers.
09. My first slap shot.
They say that Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion was the inventor of the slap shot, but the first time I saw one live at a game, was in 1964 (I think) in a match between the Habs and the Chicago Black Hawks. Stepping over the blue line, the legendary Bobby Hull 'The Golden Jet' unloaded a cannon that whizzed by the seemingly stunned Lorne 'Gumper' Worsley.
By the way, how come players in those days all had great nicknames?
08. Best game watched on TV.
In a 1993 playoff game against the L.A Kings, the Canadiens were already down in the series 2-0 and about to lose again when coach Jacques Demers asks the referee to measure Marty McSorley's hockey stick for an illegal curve. On the ensuing powerplay Eric Desjardins scored to tie it up and then scored in overtime to turn the series around.
I remember this game like it was yesterday because I was forced to watch on a tiny twelve television in a motel room in Chicoutimi, all by lonesome.
By the way, is that the recently retired Kerry Fraser doing the measuring?
7. Best playoff run 1993
The recording-breaking ten overtime wins on the road to the Stanley cup was easily the best playoff run ever.
6. My Uncles first Hockey Game
My uncle had come over from the old country for a visit and hearing that I had season tickets asked to attend a hockey game. His closest experience to hockey was soccer, which he knew pretty well and so he had a pretty easy time understanding the game on the ice, even the offsides.
What he didn't understand was the hoopla at the end of the game and why the fans weren't leaving, considering that the Canadiens had lost the game.
You see, I explained him, they were about to award the Calgary Flames the Stanley Cup.....
5. Best comeback
The 2008 Rangers game where the Canadiens overcame a 5-0 lead. Watch highlights on YouTube
Ken Dryden's legendary pose |
Most gentlemanly player - Jean Beliveau, plus he was my favorite captain.
Best fighting matchup - John Fergusan versus Toronto's Eddie Shack
Best nickname- Yvan Cournoyer -"The Roadrunner'
Most exciting player- Guy Lafleur
Favorite goalie- Gump Worsley (style wise- the Tim Thomas of his day)
Favorite tough guy- Chris 'Knuckles' Nilan- Worst enforcer- Georges Laraque.
Favorite coach- Scotty Bowman
Best play-by-play broadcast team- Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin. Worst-Bob Cole plus anyone
Best French announcer- René Lecavalier
Best Brother team- Frank and Pete Mahovolich (I was too young to recall the 'Rocket' Richard, but I do remember his younger brother, Henri, the 'Pocket Rocket')
Favorite quirks -Serge Savard's 'Spinerama' move. J.C Tremblay's lobs from center ice that bounced three feet in front of the goalie, scaring the crap out of them and actually scoring a couple of times.
03 Biggest disappointment
The 1967 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup final. The Canadiens were a better team and favored (at least in Montreal.)
03. Best Hockey food
The everlasting Forum hotdog (even in the Bell Centre), perfectly cooked with a grilled bun, with a slap of mustard.
Cheap & simple perfection. Still love it.
02. Most drama
Patrick Roy telling general manger Ronald Cory that he'd played his last game in Montreal after being pulled by Mario Tremblay after a humiliating performance,
01.Greatest Habs memory
This is a no-brainer. It was the seventh game semi-final against the Bruins in the old Forum in 1979 overtime. Trailing by two goals in the third period, the Canadians mounted a comeback and when the Bruins took a too-many men penalty, Don Cherry jumped up on the bench and mocked the crowd, intimating that it is they that influenced the referee. That sequence is memorialized each week on Coach's Corner.
After Lafleur sent the game into overtime, late in the game with a blistering slapshot from just inside the blue line, Yvan Lambert scored the winner in overtime, eliminating the Bruins. It was the most dramatic game I ever witnessed.
I met Lambert twenty years later and kidded him that he had kicked the puck in the net. (I swear he did, I had a pretty good view) and he got furious at the accusation. I met him again last year in the old-timers VIP lounge in the Bell Centre when I was talking with Jean Perron and he interrupted our conversation to remind me once again that he didn't kick the puck in the net. Ha, I guess he's still sensitive about it!
Well I feel better just thinking about all those Habs memories and I bet you've got some fond memories of your own as well.
Let's hear it in the comment section, What is your GREATEST Habs memory!
At any rate, having the Habs perform so poorly this year really sucks.
Its a bit depressing in the frigid dog days of January, looking on at even less hospitable February, where all we sports fans want nothing more than to hunker down in front of the TV set in anticipation of another Habs win (0r at least a competitive game) with hockey players who we can be proud to cheer for.
Alas it is not to be....
Maybe next year......
By the way, if I'm wrong on some facts or figures, so be it. I wrote all this from memory, so gimme a break......
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Sunday Housekeeping Again
Dear Readers,
I want to take a moment to discuss the new threaded Comments Section, which when sprung upon me and you without warning by BLOGGER, seemed like a great addition.
Perhaps it is, but to be honest, I'm having a hard time getting used to it.
I've tried to help by installing a 'Recent comment list' in the right margin of the Blog and I hope it helps until we all get used to the new system, which I'm sure we will.
The first effect of the change is that we're likely to see more comments as readers reply individually to each comment instead of making batch replies.
So be it.
I am unable to change threaded comments, even if I wanted to, the option not afforded to EDITORS by the ubiquitous BLOGGER.
At any rate, I'm glad to report that this week our blog saw over 15,000 page views, a new record. I will always refer to NDOA as 'our' blog, because reader comments are as, or more important than my contribution.
Fridays post received over 160 comments and over 12,000 words in response.
I'm very pleased that I've provided a forum for discussions that are sorely lacking by the politically correct English media.
As for TROLLS.
Bless you all, you're part of the debate.
I won't restrict access, as I've said before. I will not become a censurer, unless you cross a line.
Please try to be droll or sarcastic in your denunciations. I do so enjoy a witty or sarcastic put down, even directed at myself!
I would also ask Trolls to adopt a screen name, it won't kill you or affect your anonymity. It will allow others reply directly.
As for comments that are suppressed, I'll repeat my policy;
Anything overtly racist or insulting, without any redeeming value will be axed.
Mindless quotes from public personalities- Karl Marx, Pierre Falardeau, Rene Levesque et als, meant to be 'in your face' insults, won't be tolerated.
Thank you all for your contributions!
I want to take a moment to discuss the new threaded Comments Section, which when sprung upon me and you without warning by BLOGGER, seemed like a great addition.
Perhaps it is, but to be honest, I'm having a hard time getting used to it.
I've tried to help by installing a 'Recent comment list' in the right margin of the Blog and I hope it helps until we all get used to the new system, which I'm sure we will.
The first effect of the change is that we're likely to see more comments as readers reply individually to each comment instead of making batch replies.
So be it.
I am unable to change threaded comments, even if I wanted to, the option not afforded to EDITORS by the ubiquitous BLOGGER.
At any rate, I'm glad to report that this week our blog saw over 15,000 page views, a new record. I will always refer to NDOA as 'our' blog, because reader comments are as, or more important than my contribution.
Fridays post received over 160 comments and over 12,000 words in response.
I'm very pleased that I've provided a forum for discussions that are sorely lacking by the politically correct English media.
As for TROLLS.
Bless you all, you're part of the debate.
I won't restrict access, as I've said before. I will not become a censurer, unless you cross a line.
Please try to be droll or sarcastic in your denunciations. I do so enjoy a witty or sarcastic put down, even directed at myself!
I would also ask Trolls to adopt a screen name, it won't kill you or affect your anonymity. It will allow others reply directly.
As for comments that are suppressed, I'll repeat my policy;
Anything overtly racist or insulting, without any redeeming value will be axed.
Mindless quotes from public personalities- Karl Marx, Pierre Falardeau, Rene Levesque et als, meant to be 'in your face' insults, won't be tolerated.
Thank you all for your contributions!
Friday, January 13, 2012
French Versus English Volume 43
Hilarious language video goes viral
On
Wednesday I wrote that the demonstration in front of the Bell Centre by
French language militants, protesting the hiring of a unilingual
anglophone as coach of the Montreal Canadiens, would probably result in
many free agents striking Montreal from the list of possibilities.
There is however another negative development, which I could not have predicted.
It's a hilarious video, a send up of demonstrators that is all the rage on YouTube.
When I first posted the video, there were less than 400 clicks, but since then, it has gone viral.
At the time of writing this post, there have been over 70,000 views.
Now I know that humor transcends the language barrier with great difficulty and many Francophones, even bilingual ones will have trouble 'getting' the video.
Trust me when I say that the video is extremely insulting and portrays the demonstrators as hopelessly sad ideologues.
The seriousness of those interviewed belied the fact that they were being mocked rather shamefully by Abdul, who is admittedly quite the deadpan comedian.
What kind of impact will the video have?
Regulator worried about companies avoiding public stock offerings in Quebec
The AMF, Quebec's regulatory agency for stock markets, brokers, etc. has publicly noted that some companies having their headquarters outside Quebec avoid making a public offering in the province, because of Bill 101.
"As stipulated by the law, companies are required to write their prospectus in French. The prospectus is a document to be published by any company planning to raise funds on financial markets.
According to the AMF, nearly 54% of companies avoid public offerings in Quebec due to language requirements imposed on them.
To justify their decision not to raise funds from Québec investors, the businesses claimed it is a question of costs related to the translation of texts.
"Companies are saying, 'We'll go somewhere else to raise money and we will exclude Quebec from our efforts.' So it's a situation, in fact, that is a concern to us and something on which we will have to consider, "said Sylvain Théberge, spokesman for the AMF. Link{Fr}
Quebec workplaces least diversive
"...Seventy-three per cent of Canadians describe their workplace or school as diverse, compared to 70 per cent of Americans, 68 per cent of Britons and 67 per cent of French respondents.
Sixty per cent of Quebecers work in a multicultural environment, the lowest proportion of any province.
Fewer Quebecers work and study in multicultural environments because most of the province’s immigrants are concentrated in Montreal, and because the city attracts fewer immigrants than Toronto or Vancouver, Jedwab said. Also, Quebec has a lower proportion of cultural minorities in government jobs than other provinces, he said.Fifty-seven per cent of francophones in Canada describe their workplace as diverse, compared to 74 per cent of anglophones and 83 per cent of people who speak a language other than English or French.." Link
Does Premier Charest want a Francophone coach for the future NHL team in Quebec?
The headline in La Presse announced that the Premier of Quebec wants a francophone as a coach of the future Quebec city franchise;
"Charest favorable à un entraîneur francophone pour les Nordiques" Link{Fr}
but the headline in English media said something a little different;
Over the course of the Cunneyworth debate of late, most of the language militants who complained publicly over the issue, made sure to use the term 'unilingual anglophone' when describing the issue. But every now and then they forget the word 'unlingual and complained about an 'anglophone' as coach of the team. Freudian Slip?
I think so.
Under all of this pseudo talk of unilingualism, there lies an undertone of racism, where the idea of an anglo running the team is offensive, bilingual or not.
So what exactly did Premier Charest say, Francophone or bilingual?
Actually both...
In the article, the Premier told reporters that a future coach of the Nordiques would have to speak French 'as a minimum,' but later on, mentioned in joking that if ever the Nordiques couldn't find a qualified Francophone, they could hire Quebec City mayor Regis Lebaume. Link{Fr}
More English schools closing
For over two years Quebec nationalists have been crowing that the unemployment rate in Quebec was lower than in Ontario, something that rarely happened before.
Of course it was only a matter of time before Ontario pulled itself out of the recession and restored itself to more traditional numbers After a disastrous month of job losses Quebec's unemployment rate ballooned to 8.7% as opposed to Ontario's number which declined to 7.7%;
Citing the example of French Catholic school boards and French secular school boards which were created in the late eighties to better serve the Francophone community, particularly in the Ottawa area, an opinion piece in Le Devoir by Pierre Allard is calling fro the Catholic church to split the Archdiocese of Ottawa along linguistic lines.
A report in the European Journal of Epidemiology indicates that the life expectancy for Quebec Francophone men is 76.5 years, which is 2.3 years less than for Anglophone men. For Francophone women life expectancy is 81.8, or 1.4 years less than their Anglophone counterparts. The difference is particularly marked among men in major cities other than Montreal, like Quebec City, Sherbrooke and Gatineau, where the difference is 5.1 years.
Higher smoking rates and higher alcohol consumption among francophones are signaled as the major contributing factor to the gap, Link
Mohawk Doctor in peril of losing her license over French
A doctor practicing in the Montreal suburb of Chateauguay, (which has a large Anglo community) is in jeopardy of losing her license because she cannot pass a French exam.
Brought up in the nearby native reserve of Kahnawake Mohawk territory, Dr. Ojistoh Horn is the first female Mohawk medical doctor from Kahnawake. She is the daughter of Kahentinetha Horn, an important native activist.
Readers should understand that Native bands in Quebec are closely associated with either the English language or the French language, but not both. Mohawks, along with the Cree in the North, speak English along with their native tongue. French on these 'English-leaning' reserves is practically non-existent.
Dr. Horn is to be given one last chance to pass the French test, before being suspended. Link{Fr}
Radio personality complains that restaurant brawlers spoke too much English.
But as amusing as it is, it was a brawl between two English parties, one Asian and the other Black, so why does this story make the French versus English page?
It's hard to believe but blowhard radio whiner Benoît Dutrizac, actually complained on the radio that the two fighting groups spoke only English.
I'm not making this up.
While interviewing fellow language supremacist Mario Beaulieu on his radio show, he decried the fact that everyone involved spoke English, as well as the waiters.
Why?
Dunno....perhaps if one group spoke French, he'd of had someone to stick up for.
Listen here, the fun starts at 2:50 LINK{Fr}
Controversial mayor
For Huntington mayor Stéphane Gendron it's been quite a turbulent couple of days. First he was assailed by Jewish groups for remarks he made on his television news magazine where;
Perhaps it was to deflect the overwhelming condemnation over his Israel remarks, Gendron again lashed out at the OQLF, telling them that his Eastern township town (40% English) would not comply with regulations making French predominate. Link{Fr}
First baby of 2012
Once again Quebec's first baby of 2011 left French language militants wringing their hands.
Tyler Stephen Wilson was the first baby born in Quebec in 2012, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, weighing 3 kilograms.
Here's a picture of the
happy English couple and readers can draw conclusions as to why the Jacques Noels of the province were none to pleased.
If you've got some time this weekend, watch this food/travel show which will illustrate why we all love to live in Canada's most imperfect, yet most exciting big city...
"Without Montreal, Canada would be hopeless, it's where the cool kids hang ....-Chef Anthony Bordain;
Link to see video |
There is however another negative development, which I could not have predicted.
It's a hilarious video, a send up of demonstrators that is all the rage on YouTube.
When I first posted the video, there were less than 400 clicks, but since then, it has gone viral.
At the time of writing this post, there have been over 70,000 views.
Now I know that humor transcends the language barrier with great difficulty and many Francophones, even bilingual ones will have trouble 'getting' the video.
Trust me when I say that the video is extremely insulting and portrays the demonstrators as hopelessly sad ideologues.
The seriousness of those interviewed belied the fact that they were being mocked rather shamefully by Abdul, who is admittedly quite the deadpan comedian.
What kind of impact will the video have?
Nothing flattering, that's for damn sure. Think back to "Star Wars Kid'
The video just may be the worst nightmare possible for French language militants, becoming a meme, portraying them as buffoons across the Internet.Regulator worried about companies avoiding public stock offerings in Quebec
The AMF, Quebec's regulatory agency for stock markets, brokers, etc. has publicly noted that some companies having their headquarters outside Quebec avoid making a public offering in the province, because of Bill 101.
"As stipulated by the law, companies are required to write their prospectus in French. The prospectus is a document to be published by any company planning to raise funds on financial markets.
According to the AMF, nearly 54% of companies avoid public offerings in Quebec due to language requirements imposed on them.
To justify their decision not to raise funds from Québec investors, the businesses claimed it is a question of costs related to the translation of texts.
"Companies are saying, 'We'll go somewhere else to raise money and we will exclude Quebec from our efforts.' So it's a situation, in fact, that is a concern to us and something on which we will have to consider, "said Sylvain Théberge, spokesman for the AMF. Link{Fr}
Quebec workplaces least diversive
"...Seventy-three per cent of Canadians describe their workplace or school as diverse, compared to 70 per cent of Americans, 68 per cent of Britons and 67 per cent of French respondents.
Sixty per cent of Quebecers work in a multicultural environment, the lowest proportion of any province.
Fewer Quebecers work and study in multicultural environments because most of the province’s immigrants are concentrated in Montreal, and because the city attracts fewer immigrants than Toronto or Vancouver, Jedwab said. Also, Quebec has a lower proportion of cultural minorities in government jobs than other provinces, he said.Fifty-seven per cent of francophones in Canada describe their workplace as diverse, compared to 74 per cent of anglophones and 83 per cent of people who speak a language other than English or French.." Link
Does Premier Charest want a Francophone coach for the future NHL team in Quebec?
The headline in La Presse announced that the Premier of Quebec wants a francophone as a coach of the future Quebec city franchise;
"Charest favorable à un entraîneur francophone pour les Nordiques" Link{Fr}
but the headline in English media said something a little different;
Future Quebec City NHL coach must speak French: Premier Charest Link
The difference in the above two headlines isn't just splitting hairs, one headline indicates that the Premier wants a French coach, the other says that he wants a French-speaking coach. The discrepancy is not lost on we English who are interested to know if a French-speaking anglo is acceptable or not.
Over the course of the Cunneyworth debate of late, most of the language militants who complained publicly over the issue, made sure to use the term 'unilingual anglophone' when describing the issue. But every now and then they forget the word 'unlingual and complained about an 'anglophone' as coach of the team. Freudian Slip?
I think so.
Under all of this pseudo talk of unilingualism, there lies an undertone of racism, where the idea of an anglo running the team is offensive, bilingual or not.
So what exactly did Premier Charest say, Francophone or bilingual?
Actually both...
In the article, the Premier told reporters that a future coach of the Nordiques would have to speak French 'as a minimum,' but later on, mentioned in joking that if ever the Nordiques couldn't find a qualified Francophone, they could hire Quebec City mayor Regis Lebaume. Link{Fr}
More English schools closing
"Things might be looking up for several schools at the English
Montreal School Board on the cusp of a crucial vote on school closings.
In
a surprise move on Monday, the EMSB announced that its long-range
planning committee now recommends closing three schools instead of six.
The committee has also backed off several proposals to relocate schools
and programs.
No final decisions have been made yet. Commissioners will vote on the proposals on Wednesday."
Quebec Unemployment numbers explodeFor over two years Quebec nationalists have been crowing that the unemployment rate in Quebec was lower than in Ontario, something that rarely happened before.
Of course it was only a matter of time before Ontario pulled itself out of the recession and restored itself to more traditional numbers After a disastrous month of job losses Quebec's unemployment rate ballooned to 8.7% as opposed to Ontario's number which declined to 7.7%;
A call for a French Archdiocese in Ottawa."You never have to look far to count the ways in which Quebec breaks with the rest of the country.
Quebecers watch more television than Canadians in any other province, due to a thriving French-language broadcasting industry that regularly draws more than a million viewers for its top shows. They’re the least-stressed, play hooky from work the most, and traditionally have the lowest rate of home ownership.
But Statistics Canada's numbers released Friday show Quebec is also splitting from other provinces on job creation, registering another employment decline in December while the rest of the country was either up or flat. Quebec’s jobless rate stands at 8.7%, higher than that of the United States."LINK
Citing the example of French Catholic school boards and French secular school boards which were created in the late eighties to better serve the Francophone community, particularly in the Ottawa area, an opinion piece in Le Devoir by Pierre Allard is calling fro the Catholic church to split the Archdiocese of Ottawa along linguistic lines.
"Of the estimated 400,000 faithful of the Archdiocese of Ottawa...some 40% are francophone, with the majority English. In a context where the religious institution remains an important factor for the Franco-Ontarian minority who built the parishes and churches in their own image, ever since the nineteenth century, is it not time to question the linguistic structure of the church and give back to the French, collectively, the direction of their parishes? Is it not time to split Dioceses along language lines? Why not?" LINKAnglos outlive Francophones.
A report in the European Journal of Epidemiology indicates that the life expectancy for Quebec Francophone men is 76.5 years, which is 2.3 years less than for Anglophone men. For Francophone women life expectancy is 81.8, or 1.4 years less than their Anglophone counterparts. The difference is particularly marked among men in major cities other than Montreal, like Quebec City, Sherbrooke and Gatineau, where the difference is 5.1 years.
Higher smoking rates and higher alcohol consumption among francophones are signaled as the major contributing factor to the gap, Link
Mohawk Doctor in peril of losing her license over French
A doctor practicing in the Montreal suburb of Chateauguay, (which has a large Anglo community) is in jeopardy of losing her license because she cannot pass a French exam.
Brought up in the nearby native reserve of Kahnawake Mohawk territory, Dr. Ojistoh Horn is the first female Mohawk medical doctor from Kahnawake. She is the daughter of Kahentinetha Horn, an important native activist.
"Roxann Karonhiarok selected (for an Indigenous person award..ed.) Kahentinetha Horn, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, and her daughter, Dr. Ojistoh Horn, the first female Mohawk medical doctor from Kahnawake. Roxann described the mother and daughter as, “An amazing duet and strong women."Unfortunately she apparently doesn't have a satisfactory command of French, according to the licensing board which has as a requirement that every doctor be capable of passing a French exam.
Roxann said, “I nominated Ojistoh because she delivers our babies. Being a matrilineal society she is responsible and takes a hands on role in the delivery of the mothers of our nation." She added, "That woman does not sleep. She does house calls and even looks after people during family events on her time off! I love that beautiful woman. She’s an inspiration and deserves it!” LINK
Readers should understand that Native bands in Quebec are closely associated with either the English language or the French language, but not both. Mohawks, along with the Cree in the North, speak English along with their native tongue. French on these 'English-leaning' reserves is practically non-existent.
Dr. Horn is to be given one last chance to pass the French test, before being suspended. Link{Fr}
Radio personality complains that restaurant brawlers spoke too much English.
For
those of you who haven't seen the video of a New Year's eve brawl in a
Montreal Chinatown eatery, the New Dynasty, watch it here;
It's hard to believe but blowhard radio whiner Benoît Dutrizac, actually complained on the radio that the two fighting groups spoke only English.
I'm not making this up.
While interviewing fellow language supremacist Mario Beaulieu on his radio show, he decried the fact that everyone involved spoke English, as well as the waiters.
Why?
Dunno....perhaps if one group spoke French, he'd of had someone to stick up for.
Listen here, the fun starts at 2:50 LINK{Fr}
For Huntington mayor Stéphane Gendron it's been quite a turbulent couple of days. First he was assailed by Jewish groups for remarks he made on his television news magazine where;
"On the December 27 edition of his Face a Face talk show on the V Television Network, he called Israel an "apartheid state" that "does not deserve to exist." LinkSuffice to say that Mr. Gendron is not a fan of the Jewish state. He also is not afraid to take on other sacred cows and has in the past criticized the Office québécois de la langue française, and openly mocked Mario Beaulieu in an interview, calling him intolerant.
Perhaps it was to deflect the overwhelming condemnation over his Israel remarks, Gendron again lashed out at the OQLF, telling them that his Eastern township town (40% English) would not comply with regulations making French predominate. Link{Fr}
First baby of 2012
Once again Quebec's first baby of 2011 left French language militants wringing their hands.
Tyler Stephen Wilson was the first baby born in Quebec in 2012, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, weighing 3 kilograms.
Mom Teresa Howick Wilson and husband are ecstatic.
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FINALLY LET'S FINISH WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE POSITIVE!If you've got some time this weekend, watch this food/travel show which will illustrate why we all love to live in Canada's most imperfect, yet most exciting big city...
"Without Montreal, Canada would be hopeless, it's where the cool kids hang ....-Chef Anthony Bordain;
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Threaded Comments...Enfin!
Threaded comments.....Yes, readers, it was as big a surprise to me, as to you!
Blogger finally sprung a useful update.
Friends, I think it's a great improvement.
Tomorrow, F versus E #43....don't miss it, it's a good'un...
Blogger finally sprung a useful update.
Friends, I think it's a great improvement.
Tomorrow, F versus E #43....don't miss it, it's a good'un...
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