Weekly Anglo Quebec News June 6-13

Want to Keep up with Quebec News in just 5 minutes?
Perfect for Ex-pats or those in a rush!

Here's a short, subjective weekly review of Quebec news from the Anglophone POV.

Montrealer astronaut Julie Payette was scheduled to blast off into space aboard the space shuttle 'Endeavour on Saturday, making her second trip into space, but the mission was delayed due to a hydrogen leak. When she does take off, she'll be joining fellow Canadian, Bob Thirsk aboard the International space Station and for the first time 2 Canadiens will be in space at the same time. Both Payette and Thirsk (even though he's from BC) are McGill University grads. Payette speaks 5 languages, plays the piano and has sung on stage. Oh yes, if you haven't noticed - shes a hottie!....


Crowds gathered at overpasses to honour 20 year old Private Alexandre Péloquin, aged 20, of the Royal 22e Regiment, based at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City, the latest Canadian casualty of the war in Afghanistan. Ever since the highway which is the route used to repatriate war dead from Trenton air base to Toronto was renamed the 'Highway of Heroes', Ontarians have manned overpasses along the highway to express gratitude for the soldier' ultimate sacrifice, when the sad procession passes by. Peloquin became the 119th soldier to die in the Afghan theater. Sadly, Quebeckers have not shown the same level of dedication.

Months ago, Foxnews in the US ran a story on the satirical show 'Red Eye' that mocked Canada and it's military. If you have a strong stomach watch it here.
Give the network credit. After the show aired, somebody in the executive office was royally pissed and the show was cancelled and most of it's participants fired.


This week saw the publication of a poll indicating that most Quebeckers don't think sovereignty will happen. The findings were a bitter disappointment for those seeking Quebec independence. Asked directly if 'Quebec should be a separate country from Canada' 54% said 'NO' and 34% said 'YES'.
Factoring in the undecided, the numbers are even more telling- 61% -NO versus 39% YES.
A whopping 74 % felt sovereignty was very unlikely or not at all likely to ever occur. See the details of the poll

Pauline Marois, leader of the Separatist Parti Quebeois opposition party, announced a plan to lead Quebeckers (when her party forms a government) to independence by taking jurisdiction in areas of federal responsibility, including tax collection, language and cultural matters. The idea behind the plan is to show Quebeckers that they need more power in order to control their own destiny. Should Ottawa refuse to cede these powers it would likely lead to conflict, which according to sovereignist ex-Premier Jacques Parizeau would be a good thing. In a speech to a sovereignist group Parizeau is quoted as saying, "One of my former assistants said, 'to make sovereignty, there needs to be a crisis."and later said, "In fact, maybe we'll have to create the crisis,Read the story.
Two sovereignists from the past supported Parizeau's view. Ex-Premier Bernard Landry and disgraced party militant Yves Michaud both came out in support of the statement, which of course did Marois more harm than good. She quickly went in to damage control mode and rejected the idea of provoking crisis to help Quebec gain sovereignty. read the story
Quebec Premier Jean Charest almost fell over himself laughing at the idea and even the blogs had a cynical take on the plan. On Thursday the Premier accused Marois of completely losing control of the her party.
Pierre Cloutier created a hilarious sendup entitled "Pauline wants her Cake and to Eat it too" (translation-ed) an imaginary meeting between Marois and the potential new Prime Minister Ignatieff, next year. Read it


Louise Harel who announced she's making a run at the mayor's job at Montreal city hall this fall has anglophones apoplectic at the idea of a separatist who can't speak English, running the city. Harel was the architect of the law that folded all the island towns into Montreal when she was a Minister in the PQ government in 2002, something that anglos will never forgive her for, notwithstanding that the English towns demerged out of city, a couple of years later as a result of a referendum granted by Liberal Premier Charest. Minorities are also wary of the ex-PQ hardliner after she made some injudicious remarks about the city's minorities. Read my Post.
An anglo reporter started a firestorm of controversy when in response a question, Harel made a hash of her English answer. From there, newspapers both English and French started a lively debate as to the suitability of a unilingual mayor. Nationalist and separatist groups launched a furious defense and staked out a position that English is irrelevant and unnecessary for Quebec politicians.


The French media was also furious in relation to an editorial piece in the Montreal Gazette that commented on the popularity of Louis Harel among anglos;

"Among public figures, perhaps only Mom Boucher could make Tremblay look so good in comparison."

Mom Boucher is a notorious Quebec gangster who was head of the Quebec division of the Hell's Angels and is now serving a life sentence for two murders. The French papers quickly took the unfounded position that the Gazette was comparing Harel to Boucher. Read a blistering counter attack to the editorial(in French)

A man who was allowed to produce pot for medical reasons went a bit too far. Yvan Ferland, 50, faced cannabis production and possession charges after police discovered a whopping 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of pot at his home in December 2007. Read the Story

Guy Bertrand is offering a $170,000 reward to find Cedrika Provencher. The family of the missing Trois-Rivieres girl has enlisted the help of the flamboyant defense lawyer to help crack the case. The family and the lawyer are being criticized because of the 'no questions asked' provision of the reward. Read the story. We often hear about abducted children but here's a web site makes that makes it uncomfortably personal.

Lise Thibault, the former lieutenant governor (constitutional representative of the Queen) of Quebec still hasn't been charged with a crime, 2 years after a probe reported on her alleged overspending, double dipping and inappropriate expense claims. We're not talking peanuts, it's $700K. It seems that crown prosecutors are sitting on their hands as nobody wants to be the one to put the 70 year old wheelchair bound cripple, who's in poor health, in jail. Read about her outrageous expense claims here, and here


It's coming down to the nitty-gritty, the Montreal Canadiens will soon be sold. If the $500-$600 million price tag bandied about in the media is true, George Gillett stands to make about $300 million on a team which he bought for $10 million of his own money (the rest was borrowed.) Not a bad return, eh!

Montreal and Quebec police have been red hot of late in fighting organized crime. This week 'Operation Borax' took down a marijuana grow op run by members of the city's Vietnamese community. The 100 or so people arrested were growing weed in their homes, providing equipment or reselling the product. Thursday police broke up a drug gang operating downtown. In the last 4 months, no less than 13 major operations have taken down over 500 suspects related to organized crime. Guards at Montreal remand centres report they are operating at over-capacity. Defence lawyers are also working overtime to handle the load.

Unfortunately, Montreal police haven't been so successful in tracking down a robber who committed his 43rd holdup! He targets small business' without video surveillance where single women are working.

The Shriners announced that it's putting it's planned hospital on hold, due to flagging income from it's investment portfolio due to the market meltdown. It was to be built along side the new McGill super hospital. Now both projects look like they are in deep trouble.


Quebec's liquor monopoly the SAQ reported a 6% increase in profits. The state run company made a $807 million profit on $2.2 billion in sales.


The Quebec government is suing four parents of two drunk students who started a fire in their high school. The Province is seeking a whopping $16 million in damages and a guilty verdict will certainly bankrupt all of them. The province is standing on principle that parents are responsible for acts committed by minor children. Link in French

......FAST NEWS LINKS..
Montreal restaurant O'Noir is staffed by blind servers. Opening soon in Toronto
Montreal MP Sheila Finestone dies at 82
Former Selwyn House teacher pleads guilty to child porn
Quebec pedophile priest found guilty-30 years after the crime (in French)
Montreal baby's heart cures itself miraculously

Quebec Language Wars- Vol. 2

Concordia launches English-Speaking Communities Research

NetworkNews Release; MONTREAL, April 15 /CNW Telbec/ -
Concordia University and its School of Extended Learning are pleased to invite you to the official launch of the Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN) in the presence of Mr. Graham Fraser Commissioner of Official Languages.

I wasn't thrilled to read about Concordia's plan to study Quebec's Anglo community.
It sounded like a project aimed at some endangered indigenous tribe in Papua New-Guinea, one bordering on extinction. Hmmm... that might be right!

Université de Sherbrooke not French Enough
The school was taken to task by a French language crusader for using improper French.
In a letter to the Sherbrooke daily 'La Tribune' a certain Jean-Marie Dubois, professor emiritus and winner of the ultra-prestigious 'Prix 2009 du Mouvement estrien pour le français', fulminates against the choice of 'Parc Innovation' (which sounds too English) instead of "Parc de l'Innovation", which according to the letter writer is the correct form.
Apparently the excuse that 'Parc Innovation' sounds better, just doesn't wash.

Letter Writer Knows what Ails the Habs - Language
A recurring theme among many fans and even sportswriters is that the problem with the Montreal Canadiens can be fixed by hiring more francophone players. Link

"Until we don't reinforce the Québécoise identity, the team can never accede to the path of glory"

Radical Group Proselytize in CEGEPS
The radical Mouvement Montreal Francais has been granted access to a number of Montreal CEGEPS to proselytize students over the importance of Bil 101(the law restricting English use). At the same time, the group solicited students and faculty to sign their petition in favor of adding harsher language measures to the law. They also invited students to attend the organization's annual meeting.

I wonder if a federalists groups would be offered such unfettered access?

Letter Writer denounces vulgar "Garage Sales'
In a letter written to Sherbrooke's daily newspaper 'La Tribune' a reader is thrilled with the birth of a new French term for 'garage sale'. The writer decries the term 'garage sale' as a vulgar anglicism and much prefers the more eloquent term of 'vente-débarras' (Getting rid of-sale) Link

Satirical letter is Bang on
Faced with a depressing poll which shows support for sovereignty at a new lows, Pauline Marois has decided that instead of calling for a referendum, she and her party will concentrate on pushing Ottawa to cede more power to the Quebec provincial government.

In response to that ridiculous notion here is a hilarious piece by Pierre Cloutier.

Instead of just providing the direct link for the piece I've reprinted it here with some annotations for those of you without French.

La scène se passe à Ottawa en 2013. Pauline Marois, la nouvelle et première première ministre vient rencontrer le premier ministre du Canada, M. Michael Ignatieff.
(The scene takes place in Ottawa in 2013. Pauline Marois,the new Premier of Quebec meets the Prime Minister of Canada, M. Michael Ignatieff.)

MI - Hi Pauline, how are you ?

PM - Je vais fine merci.

MI - What can I do for you, dear Pauline ?

PM - I come here to have plus de pouvoirs(political powers) for Quebec.

MI - You want more powers for Quebec

PM - Yes

MI - And what kind of powers you need, dear Pauline ?

PM - I have a liste here in my sacoche(purse)


MI - Ok, lets' have a look. Your list is very long. It look like a grocery list.

PM - Not exactement. You see, my peuple(people) want his souveraineté(sovereignty).

MI - I see. You want more powers for Quebec to get out of the Confederation

PM - Not exactement. My peuple want its souveraineté et en attendant(until then) we need more pouvoirs(political powers).

MI - In others words, you want the cake and eat it too.

PM. Non, not the cake, juste le beurre et l'argent du beurre.(just the butter and the butter money.(a French version of the cake reference-ed.))

MI - I see. I will discuss that with M. Coderre. Can you give me a phone call, let see, say....next year at the same date and time.

PM. Ok d'abord, I will retourne(go back) to Gatineau just l'autre bord du(on the other side of the) bridge. I am not pressée(in a hurry). I have all my temps(time in the world). Les souverainistes are very sick... je veux dire(I mean) patients Like patients(sic..patience) in the hôpital.(hospital)

MI - OK, OK. I understand what you are talking about. And what you will do if I say NO.

PM. I will make one referendum pour each pouvoir you refuse me.

MI - I see. So goddbye, dear Pauline. I will see you next year, ok ?

PM. Ok, I will revenir(be back).

author - Pierre Cloutier

Political Correctness At The Montreal Gazette

On Tuesday, The Montreal Gazette ran a story- '95 arrested in huge drug sweep' about a huge drug sweep carried out by the Montreal Police. The writer PAUL CHERRY went to great pains to intimate that those arrested were of Vietnamese background, yet never came out and said so flatly.

"Several of the accused required the services of a Vietnamese interpreter"

Until I read an article in Le Journal de Montreal later that day, I didn't realize that almost every single person arrested was Vietnamese and in fact that the operation had targeted marijuana production and sale by members of organized groups in the Vietnamese community.

'La police frappe le crime organisé asiatique'

It seems there are two different attitudes between the papers, with the Gazette clearly omitting the fact that the organized crime rings were Vietnamese in order to remain politically correct.

Is it relevant to mention that the group was Vietnamese? I think so.

We often read stories of the Mafia, the Russian mob and Caribbean and Asian street gangs, so why gloss over the fact that the above crime was committed by an organized (albeit loosely) group of Vietnamese.

In fact, the police should be doubly congratulated for their good work, considering how difficult it is to penetrate criminal enterprises that are made up of closed communities that speak a foreign language.

What You Can Do about Faulty Lab Results

The recent revelations about botched lab tests in relation to Quebec breast cancer patients has the public scratching their heads and those affected reeling.
The real question remains;
What can you do if you are affected and how can you prevent your test from being botched in the future?

In the case of the breast cancer tests that are the center of the controversy, it's important to understand that;

In 20 to 30 per cent, there are disagreements between labs and individuals on whether a result is negative or positive because of variables in technique and interpretation, said Jared Schwartz president of the College of American Pathologists, a world authority on lab quality control and accreditation.

"The problem is there is no gold standard anywhere on how you call a specific test positive or negative," Schwartz said, also co-chair of an international team that's developing universal guidelines on process and criteria that pathologists will use.-The Gazette

That's a pretty scary statement. I bet your doctor didn't tell you that little fact when you received your diagnosis and your treatment regimen.

Perhaps we should all be mindful of the Russian proverb and heed it's advice;

"doveryai, no proveryai" - “Trust but verify.”

And here's something we can all do as patients to take back a little control in our care-.

GET A SECOND OPINION!

It's not such a foreign concept but it's something most patients don't bother doing.
Remember;

"About 85 per cent of decisions that doctors make about the diagnosis and treatment of their patients are based on lab tests," said Nathalie Rodrigue, president of the Ordre professionnel des technologists médicaux du Québec." - -The Gazette

Now the government isn't saying which labs have screwed up and isn't unlikely to do so. All labs are not alike, some better and some worse.

In the case of a serious illness, I'd certainly pay for a second test out of my own pocket, regardless the cost and I'd send the sample to a top notch lab.

How to differentiate between the good and the sloppy?

There are standards. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) does accredit labs that have achieved and maintain the highest possible standards.

"The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program is an internationally recognized program and the only one of its kind that utilizes teams of practicing laboratory professionals as inspectors. Designed to go well beyond regulatory compliance, the program helps laboratories achieve the highest standards of excellence to positively impact patient care.

The program is based on rigorous accreditation standards that are translated into detailed and focused checklist questions. The checklists, which provide a quality practice blueprint for laboratories to follow, are used by the inspection teams as a guide to assess the overall management and operation of the laboratory." LINK

There are just four labs in Quebec that have attained this accreditation.

C.D.L Medical Laboratories Inc

5990 Chemin de la Cote des Neiges

Montreal, QC - H3S1Z5 Cirion Biopharma Research, Inc. Clinical Laboratories 2121 Berlier St Laval, QC - H7L 3M9 DiaTech Oncology Laboratory 740 Dr Penfield Ave Ste 4200 Montreal, QC - H3A 1A4 St. Mary's Hospital Center Main Laboratory 3830 Lacombe Avenue Montreal, QC - H3T 1M5

For CAP accredited labs in your area, you can consult the CAP website for an easy to use lookup database.

Anglophones Leaders Making a Massive Error in Attacking Harel's Lack of English

Not since the Conservative party ran the famous 'crooked face' television ad mocking Jean Chretien's physical handicap, has a political manoeuvre backfired so badly as the concerted Anglophone attack on Louise Harel's lack of English proficiency.

Making the election into a French vs. English affair is a recipe for disaster and one that will backfire badly. Turning Harel into a victim of anglophone oppression may actually win her the mayor's job out of spite.

Considering the fact that ever since de-merger, the anglo percentage of Montreal population has dwindled to about 20%, the numbers don't add up for a language attack.

Harel's image has gone from a jack-booted, sovereignist, hard-liner, to a humble Chretien-like character being mocked for her inability to speak English, a failing incidentally, that is shared by most of the voters in Montreal.

If the Anglophone community wants to live to fight Harel on her record, they better back off and apologize for the language slur.

Otherwise..... CHECKMATE...

The nationalist forces are mounting a spirited and highly successful counter-attack and have already won the hearts and minds of the voters over this issue.

LCN, the French language news network ran a story in which sovereignists Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Quebecois) and Mario Beaulieu (Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal), defended Louise Harel's lack of English. See the Video

According to Duceppe;

"it's useful to speak another language, but not speaking English isn't a handicap."

That simple statement is what this whole issue can be boiled down to. If speaking English is allowed to become the major issue of the election, than Harel will win. There are too many voters in the same shoes as Mme Harel.

Now for some silliness...
In that same piece by LCN, Mario Beaulieu dropped this doosy.

"it isn't a big deal, nobody makes a fuss about the unlingual English mayoress of Beaconsfield."

That statement led me to do a double-take.-"Unilingual mayoress of Beaconsfield"?

Is he talking about Anne Myles who hasn't been mayor of Beaconsfield since 2005, when Bob Beneditti won the mayor's job?
Must be..

When I looked back to check my facts and dates, I found this pearl of a comment in a CBC News report by then leader of the Parti Quebecois, Bernard Landry;

Bernard Landry

Commenting on the 2003 election win of Anne Myles as mayor of Beaconsfield, he said;

"You have seen the election of a unilingual person in a municipal council," he said. "That's not progress. A public person in Quebec, most of the time, must be fluent in both languages."

Hmmmm. I wonder if he'd like top repeat that statement today....


Now, back to Mr. Beaulieu, who should probably hire a fact-checker before speaking.

If he did hire one, he'd know that while Myles is no longer around, there remains at least one unilingual English mayor in Quebec after all, a man who is presiding over town council in the small, wealthy and under the radar town of Hampstead.

That's right, Mayor William Steinberg can't carry on a conversation in French, in spite of being a life long resident. According to the mayor, it's because of a hearing disability. Hmm..

The tiny bedroom community of predominantly wealthy and highly educated Anglophones doesn't seem to mind his lack of French at all.
So I ask you, why should francophone voters in Montreal object to Harel's lack of English?

For those opposed to Harel's candidacy, it's time to re-group and re-think strategy, otherwise Montreal will be led by a sovereignist, unilingual francophone who will quickly revert to her nasty old self once the election is won.

Municipal elections boast notoriously low voter turnouts. The winner won't be the one who wins over converts but rather the one that can turn out his or her own constituency on voting day.

That's what the candidates should be concentrating on, getting out the vote by figuring what hot buttons to push that will inspire people to vote.

Up to now, it's 1-nil for Harel.