Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Revisiting Hérouxville

Hérouxville is the small rural village in central Quebec that garnered world-wide attention when it published a 'Code of Life', a document directed at immigrants and meant to teach then how to integrate.

The town has become became the poster boy of Quebec racism and has been the subject of scornful derision by liberal, urban Quebeckers, who have lampooned the town mercilessly.
Here are two examples, videos to which I've added subtitles, followed by the translated version of the 'Code of Life'
ENJOY!




This cartoon features a tradition Quebec folkloric song style and parodies André Drouin, the Hérouxville city councillor who spearheaded the campaign and helped promote the 'Code of Ethics'




Hérouxville "Code of Life"


  • People vote with their face uncovered.
  • A woman may divorce her husband.
  • A divorced woman can have custody of her children.
  • A divorced woman is entitled to an equal division of accumulated property.
  • All students must take compulsory art courses.
  • All students must take compulsory music courses.
  • A woman may play a musical instrument.
  • All students must take compulsory science courses.
  • A girl cannot be married before reaching the age of 16.
  • A girl cannot be forced to marry a man.
  • A girl may not suffer any genital mutilation.
  • A woman disobeying her husband cannot be killed.
  • Females may not suffer abuse for failing to maintain a religion.
  • Women may wear trousers.
  • No public building may offer rooms for religious rituals or prayers
  • A taxi driver may not refuse to carry a passenger accompanied by a dog.
  • A taxi driver may not refuse to carry a passenger who is transporting alcohol.
  • Where the law requires the wearing of a safety hat, there will be no exceptions.
  • When the practice of a sport requires protective clothing, there will be no exceptions
  • The food served to prisoners does not have to meet any religious criteria.
  • The food served in schools does not have to meet any religious criteria.
  • The food served in our hospitals does not have to meet any religious criteria.
  • Men and women swim together in public.
  • Women do not swim fully dressed in public places.
  • At school, a girl may sit next to a boy.
  • Girls and boys are to travel in the same school bus.
  • Towards the end of the year, people may wish others Merry Christmas.
  • Towards the end of the year, people can put up Christmas trees.
  • At work or elsewhere, a woman can read a letter written by a man.
  • At work or elsewhere, a man can read a letter written by a woman.
  • A doctor or nurse may care for men.
  • A doctor or nurse may care for women.
  • At the hospital a nurse may be alone in a room of a man.
  • At the hospital a woman patient speaks directly to her doctor.
  • At the hospital, the sick can receive a blood transfusion.
  • In the hospital patients wear the required clothing.
  • In the hospital, staff wear the required clothing.
  • An employer may require its employees to dress in a uniform.
  • Schools may require that their students wear uniforms.
  • Men accompany their wives to prenatal classes.
  • At any time, a woman may offer aid to a man.
  • On every occasion, a man may rescue a woman.
  • A woman may teach male persons.
  • At the swimming pool, a woman can lifeguard male persons.
  • A policewoman may scold a man.
  • A woman can show her hair without fear of being raped.
  • A police officer may scold a woman.
  • An employee may work after sunset.
  • A worker may be required to work on Sunday.
  • A female ambulance attendant may transport and treat a man.
  • Employees receive all the same legal holidays.
  • Employees respect the same work schedule.
  • Children are not allowed to fast during the school periods.
  • All schoolchildren must respect school hours.
  • Girls are required to attend school.
  • Workers must eat to accomplish their tasks.
  • The same schedule of school exams is respected by all.
  • The same schedule of sports in schools is respected by all.
  • Men and women may participate in sporting events together.
  • The schedule of events for amateur sports is respected by all.
  • In our schools, children do not carry weapons or fake weapons.
  • At work, employees do not carry weapons or fake weapons.
  • A woman must take school exams unaccompanied.
  • A woman can correct tests of a man.
  • A woman can teach a man.
  • Men and women can practice sports together.
  • The food we consume does no have to be approved by various religions.
  • In-store displays don't have to be approved by various religions.
  • Our identity documents shall include our photo.
  • Men talk to women receptionists.
  • In our hospitals, men and women may share the same room.
  • It is unlawful to smoke in public places.
  • Contracts of divided property must be respected by all.
  • Municipalities are not required to set aside any area to meet religions requests.
  • Any person may be approached by a sniffer dog.
  • No book can teach a man to beat his wife.
  • No book can recommend hanging homosexuals in public.
  • It is forbidden to physically attack people who do not think the same way.
  • Nobody may burn a dead body in public.
  • When a person dies, an autopsy may be requested.
  • Hospital beds are not oriented to the prayers.
  • Alcohol and gelatin based products are used in our hospitals.
  • Alcoholic beverages are sold on campus.
  • The state sells for profit, alcoholic beverages.
  • Schoolchildren may read the book "The Three Little Pigs"
  • People are free to believe or not believe in God.
  • Everyone must obey municipal regulations.
  • It is forbidden to disinter a corpse for a religious celebration.
  • When conversing people must look each other in the eyes.
  • In public people show their face openly.
  • When greeting, women shake hands with men.
  • People of different skin colours attend the same school.
  • Working men and women rub shoulders.
  • While waiting in line, men and women each wait their turn.
  • When using public transport a woman sits where she wants.
  • Polygamy is illegal and is punished.
  • Universities, schools and hospitals may not provide places for prayer.
  • Factories and other places of work may not provide places for prayer.
  • Every employee must pay his union dues.