All that changes when these complaints about Quebec society are made in the United States where Quebeckers seem extremely sensitive to their image.
Mordechai Richler could have lived a life of ignominy in Quebec had he not written devastatingly critical articles about Quebec in publications like the New York Times and the Atlantic Monthly. His book, Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Requiem for a Divided Country, a scathing portrayal of Quebec society, set the province into a raging fury. He became Quebec's biggest scoundrel and most hated Anglo. He remains today the most powerful example of betrayal and for many Quebeckers mention of his very name still elicits a nasty response.
"Quebec society is extremely turned in on itself. Our art and our culture shows only white francophones. Anglophones and immigrants are ignored. They have no place in the québécois dream. It’s shameful.Macleans.ca magazine writer Philippe Gohier commented that Tierney would probably regret having given the interview altogether and I tend to agree. Read his article here.
I'm not going to discuss the merits of Tierney's argument because I'm not really qualified. Like most Anglos, I almost never watch Quebecois films..... Hmm
But the reaction to this little known filmmaker, an ex-Montrealer now living in Los Angeles is quite telling.
Had the comments been made in Toronto or Montreal , the story wouldn't have earned more than a couple of inches of ink, but because the comments were made in the USA, watch out!
I don't think that Jacob Tierney will become as notorious as Mordechai Richlier, but he didn't win many friends with his comments and garnered many enemies. I hope he won't be showered with the the hate mail and threats that Richler and his family received but he will get some, no doubt.
The reaction to the comments made by this relative nobody is nothing less than astounding.
"Did we ask to have Atom Egoyan to necessarily portray Quebecers in all his films?"...."I think these kinds of comments are outdated and unnecessary." commented the President and Chief Executive Officer of cultural enterprise development (SODEC), François Macerola. LinkThe directer general of Téléfilm Canada, Carolle Brabant, countered the criticism by saying that the investment the agency makes in English Quebec films in disproportionately higher than the what demographics would dictate.
"As is still the case unfortunately, an Anglophone Montrealer, Quebecker, Canadian has spread unfounded prejudices about Quebeckers, Jarrett Mann, président du festival SPAS
"His rhetoric of contempt for us is deeply offensive. I do not think that that is the way to rally us to his cause. " Stéphanie Chalu
Mr. Tierney seems to describe Quebec society as a backward-looking and intolerant society, thus opening a new chapter in the book of "Quebec bashing" Reynaldo MarquezAn over-reaction? I think so.
The phenomenon isn't restricted to Anglos.
"The battle for a free Quebec died in 1970"
It seems that the weight of the argument is less important than the locale in which it is expressed.
Make depreciating remarks about Quebec society in Montreal or Toronto and you'll be roundly ignored. Do it in Los Angeles or New York and all Hell will break loose.....Interesting, eh.
Yes, beware, don't say anything they don't want to hear. Which of course proves that the comments are correct from the reactions.
ReplyDeleteBut, most importantly, their Achilles heel has been revealed. Since Ottawa won't do anything for anglophones and allophones in Quebec, then anglophones and allophones should make sure that the US & France media know what is going on in Quebec.
Quite many Québecers are like this on a personal level. When you don't agree, they call you names and refuse to debate a point of view that differs from theirs. This can be largely observed on the comments on sites like Cyberpresse and Radio-Canada. And not restricted to sensitive subjects such as language and politics.
ReplyDeleteApparently, 80000 people showed up in Quebec City for the Iron Maiden concert. Let's see what Quebec nationalists will say about that. Although I suspect they will conveniently ignore it, and continue to drone on the way they always do - with little or no acknowledgment of the reality that surrounds them.
ReplyDeleteYa know what, good for Jacob Tierney and Mordechai Richler and anyone else for speaking this way. I have always found it funny how separatists can constantly complain about English Canada with total disregard of what they say, like Normand Lester who can write up a bunch of bs and sell it to all the lemmings that will believe him. But god forbid anyone speaks out against Quebec. I think Quebec is turning into the “ Iron Curtain“ of North America.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's true that Lhasa, les Frères Diouf, Florent Vollant, Samian, Lorrain Klaasen, ... All make carreer in the Rest of Canada ! For living several years, I can say that maybe Québec is at least as well diversify than the Rest of Canada ! But nobody answer the question: Why anglophones in general don't listen music in other languages, don't read books from other writers than anglophones one, always make remake of movies with their actors ? But they export everywhere their movies ( I think at the american movies ), their music, their best-sellers ??? Vive Iron Maiden et Vive le Québec libre ! Non, la bataille n'est pas morte !:)
ReplyDeleteOu sont les francophones dans le cinéma canadien de David Cronenberg ? D’Atom Egoyan ? De Guy Maddin ? De Don McKellar ? De Bruce McDonald ? De Deepa Mehta ? Why the Québécois must have higher standards than canadians (anglophones) ?
ReplyDeleteAnd why Canada's zealots alway stole the symbols of Québécois ? Like the Name ''Canadiens'', the maple leaf, the beaver, the maple syrup, the national anthem (written by Routhier and music by Lavallée) and now the poutine ?! Je suis Québécois et je n'aime pas la poutine mais là franchement, trouvez-vous une identité propre !
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 10:38 AM
ReplyDelete"Why the Québécois must have higher standards than Canadians (Anglophones)?"
The same reason why an Anglophone needs to have higher standards that Francophone in Quebec to excel in this province. Would you ever vote for and Bilingual anglo ? I think not.
I work for a major outsourcing company that is global, yet I work within a group in Montreal and 50 percent of them cannot speak English, where I have to speak both languages and all of the customers we support are in the US. You should see the amount of times I am asked to please translate something is unreal, thank god for the token Anglo in the group Eh? .
I think Quebec is turning into the “ Iron Curtain“ of North America.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more accept to say, it's already done. No one can criticize the sacred blue province, especially if you are one of the 'others. In my opinion, the mental state of the Quebecois majority is an insecure, confused mess.
Je suis Québécois et je n'aime pas la poutine mais là franchement, trouvez-vous une identité propre !
Same ole dismissive crap spewed by every brainwashed Quebecois; that is to say, Anglos Canada has no culture. What a load of BS. On the contrary, what is most awesome about Anglos culture and what makes the Engish language so incredibly enduring is the fact that we embrace other cultures and use words and phrases from other languages at will, if only to make the English language more flexible and effective. The French language will die a slow death in N. America precisely because of the closed and restrictive mind set of it's native speakers. Like a captive wild animal, the French language will never be free to wander and flourish. Wise up before you destroy all that is good in Quebec.
10:38AM:
ReplyDeleteIt's Adam Egoyan, not Atom, and add to that list even bigger names like James Cameron and Norman Jewison.
Quebec is seeking a homogneous society with the artificial alibi that their culture will disappear. Well, it might, but does attacking the minorities justify what Quebec has done to "save" its culture.
In any case, the word "culture" in Quebec is a buzzword for its politics and why it justifies forbidding languages other than French equal size, equal time, etc. etc. etc.
Quebecers were ignoramuses led by the nose by the Roman Catholic church and despot rulers (like Duplessis). Minorities are the scapegoats because the «pur laine» were led like stupid sheep by shepherds who took full advantage of their ignorance for over two centuries.
The minorities lived by better credoes than the «pur lainers» did, and so it's their fault? The had smaller, more manageable families, better education and a better work ethic that encouraged growth and prosperity.
The «pur lainers» couldn't stand the fact they were duped, so they did turn on their greatest oppressors (the Church and despotic politicians), but also turned on those who created their prosperity (the minorities).
To 11:04AM: We have a real identity, and for a long time The Maple Leaf Forever was our national anthem. I don't care much for Alexander Muir's words because it is exclusive. It's all about "King and Country".
I SPEAK English, and that's the one and only commonality I share with the Brits. I do not fight for a monarch, and never will. I consider unconditional loyalty to an individual, a stranger, idolatry. The monarchy goes to individuals for nothing more than the accident of birth.
@Anonymous: It's Atom, not Adam, Egoyan. Really.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. The Quebecois are indifferent to criticism from Anglos in Quebec but very sensitive to it from the USA. Not sure why that is. Projectionism? The Toronto guy.
ReplyDeletetoddsschneider: I stand corrected! It is Atom!
ReplyDeletewow didn't know Jean-Daniel Lafond was such a hardcore federalist. That being said, there's a growing Quebec-bashing movement in .... France! Weird but true.
ReplyDeleteTo Steve July 13, 2010 12:31 PM ''Would you ever vote for and Bilingual anglo ? I think not. '' Yes, I've ever voted for an anglo- Jack layton ! Your turn, have you ever voted for an independantist ?
ReplyDeleteTo anonymous July 13, 2010 1:21 PM : It's ATOM Egoyan look at IMDB July 13, 2010 1:21 PM !
ReplyDeleteTO Anonymous July 13, 2010 12:31 PM ''On the contrary, what is most awesome about Anglos culture and what makes the Engish language so incredibly enduring is the fact that we embrace other cultures and use words and phrases from other languages''-- I think you don't understand the meaning of my claim: Why you embrace other cultures but you're not able to support that you're not served in english or if you live in Québec you are a minority- an invented one but in fact a real one ( I re-take the expressiond of the book ''L'invention d'une minorité. Les Anglo-Québécois Josée Legault (avec une préface de Claude Morin) Montréal: Boréal, 1992, 282 p. The hypocrisy of embrace other cultures by Canada is just for judging Natives, Acadiens, Franco-ontariens, Québécois and the forgotten one to treat them like any other minorities ! Without consideration for all people that built that country named Canada ! A distinctive society is not only a word in a sentence, it must be a way to govern it's destiny like it wanted ! And it's true for a people that compose Canada ! If they want it, it's their more legitimate right !
ReplyDeleteI like your post and admire the work you're doing. Good for you; keep it up. Once again you have underscored the endless hypocrisy of the Quebecois and the their duplicitous political parties. As mamy observers have noted over the years as they try to make sense of Quebec, the Quebecois are full of contradictions and BS. The separatists steadfastly employed deceitful, belligerent tactics to advance their cause and have poisoned an entire society with their destructive rhetoric in the process. So what is happening to Jacob Tierney is common place, vilify and marginalize all those that oppose the cause, or speak out against the injustice and mind numbing dogma. The Quebecois should be embarrassed by such conduct, but they're not, and that's what so troubling and infuriating. The Quebecois are now comfortable with their tyrrany and finacial dependence on the charitable ones, Canadians.
ReplyDeleteThis behavious goes years back, read on the treatment of free masons in Quebec and what the good québécois did following the guiding light of monseigneur bruchesi, now that us one street I would rename before amherst.
ReplyDeleteBut nobody answer the question: Why anglophones in general don't listen music in other languages...blah, blah, blah.
ReplyDeleteGet a clue dude...it's because of American hegemony, and Quebecois prejudice. For most Anglos American entertainment blows away Quebecois entertainment, which doesn't represent us anyway. Duh!! Apart from that, in my experience most Anglos don't really like Quebecois music, to be blunt we think it sucks (except for a few obvious talents like the Pag and Hormonium). What can you do, Anglo culture is greatly influenced by the numerous American and British entertainment like rock bands, so Quebecois music stricks us as lame and rather quaint. Never mind American tv, film, mags, news...I mean forget about it. You don't stand a chance. How much time on our hands do think we have? For me...if I've got an hour to watch tv, the choice is clear. And don't forget the simple fact that Anglos have been systematically diminished and marginalized by a mean-spirited Francophone majority, so why would think there would some sort of inherent interest in our oppressors culture. Geez Louise.
Anonymous 1:21PM: “I do not fight for a monarch, and never will. I consider unconditional loyalty to an individual, a stranger, idolatry”
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, one of many things that separate western liberal democracies from absolutist systems is that the cult of personality is rarely publically displayed in democracies, even for the more popular politicians. Carrying large pictures of politicians at marches or rallies, or erecting monuments for them is unheard of in democracies, and common is non-democratic systems. I was therefore surprised when I saw a Rene Levesque giant at “le defile de geants”. My jaw dropped. People seem to treat this guy like a god. He’s like Moses that brought his people out of slavery into the promised land. And now his giant figure is paraded on June 24th, like Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels were at May 1st parades in the communist block.
Whatever it is, these people have to snap out of it. They talk about being “les people colonisee”, but they show that mentally, they still are. Worshipping a politician is degrading for the people that do it. It shows the mindset of people who never really moved on beyond a certain point.
Quebeckers like to say that by dropping all association with the Catholic Church they’ve let go of dogmatism and have become a free-thinking humanistic secular society. But what they really did was they swapped one dogma for another. Leveque has become the new Moses, Parizeau the new Jesus, the PQ the new evangelists, and Bill 101 the new bible.
And so this society remains dogmatic and ideologically driven. With scores of people "buying it", even if the ideology is full of evident contradictions and fallacies.
Anonymous 12:38AM: “And don't forget the simple fact that Anglos have been systematically diminished and marginalized by a mean-spirited Francophone majority, so why would think there would some sort of inherent interest in our oppressors culture.”
ReplyDeleteThis is a good point that I’ve made many times and never got any logical reply to. Why should we show any interest in the Quebecois culture if first of all it is really lame, and second of all it is a hostile, vengeful, petty, and exclusive culture to begin with. What incentive do I have to embrace a culture whose aim is to side swipe all other cultures in Montreal?
Also, not being open to the Quebecois culture does not mean not being open to other cultures. Quebecois culture is not the only culture out there. There are many interesting cultures beyond the Joual one, although the self-centered Quebec nationalists don’t consider them as viable alternatives.
Anonymous, July 13 @ 7:59PM:
ReplyDeletePlease don't introduce a putrid individual (and I'm being diplomatic here) like Josée Legault into this. She was on CJAD (only because CJAD has deteriorated to a shadow if its former self), ran off like a bandit when a French radio station offered her a job and ran back to CJAD as fast as she left when the French station fired her. Didn't CJAD also offer Julie Couillard a job as well? She's a glory-seeking call girl!
To anonymous July 14, 2010 8:27 AM : It's not because you're a zealot that you can insult Josée Legault ! Just watch all your Don Cherry, Howard Galganov, Mordecai Richler,Brent Tyler and many others ! You just drop your venom on Québec because it pissing you off to not be able to crush the french language by your steamroller that in fact is english ! Si vous n'êtes pas capables d'apprendre le français, je crois que c'est plus de la mauvaise foi qu'une incapacité ! Individuals rights are not above the collective rights ! And one important for Québécois is to live and work in french- English is for the relation with the overseas relations with english people ! Like spanish is for relations with overseas spanish speaking people ! Moi, je ne fais aucun effort avec les anglos-Québécois qui comprennent très bien le français et le parle mais refuse par laxisme ou simplement par mépris pour les habitants du Québec dans sa grande majorité !
ReplyDeleteAlso, not being open to the Quebecois culture does not mean not being open to other cultures. Quebecois culture is not the only culture out there. There are many interesting cultures beyond the Joual one, although the self-centered Quebec nationalists don’t consider them as viable alternatives.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, for Anglos this goes without saying really. Anglos do engage with all sorts of cultures; near as I can tell we thrive on it. But we are a discerning and demanding lot and if we can’t relate to it we won’t be interested. Most Anglos I know do like many aspects of Quebecois culture, they just pick and choose. Anglos are not swept up in the emotional whirlwind of Quebecois nationalism. So there are many cultural interests we just won’t have because we can’t relate to the ‘Fierté National’ that is expressed time and again. Personally, I find Quebecois culture closed and boring, particularly the music. I like heavy metal and hard rock. I troll the world seeking out bands from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Russia, US, UK, Canada, and I learn a lot about different cultures along the way. Awesome stuff! If good bands were coming out of Quebec, I’d be interested but it’s not happening. Point being, Quebecois music is inadequate for me. There just isn’t enough going on to satisfy me, so I look elsewhere (I feel the same way about Canadian music too.). Does that make me a ‘bad Quebecer’? The Quebecois nationalists would say “Yes, you are bad because you don’t respect and embrace; therefore, you don’t belong’.
To Anonymous July 14, 2010 12:08 PM ''There are many interesting cultures beyond the Joual one, although the self-centered Quebec nationalists don’t consider them as viable alternatives.''-- You just show your ignorance. First of all, what the culture of Joual ? I though it was very popular talking language, at the same title than slang english ? Revoyez vos définitions, si pour vous le Québec, c'est uniquement le joual ? Sortez de chez vous un peu !? And for heavy metal and hard rock, there's a lot of Québec bands famous, here's some: Voivod, Kataklysm, Cryptopsy, Obliveon, Dead brain cells, Martyr,Quo Vadis, A perfect murder, Groovy aardvark and a lot more ! Maybe you don't know really much... I give you a chance ! I listen metal too and it don't stop me to traditionnal music from Québec to Vanuatu (do you know where is it ?) Québécois culture is not more boring than an other one ? Maybe your closed mindways ? Me, i find that boring sometimes that english market never listen music in other languages except english ? Why Opeth don't sing in swedish, Amorphis in Finnish ? Because they know that english -especially American one don't buy music sang in other language !
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous July 14, 2010 12:08 PM
ReplyDeleteYou raise some good points about Quebec heavy metal. I do listen to the bands you listed, but I need more. And traditional music doesn't really interest me that much period, so I would never be drawn to the Quebecois tradition, nothing personal dude. As for Opeth and Amorphis (two of my favs but Amorphis is more accessible) they do sing in Swedish and Finnish on some songs, but not many, so your point is well taken. But I think they sing mainly in English because they are trying to reach a broader audience around the world and have come to accept that English is the linguae francae for Europe and Asia, and of course America. My sense of it is they do this willingly without resentment towards Anglos, and don't feel compromised or ashamed to do so. Frankly, I admire Euro bands for their multilingual talents, I think it’s awesome that are so at ease with it and it’s so natural for them. Personally, I listen to other bands that sing in their native language like Rammstein, I just use a translator to get the gist of what their saying. Finally, I’m sorry if I offend you when I say I find Quebecois culture somewhat boring and out of sync with more taste (I’m not closed minded). However, your objection illustrates my point that the Quebecois are commonly offended by the Anglos communities’ general lack of interest and feel that we somehow have an obligation to show interest and respect and to participate. Somehow we are made to feel disrespectful for not loving all things Quebecois. What can you do? If it don’t come naturally, it just won’t happen. Face it my friend, language divides us (and always will), but death will unite us. Check out www.metalfromfinland.com, and rock on. May the love of metal bridge the gap between us and save our sorry asses. Peace.
Jacob doesn't live in L.A. He lived there for a short time but is now back in Montreal and has been for several years.
ReplyDelete