It is unbelievable that in a city that eats and breathes hockey, the dismal Canadiens and their years-long descent into mediocrity has gone uncriticized, with nobody in the French media willing to say out loud what they know in their heart, which is that the Canadiens management from the top-down cares less about winning and more about the business, both ends which don't mesh well in a market where language dominates everything.
Compare the kid-glove treatment the Habs owners, management and coaches enjoy despite wallowing in utter mediocrity to that of the Maple Leafs who were quick to unload the overpaid and ineffective coach at the behest of a furious fan base and an outraged media.
The Canadiens, their fans, ownership and the media are content to let the current situation fester because changes mean upsetting the idea that the team is being capably run by francophone management.
No other organization in the NHL would allow such buffoons to remain in place.
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| Bergevin/Molson Most incompetent management team in the NHL |
While Quebec was once a powerhouse province, second only to Ontario, the language obsession has over the last forty years reduced Quebec to beggar status, dependant on handouts from the hated Anglo provinces.
With the Canadiens, it is easier to see that decisions made because of language rather than hockey is costing the team its competitiveness.
Let us remember the vociferous outrage by the French media in December 2012 when the Canadiens fired francophone coach Jacques Martin and replaced him with a non-French-speaking anglo, Randy Cunneyworth.
“Although our main priority remains to win hockey games and to keep improving as a team,” Molson’s statement read, “it is obvious that the ability for the head coach to express himself in both French and English will be a very important factor in the selection of the permanent head coach… We would like to thank all our fans for their understanding.”You'd think the Habs hired Adolph Hitler to run the team, given the foaming outrage of the media and fans. In all of that fiasco not one word about hockey, it was language, language and language.
And so the Habs fans get what they deserve, a mediocre team run in French.
Don't get me wrong, there are many fantastically talented francophone Quebecers running businesses, both in Quebec and abroad, success stories that go way beyond language.
Let me ask you this gentle reader.
If a family member was faced with a life-saving needed surgery and the choice for surgeon was between a superbly talented unilingual francophone doctor who was one of the most experienced and capable in the field, would you opt for a less qualified anglophone doctor, one who just got out of his residency, because you can communicate with him better?
Only an idiot would choose the latter, which is exactly what we do here in Quebec.
The real culprit in all this is mediocre and dim-witted managing owner of the Habs, the eminently under-qualified Geoff Molson, a man whom his own family recognized for his lack of talent. Instead of rocketing to the boardroom of Molson via nepotism, Geoff was shuffled off as a brand ambassador, visiting bars and restaurants talking up the company, a job usually reserved for ex-hockey players like the perfectly suitable Yvan Lambert, an ex-Hab with a sharp wit and a hollow leg.
Habs GM Marc Bergevin has bounced from one embarrassing fiasco to another.
It seems that everybody in the league knows this, everybody except Geoff Molson.
Or perhaps Geoff does know and is too timid to act. Either that or the search is on for a qualified francophone to fill the job, reducing the field of potential candidates by over 90%.
In Quebec language is everything.
It is more important than winning.
It is more important than success.
This is the Montreal Canadiens today, a shell of the once-successful dynasty, now a laughingstock.
How long will it take for this charade to play out?
It might be sooner than you think because fans like myself are no longer willing to shell out hundreds of dollars to watch a mediocre team owned and operated not to win, but rather to satisfy the language gods.
Love it ��
ReplyDeleteThe truths that no one wants to be responsible for, and a solution no one wants to admit to or promote because the tribal backlash can't give anything else a chance just in case it works.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see, Ron, it hasn't and it very likely won't!
DeletePhilip writes:
ReplyDelete"While it is hard to see the economic price Quebec has paid over its language obsession, the brutish cost is there nonetheless."
I actually think that there does exist a quasi "scorecard," for lack of a better term, that can give at least some semblance of an economic price that Quebec has -- and continues to -- pay for its language policies.
And that scorecard is the history of equalization payments to Quebec. See:
http://storage.torontosun.com/v1/suns-prod-images/1297301055706_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80
Because the equalization formula is based upon a sort of averaging out of a province's fiscal capacity to raise taxes, it is, at least to a certain extent, a good measurement of a province's success/failure financially. And although it would be pretty hard to make a cause/effect argument correlating language laws/policy with financial success, I think that at least, intuitively, many of us can make that leap. I certainly do.
So do I, Tony. Actually, there is NO incentive for Quebec to change its ways. As I mentioned below, the exodus of minorities (note "brain drain" in my responses to complicated below), especially Anglophones, and many head offices, has resulted in a shrunken economic pie in Quebec, but as long as the Francophones only see they're getting a bigger piece of that smaller pie, that's good enough.
DeleteFrancophones are more intent on getting less but as long as the minorities get less than they do, they're happy. They're idiots, too, hence my having left just over 35 years ago and not looking back since. I rescued my common-law wife from that godforsaken place and she loves Ontario more than she thought she would. Doesn't miss Quebec at all, and I alleviated her fears by telling her she'd see it that way once she got the Quebec sh*t our of her eyes.
The Habs are just a symptom of what's been going on in Quebec for the last half century. Notice the Expos are gone (and their new iteration finally won a World Series far from Quebec). The CFL Alouettes can only function in a stadium (McGill Stadium capacity 25,012) smaller than the 229,000 people making up the Regina, SK population have (Mosaic Stadium normal capacity is 33,350, but is expandible to 40,000, i.e., over 17% of the entire population of Regina).
Even Stade Saputo, home of soccer's Impact holds only 20,800 compared to BMO Field, home of the Toronto FC's 36,000 when expanded.
Montreal is not a professional sports city, at least not anymore. I can't help but wonder how long the Habs will stay in Montreal. I only see history will (correction: MAY) force the NHL to consider doing whatever is possible to keep the team in Montreal. The development of the game was in Montreal and the city has the most hockey history.
The Hab's eight consecutive loss is the first since the 1939-40 season. In Dick Irvin's book The Habs: An Oral History of the Montreal Canadiens, 1940-1980, Irvin started by setting the scene at the end of that season. The Habs were then owned by Francophone Senator Donat Raymond; Irvin talks about the many "empty brown seats" at the Forum (all seats were brown then) and Raymond was thinking of collapsing or selling the team after what was probably their worst season ever. In the next 40 year period, the Habs won the Cup 18 times, i.e., 45% of all Cup victories in that 40-year period. Raymond died in 1963. Actually, Raymond was a pretty smart cookie as he also was involved with the defunct Montreal Maroons and was head of the Canadian Arena Company that designed hockey arenas.
Who was primarily responsible for winning those 18 Cups? GMs such as Frank Selke Sr. and Sam Pollock, assisted by coaches Dick Irvin Sr., Toe Blake and Scotty Bowman, all non-Francophones.
Philip writes:
ReplyDelete"Let me ask you this gentle reader.
"If a family member was faced with a life-saving needed surgery and the choice for surgeon was between a superbly talented unilingual francophone doctor who was one of the most experienced and capable in the field, would you opt for a less qualified anglophone doctor, one who just got out of his residency, because you can communicate with him better?
"Only an idiot would choose the latter, which is exactly what we do here in Quebec."
Reminds me of Venezuelan Socialist leader Hugo Chavez when he came down with cancer, which ultimately killed him. True to his ideology, Chavez at least walked the walk and insisted that he receive cancer treatment from Cuba and not the United States. Only the finest that his fellow Socialist travelers could provide for him. Well, who's to say whether he would have lived longer had he opted for, say, the Mayo Clinic or some other place in the U.S. which, I am sure, he would have been more than welcome to utilize.
I know, I know. Cuba has, allegedly, the very best medical and educational systems. Or so we're told. But the fine print in all those international reports which make these claims usually reveal that the source for those glowing statistics are provided by the Cuban government itself...one not subject to verification from the rigors of either a free press or an official opposition. Whenever a Canadian P.M. boasts about a success under his government, both of these institutions are all over the claim within about 20 seconds. Cuban leaders have the luxury of making whatever claims they want about both their healthcare system and their educational system without a pesky investigative reporter or another party leader questioning the key facts. Poor Chavez bought into the propaganda and it very well may have shaved years off his life.
Not entirely true, Tony and Philip. Chrétien had his quintuple bypass surgery done at the Jewish General Hospital. Why not da dokterz in Sha-WINiGAN?
DeleteThe late Quebec premier Jacques Parasite also had major surgery done at the JGH. Quoi? Not da Hôtel-Dieu 'ospital?
They knew where to go for surgery, as did high profile actor Michael Douglas who could have afforded to go to any hospital in the whole world. He chose a doctor at JGH, Montreal, Canada!!!
I'd think things would change dramatically if the Leafs o(possibly any other Canada-based team) won the Stanley Cup before the Habs.
ReplyDeleteDeborah:
Delete(1) Another Canadian team win in the short run? Ain't gonna happen;
(2) Even if the impossible happened and another Canadian team won, naaaahhhhh...Molson has adopted the Harold Ballard way of running things...Ice a team and they will come...and pay, pay, pay!
Leafs are in their 53rd season since winning a cup...and counting. They ain't winnin' nuttin'...not with their holey swiss cheese defense. The other Canadian teams are not even THAT good...much to Gary Bettman's delight.
Maybe not in the next five years, but I predict that Lord Stanley will return to Canada through Winnipeg.
DeleteWell that's exactly how I see things since I moved here 15 years ago. It always falls back to language, language and language. That is the number one priority over anything else including competence, honesty, integrity, etc. I see this in my own workplace and in so many other workplaces with very mediocre people who are there simply because they speak the right language not because of talent or ability. Again look at the article last week which again showed 1 percent of Quebec government positions are held by anglophones even though we are 10 percent of the population. I see the same story at the municipal level where even in majority anglophone cities most workers are francophone..why is that? Even at the federal level francophones are over-represented.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many talented people I know across the country that don't even think about living here because of the language issue. How many good people we could have had at my workplace if the office was located almost anywhere else in Canada..its a shame when language is obsessed about to the point it is here. It completely clouds rational judgement and its a vicious circle as it keeps talented non-francophones out of positions of power. The only way to ever change this is to just pick the best people period regardless of language ability but that will never happen here.
So no sympathy regarding the hockey team however I will say that none of the Canadian teams are any better. They are all mediocre and have been for decades so I think there is also a systemic Canadian problem when it comes to building teams capable of winning the Stanley Cup. Its quite embarrassing that not one Canadian team has won the cup for 27 years and counting. And the Habs were still the last ones so even with all the focus on francophone coaches and GMs the Habs still look better than most other Canadian teams from a Stanley cup point of view.
Response #1:
Deletecomplicated, you wrote "...with all the focus on francophone coaches and GMs the Habs still look better than most other Canadian teams from a Stanley cup point of view."
How's that? I don't see your point at all!
Actually, a buddy of mine who left Quebec for Scotland (and couldn't be happier for having done so) made an important statement. In actual fact, Canada is not competitive. Our social programs make our taxes in some cases MUCH higher than in several American states. Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas have NO state income tax. Max Pacioretty MUST be on cloud nine not only with an enriched contract but being left with MUCH more disposable income. This is part of the reason the Habs can't attract free agents. Its taxes are the highest in North America; furthermore, the NHL salary cap does NOTHING to help make adjustments for the tax differential. Either Canadian teams must offer higher pre-tax salaries to compete, or not get the very best players. When was the last time the Habs, or any Canadian team, obtained a Top Ten player through free agency. Price HAD to be offered a history making contract else they never would have kept him.
complicated, you also wrote "There are so many talented people I know across the country that don't even think about living here because of the language issue."
DeleteWhy should they? Never mind coming, how about the brain drain leaving Quebec? The Quebec Government has made it unequivocally clear they will promote Francophones first, no matter how much more talented the minorities are. Oh, sure, they may take on token minorities to falsely show they're open to minorities.
What TF do you think the idea of Bills 22, 101, 178, 86, 103, 104, Louise Beaudoin's failed Bill 40 and Pauline Marois's failed Bill 195 and other legislation was? If, after 45 years since Bill 22 was legislated, you don't get why all this legislation has come down the pike over the last half century, you must be retarded.
The answer is ridiculously simple: It's to give Francophones preference over minorities regardless of actual talent levels. It's their idea of the equalizer! Hundreds of thousands of people and trillions of dollars have left Quebec since 1970 (the first sign of a separatist government being formed) with the big flood leaving after the election of the PQ in 1976. Americans for a while had affirmative action to tilt favouritism towards black people. How long did that last? How effective was it?
This is Quebec's answer to affirmative action, only Quebec's economic pie shrunk over the decades. Does the majority care about that? NO! All they care is they're getting the bigger piece of the smaller pie. Many Anglophone Quebec children are now or were in French immersion and are prepared to speak and write better French. Is that keeping them in Quebec? From what I can see, I don't think so. Speaking French may be "nice", but not BEING! French is what kills. Even functionally effective French functioning Anglophones are not getting much further ahead, at least not in the public sector, Quebec or federal.
Sauga..
DeleteYou dont need to lecture me or anyone else here that Quebec taxes are high..I live here and am well aware of it. Of course its bad for competitiveness.
My main point above is that the Habs over the past 20 years still have generally done better than any other Canadian team. The Leafs are a disaster given the amount of money they have to get players..no Cup since the 1960s..there is something wrong with how the Canadians teams approach..its embarassing that no Canadian team has won in 27 years..thats my point..its not a Quebec problem. Alberta has the lowest taxes in Canada and they still have had a dismal record with their hockey teams.
You second rant is basically a longer version of what I said earlier. Yes anglophones do not want to come here..duhhh..of course not when your language is second class and attacked all the time. Its a shame but this wont change in my lifetime. No question that many of these laws are really there to give the nice cushy jobs in government to the francophone majority.
OK, now for some of my own comments vs responses to others.
ReplyDeleteIt's not in ANYONE'S interests to immigrate into Quebec! Oh sure...use Quebec as a means to get into Canada, i.e., get in, then get out and into any other province or territory. Many already just use Quebec as a means to get into Canada, then leave shortly after their arrival.
No Quebec government, but NO QUEBEC GOVERNMENT, be it federalist (no such animal really) or separatist sees their immigrants as having come to Canada, but as having come to Quebec. They want their immigrants to live in French, and while many do speak French, they don't exclude English in their repertoire and that infuriates the Quebec government.
Now Le-go wants to reduce the number of immigrants it takes in. How is that going to help when their own kind are way below maintaining their population? Their precious Roman Catholic church can't get the local ilk interested in joining the Church--they have to import them mainly from Latin American countries where the Church is strongest.
The brother of good friends of mine passed away nearly a year ago in Toronto, and his funeral mass was held at a Roman Catholic church. I had the pleasure of meeting a Mexican gentleman who was part of that church on his way to being ordained and then settled in Memphis, TN. Quebec is having the exact same problems, but after 200 years of producing offspring like sows (that was the late Mordecai Richler's analogy, not mine) and assaults worldwide by perverted priests and higher, who can blame them for abandoning the Church?
Trouble is, in that 200 years of being duped, the majority population is still behind while the minorities have flourished thanks to better and broader education and smaller families with greater resources to get ahead. Quebec is still wallowing in the mire even though the Quiet Revolution took place about 60 years ago. Too bad for them, but minorities suffer for their vindictiveness. Fair? No, but that is the reality. A cesspool of vindictive people who can't get their s--t and brown gravy together.
I didn't mention Claude Ruel's Cup win in '69 as coach that year. G-d bless his soul, he was great in developing players, but his coaching career lasted only a little over two years in the late 60/early 70s and he filled in for Boom-Boom Geoffrion's horrible two-month tenure circa 1980.
Ruel is credited for the 1969 Cup win, actually broke a points record that year, but in my opinion, he inherited a great team left to him by ex coach Toe Blake. Pollock was still GM. Let's remember too that Irving Grundman was the accredited winning GM of the 1979 Cup even though Bowman was still coaching the team and it was the last of four Cups by a team on the way down. That 79 Cup was really due to Pollock's work. Grundman couldn't hold a candle next to Pollock, and Selke Sr. before him.
Mr. Berlach, I genuinely do not understand where your beef is. While Claude Julien is indeed Quebec francophone, he has proven himself a worthy NHL coach by winning the Stanley Cup with the Bruins. Therefore, there is merit in his hiring. As for those on the ice, the only Quebecer players on the active roster are Danault and Drouin. So in this particular case, I can not see how the Canadien organization puts language over winning as you put it.
ReplyDeleteActually, Troy, Julien was born in Blind River, Ontario. Yes, it's on the shores of the Ottawa River bordering Quebec on the other shores, but surprisingly he's not labelled a «vendu», a racial slur of the Québécois [i.e., those who are ALL of white Roman Catholic and French mother-tongued with long ancestry in Quebec] to single out those French Canadians not born in Quebec.
DeleteToo, to more directly answer your remarks, Tampa Bay picked up a couple of good Franco Québécois players and that was through scouting, not in the draft. Interesting how a team all the way down in Florida is better at finding Quebec talent than the Canadiens. Habs' best bet is to do more scouting, esp. in Quebec. Because free agents are not willing to sign up in Montreal, they MUST rely on the draft and invest in more scouting, but Molson is a poor businessman who doesn't realize the shortfalls of North America's most heavily taxed jurisdiction.
DeleteWorse yet, as mentioned previously, Commissioner Gary Bettman has zero will to level the playing field and help Canadian teams in any way with tax adjustments to acquire better free agents. No doubt that with four really small market teams (Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton), that will weigh heavily from that standpoint on those teams.