Anglo Hospital Irks Nationalists

As you probably heard, former Prime Minster Jean Chretien had emergency surgery last Friday to relieve a bleed that was threatening to cause severe brain damage.
The successful surgery took place in Montreal's Jewish General Hospital, much to the consternation of language nationalists who bear a special disdain for the Anglo hospital's attraction to Quebec's rich and famous, francophones included.

The hospital which was built back in the 1930's with funds provided by the city's Jewish community  was never meant to serve Jews exclusively, but rather to provide an environment where patients who were Jewish, could have their dietary and religious beliefs respected. It has evolved over the years into an integrated public hospital that serves more non-Jews than Jews. That being said, the Jewish community continues to shower the hospital with millions of dollars in annual donations, money that funds research and an ongoing building and improvement campaign.

The hospital is perhaps the very best example of a bilingual institution that serves patients in both English and French, something that sits poorly with language militants.

Today the hospital is Jewish in tradition only and while it still serves kosher food and respects the Jewish Sabbath and holidays, it's clientèle is as varied as the local community.  The staff, medical, professional and support is the most diverse of any hospital in Quebec, perhaps even Canada and believe it or not, there aren't many religious or language conflicts to speak of.
The halls are filled with the sounds of English, French, Greek, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Italian, Arabic, Tagalog, and a multitude of other languages.
Rabbis rub shoulders in the halls with Catholic, Protestant and Greek Orthodox priests as they all minister to the spiritual needs of patients.
The hospital is filled with volunteers, a cadre of Jewish, Francophone and English retirees who act as patient and visitor support staff as well as working in the various volunteer snack and coffee shops.

"Eat something!" "Avec plaiser, Monsieur!" "Could I help you with that form" "Suivez-moi Madame!" 

It isn't rare to be confronted by a boy/girl team in clown makeup, patrolling the halls and offering cookies to anyone who needs a lift.

The multicultural nature of the hospital and the success it enjoys is what makes it such a threat to language nationalists who see it as the antithesis of what they hold as the Quebec model.

For them, all this is somehow obscene, an affront to Quebec's 'secular' and French language nature. There are demands that the hospital's Jewish and English connection be severed and that the Star of David be removed both physically and figuratively.

But when you're sick, you're sick and for most people, background, language and political affiliation takes a backseat in deciding where one can get the very best care. 
When Jacques Parizeau chose to be treated at the JGH a while back, eyebrows were raised and many couldn't resist making snide reference to his "Ethnic" remarks of the past. Perhaps Parizeau was taking heed to an old Quebec adage which tells of a patient "being so sick that he had to go to a Jewish doctor!"

Dr. Marc Afilalo, Dr. Hartley Stern  Dr. Jeff Golan

When Jean Chretien was feeling poorly last Thursday and he was advised to go to the hospital, he chose to make the two hour drive from Shawinigan to the Jewish General Hospital, a decision akin to Danny William's decision to get heart surgery outside Newfoundland.
 
At the press conference describing the the surgery, the young anglo surgeon who performed the procedure, Dr. Jeff Golan, answered questions from the media in English and excellent French, switching effortlessly between the two.

And so, language militants hate the Jewish General hospital for its success. They don't want to hear about smart, urbane, anglo and ethnic nurses, doctors and technicians who offer service in English  and French and don't think much about it.
Of course they'll offer up some isolated or made up story about a language snafu to prove that anglo contempt for francophones is institutionalized. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

With a little effort everyone gets by at the JGH and that includes elderly immigrant patients who speak no English or French.

"Hey, I need somebody who speaks Chinese. Hello, can somebody help me!" shouts out a nurse.

And you know what?...... Somebody invariably does.

For language nationalists, that's not the way its supposed to work, but for the rest of us, if it ain't broke.....

By the way, here is a video on the Jewish General Hospital, It's interesting because it presents a vision of a working environment that every single language extremist is trying to destroy.

For everyone who says bilingualism can't work or that that French and English communities can't live and work together, please watch the video.  It's an edited version with subtitles.

For the full version go HERE.

Dissent is Not Hatred

As a policy, I print all comments except for spam or stuff that is clearly racist. That being said, comments that blast others or even personal attacks that aren't racist, are okay by me.

From the level of passion that I read in the comments section I can only be satisfied that in some small way I am fostering some level of the language debate from an Anglo point of view. There aren't many of us doing it.
If people shout, scream and call each other names in their post, all the better. It's a passionate subject and people have every right to express themselves and calling each other names is part of the venting process. Others may disagree with me, but hey, I control what is printed and will continue to publish as much is possible.
While I would hope that personal attacks be limited, I can't and won't stop them. Attacks of that same nature on myself will continue to be published in the interest of fairness.

I usually don't answer comments, even if I have an opinion or response. I'm not ignoring anyone, but I believe the comment section is for commenters.

For the record;

• You can comment in English or You can comment in French
• You can complain about people commenting in English or people commenting in French. If you don't understand the post, I would suggest GOOGLE TRANSLATE. It's good enough for the RCMP!
• While I don't appreciate gratuitous swearing, judicious use of expletives is okay.
• You can call people names, but you can't make stuff up or tell nasty lies about them.
• I respectfully suggest you avoid sarcasm, it doesn't go over well in print, but hey, maybe you're a better writer than I.
• Try to work on your post, be creative. 
• I suggest you use a pseudonym. What good could possibly come of publishing your name?
• You can take a contrary view to mine or any other poster. There's no fun in having everyone agreeing. 
• Run your stuff through a spell checker. There are online versions that work right in your browser and highlight erros as you type. Get the FIREFOX  add-on here.
• I will not tolerate any post that uses ethnicity, religion or race as a pejorative.
• No advertising, but if you have a blog you can shill for it.

This week, there were quite a few comments that went after me rather, ahem... forcefully and that's okay, but I'd like to take this one post to make some observations.

Perhaps Tyme Machine was prophetic when he predicted that there would be a well storm of criticism directed towards Eric Duhaime over his articles on Amir Khadir and that the criticism would take the form of 'shooting the messenger.'

That prediction turned out to be quite true as the Communist Party of Quebec launched a furious counter attack against Duhaime with a least three senior members writing rebuttals which were nothing more than foul personal attacks.

I too, tasted in small measure the same medicine, being accused of 'defaming' Mr. Khadir' and of cowardice for publishing anonymously.

Ironically, those who accuse me of this crime, do so anonymously as well. Hmm.....

"This is a lot of nonsense spewed by a paranoid right-winger. It is full of the typical assumptions and leading one-liners used by gutter, red-neck writers. The accusations are ridiculous at the very least. Who wrote this crap? It is unsigned and, presumably, nobody would want to take credit for ranting and whining about nothing." -Anonymous comment

I'd like to offer a rebuttal, but there's isn't anything to rebut, it just a bunch of insults. I will say however, that I am not paranoid, even though I'm convinced people like this anonymous commenter are out to get me.
Finally, I 'd like to address the 'anonymous' issue, once and for all.

It's been over 165 years since a mob of English extremists attacked Parliament in old Montreal and burned it down. Since then, Anglos have generally preferred the pen, rather than the stick to further our opinions. The same cannot be said of a tiny minority of extremists who continue to this day to threaten violence against those with whom they disagree. RRQ, Jeunes Patriotes..etc.etc.

Now I know I'm going to get a bunch of comments about how Anglos violenced francophones throughout history, Acadians, General Amherst...blah...blah..blah.
But I'm talking about the here and now.

We are all familiar with the 'Galganov Effect" wherein the English rights proponent was literally driven out of the province by serious threats of violence.

I can assure those who are interested that I am not familiar to you politically or renowned in any manner. It doesn't matter who I am.

Without anonymity we'd never have benefited from 'Deep Throat,' the anonymous source who blew the cover off the Watergate Scandal in the Nixon era. More recently the importance of anonymous dissent is highlighted by the ongoing revelations about the war in Afghanistan by WikiLeaks. The Afghan War Diary is having the effect of profoundly changing the public's perception of the war.

If you don't like what I say, or what Eric Duhaime says, too bad for you. It's your prerogative to voice counter opinions and present facts that support an alternate view.

It's funny how Amir Khadir and company can argue for the right of Jaggi Singh to dissent, yet when we anglos do so, we are branded zealots and racists.

Enough. Let's lighten up!!!!

Just to prove that not all of we anglos are a blithering band of racists, let's enjoy this video prepared in response to the Anglo Society's campaign against the French language in New Brunswick.
Enjoy and Happy weekend!!
Bonne fin de semaine à tous!!!!!

Minister Blindsided by her Own Education Department

It was somewhat amusing to see Quebec's education minister, Michelle Courchesne  do cartwheels to undo the damage caused by her own department, which pulled a Laval private elementary school's operating license just a few short weeks before the start of the new school year. The department sent letters to parents telling them to make other arrangements for the fall term because the school was contravening  several department rules and that those problems were so egregious that it was necessary to close the school. Link

First things first. The school outperforms almost anything in the public sector and students are typically a year ahead of their public school counterparts academically. By the way, the school receives no subsidy from the Quebec education department.

In explaining it's decision to close the school, the department outlined a litany of problems, most of which were pure nonsense, added to the complaint sheet solely to hide the real motivation, the fact that the school teaches too much English.

Some of these complaints were patently foolish, including the charges that the  l'Académie lavalloise was;
Using unqualified teachers
The school seems to be doing a good job even if its true. Perhaps public schools could use a dose of theses type of unqualified teachers.
Wait a second! The Journal de Montreal reports that in 2008 there were 2,400 unqualified teachers teaching in the public system, some of which held only a high school leaving certificate! LINK
Le Devoir published a sad, yet hilariously ironic story about a phenomenally talented and successful Latin teacher who was forced out of his job because of credentials. He was replaced by a 'qualified' teacher' who spoke no Latin. Link(French)
Using unapproved teaching materials
Perhaps the education department should consider switching over to what the school is using. It's clear that they are more successful.
Overcharging Parents
It's a private school, for God's sake. If the parents don't like the price...well.
The school doesn't offer teacher 'Pedagogical days'
Teachers who don't like it can leave.
The school doesn't present standardized report cards
But the marks are higher....of course that doesn't count.

HERE'S THE REAL REASON FOR THE ATTACK BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT;

The school offers 30% of it curriculum in English
Did you know that it's against the education department's policy to allow any English at all in a French kindergarten, or in the first few years of primary school as well. This progressive attitude is based on the notion that children become 'confused' and the learning of English penalizes their ability to master French, a laughable concept that is rejected by educators around the world!

The Académie lavalloise is making a mockery of this notion and for that reason the education department decided that the school had to be stopped and stopped fast.

There are at least half a dozen Hasidic Jewish day schools that are in default of education ministries rules and they have been so for years and years. They have been warned over and over again to make changes. The schools have ignored the ministry and continue to operate. Why no action?

Because nobody cares what a bunch of English religious fanatics teach their children. They don't affect the mainstream.

As you can well imagine the parents of the affected students hit the roof and caused such a media stink that the minister herself rushed to meet the parents and calm the waters.

An interim solution was offered wherein the school would stay open, but would address the 'problems.'
The school remains defiant that it will continue to offer 30% of its curriculum in English and will use loopholes like teaching the English portion 'outside' regular school hours to do so.
Where there's a will there's a way.

I am reminded of the early Christians who were persecuted by the Romans and were forced to teach their children in secret classrooms!

The demand that English be abandoned remains the sticking point, because the school continues to put paid to the myth that learning English in some way diminishes the mastery of French. Students of Académie lavalloise consistently score higher in French than their public school counterparts, so there!

And that is just plain unacceptable!

McGill Caves in to Language Pressure- Affirmative action Arrives

The news that journeyman hockey player Dominic Moore has left the Montreal Canadiens to pursue  greener pastures on Florida's Gulf coast, didn't exactly rock the Montreal sporting community, other than the usual language grousing by francophone journalists that follows whenever a French speaking player is shipped out of Montreal.

To date and to their credit the Canadiens have been impervious to complaints that the team should 'Frenchify' itself, in order to better resemble the community in which they play. It remains team policy to build the very best team that they can, regardless of language.

Too bad their example is lost on McGill University who have sadly caved to language extremists in regard to its medical school.

The McGill University medical school has announced that it is no longer requiring potential entrants to take the standardized MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) exam, which is the gold standard in assessing applicants potential.

Th exam is pretty much standard across North America and is the most important element in the selection process. Potential doctors study intensely for months and months in preparation for the test. The test itself is a gruelling 8½ hour ordeal which comprehensively assesses the applicant's knowledge and abilities. A high score is almost a sure ticket into medical school.
Score poorly and it's time to look into dentistry.

As one can expect, in Quebec the MCAT exam is not part of the selection process for French medical schools and those francophones that want to go to an English medical school are at a distinct disadvantage, having to write the exam in English. For this reason, those francophones who make it into McGill medical school, (or any other English med schools) can be considered exceptional students.

Shockingly, in an announcement last week, McGill said that it is dropping the MCAT, much to the derision of the traditional medical community.

The decision is one of the most blatant cases of caving in to language militants, an  abrogations of responsibility to maintain high standards that shames the school and will likely lead to the school losing its status as the best medical school in Canada.

After years of vicious attacks by the likes of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, Reseau de resistance du Quebecois and the  Mouvement Montreal Francais, who demanded that something be done about the 52% of graduates who choose to leave the Province of Quebec after graduation, the school decided that their position was untenable.

The solution?
Add more francophones to the English medical school, students who will be more likely to remain in Quebec. The only hitch in the solution is that not enough francophones can pass the MCATs.

And so PRESTO, the MCATS are gone!

Dr. Saleem Razack, assistant dean of admissions for medicine at McGill said it best. "We want to make sure we have a class that is a bit more representative of society. The aim of the nontraditional pathway is to bring people into the class with diverse life experiences." LINK

LIFE EXPERIENCE!!!! ....aarrgh!!!!!!!!!

'Life experience' has always been code for a policy of enrolling unqualified students in situations where the school is in desperate need of students or where affirmative action programs are in place.
It is a fancy term for admitting students who are otherwise academically unqualified.

Sir George Williams University (precursor of Concordia) in Montreal, during its startup phase was notorious for accepting just about anybody who showed up and manipulated standards to fill the ranks of an empty school.

Perhaps McGill can rename their medical school for something more appropriate, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEDICAL SCHOOL, sounds about right.

In one fell swoop McGill has destroyed its reputation. It is in the process of turning itself from an elite program into a run of the mill secondary medical school.

By throwing out standards, every francophone doctor who graduates will be considered damaged property.

It's sad.....

All of you over at the University of Toronto medical school....

STOP LAUGHING!!!!!

Quebec Health Minister Needs a Second Opinion

Back in 1959, the Quebec government opened one of Quebec's first toll roads, the 'Autoroute de Laurentides,' which still today connects Montreal to the Laurentian communities north of the city.

The road, when ultimately completed, boasted five toll plaza's which charged 25¢ each per vehicle, a  princely sum at the time. The charge remained unchanged until the early 1980's.

At that point the government bean counters, mindful that the price hadn't been raised in over twenty years calculated that if the toll was raised to 50¢, the government would more than double their revenues.

Well, it didn't work out that way. Motorists were furious at the enormous increase and many refused to pay. They viewed the doubling of the tolls as a commuter cash grab and were furious.
The toll plazas were old and weren't equipped with mechanical arms that came down to act as a barrier until payment was effected. The system was a simple red light/green light affair with a bell and flashing red light triggered in the case where a motorist stiffed on the payment. Supposedly, a police car parked in reserve would pursue and ticket the offender.
But the volume of scofflaws became enormous and it was impossible for the police to cope. At a certain point, it became hugely embarrassing to the government and action had to be taken in order to maintain public order. The government, had no choice but to re-build the toll plazas to incorporate barrier arms, but balked at the cost and more importantly feared the backlash that such an action would engender.
So they did the only thing that they could. They got rid of the tolls completely and went from a 25¢ toll to 50¢ and then to nothing.

Another planning fiasco that failed to take into consideration that people act in their own self interest and that paper predictions are almost always flawed. Perhaps our bean counters should remember the old adage-
"Men Plan, God laughs."

Nothing seems to have changed over these last twenty-five years.

The government continues to make decisions based on statistics, figures and data that rarely takes into consideration the human element.
The recent expanded parental leave program is hundreds of millions of dollars over budget because the government failed to account that an increased number of citizens would take advantage of the program's very generous provisions. 

Now we hear that the health department is considering cutting the amount of specialist doctors in Montreal because the city has a higher per capita ratio of specialists as compared to the outlying regions. The rumour is that the government won't offer new positions in Montreal, and won't even replace doctors who retire, with the stated goal of reducing the specialist population of Montreal by ten percent. Link
The Montreal Gazette reacted harshly to this news. The newspaper rightly pointed out that the 400 odd doctors involved won't just shuffle off to the boonies to accept jobs, far from their families and friends.They have choices and between Boston, New York, Ottawa and Val D'Or, it isn't much of a decision. It isn't easy to predict how many will leave, but since the bulk of the affected doctors are anglos, it is safe to assume it will be a pretty strong majority. Link

Now many believe that the Health department is oblivious to the effect that this potential new policy will have on the Montreal health scene. They believe that the government is making another decision that is bound to backfire due to faulty planning once again.

But they who believe that,would be wrong.

The health department understands very well that their policy will trigger an anglo doctor exodus.

IT'S WHAT THEY WANT!

Really,....

Way back in April, I wrote a piece warning that government bean counters were getting ready to reduce the number of specialists, practising in the province.  Read the Story           

In the jaded and skewed view of the health department, they want Montrealers to have the same bad service that the rest of the province enjoys, believing that the Montreal specialists are a luxury. By reducing the specialists in Montreal, some will go transfer to the boonies and some some will leave. According to estimates, the freed up money could then be spent on family doctors, of which the province is in dire need.

The department may or may not have their math right, but I highly doubt it, their track record on estimates is not that good. Readjusting and redeploying forces should never be accomplished by reducing effectives, not in the health field.
It's as if a general finds out that he has too much cavalry and not enough foot soldiers, so he tells the horsemen to go home. Surely there's a better way. These soldiers cost a lot to train and once they are withdrawn, they are lost forever.
Getting rid of professionals that you have paid a fortune to train makes little sense and short term solutions, like axing trained professionals usually comes back to haunt governments.

In 1996, when the Bouchard government offered early retirement packages to public workers as part of its deficit-slashing efforts, 3,200 nurses took the buyout. Today Quebec finds itself in a desperate nursing shortage which developed very quickly after the buyouts.  Enough said? Source

The government may have decided that they have too many specialists and not enough family doctors, but they've done nothing on the supply side to fix the problem.

Quebec medical schools are still pumping out the same amount of specialists as before, in spite of the fact that there will be no where for them to practice except outside Quebec, if the government goes through with its plans. Does that make an ounce of sense?

This is where Quebec planners fail miserably, their knee jerk reactions to fluid situations and their  ill-conceived remedies, lead to disaster after disaster.

I have told politicians and anyone who would listen that if the province wants to re-balance the specialist/family doctor ratio it has to start in the medical schools.

A  good first step would be to convert one of Quebec's existing medical schools to become a specialized institution that offers a family doctor program only, where everyone who enters would be trained to be a family doctor and a family doctor alone. The focused training would likely speed up the process and perhaps knock a year off the standard four year program. In fact such a focused program could turn out the finest family doctors in the world.
Don't worry, there'd be plenty of applicants, between being a family doctor or being no doctor at all, the choice for students is obvious. The Quebec family doctor shortage would likely be halved within five years and eliminated in ten. SHAZZAM!!

The specialists would continue to graduate, but on a reduced basis and time will balance everything out. Nobody should be fired or deprived of a job.

But that makes too much sense. Its too simple.

This is Quebec, so we need another plan.