March 7: Canada's linguistic divide
I used to know a florist who
moved to Ontario after spending most of his life in Quebec. The reason
he moved? "Language laws," he said.
He told me that his francophone neighbours were making it increasingly difficult to stay in business. So he moved west.
Slightly west.
He said he was happier in his new province.
-
I was in college when the Quebec referendum took place. Quebec voters chose, by the slimmest of margins, not to separate from Canada.
Often I wonder what my country would look like had Quebec won its sovereignty. Specifically, I wonder about the maritimes. I wonder if they'd have to pay entry fees just to ship their goods to the rest of the country.
I also wonder what would happen to Canada's national hockey team.
-
I used to have a job shuttling pilots and flight attendants from the airport to their hotels and vice-versa. Whenever I had a French Canadian crew, I always asked for their thoughts on the referendum.
Most of them were federalists and would decry the entitled attitudes of the separatist camp.
"I'll tell you, they should be happy Wolfe defeated Montcalm," one pilot told me. "Had Montcalm won, France would have sold Quebec to the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. It would be the 51st state right now and it wouldn't have any of the language rights it moans about today."
Once I picked up two pilots who were fierce separatists. When I asked their opinion, they turned on me like I was personally responsible for pulling the curds from their poutine.
"Do you know what Quebeckers have to put up with everyday from Ottawa?!" one screamed at me. "I consider myself a Quebecker first and foremost."
Blah blah blah.
-
In college, around referendum time, one of my classmates said Quebec separating would have saved the country a lot of money. She was holding a box of Honey Nut Cheerios as she said it.
"Look at this box," she said. "It has to be printed in English and French. What a waste of money."
Well, it's not really a waste of money. Yes, the English text has to be translated into French but that investment would be minimal. The boxes have to be printed anyway.
What makes me wonder is why the boxes have to be in English and French in Vancouver. Seems it would make more sense to have them in English and Chinese out there.
-
My favourite Canadian politician is Preston Manning. This is something my sister and I have in common.
In 1995, Manning was leader of the Reform Party of Canada, the official opposition. Jean Chretien was Prime Minister. The Liberals were in power.
Manning had asked Chretien if he would respect the wishes of Quebec voters. "Fifty per cent plus one, will you respect it?"
Chretien replied that he was going to do whatever he could to keep Canada intact. There was thunderous applause as there always is in Parliament whenever the PM says something.
I think that was the worst thing Chretien could have said. Quebeckers watching said: "So he doesn't think democracy applies to us, eh? Screw him. I'm voting OUI."
Through his indifference, Chretien mobilized the separatist vote.
-
I live in Eastern Canada. I have about eight years of French education but I am by no means fluent. Once I did a magic show in French and everyone knew that English was my first language. Doing that show was the linguistic equivalent of signing my name with my left hand. Everyone can read it, but they know it came from a right hander.
-
I have never seen a Stop-Arrete sign with either word spray painted over. I've seen pictures of them, but never seen one.
And that is all I have to say.
-
PS - This note is very late because I was very sick yesterday.
Inspiration: Schad
He told me that his francophone neighbours were making it increasingly difficult to stay in business. So he moved west.
Slightly west.
He said he was happier in his new province.
-
I was in college when the Quebec referendum took place. Quebec voters chose, by the slimmest of margins, not to separate from Canada.
Often I wonder what my country would look like had Quebec won its sovereignty. Specifically, I wonder about the maritimes. I wonder if they'd have to pay entry fees just to ship their goods to the rest of the country.
I also wonder what would happen to Canada's national hockey team.
-
I used to have a job shuttling pilots and flight attendants from the airport to their hotels and vice-versa. Whenever I had a French Canadian crew, I always asked for their thoughts on the referendum.
Most of them were federalists and would decry the entitled attitudes of the separatist camp.
"I'll tell you, they should be happy Wolfe defeated Montcalm," one pilot told me. "Had Montcalm won, France would have sold Quebec to the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. It would be the 51st state right now and it wouldn't have any of the language rights it moans about today."
Once I picked up two pilots who were fierce separatists. When I asked their opinion, they turned on me like I was personally responsible for pulling the curds from their poutine.
"Do you know what Quebeckers have to put up with everyday from Ottawa?!" one screamed at me. "I consider myself a Quebecker first and foremost."
Blah blah blah.
-
In college, around referendum time, one of my classmates said Quebec separating would have saved the country a lot of money. She was holding a box of Honey Nut Cheerios as she said it.
"Look at this box," she said. "It has to be printed in English and French. What a waste of money."
Well, it's not really a waste of money. Yes, the English text has to be translated into French but that investment would be minimal. The boxes have to be printed anyway.
What makes me wonder is why the boxes have to be in English and French in Vancouver. Seems it would make more sense to have them in English and Chinese out there.
-
My favourite Canadian politician is Preston Manning. This is something my sister and I have in common.
In 1995, Manning was leader of the Reform Party of Canada, the official opposition. Jean Chretien was Prime Minister. The Liberals were in power.
Manning had asked Chretien if he would respect the wishes of Quebec voters. "Fifty per cent plus one, will you respect it?"
Chretien replied that he was going to do whatever he could to keep Canada intact. There was thunderous applause as there always is in Parliament whenever the PM says something.
I think that was the worst thing Chretien could have said. Quebeckers watching said: "So he doesn't think democracy applies to us, eh? Screw him. I'm voting OUI."
Through his indifference, Chretien mobilized the separatist vote.
-
I live in Eastern Canada. I have about eight years of French education but I am by no means fluent. Once I did a magic show in French and everyone knew that English was my first language. Doing that show was the linguistic equivalent of signing my name with my left hand. Everyone can read it, but they know it came from a right hander.
-
I have never seen a Stop-Arrete sign with either word spray painted over. I've seen pictures of them, but never seen one.
And that is all I have to say.
-
PS - This note is very late because I was very sick yesterday.
Inspiration: Schad
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