CFN – Regular readers of Cornwall Free News will recall our recent report detailing the South Stormont Council decision to, as one daily paper put it: “enshrine the status quo” with regards to acceptable languages on outdoor signs. Some French media outlets have been using a good deal of ink to put forth the notion that the landmark decision by South Stormont is nothing more than a meaningless, feel good exercise. Really! What they failed to adequately address is that the “status quo” is eminently more fair than four other Eastern Ontario township edicts that dictate that both French and English wording must appear in perfectly equal size lettering. It’s a hotly debated topic as to whether or not those bylaws rule out the possibility of other languages being present on the signs, since no mention is made of other languages. No doubt legal challenges can be anticipated. Some have raised the question: “Are some townships being pressured from special interest groups to give a distinct advantage to one minority language among many other minority languages here in Canada?” It is our understanding that the South Stormont bylaw is, in part, meant to address this type of encroachment. For example, if a business person wishes to advertise products/services in Chinese, Italian, Tagalog, Polish, Sinhala, Tamil, Hungarian, Lilliputian or any language, South Stormont Council has recognized that as his/her right and will not interfere with that choice. The decision does not take away any right or responsibility to be factual and nondefamatory. It is noteworthy that Montreal’s largest English language weekly newspaper, The Suburban, recognized that this approach is not at all anti-French, as some claim. Rather, it respects the rights of Francophones to be able to post signs exclusively in French if they so desire. Unilingual, bilingual, multilingual – the freedom of choice is maintained.
While no doubt already pondering this issue, Council acted on an appeal from language rights advocate Howard Galganov. It’s fair to say that it was clear from the outset of his campaign that Galganov’s goal is not simply to have one municipality exhibit some common sense in this regard, but to wake up and give courage to others to give due consideration and to respect the Charter Rights of all Canadians, not just those of one or two linguistic groups.
Howard phoned to give CFN a scoop as to his next step. He reports having met over lunch yesterday with South Glengarry Mayor, Ian McLeod, accompanied by South Stormont Mayor, Bryan McGillis. During the meeting, Galganov gave Mayor McLeod a heads up concerning his intention to officially request delegate status to speak before South Glengarry Council at their November 13th meeting. Delegate status is being sought today. Galganov hopes to present a motion that Council vote on an identical resolution as was passed as a bylaw by South Stormont. Reportedly McLeod was cordial, but understandably non-commital of his Council.
To help people gain a better understanding of the issues, between now and the time of the Council meeting, Galganov plans to be busy publishing and distributing 5,000 four colour brochures to all residents and farms in South Glengarry. Such campaigns typically cost thousands of dollars to roll out. Galganov welcomes financial and other assistance from like-minded persons who support freedom of expression.
Stay tuned for updates as they become available!
Don Smith reports on a variety of topics, notably good news items as well as social justice issues.
Excellent news,here is hoping that they too will protect their voters rights of freedom of expression
A good initiative – let’s wish Galganov support.
Bravo Howard and South Stormont team! Let’s see which community’s politicians have the guts to stand up for the people and what is fair. Let’s not see any more cowering like Guy(where the hell r ya) Lauzon!!!!!!
financial and other assistance link opens to a heading only.
Best of luck, South Glengarry and freedom of expression.
That’s great !! If this community of South Glengarry and the rest of the communities, hopefully will follow; it will save these same communities alot of head-aches down the road, concerning their voters rights of freedom of expression. If communities in New Brunswick had started this years ago, it would have saved alot of businesses from all the frustrations and money that they’re going through nowadays, as we have seen lately, even the immigrants are not allowed to put their own language on their OWN Sign in place of French !!
Here you are,the link to donate to Howard Glaganov.
http://galganov.com/support-galganov-dot-com/
Keep up the great work Howard !!
Great news, Howard! Love seeing the ball rolling…:) Finally, people are waking up from a bad dream of so-called bilingualism, a con job, if you ask me.
Now that we’ve awakened Canadians in S. Stormont to the inherent right to “Freedom of Expression” in business signs and advertisements, let us hope that the other townships have the foresight and courage to follow suit.
We’ve stood by long enough, watching quietly while the French zealots use the law to impose the French language agenda on Canadians. It is bad enough that they’ve been able to force all levels of government to follow their lead and it is to the discredit of our English-speaking leaders not to recognize that this has gone way too far. For them to encroach on the rights of the private sector to run their businesses the best way they know how by functioning in whatever language/s they deem fit, they’ve over-stepped their bounds.
Now that we’ve seen what can be done to stop further incursions into our rights to live and operate our businesses in whatever language our customers think appropriate, let’s hope that the citizens of S. Glengarry will have the courage to take an interest in the issue and educate themselves to the slow but insidious creep of fascism that uses the law to force the use of any particular language.
Once again, we have to be grateful for someone like Howard Galganov who has the courage to spearhead this “push-back”. It is incumbent on all of us to help him achieve the goal of ALL Canadians to live in whatever language we prefer and not be forced to adopt a language that most of us find of very little use. His web site has already been circulated by Concerned Citizen 2. Any amount will help.
South Glengarry residents ask yourself this question;
Do you want language police in your backyard?
http://www.nationmun.ca/en/signs.html
Stand up for your democratic right to Freedom of Expression before it’s taken away from you like the people of La Nation, Casselman, Russell & Rockland/Clarence.
Remember Silence=Consent!!!!
We must all support Howard in his fight to bring about equality to all Canadians. This one-sided tribalism has gone on long enough. As yourself this, did you ever imagine that one day your children (who most of you sent away to obtain an education) would come home only to have to move away again from their hometowns to find work due to the bilingualism mandate?
What’s next folks? Already, in at least 3 Ontario counties, we have lost the right of Freedom of Expression; and that goes for ALL Canadians. How is it possible that the government can mandate what language YOU can put on YOUR Business signs?
Enough is enough! If you have been personally affected by this subject and you want to make a difference you can help out by writing letters to the editors of your local newspapers; joining language rights groups, donating/supporting the cause or even just talking about it with your neighbours.
If we all pitch in, we can make a positive difference in our communities and at the very least bring back some equality and stop the brain drain of our youth.
Yours in Fairness,
Cory Cameron
@cc2
South Glengarry residents ask yourself this question;
Do you want language police in your backyard?
http://www.nationmun.ca/en/signs.html
This “Le nation” Place. What was it called before?
Now edudyorlik:
Why must the wriiting be identical in sizein Ontario when in Quebec french must be 2/3 bigger then English …why not in Ontario English 2/3 bigger then french -its excepted there why not here?
Oh that’s right Quebec is a racist province and Ontario treats ALL its people the same.
Could I be right!
I cannot believe this!!!!
This text ,reprinted below, was taken directly from La Nation website, http://www.nationmun.ca/en/signs.html
Language
Except for the company name, all contents of new commercial signs must be bilingual. The dimensions and style of lettering must be identical in English and French.
Prohibited Content
The Sign By-law prohibits the following content;
•skeletons, skull and crossbones or any other gruesome picture;
•nude human body or parts of nude human body, erotic or pornographic scenes; and
•shapes or colours that could be mistaken for traffic lights or traffic
So this means I can advertise with a swastika and iron cross advocating for the supremacy of the Aryan race but I cannot advertise in either English or French or another language? How is that not offensive?
Better write to your elected officials now folks? I would like to see this kind of stuff sent to CNN!
Now that is terrible!!! What next? Sending this to FOX news immediately…..I want all nations to get involved, it is just not right!!
edudyorlik, for 198 years part of what is now Nation, was called Cambridge Township. Charlottenburg as well, gone in 1998, for this I will blame Harris. I am happy that the Glengarry name was kept….
No argument from me Highlander. Yup, you’re right. We’re on the same page. And, to quote the language police dude himself, “French must be like dis and Hinglish must be like dat.”
That aside, i am just curious. This “La Nation” town, or whatever it is, used to be called something else then the name was changed to “La Nation.” Anyone know what it was called before?
Cory, I see what you mean with Stella. You posted something and commented to it (which I think btw was a pretty good statement) and she just threw sarcasm to it.
Ok, I’m out for now. Best of luck to you and your group. I have better things to do than to post my comments for Stella to make fun of.
@Eric – Cambridge Township? Wow !! Thanks.
Is it just me or does the idea of re-naming a town in Ontario to something like “La Nation” not seem a bit “in your face.” Not to mention the web site being French first or, having French in the “dominant” position. Should Ontario not be afforded the dignity (being an English dominated province within an English dominated country) of not having it’s towns re-named to such “in your face French dominant type names?” Can Ontario and the English majority in Ontario not be given the dignity of the English language being first or at least in the dominant position? I am NOT saying ONLY English… Just first or in the dominant position?
That doesn’t seem like much to ask when one compares things to the “province” of Quebec, does it?
edudyorlik, renaming for the sake of renaming could get a little crazy. Changing Berlin, Ontario to Kitchener after WW1 is one thing, even though it Berlin was to celebrate the large German heritage.
The federal identity program offers all kinds of helpfulness for other levels of government to follow when choosing a language to be first or on left.
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=12314
@ Eric. I guess you should send the link for
“choosing a language to be first or on the left”
to the powers that be in Quebec. Opps, never mind, English (generally speaking) doesn’t even come into play there, does it?
oops, my bad again… I guess English does come into play with “them” when they are accepting money from Canada and or signing big contracts with English ONLY American firms for various things.
Anyways, my point was intended as more poignant rather than for clarification or understanding purposes. But, thanks for the info anyways. Appreciated. 🙂
A lot to be learned from Hungary….
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Letter+Hungary+model+language+survival/7426105/story.htm
Language laws divide a country!
Stand up November 13 & support South Glengarry in protecting our Charter of Rights & Freedoms!!!
Freedom of Expression is not FREE!!!!
Yes, concerned citizen 2. You are right…..Freedom of Expression is not free. We must fight for our rights and freedoms. This is too important. Please write letters, speak up, attending the meeting. This by-law needs to be passed everywhere. See you all Nov 13th.
This clip will give others a better perspective of the gross mis-justice of our constitutional right to Freedom of Expression due to language laws in Russell, Casselman, Embrun & Rockland/Clarence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ABS_VP9gRZA
South Glengarry Council please heed Hudak’s words,
“We need a change of attitude in government to get out of business’ hair,” Hudak explained.
http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2012/10/24/attitude-change-needed-hudak
Stand up for Freedom of Expression Nov. 13, 2012!!!!
Great news! A step in the right direction for sure. As a French Canadian who grew up in a completely English community I am always disgusted by those who impose their “French Rights” on others. If a person wants to preserve their language they will. It is not the governments place to impose it on others.
Wow Monique, refreshing for sure. Great post