Anglophones told to get to back of Bus in Cornwall Ontario LFA Protests French Health Clinic – by Don Smith

CFN-Earlier today members of the local Language Fairness for All – LFA group were joined by members of the Ottawa area Canadians for Language Fairness – CLF umbrella group in front of Cornwall’s taxpayer-funded French-only medical clinic.

In late May the groups converged in Chesterville, catching James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, quite off-guard.  We covered that story.  That day some members carried a makeshift coffin decrying the (near) death of democracy in Canada.  Today they were sporting a cardboard bus and shouting:  “Back of the bus, English; know your place.”  The groups are drawing attention to the apparent lack of fairness in current language laws, their interpretation and heavy public funding of minority language groups outside of the province of Quebec.  Today, they were specifically pointing out the disparity in funding and access to service, whereby hospitals and clinics are being pushed to be 100% bilingual or French-only, while English-only is no longer an option.

In our video clip you’ll see and hear their demonstration as well as hear from some participants, including a few newcomers.

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590 Comments

  1. stella, you didn’t like the Miles Davis version of the song with your name? Sinatra’s maybe?

  2. no Eric, stella doesn’t like to click links, she might learn she is mistaken. Not that she’ll admit it, she’ll just turn tail and run. lol

  3. Same name different person he’s in his fortys and i’m 26. TeAchers make more money then I do. Don’t care though i’ m. Happy doing what I do. Just a clarification …

  4. Lets respect our people and allow with hiring -representation by population.

    Gov opportunities should not only be permitted to minorities but to society as a whole .

    The Gov is choosing its hires from a very small select population .so if to say that the best individual comes only from that 17%.

    If the community is 20% francophone :then 20% hires in Gov should be 20%-to do otherwise is to neglect the remaining 80%.

    Lets make our Gov accountable for its citizens as a whole and not just to interest groups!!!!

  5. being french of french speaking is NOT an insidious plot like some believe.. it is part of life in Canada

  6. Concerned………are you trying to convince yourself? When someone repeats and repeats and repeats……..Hmmm not usually a good sign. **s**

  7. Just stating the facts stella ;SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH AND PREFER NOT TO ADDRESS !
    Keep spreading the propaganda ,this I know your good for.

    You stella are a piece of work -so what Gov sponsored french language rights group are you with ….or do you only fight because you ARE one of those advantaged CIVIL SERVANTS .

    There is a reason that you fight so……for what Perceived loss?
    Or is it the gain of rights of another ?
    We know its not for Equality for all persons …You know your Bias’s

  8. Touchez -no being french is not insidious -but the Governemnt policy on language is -its is only a part of region not the entire country -how ETHNOCENTRIC you are ! French is but one of many cultures in this country!

    But hey its all right to treat others less …right …french first right Touchez!

  9. FYI: Poll from Standard Freeholder

    Do you support the Language Fairness for All group’s concerns?
    Wednesday, July 4, 2012 12:00:00 EDT AM

    91%
    167 votes
    Yes

    9%
    16 votes
    No

  10. LMAO……….you are too funny!!! Who are you trying to kid. Polls mean squat!!! Good try though……..LOL

  11. Ah but I am sure you saw it and I am sure you are part of that 9% Stella! Keep laughing : )

  12. You would never believe it because you Choose only to believe in what you want to.

    As you see stella most people on here consider you an extremist or Zealot is a better term …french first right?

    What polls would you believe ?Those numbers are clearly one way ….why ?because most people do not want GOV discrimination!

    Now stella is it possible for you not to create propaganda and misinform people or is that the french language rights groups agenda?
    How much are you payed by them ,or are you doing this for the “goodness” of your heart -if there is any ?
    French first right ? french first!
    Simply Ethnocentric racism … assimilation at all cost

    French first right?………French first right?

  13. …just like stephen harper, if it doesn’t work, slander, lie and make up stuff. The standard free holder and cfn are just about the only two newspapers that will publish languagefairyness letters..

  14. leading polls, just like cfra trying to do a poll on conservatism, I guarantee it to be 99 -1…

  15. Patric -slander ,lie , and make up stuff .

    Yes your group does well in this !
    Our group provides relevant info from various sources articles .
    Your group proposes propaganda -very little facts ,figures or articles to back your statement.

    new poll questions:

    Perhaps the poll should have asked do you believe bilingualism should be forced on the majority to placate the minority?

    Should the taxpayer pay for the protection of the french language?

    Should all government jobs -coast to coast be bilingual?

    Do you want a referendum?

    Should language trump merit for job applicants for the Government?

    Do you believe that the Government should hire proportionally to the population in that community?

    many,many relevant questions that NEED to be answered !

  16. A poll that comes from the LFA has no merit. Any poll that is done by a group with a personal agenda…..of course their numbers will be higher that shouldn’t come as a surprise and nothing wo write homw about….LOL

  17. Correction Nothing to write home about…..

  18. Perhaps the poll should have asked do you believe bilingualism should be forced on the majority to placate the minority ?
    Nothing is forced…you don’t have to do anything you don’t want. Just don’t complain when bosses have requirements that you can fulfill.

    Should the taxpayer pay for the protection of the french language?
    – at the any government, there things that aren’t necessary…governments lie to get ahead…or just don’t tell you everything you need to know to make a clear decision. This is not a waste of money…7 million plus people disagree with you.

    Should all government jobs -coast to coast be bilingual?
    Nope. some are…

    Do you want a referendum?
    Hell No..waste of money…

    Should language trump merit for job applicants for the Government? well without language…what do we have…2 people using sign language.

    Do you believe that the Government should hire proportionally to the population in that community? That would be discriminatory.. hire the best person…if they fulfill all the requirements… Hire them.

  19. @ Stella

    A poll that comes from the LFA has no merit. Any poll that is done by a group with a personal agenda…..of course their numbers will be higher that shouldn’t come as a surprise and nothing wo write homw about….LOL

    Spreading propaganda is not very nice!

    The Standard Freeholder conducted the poll by their OWN devices.
    LFA had no influence in the poll!

    Furthermore, near 200 pollsters voted when the average # of voters on SF is 20 or so.Remember 1 vote per email address.
    Obviously, a lot of Cornwallites would like to see fair hiring practices in government agencies.

    Language Fairness for ALL

  20. PATRICK!!!!!!! BRAVO!!! Right on Man!!!!

    To all my wonderful friends I would like to share this with all of you. It will only take a minute of your time and I am sure you will enjoy it!!! Now if only we could all do this……..what a wonderful world it would be!!!! Google “youngblood” then hit “Get Together” and listen carefully…….it may enlighten you and make you see the light. For those who choose not….your lose **s**

  21. The requirments are the issue Patrick. Someone changed them to hire more French speakers, partly because of funding and partly because of idelaogy. Was there a needs test prior to this change as proof a change was actually needed?

    Have there been any language complaints recorded by the hospital over 10 years, say 2000 to 2010?

    What was the rational behind changing the “requirements” by whom and when?

    This is 2009 document outlining a Kingston hospital, it would be interesting to compare with Cornwall’s agreement….Kingston is in a designated area for French Services, however page 7 lists 1,198 visits by French speakers out of 400,000 total user visits.
    https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Hs9ZjneOymkJ:www.hoteldieu.com/frenchimplementationplan.pdf+LHIN+FLSA&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESh9mxY6u4WH1G9kXn6c6_ta7pBZu9q4xdtMQXThDK3JF8X0OWuxfDZIHmBsHcIFhCLGeOYTrlqXSCjzv7tcjkoLIMzH6njaWcLc09tcmX7PuBFBK_bQ1h8_DkkoIcYyMoI61kFe&sig=AHIEtbScTfAV9DKZwSL_0g-LmlnGSnCb7Q

  22. Hi Friends,

    A friendly reminder about LFA’s Act of Activism tomorrow;

    Wednesday August 8,2012
    1000-1200
    EOHU – Eastern Ontario Health Unit
    1000 Pitt St.
    Cornwall,ON

    Wear red &/or white & if you are a health care worker wear a uniform.
    We plan to have a BIG surprise,don’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet!!!

    See you soon,

    Deb & Chris
    Language Fairness for ALL

  23. Will the FLA bus be available for those who don’t have a vehicule? **s**

  24. Only if the FLSA pays for it through gov’t sponsored French language rights groups as they did for importing French advocates from Alexandria! The same thing with the United Counties meeting!

    Thanks Stella for your concern,

    Cory

  25. I don’t think they changed them to hire more french, they just changed them so that french people would have service in their own language. Now languagefairyness complains that there is too much french, I could not disagree more. 25 designated areas to help more then 500 thousand people…not too much to ask for. Some even say that because they are not bilingual they don’t get good jobs..couldnt be further from the truth.
    – the auditor general is not bilingual ( AND HE SHOULD BE)
    – supreme court judges aren’t bilingual) (And they should be)
    – example for montreal ..quote from mouvement québec français:
    « Une seconde enquête du Journal de Montréal menée au centre-ville de Montréal montre que chez les unilingues, les anglophones s’en tirent mieux que les francophones pour trouver un emploi dans un magasin ou un restaurant.(…)
    -even the president of ¨la caisse de dépôt du Québec¨was unilingual anglo…and he lived in Québec.
    – What I think is – some people complain for nothing..
    – People want jobs and aren’t willing to put the required time in order to acquire all the qualifications..
    – some don’t give a crap about french services…just as long as they don’t have to see hear or talk about anything even remotely related to la langue française.

  26. So Patrick in your 26 year of wisdom (from a separatist) point of view -all supreme court judges should be bilingual as well as the auditor general ?

    Wow how elite -therefore the choices would only come from ONT and Que really do you realize that there are other provinces and territories?

    But french first that matters not to you !
    I do not believe choosing the best from 4% is really the best is it?
    but hey french first right?

  27. Patrick says ” some don’t give a crap about french services…just as long as they don’t have to see hear or talk about anything even remotely related to la langue française”

    And that is how a few people get away with drastic change!
    French is not going away, Ontario has 40 positions of Language Coordinators with one goal, to show departments and agencies how to creat more French in everything they do. As I show from the Kingston hospital example, numbers do not matter, just make things more French.

    We have dozens of Francophone societies using tax dollars to promote French, we have political parties trying to get even more French everywhere. French should not be abolished, however, we have reached limits within laws, acts, and regulations so Francophones can live well outside of Quebec.

  28. Oh (just)those 25 area’s of Ontario encompasses 90% of the population.

    Think of this 5000 francophone’s in Toronto in a population of millions justifies having all those services provided in french(Bilingual) -even when there is no demand for it!

    So to provide those services how many millions ?
    all those government hires for bilingual must as well have a supervisor who is bilingual because in Gov you can be supervised in your own language!
    Therefore all supervisors must be bilingual -no longer do you provide the service to that scant population you must provide it as well to those francophone public employee’s /

    How very Bureaucratic there are more public employee’s bilingual then actually of need in the community!

    I think maybe all Quebec judges should be written and oral English testing -is the same as asking all federal supreme court to be all bilingual!

    but oh yes bilingual only means the rest of Canada -for that 4%!

  29. Patrick……..absolutely correct when you say that many don’t put in the effort. A close friend of mine who is in the teaching profession wrote the french test 3 times. That is called determination and will power and that is how one gets ahead in life. Rather then complaining..she did what she had to do and it paid off big time.

    Patrick…….It all comes down to hatred of the french and no matter what you say nothing will change that. Thinking that galganov’s pamphlets says it all……abolish french in Ontario. C’est dure de raisonner avec du monde qui ne peuvent pas comprendre et ne veulent pas comprendre.

  30. -millions of dollars to provide services in french to more then 7 million people…money well spent.
    – 4% of the population = service for more then 500 thousand people.
    – yes those positions should be designated bilingual because.. close to a third of the cases heard in front of the supreme court are either coming from Québec…or, are in french. The unilingual judges have to read briefed in english with short resumés.. not fair. or logical.
    – 9 may 2012…government of canada invest millions to promote tourism in manitoba.
    -the government of canada gave billions to the auto industry..
    -millions to help adolescents in saskatchewan to get jobs.
    -billions to get planes
    -millions to promote canadian beef industry.
    -millions to help the homeless in edmonton and in winnipeg.
    ..to offer french services is not a waste of money…we should focus our attention to other places…imagine what we could do with 50 billion dollars.

  31. Any group that has to pound the pavement to garner support indicates that they don’t have the support they claim they do.

    Heading out to the rally now…..I want my voice to be heard!!!

  32. @ Stellaby starlight…. another appropriate song from the 60`s to mark this … The Byrds “Turn, Turn, Turn”…. this will wear it self out and seen for what it is….and with the G driving the cut out bus… it is headed for a cliff… Russell township saw through this…Cornwall will move on and “Turn turn turn”…too..
    @Patrick Boucher ..7.01 am blog correct… on all fronts.. French services are not insidious where needed they are added where needed….. have a great day everyone…live and let live and try not to hold on to antiquated ideas steeped in the past… it moves nothing forward…

  33. @ cory’s press “whatever” lol oh FDLMAO!

  34. Marc Bisson is director the french only clinic,he must be REALLY important indeed to make that kinda dough!!!!

    OH YAH-HE’S FRENCH!!!!!

    In 2010, Marc Bisson was paid $133,058.52 plus more than $11k in taxable benefits: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2011/otherp11.html
    In 2011, he received the same salary as the prior year plus more than $12k in taxable benefits: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2012/otherp12a.html

  35. So people do you still think its fair to have FRENCH ONLY clinics ?Would you think it to be fair for white only clinics ?
    What about catholic only clinics ?
    Why should any culture /race / have rights above others?
    Do the taxpayers not pay for these FRENCH ONLY clinics ,but have no rights to get service there if they are not french?

    Welcome to Canada’s cast system -where different cultures have different rights.

  36. So people where do you sit on the bus?

  37. Back of the bus English that’s were you belong ,why woulda goverment sponsored Health Clinic refuse English patients ?
    The bigger question is why the government allows descriminatory practices within its health care system?
    Remember people that’s McGuinty who permits this ,as,well as you!

  38. English Know your place at the back of the bus ,you have placed yourself there with your apathy towards YOUR RIGHTS.

    Under god we are equal under Canadian language laws we are not!

  39. Language issue has filtered beyond affordability. Our school boards are forever cut back, closing schools (I’d like to know how many in Cornwall and SDG and which were English and which were French)

    The ONLY way we will get equalization is to combine ALL languages from beginning of kindergarten all the way through to college and University. This is that only way I know that mutual training will in due time, perhaps a generation or two will provide satisfied employable subjects for the job and even government employment, as well as in health care services.

    As long as we continue to out smart, scheme to out stretch, cheat on financial accommodations for one group over others, we will continue to resent and challenge ourselves to out wit our fellow Canadians. When the government can hire immigration candidates over a fluent French or English person, apartied in the work place and in our schools will continue.

    This is NOT about equal numbers or discounting totally one language over the other, but of equal accommodations.

    As long as religious interests continue to segregate our schools, colleges and universities included as well as for religious reason changes in our work place to accommodate one religions designs and purported needs we will continue to assure second class citizens.

    In language disparities as well as religious accommodations (sometimes I would believe these are due to ‘special interest’ donations made to universities) those in executive and government administrative roles as well as CEO’s will continue to be the catalyst to resentment, anger and backlash issues.

    The answer is to get real. Our Canadian citizens are being torn and stripped of their Canadian Bill of Rights promised to them years ago. It has come to the age and stage where not just church and state must be separated in order to have fair and just laws, it definitely now has spread to our entire education systems and business’s through out the country.

    Get back or face backlash’s like you have never seen. Those who participate in protest groups, marches and media campaign’s are doggedly over ridden by SPECIAL INTERESTS OF ONE TRACK MINDED AND MINDLESS POLITITIONS AND GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATORS WHO BLINDLY FORCE THERE SPECIAL INTERESTS UPON THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AT UNREALISTICLY HIGH BURDOMSONE COSTS THAT THE SANE, LOVING, KIND CANADIAN PEOPLE/CITIZENS DO NOT WANT. WTF are you doing to us.

    So then we have an option or two to fix these fiscal and social problematic issues.

    1) Freeze all special area ‘new’ never before had projects. Eliminate ALL expenditures that have nothing to do with infrastructure upgrades.

    2) Live, breath and enforce two major issues this country was founded on:
    a) Our Canadian flag is a model symbol that the world recognises as born on the backs of our committed soldiers who gave life and limb for our freedoms. We must salvage the rues of Flagging our schools, public buildings, city and town identifiers and reinstate the rules of how our flag needs to be treated with respect in how it is draped, hung highest on flag poles/standards, alone and ‘above’ all others. Our flag is already representative of all languages, all creeds, all provinces and all religions. Those who can not accept this, in particular here in Ontario should be charged (town funds included when flown as a town, region, or any area not first and foremost raising respectively the flag of our Canada, PERIOD.

    We must stop being a cause to our own divide and (not) conquer. We are one and must grow up to that reasoning and only that. We must accommodate each other, pick each other up when and where ever needed, whether it is being an interpreter or languages or not.

    All I/we have seen in Canada for the past half century is a shrinking of our rights and freedoms. We have been stepping on egg shells with each other far to long. Stand up, stand tall and say it like it is, our freedoms will not be stripped away.

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