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.
Patrick, and Stella and Le Renard Bleu… I see their point of view as more accepting of multiculktural services than CLF amd LFA`s fear of other cultures taking over.. even though you try to hide it behind the term asset
Bilingualism is like a religion to some people….to be followed regardless of the circumstances – Morals excluded.
English speaking people’s apathy have caused this issue of French only services to exist in the first place. True bilingualism is the equality of the languages – not French only services.
Guess what English speaking people? We have ourselves to blame for letting this occur. Part of this is voter apathy. There is an entire generation that have grown up with the effects of ‘Official Bilingualism’ that don’t know any better. The French speaking people have only taken advantage of a situation that clearly benefits them through laws such as OLA and FLSA. There is something to be said though as they have remained rather quiet about these issues in the long run….until English speaking people spoke about unfair hiring policies.
French-speaking people have been slowly moving out of the Province of Quebec going both east and west. Why do you think there are now language issues in Cornwall, Embrun, (West) etc. and Moncton, New Brunswick (East)? This has been because of a steady settlement of French speaking people in those areas traditionally dominated by English speaking people. Currently, jobs are being lost and new opportunities/promotions are not being given to English speaking people. This is a fact.
That’s the politics of language for you!
Cory
There you go again les, misunderstanding people and spreading falsehoods
twist, turn, shuffle, avoid.
Some day, you’ll forget that you are not on the internet and start discussing your thoughts in person. I would love to be there to see the dance for myself. it defintely loses something on the interwebs.
twist, turn, shuffle, avoid.
Stella -last post 930am what the government keeping you busy today?
What did your government supervisor caught you?
Does the government know you spend time on here on their TAB?
I think as a taxpayer All should have a say in what you do with your time at work!
Stella,
We went to Cuba by saving money before we lived on our own. This money has been saved when we didn’t have bills and earmarked for vacations later on in our lives. We are trying to live our lives to the best of our abilities despite myself being underemployed. Trust me, I can’t afford to save money for a vacation nowadays.
Tell me Stella. Time for you take the silver spoon out of your mouth. When was the last time you did an honest day’s work that didn’t involve sitting at a computer desk; earning a good unionized government salary?
Bet you can’t wait for your golden handshake, right?
Count Patrick wrote: “If you go at Le Centre with a cold, they probably will suggest you go some place else.”
So you acknowledge a blatant refusal of services? Step 1!
“My father is a quebecer and a staunch seperatist, I’m a federalist.”
You cannot deny this factor has had an impact on your views. (See your treatment of Costco girl Step 2…)
“The clinic is there to help francophones, close to 30 % of the population, one clinic, ce n’est pas beaucoup madame cameron.”
Oh but it is Count Patricia if there already is a doctor shortage for everyone right? I mean, one clinic that’s French only? There is no English only clinic Monsieur Patrick!
Oui c’est beaucoup quand il y a pas un clinique Anglais….
OMG I can’t believe this comment “We are creating barriers and seperating the population” Now that is hilarious!!
Who started the language BS in this town………not us
Who demonstrated and tried desperately to have people sign a petition………not us
Who was asking people not to donate to the hospital fund……..not us
Who started a group to instigate and try to seperate the community……not us
Who is always crying and complaining for no reason but jealousy……….YOU
Now tell me, does the above statements sound like a group who wants to ……like Julie Bouchard C said in her post…..”live like one big family”……….OMG LOL
oh look, the other half of the dance team! lol
twist, turn, shuffle, avoid.
Back to work Stella! You’re not worth the $20.00+dollar an hour position you occupy!
stella your on Gov time get back to work-we do pay your salary!
WoW breaking news stella is a public servant….that doesn’t surprise me considering its in her interest to defend Government policy that promotes elitism (Bilingualism)of which she has her Job otherwise she would be working at Wallmart as the rest of us.
if that is your best defense Cory i`m glad you`re on “the other side of the discussion… TAKE IT TO COURT!!if you think you are so misunderstood and discriminated against.. MADE up stories and blame goes nowhere in court.. only facts and CLf and LFA have absolutely no facts… just a wrong sense of superiority over something not worth worrying about.. that`s calle dinferiority complesx by the way… time out for all of you…looking for a confrontation?? won`t find it here!! just actual facts of reality.. like Strella pointed out I can`t figure if this group is delusional or bored!! and in denial ..have agreat life with each other lfa and Clf its a small group with a small messgae…
I lole that the other media sees this LFa for what it is.. going nowhere..at this point..
You call me count patricia. LOL, Your the one that wanted to meet me in person to check out my ¨body language¨ as i Said in the past, much respect to those that do…but I don’t swing that way.
A need for another clinic should not go at the expense of a french clinic. Every clinic is an english clinic, you can go anywhere you want in Canada and get service in english….YOu guys are the lucky ones… If there is a doctor shortage, should we take out the ones working for l’estrie and have them work some place else. It does serve the french population of Cornwall. These doctors and nurses can do so many hours in one day…
…¨Mme Cameron¨, French expression¨ J’ai l’impression que vous vous plaignez le ventre plein.¨
OOOppps almost forgot…….What I won’t do though is sit back and let people try to destroy our culture…….to allow that to happen would not be nice of me **smile**
So Patrick did you feel empowered by having that girl fired?
You in fact Boasted -now how a nice human being you are ..
French first right?
-apple does not fall far from the tree-Daddy’s little boy
Bigotry,Bigotry,Bigotry……it starts from a young age it is taught through loved ones …..they do not see any harm in it,in fact it encouraged ….
But were lies the morality ?
Hi Everyone,
Again, please, principle,not personality. I know some of you are very very passionate in your beliefs, but geez, people read this stuff!
MONTREAL Sun News – July 14/12
– An appointed minister has filed a complaint with the city’s transit authority because he claims two subway employees told him they “don’t serve English people.”
Michael Dunning told QMI Agency that when he asked, in English, for an all-day pass at a Montreal subway station on Monday, the two employees behind the glass laughed and cursed him.
What do you think Patrick/Stella/ Les Habitants? Will they be fired for rudeness?
Les Habitants:
I would love to take it to court but alas, like a broken record trying to get you to understand something, I’m pretty poor! Can’t afford high priced lawyers for the cause (something tells me you can though). But I guess us poor people have something money can’t buy, right? Poverty!
Now before I get a response from a member of the ‘Press Corps’ saying ‘Money can’t buy happiness’, let me tell them here and now the best advice I have ever heard from someone about money.
And this woman, a few decades older than me, had this to say:
“Money may not buy happiness, but it sure makes misery comfortable.”
Members of the Press Corps are fairly well off. I can but guarantee that not a single one of them is out there working at night earning minimum wage in their thirties. That, I can guarantee. They are all in positions to preach all they want – as they see nothing wrong with the system as is because they have garnered success from it. And who is to blame them, right?
The question they want answered is why can’t we go out and learn French? THis is the mainstay of their argument.
Well, I already speak, read and write French. I guess not well enough as I’v been told by a few government organizations!
If given the choice between education and language, they would choose language hands down over all else. This issue of language supercedes everything else and has religious status amongst their followers. It’s bizarre actually and I would invite any other sociologist here to make comments on this. Is it for them a Marxist, Feminist, Marxist/Feminist, Structural Functionalist or Hegelian perspective? I don’t know. Perhaps Emile Durkheim’s work might explain this obsession with language lebensraum? It’s odd because you see Patrick’s shopping experience example of this latest sort of gemeinschaft type social relation. Not only this, but it exists as well in gesellschaft type social relations as well. I obviously would do the study myself but cannot as I have been personally affected by the issue.
Oh well, I hope an indepedent sociologist can figure out this.
Any takers?
What the Press Corps or anyone for that matter cannot argue is that Canada’s laws are clearly not legislated to provide for a fair playing ground.
Fact – OLA/FLSA Laws by which Human Resource Departments have used as an excuse to hire Pro-French employees; not bilingual. How many members of the Press Corps talk English at home? Even I speak French about 55% of the time at home and now about 50% of the time at work with the few that do speak French. This is called favouritism or elitism.
Fact – English speakers are mistreated in the province of Quebec! Bill 101 is example of this. Sign laws too. How is is morally/ethically right to attempt to legislate a language out of existence?
In these 2 examples we see a very big problem. And that problem is that not only does the Canadian government support these occurrences but they are in fact LEGISLATED! People, citizens of Canada, this is 2012!
Rosie..I’ll wait to read both sides but if that happened..THEY SHOULD BE FIRED ON THE SPOT!!
Cory I fail to see how this pertains to French services in Cornwall ? If Ontario, in your opinion treats their minorities better then Québec. (and I disagree) Good for Ontario
slander,denial lies and criminal code 319 violations.. are not a reason to have a group existence Cory…!!clf and lfa are headed there fasr and the courts have spoken about Russell township!! your little group will drag taxpayers into the ground to lose again…
stella -you said “what I won’t do through is sit back and let people try to destroy our culture ”
Who is destroying what culture ?
LFA is asking for fair representation -job equity -you know RIGHTS.
You feel in your rights to somehow protect some perceived loss -to debate on here during your government job -is that not too political and Gov agencies agree with that ?
Galganov has money for courts where does he get it.?. credit card donations from poeple like you and he does not give receipts for.because he is not a charity..using you wake up … he uses you people and sells you a pile of tripe about it on his websites… get real Cory…
WE LIVE IN ONTARIO what don’t you understand? We have enough of our own problems, leave Quebec out of it. Let them deal with their own problems provincially. GEEZ!!!
Thinking you need to get other provinces involved because you know you won’t get the support you need here.
Rosie its accepted to be rude! THERE IN QUEBEC!
It is amazing that they behave that way -where is the “inclusions” there -les,blue fox,stella and patrick
You see every day crap like this happens in Quebec and I love it -It is showing the the social problems that exist with THE PAMPERED SOCIETY -Quebec politics at it again!!
They sure are a self destructive population aren’t they? -It wont be the English at fault -but their closed media will make it look that way?
Yet in the end it will be of their own decline .
sad that you don`t see education,merit and language where necessary for aid and comfort in some cases and regions trumps all . some times a worker needs to realign their priorities for the public…thank Goodness I live in Canada where that is understood … and yes Patrickk after hearing both sides , not just one side of the story, if warranted.. workers with bad attitudes should be fired or reprimanded..no matter what language is involved…s`long t`night meetin the gang for some baseball watching..
Highliander…..there was post prior to that one…….it was deleted………and it was pertaining to my job and the BIG BUCKS I MAKE………and of course a little jab in there….but that’s ok. Jamie is the adm. and I respect his position
Patrick -give your head a shake if that happened in Ontario well they would import people from Quebec to protest of this .
Of course you think minorities are treated better in Quebec
The last referendum loss was blamed on minorities right?
Unfortunately those minorities payed a price …..open society no they are not -FRENCH FIRST-Canadian second –
you should know this through your father-Language is treated as a religion in your fathers eyes .
Stella , Highlander makes his own reality …as does most of this questionnable group….lets ignore it all for a few days and see if they argue with themselves!
Stella you say leave Quebec out of it?
This OLF/FLSA exists because of Quebec pondering ,this has everything to do with Quebec including them exporting the french language with populations to areas where they had never existed before!
This is Quebec politics -and it will eventually be to their detriment as a province as there is Canadian apathy to Quebec and its growing !
self destructive to bite the hand that feeds you
aint but to ignore for a few days how would your fingers feel about that ?
Highlander, you don’t know what you are talking about, especially when it comes to the way that life is in Quebec. No, you really don’t.
On the contrary, minorities are respected in Quebec much more than they are in the rest of Canada. For instance, in the city of Montréal, people who are part of immigrant communities tend to keep their respective languages much more than they would if they lived in Toronto, Windsor, Vancouver, Calgary, etc.
No, the minorities are not paying any price for ”causing the defeat of the independentist side” in the 1995 referendum. What then-Premier Jacques Parizeau meant to say – albeit quite awkwardly – was that the vote had basically been rigged by the federal government and – get this – that government had used immigrants to do it. Apparently tens of thousands of them who would settle in Quebec had their immigration formalities fast-tracked only in the several months prior to said referendum. The federal government knew that they would be entitled to vote by the time that the referendum took place and that they would be by far most likely to vote No. So, no, if the Québécois do wish to take revenge against anybody for this, logically, it won’t be against the immigrants or ethnic minorities but rather against the federal government.
As for the last part of your last comment, I will simply point out that all that those Québécois who feel strongly about the need to keep the French language clearly predominant in Quebec wish to do is make sure that their culture thrives on their own land, the only one out of sixty-two jurisdictions in all of North America (!) -indeed, ten Canadian provinces plus forty-eight continental U.S. states plus three Canadian territories plus Alaska make sixty-two – where French is the language of a majority of the population, where it prevails over the English language. Is that really too much to ask? Come now! English speakers have already got dominance over basically 98% of the continent. Do you really need to take the remaining two percent as well?!? You are not reasonable, my friend.
As for the French-speaking communities in the rest of Canada, they have rights too. In my book, even if Quebec were basically French only and the rest of Canada were bilingual in certain parts, such as Eastern Ontario, the situation would still be clearly advantageous for English speakers both at the national level and at that of North America. The fact is that without at least one place where French thrives solidly, namely Quebec, the rights of French Canadians and Acadians or French speakers in general in the rest of Canada will concretly mean quite little.
‘Bye!
Of course, Highlander, by ”your last comment”, I meant the one that you posted at ”7:20 p.m.” (by the clock on this Web site). It was your last comment until I started typing. ‘Bye!
I don’t recall ever reading anything in response to me telling all of the English kids to leave Cornwall and area once they are educated and not to end up like me?
Please correct me if I’m wrong Press Corps?
But I do recall warning the English speaking kids to get the hell out of dodge as they wouldn’t do themselves or their families any good sticking around for minimum wage jobs once they’re finished with school. I do believe I told them to learn French at all costs and to concentrate their efforts all to this effect. (even at the expense of their educations).
I don’t remember any members of the Press Corps speaking out against this? I could be wrong though. But in any case, I might have been onto something here.
I will say again. University graduates immerse yourself in the French language. This is your only chance of success.
Sorry to say.
…and twist, turn, shuffle, avoid.
Stella, Stella, Stella
You wrote:
“OOOppps almost forgot…….What I won’t do though is sit back and let people try to destroy our culture…….to allow that to happen would not be nice of me **smile**”
How can your culture be destroyed by a bilingual clinic. Culture is brought into our homes with our reveillons, meat pies, beans etc. A clinic would not destroy our Culture. Losing our Culture would be by things such as not passing down customs from generation to generation. Do you see posters of French culture in the doctors office? Don’t you think that everytime a native has to see the doctor do you realize that they are the one’s losing a piece of their Culture; they have something to complain about! When visiting a Medicine man they have an amazing culture; they offer medicine that is not offered at the doctor’s office. Their culture is the one to worry about losing, not ours at the doctor’s office!
You are the ones creating barriers by separating the population. I had the opportunity to visit a native clinic and not once was I judged for speaking French or English. They accepted me as a person needing help with their old, traditional medicines. Do you think that it is right to have a clinic just for French and not having access for everyone like Native, English, Hindi, ect.
Who started the language BS in this town. Is people wanting fairness for everyone not just want one MINORITY.
Do you blame them for demonstrating and trying desperately to have people sign a petition? Wanting justice for everyone is something that is important not only for services but also from
a career perspective.
The group’s purpose is not to seperate the community but to ensure people of every race, color have the chance for fairness.
They are not crying and complaining for no reason but fairness for employment opportunities, fairness for services.
Making Canada or Ontario a better place to stay means working with everyone to create a better home for everyone and not just French speaking people and I still stand behind ”live like one big family”……….OMG GROW UP and maybe take all your efforts in making Ontario a better place and not seperating us and labelling us by FRENCH AND ENGLISH!!!!!!
Patrick Boucher you wrote
“Mme Cameron¨, French expression¨ J’ai l’impression que vous vous plaignez le ventre plein.¨”
Before you can comment on anyone’s finances come and live a day in my shoes, before you tell me that j’ai le ventre plein. There are many things that I would love to get and it is not possible on a small salary of “gagne pain”. But we are surviving and maybe someday I may have that Camper or that extra Car. Come and spend sometime in the north and see how far your salary would bring you. Oh, before I forget gas has a cost of $1.32 a litre in Timmins.
– How fair is it that LFA is pro-unilingualism at the expense of us that gave a crap and our bilingual?
– Should we, as bilingual individuals expect less of our fellow canadians ? If my government guarantees me health services in french and a unilingual nurse comes up ? Is it not my right to request a bilingual one.
– Mme Cameron, if your husband speaks french 55 % of the time…and is functionally bilingual..and can’t pass a written test in french. Like i said before, with all do respect to your husband, maybe language is not the problem.
Regardless of what we believe I can’t help but say..thank god we are in Canada. Regardless of our position, ( mine is always the right one.. haha) we can defend it vigorously without being reprimanded by our government. I can’t remember the quote but someone said.. I disagree with your position but I will defend your right to say it out loud. ( or something like that..don’t remember)
Thank you Julie for your comments. It’s very refreshing to hear your take on all of this. I know many more like you who feel the same way but cannot find it in themselves to publicly put it out there. The same way many of the English cannot not bring themselves out to stand publicly in protest.
les habitant writes “Galganov has money for courts where does he get it.?. credit card donations from poeple like you and he does not give receipts for.because he is not a charity..using you wake up … he uses you people and sells you a pile of tripe about it on his websites”
So glad you brought this up. Over the last 4 years we have seen a dramatic explosion by French groups using money from all taxpayers in Ontario. Just to recap, that means money from 95.2% that are not reclassified as Francophone under the Ministry of Francophone Affairs as well.
The umbrella group headed by L’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario has just over 200 members but get over 1.2 million dollars from government agencies. They have a tender out now for someone to help them get a bigger piece of the pie by the way.
The recent Francophone weekend in Ottawa had several sponsors, and there was much double dipping seen there. For example. several Ontario and federal agencies chipped in, and the one I have the most trouble with, is the Hawkesbury hospital providing a donation. It is just a coincidence that the CEO is now married to the Minister of Francophone Affairs, but have more funds than they need to run the hospital it appears.
The Cornwall founder of the Promotion for Bilingulism group is a corporation and can give reciepts even, there is so much money behind the bigger picture that more Canadians need to demand change.
le Renaud Blue, this minority in Montreal would disagree with your comment.
http://www.openfile.ca/montreal/blog/curator-blog/curated-news/2012/montreal-d%C3%A9panneur-owners-under-attack
Good reading Eric -It is surprising how some people prefer to be blind to scenarios…for they would actually have to confront it otherwise !
270+ french language rights groups in Ontario -that one with 1.2 million ($6000 ) per member -how privileged.
That was just one group -2.4 billion every year to ensure these groups to continue lobbying Gov for more french rights !
I was informed that in Chesterville that dinner fundraiser for GUY LAUZON was stacked with french language rights groups-
TALK ABOUT GREASING THE PALMS EH!
But wait where are the English rights groups ?
That is right only minorities particularly french have access to all that money to lobby for more GOV services !
When Mr.Cameron stood up for his rights to be treated with EQUALITY-no less then 3 french language rights groups criticized him ….but realized it was not to their advantage as one with a full stomach should not complain about the other with an empty stomach !
So still waiting to find the English only clinic -and the ones in Montreal are still bilingual even though 90% of the patients are English -but I am sure the francophone will not be turned away.
Perhaps Patrick I do not know Quebec as well as Onatrio -but I did watch on TV your hero Premier Jacques Parizeau -it was very clear what he had said about immigrants and minorities -perhaps you may need to look at that again and refresh yourself and not let a bias cloud the reality….it starts from a young age -remember that !
Highlander, Jean Lecompte ( was at the Chesterville fund raiser) is the Director of the Society for the Promotion of Bilingualism and listed under the Canada Corporations Act since 2009. It is interesting how the mission of that group is to promote the visibilty and accessibility of both official languages, but as a board member of L’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario does not “encourage” them to have a bilingual website……
So it does seem a conflict of interest !
Patrick you wrote “- Mme Cameron, if your husband speaks french 55 % of the time…and is functionally bilingual..and can’t pass a written test in french. Like i said before, with all do respect to your husband, maybe language is not the problem”
I believe you are suggesting he isn’t smart enough. Have to say, I don’t know either of you but hands down, I would bet on Cory to score higher than you on any given test.
PS Did you mean to write “are” bilingual…or do you think it should be “our” bilingual. I don’t think you would pass an English written test if the latter was your choice.
Typo…Rozie, keep criticizing my grammar Rozie… your ARE making me look smarter and smarter. This is kinda like when someone doesn’t have any intelligent coherent remark, so you criticize the person, the grammar or the wardrobe. Keep insulting my shoes Rozie, open toed sandals aren’t for me…but I like wearing them. I’m not saying that he isn’t smart enough, its probably the choices he made…THen again I did use the word MAYBE… I could be wrong, I have been once or twice in my 26 years on this earth.
Merci Rosie!
That’s very kind of you to have said that of me. The ironic thing is is that most of my learning has been done outside of my formal schooling.
I find that our education system should focus on some other things as well. For instance, it might be a good idea to introduce subjects such as agriculture in the high school curriculum. With ever growing climate change, we may have to increasingly rely upon our individual selves to start producing our own food. This is good in that it saves us money, introduces us to a hobby and makes us self reliant and efficient.
Cuba has similar programs in place and is doing fairly well in it’s agricultural output. I was quite impressed with some of the things the country had instituted when we visited last March.
I love the fact that they have so much cultural and educational television. I watched one night how coffee was grown and harvested. It was awesome and I have to say that I believe their coffee is the best in the world as well!
All the best Rosie to you and yours,
Cory