When the highest court of the land refuses to hear the case of Howard Galganov and Jean-Serge Brisson who wish to advertise signs in the language of their choice, then you can hedge your bets that democracy is dead in our beloved Canada.
If courts in Canada at all levels refuse to grant to private businessmen the opportunity of expressing themselves as is supposedly guaranteed under Canada’s Charter of Right’s and Freedoms under Section 2b, then there is a problem, a very BIG problem. But I digress, it will be an even bigger problem if us, as taxpayers and concerned Canadian citizens, do nothing at all about these types of subjects.
What is even more bold and more concerning, is that currently in Russel Township there are agencies who are flatly ignoring the By-Law that seeks to have businesses advertise in both English and French. As CFN has already reported on this, I feel it would be a waste of time and print as to repeat the agencies in question and their reasoning behind the concept to ignore a By-Law that ALL businesses should abide by to begin with.
What have we got here? Well, we have a two tier system that allows certain organizations to post signs in the language of their choice and apparently all others left to follow the laws of the land.
This situation folks is not a democratic ideal. Two tier systems are the brainchilds and the results of totalitarian states that supposedly were left to the dustbin of history to quote Trotsky. This sort of nonsense was supposed to have been left behind during the last century. But like some grandiose, dark Pheonix, this concept of the caste system has been reborn in, of all places, ‘Our’ freedom loving Canada.
Galganov is correct in his assertion when he states that this isn’t about a language issue but that the issue of language is but a symptom of something larger. I would add that this something larger is but the concept that governments can dictate at their discretion what is best for its’ citizens. But do we not elect our governments? Or have they become our vanguard; willy-nilly deciding what is in our best interests? This most recent decision by the Canadian Supreme Court not to hear Galganov and Brisson’s case tells us that indeed the above has become the new norm.
No worry folks; you need not think for yourselves as Big Government will do all the thinking for you.
My newest Letter to the Editor is not set out to insult nor insinuate anything to anyone nor any group but should be viewed as a wake up call to those who love the concept of democracy. I am writing this today to help people understand what is occuring and the seemingly powerless affects of our courts to do anything about a subject so innocent as the freedom for business owners to advertise in the language(s) of their choice.
If our courts cannot do the right thing in such a simplistic issue then how are they to decide on other issues such as euthanasia?
Not only has my faith in all levels of the Canadian court system been impacted by all of this but also what defines our very concept of what we believe democracy to be.
When one group of people have access to the best jobs, political offices and are permitted to break laws (such as what is occuring in Russel today) then we simply no longer have a society that lives by the democratic ideal.
And what is even worse then the idea above, is that today we have language laws in both Ontario and Quebec that permit linguistic discrimination; both the artificial restricting of one and the propping up of another certain language to the negative effects of all others concerned.
Democracy is dead in Canada.
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
If you truly believe your own words stella, how do you explain this???
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
stellabystarlight
December 11, 2012 at 1:51 pm
“thinking many of these radicals were not successful in their life choices and now blame it on the french.”
Hate propaganda -Stella (julie Lecompte)
Pierre
December 11, 2012 at 2:26 pm
“I was wondering when the french only clinic would pop up. I’ve said it before health services are guaranteed to the official language minorities in the constitution, To change that you have to open the constitution. ”
-But those health services are already supplied through bilingual services Having french only clinics serves only one cultural group and thus is an example of segregation within the community!
-By the way there are 9 such segregated french only clinics in Eastern Ontario !
“Besides the reason they did it that way is they didn’t even have francophone doctor, for that clinic, only a bilingual anglophone one”
-Is there something wrong with a bilingual anglophone doctor? So bilingual anglophone doctors /nurses or other staff not good enough for you?they have to be FRENCH FIRST?
MY HOW ETHNOCENTRIC OF YOU ! BIGOT
I am in Québec’ Ken and, if you were’nt so closed minded, you’d know that, dispite the fact that “la belle province” declared itself officially bilingual.
-First of all its you that is closed minded -Quebec has only declared itself uni lingual-perhaps you need to read /inform yourself with media outside of your biased province .
-Quebec is not bilingual ,the only official bilingual province is N.B.,if your going to spew your crap please be at least informed.
Oh its termed 2 official languages -not bilingualism!
And he’s got the gal to call others bigots ,look in the mirror buddy .
FRENCH FIRST RIGHT PIERRE ,FRENCH FIRST.
Now people nothing pisses me off more then a bigot and this statement is worth repeating!
“Besides the reason they did it that way is they didn’t even have francophone doctor, for that clinic, only a bilingual anglophone one”
More and more propaganda.
Well Pierre, Stella and the like, time for you to put your government money where your mouth is and come up with some stats to back up your claims…
Otherwise the crux of the argument then becomes:
“Well, I say it because it’s true.”
To which you reply,
“That’s not true, it’s the truth because I say it.”
Pierre, we (Canadians) no longer live in a democracy. Sure, we still have the right of suffrage but what good is that whenever the very people we elect don’t even feel obliged to show up at town hall meetings to deal with issues affecting a large percentage of their contituents.
Now, you are going to support our current system because it favours you greatly. Let me tell you, I’ve seen the results of the policies of Socialist states and some of them greatly appear to be more democratic than what we’re currently living under.
Have you read my current editorial to which yu’ve decided to blog on and post messages and debate with others? Can you not see that the Freedom of Choice for a business owner to post a sign in the language of their choice has been compromised in 4 counties in Ontario?
Or is it more the point that you don’t mind the current situation as it greatly favours you to see a non-Francophone business owner be forced to advertise in your primary language? Again, it’s no skin off your back as you don’t have to pay extra fees to print a sign in another language. It’s wrong, morally and ethically to be treating non-Francophone Canadians in this matter on the job front whenever most cannot find work only because of the fact that they don’t have advanced knowledge of a second language. And no worries there, you will hear of a story in the near future proving that. But it’s even more wrong to force someone to advertise just to placate a small segment of the population.
In regards to these Sign By-Laws, I know not of a single Non-Francophone individual who has advocated for them. Do you?
Stella we are all waiting for the answer ,please reply for if not it only discredits you further by avoiding it.
Well whatever credibility you have remaining.
Bella-b dear,
Stop wasting your time trying to get blood out of a stone.
(http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032)
She’s never going to answer the question. To do so would be an acknowledgement that she’s wrong and a hypocrite.
Quebec is officially bilingual, news to me. Many of us know about how the bilingualism laws are being pushed like domino’s to the unknowing populace.
The idea of serving people who need medical service in French is not the issue. Entire programs, buildings, equipment and staffing is, since having a few bilingual staff in place better serves the whole community.
Until people are actually told no job for you English, they just complain to them selves. That is changing as more people see the cost. You obviously have all the answers, please enlighten us more.
Pierre said,
“Here’s two words that can solve your problem:“Rosetta Stone“”
&
“Besides the reason they did it that way is they didn’t even have francophone doctor, for that clinic, only a bilingual anglophone one”
The true BIGOT colors are showing thru….FRENCH ONLY RIGHT PIERRE, FRENCH ONLY!!!!!
&
“there’s only one french clinic”
PROPAGANDA PIERRE!!!!
There are many French only clinics in Eastern Ontario & many in Cornwall. There are 217 FLSA designated agencies, which we all know means French only…Anglo’s need not apply & this encompasses 90% of Ontario!
Highlander….don’t worry about my credibilty, yours has sunk to the lowest since this BS started. Don’t think that people don’t see you for who you really are, with your name calling and bashing and trying to discredit every french person that comes here….come out of your fantasy world!!! You and your gang are losing more credibility with each passing day and that you can bank on.
Yep……let’s keep cory’s page alive, save him the time and trouble of doing it himself. If we quit posting on his page, he will have to find a reason to bring something up again so his page will be in the forefront for months to come. He needs this, it is his life and this gives him the attention he desperately needs.
Stella in the last 4 posts your moniker comes up twice!
It seems to me that I need no postings to keep the issue going. You personally seem to be doing a good job of it!
Now, I challenge you (that’s right) to come up with a letter to the editor yourself rebuking/refuting the substance matter on which I wrote my newest letter to the editor in this blog. Come on now, Stella, you can do it. 😉
Folks, for those of you who aren’t aware I’ll bring up similar circumstances to what I refer to above. A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to the editor describing the fact that some Southern States in America have almost a 50% Spanish speaking populace however the hospitals there have no such bilingual enforced hiring policy much like we have in Canada now. My research included having contacted members of some hospitals and visiting their websites to determine their hiring criteria. Anyways, Stella had no claims to back up her hatred and just as per usual spewed her English hating diatribe when CFN published it. So now, I openly am challenging her to come up with a letter to the editor herself that challenges the claims I make in the Galganov/Brisson court decision.
I venture to say that I believe a whole bunch of crickets may come along as per this challenge.
Cory
When’s the last time a person got egged for speaking French????
Yet, Canadians get egged for speaking English….
Blackest days in Canada…
http://www.cjad.com/CJADLocalNews/entry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10477738
@ Pierre,
I understand that you think a bilingual (French) doctor should be working at a certain health clinic?
Does this not sound like tribalism? For me, it wouldn’t matter if I were French and being served by an African who’s first language was Swahili just so long as they could communicate somewhat in French or at least could motion to me what was wrong. No matter what language you speak too, I think doctors rely more and more upon diagnostic tools nowadays to see what is going on with a patient.
As for this bilingualism debate. Pierre, I have had the fortune of visiting Cuba twice in the last couple of years and have learned much. One night the last time I was there, I sat down with 2 Quebecois, 2 people from France and 2 people from Belgium. As we talked that evening over drinks, you would have thought that we were at the United Nations. We all spoke French, however each dialect was so different from one another that we were lucky to get our points across at all.
All of this to say that your ‘Rosetta Stone’ comment is asinine and has no bearing on the issue. Languages are one thing, but I will never be as good as you are at speaking Quebec French because I didn’t grow up in a 100% Quebecois Franco French family. Now I’m going out on a limb here but I’m willing to guess that you in fact, did. Now, as you know and now I know from my Cuba experience (and others), language nuances are learned and picked up mostly from being exposed to the company in which it takes place. So that means that a French citizen ordering a ‘chien chaud’ in a Quebec Poutinerie will be glanced at sideways, right?
This is why no matter how well I speak French, your access to “Bilingual jobs” will always surpass mine.
It’s a linguistic nuances thing, Pierre.
Cory
cory….so what? I never saw where it said there is a limit to posting, until you become the adm…..it is none of your business **smile** If I didn’t post, you certainly would…LOL
See, we differ on this…..I don’t need to be the center of attention whereas, for you, you need to see your name in lights. It boosts your ego, makes you feel smart and important and I noticed as did others that when your article is not forefront you find any reason to bring your letter back up…..lol
Folks……when a guy called cory gets upset about a highway sign up north, highway 11 to be exact, because the sign is french…….need I say more? BUT I will. This is the extent of the madness of some of these freedom fighters.
When a guy called cory loses it…..and starts name calling, degrading, ridiculing and uses foul language….need I say more?
But I wll! Folks go into the archives, the proof is there.
Like they say…..cory….The only man who can’t change his mind….is a man that hasn’t got one.
“…..I don’t need to be the center of attention…..”
HAHAHAHAHAHA oh my freaking sides hurt!! stop!!! hahahaah
Rebuke my LTE Stella,
Enough with the name calling, please.
You have been challenged twice within recent memory now, Stella. Once by me and with Bella-B’s simple question having to do with signs. And to the latter, she has asked at least a dozen times…
All of us have given you enough rope to hang yourself with and time and time again you have not disappointed us by showing up at the gallows.
Stella, no more name calling now. Perhaps Jamie can help in persuading you to defend your Pro-Francophone, French-First stance by acknowledging that you have been issued a challenge; and for you to ignore it equals guilt.
Will you step up to the challenges, then?
@Cory
Oh, come on Cory
Nobody ever said that anglos had to spoeak french as fluently as a francophones do. Most francos love to ear your accent. Jus ask the new mayor of Montreal He says we think his accent is sexy.
@highander & Concerned citizen 2
I don’t know what you guys have been smoking? Not pot, that would melow you, some.
I think it’s ok that a bilingual anglophone doctor treats the francophone in that Cornwall clinic and I know there are other francophone clinics in east Ontario but not in Cornwall ( I’d love to be wrong on that one).
Concerned citizeen 2, you have trouble keeping focused on the topic, You’re all over the map… ADD Maybe??
Highlander, I’ve never talked about french having to be first. You’re delusional. Any good anglophone shrink in your town?
You’re the ones that have the trouble with francophone having services in their language despite the fact that those services are supposed to be guaranteed by the constitution.
@ Stella “Folks……when a guy called cory gets upset about a highway sign up north, highway 11 to be exact, because the sign is french…….need I say more?
Well Stella maybe you should say more.
Cory has a point. King’s Highway 11, commonly referred to as Highway 11, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario
Office of Francophone Affairs
French-language Services: Past, Present, Future
1990
• Placement of bilingual signage
on provincial highways.
stellabystarlight December 11, 2012 at 7:30 pm
” I don’t need to be the center of attention”
OMG IALMAOFD NEAR PISSED MYSELF LAUGHING,you really are a comedy of errors.
Wow what color is the sky in your world?
Really I near pissed myself.
You by far are the most prolific yet insulting individuall on here .
But that’s alright Julie Lecompte anybody who on here within a couple of your posts ,realize you are the most prolific insulter and English hate propaganda.
Oh Stella you still have not answered the Question:
bella-b December 11, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Rating: -4 (from 12 votes)
If you truly believe your own words stella, how do you explain this???
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
Generally, law is made by legislators and interpreted by judges.
Canadians regularly elect legislators, and legislators regularly appoint judges.
Democracy is neither dead nor even ailing, rather it is the poor choices made by voters and (in the case of Cornwall and environs) non-voters.
Good morning stella!!
You know I’ve been asking for almost a month now and will continue to ask until you answer. Because like a vacuum my dear, you cannot suck and blow at the same time.
If you truly believe your own words stella, how do you explain this???
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
Pierre said,
“You’re the ones that have the trouble with francophone having services in their language despite the fact that those services are supposed to be guaranteed by the constitution.”
YES, I do have a problem with FRENCH ONLY services, it’s called SEGREGATION!!!!
Every government service is bilingual so please explain why you think this is your right to have FRENCH ONLY SERVICES!!!!
It’s been 11 posts since Stella commented.
This must be a new record. Time to cue those pesky crickets!
you mean this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg
@concerned citizen2
You force me to repeat myself.
When the half the city of Cornwall has french services and the other half has english services then you can call that segregation. As it is now, they have to have a french clinic in Cornwall because they do not have enough doctors french or bilingual (and possibly nurses) to provide health services to all their patients in their language as the constitution commands.
But you could help improve that situation by studying to become a doctor or a nurse and of course… Rosetta Stone!
Pierre December 11, 2012 at 7:52 pm
” Oh, come on Cory Nobody ever said that anglos had to spoeak french as fluently as a francophones do.”
No but you certainly implied it on this post :
Pierre December 11, 2012 at 2:26 pm
“Besides the reason they did it that way is they didn’t even have francophone doctor, for that clinic, only a bilingual anglophone one”
Pierre December 11, 2012 at 9:54 pm
” Highlander, I’ve never talked about french having to be first.”
-Please see your above post 2:26pm
” Any good anglophone shrink in your town? ”
You see Pierre why would I need a Anglophone shrink when a Francophone bilingual would do as well?
Man you are Ethnocentric bigot aren’t you?
This is akin to “DO NOT BRING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT”
If you think you can debate and match wits ,be at least informed ,particularly of what you yourself wrote .
I have nothing against my French roots but I cannot agree to the discriminatory government language policy.
@Cory Cameron Your post, dec 11, 7:11pm,
was wrong but thoughtful and I appreciate that. Had you been right, Michael Applebaum, an anglophone, could not have been elected mayor, by the mostly francophone council of that city.
And because Montreal is the most cospolitain city, serpassing Toronto and Vancouver, I’ll say that any vendor there will be only to happy to sell a any Belgium tourist a chien chaud and you a hot dog.
Pierre December 12, 2012 at 9:35 am
“When the half the city of Cornwall has french services and the other half has english services then you can call that segregation.”
Unlike where you are in Quebec all Government services are bilingual.
As well unlike Quebec Ontario respects its minorities.
Back to the French only clinic they only accept French yet all other clinics are bilingual.
Now Pierre French only clinics are segregation and there are 9of them in Eastern Ontario.
Pierre
December 12, 2012 at 10:05 am
“Applebaum, an anglophone, could not have been elected mayor, by the mostly francophone council of that city.”
I guess 1 every hundred years makes your city “open minded”
“And because Montreal is the most cospolitain city, serpassing Toronto and Vancouver, ”
As long as you speak French first right Pierre?
@Pierre
Quote: Québec and NB. are the two most bilingual provinces in the federation. end quote.
Pierre, if it’s so great why have thousands left and are still leaving both Provinces – maybe, just maybe, you might have an intelligent response. So, far I haven’t seen anything approaching common sense from you. Only biased bigotism.
As some have already said, “If you can’t act intelligently in these debates, don’t bother”.
@Stella
Stella, Julie,
You said a while ago, “Success comes from dealing with failure”
Having been a manager of people for many years I can assure you, you will never be a success. You have too much hatred and cynicism in you. It is never too late to correct your ways and become a better Canadian.
@ highlander
it’s hard to respond intelligently to anything you write, but I will, knowing, full well, that you’ll misinterpret whatever I write.
Gouv. services may be bilingual in a few Ont. municipalities but, all gov. services in Ontario are not bilingual. Don’t do what you do best, just prove me wrong.
You can write that one clinic in Cornwall is french and all the others are bilingual, all you want but, I don’t think, it’ill stand up to scrutiny because you just don’t have the bilingual doctors… I don’t invent this I read it in your Ont. newspaters and ear it on your Ont. radio talk shows.
I don’t know if it’s 8, 9 or 10 or whatever clinics in east Ont. that can serve francophone in their first language but I tend to believe that these clinics also serve anglos in their language because, from my information, an all franco clinic can only be found in Cornwall and, it only exists because of the reasons i’ve given previously
Again, If I’m wrong, don’t call me a bigot, prove me wrong.
Ken
December 12, 2012 at 10:50 am
You have too much hatred and cynicism in you. It is never too late to correct your ways and become a better Canadian.
So well said Ken-hate for any culture is wrong and this persons casts hate at many cultures.
@ Highlander
You’re right Applebaum is the first anglo mayor of Montréal in close to a 100 yrs. but the rest of your statement is wrong Anglos, or speakers of any language do not have to speak french first. If they open a business. We do expect them to give service in french to their franco customers. That ‘s just asking for respect. They can talk english to their anglo customers and the language of any other customers, if they can.
Ken…..too late, I have already proven myself to my employer. So you are a manager……I know many who were and some who still are…….so what?
@ Ken
You’re right many have left Q. & NB. to work in Alb. but so have many from Ont. and other provinces and it’s because of the greatest boom any canadian province has ever had. The tare sands… Paid for mainly, I should ad, by the Canadian gouv. (Canadian tax payer inc. the Québec tax payer)
Hi stella!!
You know I’ve been asking for almost a month now and will continue to ask until you answer. Because like a vacuum my dear, you cannot suck and blow at the same time.
If you truly believe your own words stella, how do you explain this???
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
Excellent Cricket Admin!
We will see the second coming of Christ well before Stella answers our questions. Time for you to go back to school Stella to learn how to write!
@ Stella “Ken…..too late, I have already proven myself to my employer” Then Stella you must be your own boss. HR perhaps? By the way, since you use the word “seperate” so many times in your posts “er” think error.
Vacuums DO suck and blow at the same time …new analogy please.
@bella b,
I love the way you put it to Stella.
@pierre,
Quebec gets more in transfer payments than it ever puts back in taxes. Quebec is operating alongside the TAR sands sucking the money out as fast as the oil.
Pierre, we all know people were going to Alberta to get jobs and to cite that is ducking the issue. You know very well, thousands were leaving Quebec well before the Oil Sands project. Now explain that.
@Stella,
“So What” you asked.
A manager has to know his/her staff. It’s important in running any business. From your cynicism, hateful remarks, useless comments and refusal to respond to bella b on on this link, most of us have a good idea of your character.
Now respond to the link question.
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
So Stella (Julie Lecompte) why is it you do not answer ?
If signs really mean NOTHING how do you explain this:
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/walmart-old-navy-and-others-taking-quebec-government-to-court-over-language-laws-1.1049032
Where’s drool ? Just waiting for Jeanne Holden for a new moniker.
That would be number 6 I believe ,but who’s counting ?
But fear not Jeanne we remain as always a peaceful group.
Pierre December 12, 2012 at 12:05 pm
” You’re right many have left Q. & NB. to work in Alb. but so have many from Ont. and other provinces and it’s because of the greatest boom any canadian province has ever had.”
Over a million English have left Quebec since 1969-1995 it Is considered the largest net migration ever in history in Canada ,this because of discriminatory language laws.
Perhaps this is why we have such a following.
Well friends, I figured out why it’s do quiet on here this evening…
All our English-Haters are out wining & dining with her highness
Meillieur pushing the French Only agenda.
They don’t have to ask for donations everything is paid for them;signed,sealed & delivered…
http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2012/12/11/meilleur-to-be-honoured
PS Alexandria is getting a nice new ETHNOCENTRIC Franco flag, in Highland Park no less…Sounds like a Scottish park to me, just sayin…
@ Ken
Québec does get lots back from a lot from transfer payments
but I can see that you don’t even know what transfer payments are. It also gets a lot back from equalisation payment and I can tell you don’t know the difference.
We all know… That’s your source of information … Earsay! Ha!Ha! Get some real info Ken.
@ Pierre(or should I say Patrick)
Talking to you is like a dog chasing it’s tail…
I’d rather have my toenails pulled out then debate with you, as you can only regurgitate PROPAGANDA!!!!
Cue the crickets Jamie….