Our Canada today is simply not the Canada that our forefathers envisioned when the country officially came to exist on July 1, 1867.
Our country more than ever before, is currently fraught by partisanship politics to a point whereby foundational issues are rarely, if ever; brought to the forefront and dealt with in an efficient and cordial manner.Ā Ā Upon cursory examination of what I speak, just look at what is happening with the Conservative Governmentās fence sitting on the issue of whether or not to purchase the F-35 fighter jets.Ā Ā How long must our elected officials at the Federal level hem and haw over this issue?Ā Ā Ā Has our current Federal Government learned nothing over what occurred some fifty odd years ago with the hemming and hawing over another fighter jet scandal?Ā Ā The current regime is beginning to look more and more like Diefenbakerās ghost.Ā Ā The similarities are striking to say the least.Ā Ā I am reminded ofĀ George Santayanaās, āThose who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat itā,Ā quote when thinking of this latest debacle.
However, the above statement is just as accurate in studying the issue ofĀ Official BilingualismĀ and what has transpired since itās creation in Canada.Ā Ā Much like the ideas ofĀ Employment EquityĀ andĀ Affirmative Action,Ā Official BilingualismĀ in Canada has come to encompass the very monster of that to which it sought to slain.Ā Ā And that was of course the idea of providing a level workplace that would undo the damage of hiring unfairness in the workplace.Ā Ā For the last year, the Cornwall-born and based organization, āLanguage Fairness for Allā (LFA) along with a few other non-profit, non-government funded and non-tribal oriented organizations has been doing what it can to educate the Canadian populace on what is currently taking place in hiring practices within Canada.Ā Ā Members and supporters of Language Fairness for All have written Letters to the Editors of local and regional media firms, the likes of which have generated huge responses from the public at large.
There are misconceptions that are currently being tossed around by members of both sides of this hiring equation.Ā Ā I wanted today to correct that notion by pointing out that this is not anĀ English versus FrenchĀ idea but about the foundation of Fair-minded Government Hiring policies.Ā Ā Statistics point out that the majority of the Canadian population is made up of predominantly English speaking people; yet access to good paying careers at all levels of government are restricted to those who are considered ābilingualā.Ā Ā This in and of itself too is a rather tongue-in-cheek idea as most of us are aware that most often it is those Canadians who have an advanced knowledge of the French language who get these well paying jobs; despite the fact that there may be more qualified people who have applied to these jobs to begin with.
After writing to many politicians on this matter, I have received responses that do warrant mention here.Ā Ā The majority of the politicians have pointed out that the hiring of candidates to government jobs in Canada are reflective of the laws in Canada; specifically those set out in theĀ Public Service Employment Act.Ā Ā After writing to the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages about my observations concerning the Official Languages Act (OLA), my concerns were in turn then forwarded to the Honourable Tony Clement, P.C., M.P.
Ā
In an e-mail letter addressed to me on December 13, 2012 by the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, the Honourable Tony Clement P.C., M.P., commented on the Public Service Employment Act and how it applies to federal institutions:
TheĀ Public Service Employment ActĀ requires that appointments be based on merit.Ā Ā According to this criterion, candidates must meet the essential qualifications required for the work, and official languages are an integral part of these qualifications.
So we are back to square one here in Fair-government Hiring practices.Ā Ā If the majority of the linguistic make up of the Canadian population are unilingual English, then how is it justifiable to hire candidates who are bilingual for much of our Canadian civil service?Ā Ā Mr. Clement indicated above that, āofficial languages are an integral part of these qualificationsā but the realistic situation we find ourselves in today is one whereby it is increasingly becoming the deal breaker or the one defining factor in determining the successful job candidate.
So at what point does it become our responsibility (the people of Canada) to change things for the better?Ā Ā If our politicians attempt to justify the current hiring situation with references to our laws then I must ask when is it time for us to have these laws re-examined to reflect the wishes of us, the majority of Canadians?
How can there be By-Laws in our great country in the year 2012 that force entire townships to restrict business owners from advertising in the language of their choice?Ā Ā And in turn, how can this issue then be turned down by the Highest Court of the land that neglects to even hear the case once it reaches this level?
Moreover, how is it come to pass that in a province of this great land a political party gets elected whose sole existence is to cause the break-up of Confederation?Ā Ā And then, if this is not enough, to then turn around and to further alienate a large percentage of itās already shackled populace by tightening the reigns once again through the increased restriction of itās current unfair laws and the creation of new Draconian laws?
Itās long past due for us as a nation to have us, as her citizens, to collectively look in the mirror and decide if this is the Canada in which our forefathers envisioned.
Cory Cameron
Timmins, Ontario
Sunday December 16, 2012
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and donāt necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
I do not know you Cory Camron buy Thank You for standing and Saying so clearly for the majority.This letter needs to go viral.
Excellent post Cory,
What my take is on Mr. Moore’s and Mr. Clement’s responses to your questions, is that for the short term nothing will change.
Your make an excellent observation, in that the people must pressure politicans to re -write the laws or repeal them.
I have been posting for a while now I this site. It is the only site to openly address the issue of bilingualism that I have ever came across.
If you have read any of my previous posts, you know as a former quebecker (Montrealer) I have witnessed first hand the gradual decline of my nation at the hands of politicians.
I believe , the time is right to begin considering the formation of an all English Canadian federal party.
My God, if the green party can do it, so can we.
The main platform I would suggest, would be to get quebec out of the federation and bring sanity back to true Canadians.
These bilingualism issues have been around since the inception of the country. Now, we are at a crossroads.
If the current government,( one in which its leader had stated previously that bilingualism doesn’t work), won’t enforce the will of the majority, then it is time to create a party that will.
The new party should be as clear in its intentions as the P.Q. are,
We want quebec OUT and on OUR terms.
The time is now ripe for the process of this to begin. I hope you have the ability to forward blogs from this site across the nation.
Many, many Canadians share this view and need only leadership, a catilyst and and a little shove to get this off the ground.
If this did occurr we will be subjected to all sorts of accusations of being bias, anti-french and the like.
Never, ever, be intiminadted, this is how we lost quebec. The new party should be as asseritive as the P.Q
Its is really time to take back our precious Canada
JIm Quealey
Mississauga
Apologies for spelling errors , I am due for eye surgery in the near future.
Shame on the Conservatives. They know full well that bilingualism is not part of Merit in the implementing Regulations to the OLA. In fact, Merit is not defined in the Regulations. It was the Liberals’ idea to sneak in bilingualism as part of merit through the Public Service Modernization Act in 2003. They snicked it in despite clear guidelines in the OLA Regulations that it is unacceptable measures:
– Identifying language requirements of positions arbitrary to favour the recruitment of members of only one official language group.
– using imperative staffing to achieve equitable participation objectives.
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/archives/hrpubs/ol-lo/chap3_1-1-eng.asp#policy
This is what Dyane Adams, former commissioner of official languages, “recommended” in 2001:
“…new approach is to move towards the general use of the imperative staffing method… The time is ripe for the government to seriously consider ways of eventually doing away with this (non-imperative) staffing method and the impact this might have.
http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/rights_droits_e.php
Great letter Cory,
The politicians serve themselves first .
For if they served the majority forced bilingualism woul by exist.
The excuse is to protect the minority language ,but this is not the case .
Many minority native languages about to go extinct but we don’t see the government protecting those languages to the tune of billions a year.
So the government in its policies determine that French is more important to protect yet they are nowhere near extinct.
So this really is not about protecting a minority language but social engineering.
I agree, this is crazy nobody cares if the english have work here,
family members of mine can’t work at the hospital becuse they need fr–ch they can get along in french but not enough for the test people
we just want to work I don’t care I’ll help fre–ch or english people but I want a fair chance to have a job
why do we the english, we are more people but can’t get jobs
this is really not fair and should change.
i hope more people talk about this and tell government
I hope we can get out the fench so we can have our jobs back
It probably would be a good idea to create a new federal political party whose main platform would be the re-establishment of English rights in Canada. The three mainstream parties clearly demonstrate NO concerns about the impending demise of the English language from coast to coast. I’m sure there are hundreds of people from all across Canada who would support such a party.
Helga December 16, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Great info Helga ,your right i have read it I see no comment on Merit.
This is what I keep saying Language now takes precedence over MERIT.
If one can’t only apply if not biligual then any skillsets and education are not even considered.
So that says that my family doctor can perform heart surgery because he/she is biligual?
Ed December 16, 2012 at 6:50 pm
” Iām sure there are hundreds of people from all across Canada who would support such a party”
Ya just in Cornwall 2800 imagine the number across the country,
Millions many people pissed off because they are second class citizens.
Ed how’s your friend iris?
Thanks for asking highlander. Iris is still a little traumatized by her experience in Quebec, but with every passing day things get better for her. It’s still a struggle, but the worst is over.
Regarding the support that might be expected for a federal English rights party, are there really 2800 people in Cornwall alone who would join or vote for such a party? I know for sure of one person in Mississauga and one in Kelowna, and another near Timmins, and a few in and around Ottawa, but seriously, this issue isn’t huge on the radar of many Canadians. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favour of a new political party dedicated to restoring English rights in Canada. Just getting it off the ground would keep a few people with too much time on their hands busy, and that would be a good thing. Idle hands (and minds) are not a good thing.
I second and third that. Excellent post Coryā¦
Re: Your mention of how they point to the laws as the culpritā¦ They do the same when it comes to Quebec. Someone will point out how unfair a situation is and some politician will invariably stand at some microphone and dumbfoundedly (as if he has no idea why this is THE WAY IT IS) say, āwe are just following the laws that are on the books.ā
So yes, it is the laws that have acted as the scape goat response and thus, IT IS INDEED the laws that MUST be re-examined, altered, changed or downright abolished.
Cory wrote, āHow can there be By-Laws in our great country in the year 2012 that force entire townships to restrict business owners from advertising in the language of their choice? And in turn, how can this issue then be turned down by the Highest Court of the land that neglects to even hear the case once it reaches this level?ā
— Well said Cory and I add, within these same communities that are forcing businesses to have both languages on their signs there is also the strange dichotomy of health care clinics who cater to ONE ethnic group (the French) and ONLY that one group? From my experience that is known as discrimination. Didnāt civilized countries do away with that type of discrimination many years ago?
Something just doesnāt add up here.
Unfortunately this cr@p, as bad as it is, should not be THAT surprising. After all we have a party (the Bloc Quebecois) right within the damn federal government itself, whose main mandate is to break up the country. How can a party with this stated mandate have been allowed (legally, constitutionally, morally or otherwise) into the damn bowels of the āfederal systemā of ANY country. PLUS, my understanding is that some upper echelon (probably Liberal) MPās changed the swearing in oath — removing the swear allegiance to England and the Queen — (maybe someone could verify this for us) so the traitor Bloc MPās wouldnāt feel so self conscience when taking their oath of office in our āFEDERALā institution. Which btw, is practically run exclusively in French ONLY these days. Need proofā¦ Watch CSPAN and be horrified and bored all at the same time š
Many people I have interacted with from other countries have asked me point blank. How can a party in your federal system have only one provinces’s interest at heart. AND, worse, how is it that the Canadian people accept the idea of paying the salaries of these people? All I could say is, us Canadians accept a lot of things for a long period of times and then once weāve had enough, we clean up shop.
James wrote, āI have been posting for a while now I this site. It is the only site to openly address the issue of bilingualism that I have ever came across.
AND
āI believe , the time is right to begin considering the formation of an all English Canadian federal party.ā
AND
āMany, many Canadians share this view and need only leadership, a catilyst and and a little shove to get this off the ground.
AND
āThe new party should be as assertive as the P.Qā
Here here, yesā¦ ALL GREAT POINTS James Q.. Well said.
Canadian spring everyone… 2013…
A great start. Come one come allā¦
Hello Cathy Jodoin. On behalf of many here I would like to welcome you. Also, you are right Cory’s letter should go viral. This whole movement should actually. Anglophones in Canada should KNOW what is going on.
Speaking of which. If you’re interested in this topic, i welcome you to have a look at my Youtube page…
You can enjoy this video for starters. There is some eye opening info re: Quebec and transfer payments etc…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B615iJzxxlY
Share any video’s you like or think are worth sharing.
š
Thanks everyone for having read and commented on the letter.
Bad government policies as we all know are nothing new. For the most part, we have to be honest with ourselves and realize that at times what is best for me sometimes may not be best for you. However, I’ve seen a shift for the worse in recent years. As the economy gets worse and worse, it appears that no matter which political party we elect; none seem to have real answers to the problems that we all face. More and more, educated citizenry are forced to take part-time work or multiple jobs to make ends meet. All the while, companies are recording record profits never seen before but are issuing cutbacks and layoffs to workers whenever they can. (And these companies who are doing this are the ones who haven’t yet left for overseas.)
Clearly, I feel this is becoming more and more unacceptable to the taxpayers and citizens of Canada. I know of no other groups or organizations that are more inept then Canadian politicians to deal with the real issues that affect us all. Like I state in my letter; the f-35 situation. Clearly, the feds should have purchased the super hornets as a replacement for the aging F-18’s. They’re much cheaper than the F-35’s and the pilots already familiar with the CF-18’s would have an easier time flying them. The ground crews would also find similarities in servicing them much like the current aging hornets too. I realize that the new super hornets are 75% new however there would be a much quicker ‘grace’ period for the air force to familiarize themselves with the jet.
So, if I, at 6:30 in the morning on a Monday, after having spent 3 hours with my ailing wife again at Emergency the previous night can think of this as a possible solution to solve Canada’s fighter plane problem; why the hell cannot bloated politicians see this sort of thing for themselves when there are people employed to do this very thing?
Our politicians have promised to fix our issues or at least address things like the economy and jobs. They have been given a few decades now at least to do so. And unfortunately they have failed miserably. We have indeed lost our manufacturing base and much of our middle-class as a result of bad government policies that seem to have no end in sight. And this is the crux of the problem. For if we elect individuals, groups and parties to office to solve these problems and nothing gets done – then we need new solutions to the issues at hand. I would have to say something maybe like community based meetings to discuss issues affecting regions to come up with solutions. I would love nothing more than to embarass politicians at all levels and all parties by solving the very issues that they’re elected and paid to do!
And the economy, F-35’s and bad government hiring policy issues are just the tip of the iceberg. It seems that everything our various levels of government touch gets turned to manure, no matter how great an idea nor how matter how much money is thrown to it they find a way to mess it up. If there was a way to ensure that a mathematical certainty such as 1+1=2 could be messed up they would discover a way to turn 1+1=3.
It boggles the mind really. I don’t see how more citizenry haven’t protested yet to oust these morons out.
Although I agree with most of your letter, the Fighter jet is not the problem. accounting methods are. If we go to the Super hornets based on a 45 year all inclusive cost it would not differ significantly to the F35’s. However everything else you say is so very true.
Ken Flecknell
Actually Ken,
The waiting period has severely impacted the program though. Already countless time and money has been wasted with studies, reports and the like determining whether to purchase the F-35. So just sitting on the project and again, hemming and hawing over it has cost us millions over the last couple of years.
If we went Super hornets, the aging fleet of the f-18’s would have already been all replaced. Today, we have a Conservative government that is still dicking around with the idea. Wasted time=Wasted money=wasted opportunity.
Waste being the common denominator here.
Thanks Ken for your kind comments.
In 1867 your population were murdering native people all over North America ,from watching the news nothing has changed,you have a problem and it isn’t french!Your right your Canada started in 1867,my roots were here since the 1600’s and my natives roots even longer.
You have been changing constantly you had the orange parade biggestevent in Canada now you have the Gay parade that isn’t our fault. Stop blaming the french for your demise.
geez we just need some old Gloucester Gladiators! Canada doesn’t need a huge air force or a state of the art one. We are not a “strike” country nor do we have any enemies we actually could defend ourselves from. IE; if Russia, the US, or China ever decided to attack us a few planes would not really save the day.
Military spending of this nature is nothing but Pork. We should be spending these dollars on our people and infrastructure.
I agree and support your letter 100% Cory!
silentfrancoamerican,
“In 1867 your population were murdering native people all over North America ,from watching the news nothing has changed,you have a problem and it isnāt french!Your right your Canada started in 1867,my roots were here since the 1600ā²s and my natives roots even longer.
You have been changing constantly you had the orange parade biggestevent in Canada now you have the Gay parade that isnāt our fault. Stop blaming the french for your demise.”
Hello good sir. Please reread my letter. I’m not sure if you read the letter that I wrote. Perhaps then you will see that I am not blaming anyone for our current ‘demise’ other than the performance of lacklustre and fence sitting politicians.
Thanks for the typical character assasination traits that have become ever so typical of ethnocentric people’s everywhere.
Jamie remember the concept of MAD that came out of the Cold War? Mutually Assured Destruction was an idea that if 2 superpowers had a level playing field in all matters war then it would be madness to attack each other because of MAD.
I think Canada needs a few all-weather jets to patrol the arctic. Otherwise, nations will take advantage of the situation and won’t stop for making an active presence in the arctic.
Along these lines I’m thinking of our poor Eastern fishermen who lost out on the fisheries along the Grand Banks a few years back because of international laws that were ignored when Japan and other countries sent their fleets to grab up all of the fish.
Now that the arctic ice is melting, there is supposedly huge reserves of natural gas around the Baffin Islands. What is to stop international countries from taking this? International law? Countries regularly ignore it. (Much like what Japanese fishing did just outside of Canadian waters?) So, I think there remains a viable reasoning for this kind of thing=jets and some sort of military presence.
Because no country is willing to go to war if the stakes are too high and they have too much to lose if the benefits aren’t worth it.
And yes, this money can go to social services too. I wonder if more of our companies can also be tapped to help out our economy through taxation as well.
It’s how we use our resources, right? We require I think more business-minded people entering politics and not so much lawyers.
Just some ideas this morning.
Cory Canada could never defend against a major power who are the only ones Canada would have an issue with. There’s no need to have state of the art planes such as the F-35.
Canada needs to focus on its Coast Guard and rescue and support services. Not front line attack and defense.
Yes I agree Jamie; Canada could never defend itself against a major power but it remains I think to be seen that it needs to portray a deterent to war mongers.
Cory define war mongers please? Again, you should have the tools you need that you can actually use. Not just to look cool.
My fear is that if Canada doesn’t portray a sense of arctic sovereignty, then countries may argue and use international laws to attempt to justify the soliciting of Canada’s resources in the arctic. What’s to stop Russia, Sweden, Findland and others from claiming that the resources that are in ‘Canada’s’ arctic basin are not those belonging to other countries such as those listed above.
I think portraying a bit of military might may be the only viable way to do this. War mongers have practiced this sense of military adventurism before. Russia’s ‘Vietnam’ as it were was their military occupation of Afghanistan. What strategic/economic sense was that?
I cannot help but think that countries that have practiced this before would not hesitate to do this again if given the right opportunity. Would Canada’s resource rich arctic give them this reasoning?
That’s why I typed what I typed Jamie.
Well Cory we agree. Canada needs to assert its full soverignity over the Arctic. It’s ours! But we don’t need to do this with F 35s. We need a stronger Coast Guard and more settlement in the Arctic.
Yes sir I think so!
No ,I don’t think we need F-35’s. Remember Peter McKay’s Top Gun publicity stunt sitting in the cockpit of the F-35. When I saw that, all I could think of was Tom Cruise crap!
A stronger Coast Guard should be considered I think too.
Why waste all this time and effort in militarizing the Arctic when the Conservatives can just sell the rights to the gas and oil to the Chinese today. We will carry the cost of sovereignty while the Chinese reap the profit from harvesting the oil and gas. That’s the Conservative way isn’t it?
Sorry Jamie,
Had some running around to do and just got back home. In response to war mongering question, I wanted to give a bit of historical context in which I was referfing to the possibility of such noted ‘war mongering’ I refered to.
In discussing International fishing rights that have negatively affected Canada. Not sure as to why Japan isn’t mentioned though:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbot_War
And too discussing Russia’s contemporary history of military adventurism; specifically attempt to keep her former republics. Focus of issue is after communists lost power in Russia and during times of loosely formed CIS I brought this issue up as a thought that if Russia’s post-communist leadership has done this out of keeping their former republics made up of their own people then possibly how far fetched would it be to grab up Canada’s natural resource based arctic tundra:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Chechen_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Chechen_War
More recent military adventurism by Russia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_South_Ossetia_war
Thanks,
Cory
@Ed
Did we receive positive information to confirm Iris’ story about the pizza experience in Quebec?
TO ALL WHO READ THESE BLOGS AND ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
I am comforted and encouraged that Anglophones are finally waking up after more than forty years of bilingualism affecting YOUR lives, particularly in the workplace. Thirty five years ago I was already experiencing what bilingualism is about, and it isn’t about getting Anglophones to speak French. That is the myth. It’s about providing an opportunity for Francophones based on language, NOT on merit. I was pressued out of a very good job simply because I was English, even though I could speak some French. I KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT.
I am very pleased to hear ideas for a Party that would stand for Anglophone Rights in Canada sans Quebec. However, YOU need to understand what YOU are up against. It isn’t a simple matter of abolishing bilingualism and the laws upholding it.
In the beginning, a plan was conceived and implemented by Trudeau in meetings with a group of Francophone
Cabinet Ministers. Through a high level friend I learned how the plan was to be executed. All positions at Deputy Minister level
in government were to be made bilingual and occupied by Francophones. They in turn would replace Anglophones
with Francophones and you have the trickle down effect.
Governments change but Deputy Ministers do not, success was assured. This is where we are at today.
It really did happen folks, I know, I was there. I saw several people around me replaced and finally they got to me. It is happening today at the grass roots level and you are now seeing it for real. it’s affecting you and I am no longer called a racist, bigotted redneck as I was when trying to warn people about what bilingualism meant forty years ago..
The big challenge is not striking down the law(s) but making changes at the top and starting the Trickle Down effect once again to get some Anglophones in place. Anglophones will apply fairness
and place MERIT above language. Changes at the top are essential
to bring about changes at the grass roots.
The formation of a new party with it’s prime mandate to abolish mandatory bilingualism is a great idea. Whether we need to separate from Quebec is another issue and needs to be considered. In the meantime it isn’t necessary for the Federal Government to pander to the whims of Quebec to win an election.
A simple announcement by Prime Minister Harper that mandatory bilingualism will be abolished would surely win the Conservatives an overwhelming victory in ROC. Maybe that would help to resolve the problem – using the trickle down technique of course.
Candada has two official languages but it is not a bilingual country
in the sense that the Francophones are trying to make it so.
Quebec is definitely French and ROC is 95% English so why are we
allowing a French takeover?
Anybody out there who knows how to get the message to ROC
Ken December 17, 2012 at 10:53 am
“Anybody out there who knows how to get the message to ROC”
Well Ken what happens on this site is a good start ,many from across Canada are taking note of this site and feel that their muffled voice is finally being heard.
Thank You CFN for printing the truth and speaking up on this made for Canada tragedy.
It has taken 40 odd years to get here ,but change will happen quicker then 42 years it has already started.
Ken ,
Groups are organizing,and many are frustrated with the discriminatory language laws .
Patience and determination as well as the internet are our tools.
The government and mainstream media cannot muffle the voice of the people,FOR TRUE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS PERMITTED ON THE INTERNET.
This movement will only grow as others out there realize they are far from alone in their beliefs that language laws are discriminatory.
What’s a fact?
To Ken a fact is something a friend tells him, Ha,ha… Then what’s earsay?
Boy, you’re going to have a lot to cry about in 2013 when the NDP proposition is tableled and accepted and 10 more, high level, federal public service positions are designated bilingual.
The Harper conservative government has it’s majority and does’nt need to pander to the whims of QuĆ©bec.
It’s just doing what’s fair and, bilingualism in the canadian federal gouvernment is fair.
So, anglos, as long as you continue to dig in your heels and, refuse to learn french, the federal public service will be dominated by the francophone…
And what I have to say, about that, as a francophone from Gatineau is:
“La la la, Fait dodo Pierrot mon coco, fait dodo la la, la la “
You’re not being called a racist, bigotted redneck anymore, Ken hummmm, Maybe you can’t ear so well, in your old age?
Pierre December 17, 2012 at 12:39 pm
” Boy, youāre going to have a lot to cry about in 2013 when the NDP proposition is tableled and accepted and 10 more, high level, federal public service positions are designated bilingual.”
Man you really are dilusional ,not going to happen ,do you think that the conservatives will pander to a regional party when if they did pass this they would alienate themselves from their voter base?
Were you dropped on your head at birth or was it bad breeding ?
Either way something freakish happened!
Now I have seen some pretty stupid comments (here that Stella) but your comment really is wow ,for your sake I hope it was for instigation to debate for if not ..and you truly believe that, there isn’t hope for you.
yes Pierre please “fait dodo Pierre – o, fait dodo”.
Yes Highlander, and this Pierre probably works for the federal government and he is probably the person who answers the phone when we call and ask for English.
Actually Highlander, the Conservatives are pandering for votes, not from English Canada, but for votes. Scroll down to Christian Paradis Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture).
I don’t understand why removing people based on language from a job competition is good for ALL Canada.
Not to late to send our MP’s a mail…..
http://openparliament.ca/debates/2012/12/10/michael-chong-1/
Hey bloggers notice it’s rather quiet from our opponents???
I have a feeling they must be meeting to figure out how to BASH & BERATE us some more!!!!
Maybe the AEFO is meeting today????
What a pleasant afternoon here on CFN, not being abused by the Anti-English bloggers is rather enjoyable for a change!!!
Merry Christmas Friends!!!
This a warning from Anglo Quebecer to Americans interested in creating business in Quebec-from facebook
American businesses should really be careful before investing in Quebec….Remember, the children of your employees must got to French school, even if they don’t know 1 word in French, you will spend at least 1 month of the year in bureaucracy rather than being productive meeting the government’s demands of frenchifying EVERYTHING, we are the highest taxed province (individually and business), and random acts of violence against non-french are a common occurence….
Bravo Cory. It’s time to hold our elected reps accountable for the CRIMINAL Anti English Discriminatory Language Loi’s – and ILLEGAL ERASURE of Our Official English Language out of Quebec – and ILLEGAL ERASURE OF ALL OUR RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS – and not ONE MP has responded to 30+ years of pleas for help – over these what’s become ‘ethnic cleansing’ criminal acts against us (2.5 million English speaking TAX PAYING Canadian citizens!). We continue to live in a “No mans Land” – considered Canada’s ‘Untouchables’ . And our country continues to be “RULED’ by the Separatists and “Pretend Federalist’ MP’s who flagrantly continue to grossly abuse and violate their ‘Limited and ‘Temporary’ Powers, continuing to make a MOCKERY of our Constitution’s Laws and a MOCKERY of us, and a MOCKERY of our Democracy.
@Ken: What do you consider the 2.5 MILLION Anglos/Allos (First-2nd. Language ENGLISH) population (note**Stats Canada figures continue to LIE about our REAL presence) ? Are we minced meat? We don’t count – with your saying “Quebec is French Only” and that’s just fine with you? As for saying you’ve seen people FORCED out of their jobs in Quebec because they’re English?? Why do you think 600,000 WERE FORCED TO FLEE the Province. Newsflash – because they were FORCED out of their JOBS for being non French. Then again too many in the ROC are totally unaware of the BIGGEST Mass Migration of a segment of a population – in the FREE World – since WWII. This appalling piece of History – never managed to make ONE HEADLINE.
Please try to refrain from doing exactly what our ABUSIVE POLITICIANS HAVE DONE – and stop pretending we don’t exist – that we’re garbage not worthy of discussion, not worthy of rights, not worthy to be able to live and work and thrive because our English language has been deemed illegal.
In fact – what is happening to you – is exactly what happened to us – bit by bit – illegal act – followed by another illegal act – day after day, week after week, year after year – until you no longer have the right to exist – other than be forced to pay your taxes – and above all – OBEY the boot stomping LANGUAGE Police – because it is the Loi !! This has been Canada’s DIRTY SECRET – because too many looked and turned their backs on it – because it hadn’t reached their doorstep.
Eric
December 17, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Well if they support the bill they will alienate their voter base .
Disturbing to think that the mandatory option is to be bilingual of which <17% are and yet under the government standards A- significantly less.
Fantastic comments here, most of you!
And if there is an anglophone CANADIAN BLOCK or whatever, I will sign up and may decide to run.
Wait just a minute though…Pierre, not bilingual though he might think himself as one, says that “(forced) bilingualism in the canadian federal gouvernment is fair”? Explain how excluding over 80% of the population would in your world be considered in any way “fair”? What WOULD be fair is reducing Kaybec’s presence on the Supreme Court to two judges from three; to force Kaybec and NB to hire QUALIFIED anglophones to their governmental positions and to DISMANTLE the positions of French Language Commissioner in Ontario, NB and elsewhere (and of course federally, where no commissioner has ever forced English onto the racist francophones in Kaybec) and abolish the OFA which costs not $2.4 billion but upwards of $10 BILLION a year.
But then again, francophones don’t have a word for fairness, justice or equality.
I’d say don’t feed the troll, but it is occasionally instructive to watch the enemy and learn his tactics. For the francophone it is to yell and scream discrimination until they extort what he wants. For the moment. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I will admit I know too little about jet fighters. But I DO know that EVERY country spends far too much on the military (no one more so than the former democracy to the south) and I believe $35 BILLION could be much better spent.
I support Cory in this once again.
Oh, just a reminder, folks…..there is NO SUCH THING AS BILINGUALISM in Canada. There is ONLY FORCED FRENCHIFICATION.
Or “official discrimination”, “language apartheid”, “francophone quotas” or whatever offensive/inflammatory yet accurate phrase you wish to use.
DO NOT use “their” terms…or they win.
@highlander
December 17, 2012 at 1:13 pm
do you think that the conservatives will pander to a regional party when if they did pass this they would alienate themselves from their voter base?
Reluctant to say this here but I received email today indicating Harper is caving in on Bill C419
@didi miesen
I’m ken from post December 17, 2012 at 10:53 am
Can’t be me that you are referring to, there is another Ken posting now. Would you confirm you are not reponding to me please.
See my post December 17, 2012 at 10:53 am
I have been reading the various posts for awhile now.
I agree with Concerned citizen #2 that to respond to the name calling, rethoric and conjecture, of people is futile.
I have decided not even to address, comment or in any way
respond to their verbal abuse.
I would rather concentrate on an action plan for people all over Canada, to attend this upcoming rally.
I believe that huge numbers, are not only necessary, but vital.
I also think , anyone with friends, family etc. especially in the west should be consistently emailed as to the day to day happenings regarding forced bilingualim.
They also be aware of the power that the french have gained in the last 30 years.
They are now defining us
Lou there are no “enemies”. There are fellow Canadians that have a different vision and judging from some of this discussion have been more successful so far in realizing their goals than some others. Pendulum’s swing; but demonizing, mocking, and personal attacks will not resolve anything productively.
I agree that there needs to be a National discussion as to how Canada defines bilingualism and how it’s implemented. For example it’d be very easy to have a video call room Nationally for translation services than force nearly 100% of staff to be bilingual, and that’s something that can be implemented in English, French and even create other opportunities to support other languages where merited.
For someone that just suggested that they might run for office I can tell you that one, posting anonymously, and two referring to one of the founding provinces of our great country as “Kaybec” instead of Quebec is disrespectful and childish. You sir would never get my vote even if I agreed with some of your positions as an elected official needs to not only be respectful, but represent all of their constituents; not just those that agree with them.
@ the moderator
I’m sorry to say that I can’t find my last posts nor the posts from Hihglander or Ududyorlik that I was responding to.
I realize the language was discriptive, maybe more than is allowed but, sometimes, I feel, it’ a must.
One of those times was when highlander called the honorable P.E. Trudeau a bigot.
Concerned citizen 2 noticed that it was quiet on their opposite side, that, he called the “Anti english bloggers“.
Defending bilingualism is not being anti english but it seems to me, at this pont, moderator, that you are allowing the deck to be stacked against the “other side“. I don’t think, that you could argue, that the proponents of the anti bilingualism side gang up on Stella and me.
And, it’s too bad because if you go back on their posts you’ll see that they ask me many questions, all be it, wat they think are trap questions or questions, they don’t think, I can answer but, I can. And, my answers can be checked while theirs are just opionions that they exchange between themselves or, that they pick up on other blogs, the Winipeg Free Press to name one.
Finally, one post I agree with, Admin, dec.18, 4:33am
Later…
ti bebe la-la
Pierre…..I agree with you, the deck is stacked big time. I must say that the adm did the correct thing when he responded to Lou and for that I thank him. One just has to go back to the archives, they don’t lie…..the true facts about personnal attacks and name calling are there.
To the many french people who once upon a time came here and who quit posting, I would like to share the following. The reason you quit is well known and quite clear to many, that you can be sure of. Your refusal to post does not diminish you nor does it mean you lost your passion…..you simply got tired of the BS and that is understandable. We may lose on these blogs, but not to worry……..they may win the battle but won’t win the war.
In trying to understand the context in which ‘other side’ thinks, I ran across a book the other day at the hospital which I purchased called, “Chretien – The Will to Win” by Lawrence Martin. A cursory examination reveals some interesting historical French/English relations; especially between shop owners/workers in Quebec. I must say that at one time as I understand it, English shopkeepers/industrialists really treated French workers bad. I think the Maurice Richard story highlighst perfectly this subject, too. This to say that I don’t think it warrants Bill 101 as a response though as well.
As Pierre points out, P.E Trudeau was called a bigot on this forum. Now, I’m not sure if that was true or not, however there is a book that claims that Trudeau had fascist ideologies in his early years and flirted with this type of thing. The book by Max and Monique Nemni, “Young Trudeau: Son of Quebec, Father of Canada, 1919-1944” highlights this. I have found an article that reviewed the book, available at, http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=0c1b3dca-544a-45d8-8ce3-f577f9cb43a6
The article goes on, “A new biography of the former prime minister, whom Canadians have long been taught to regard as a great liberal politician, reveals that as a youth and young man, Mr. Trudeau was an anti-Semite, admired fascist dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini, promoted revolution and longed for an independent and Catholic Quebec that would be home only to francophones.” http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=0c1b3dca-544a-45d8-8ce3-f577f9cb43a6
If the above quote is true, then it would go a long way to explain why Quebec is the way it is today and would verify what many on this forum are arguing indeed.
TO ALL BLOG PARTICIPANTS:
In response top my question to Hon Tim Hudak regarding the comment made here by an irresponsible blogger, below is clarification from Mr. Hudacks Office.
On behalf of Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak, I would like to thank you for your email. Tim appreciates you taking the time to contact us personally for clarification.
I can assure you unequivocally that Tim Hudak made no such statement. If you had a source Iād love to know where something like that appeared. The PC Caucus would never entertain expanding a costly bilingualism bureaucracy in our province.
Thanks for giving us a chance to clarify this and feel free to let any
others know of our reply.
Kind regards,
Mike Krkljus
Constituency Office of Tim Hudak, MPP Niagara West ā Glanbrook Ontario PC Leader
Stella I’m quite offended by your post. First off many of those whose opinion differ from yours actually post with their real names and don’t hide behind anonymity.
Secondly you and your side seem to dish as well as receive the only difference is that more people on the other side post than on yours.
I would dare say that you’d probably never agree to a face to face debate or really debate the points here.
While not perfect I think it’s quite safe to say that you’ve enjoyed the same benefits of this platform as anyone else. If some of your confreres left it was most likely because they gave up on their own argument.
You can only spin your tires so long darling…