Vars – Inalienable Rights and Freedoms were the topic of conversation at the 2nd Annual Canadians for Language Fairness St Patrick’s Day sell-out brunch at KC’s Country Inn in Vars as supporters came from as far away as: Collingwood, Marmora, Kingston and Belleville.
Information and laughter flowed continuously for this fundraising event that lasted over five hours. Special thanks to all supporters and businesses that contributed door and raffle prizes for the occasion. Two businesses in particular, Pierre & Fils Dépanneur / Vidéo and the Shoppers’ Drug Mart.
Sun News Byline’s Brian Lilley, CFRA’s Nick Vandergragt, Canadian Constitution Foundation’s Karen Selick, Ontario Landowner’s researcher Liz Marshall, PC MPP Jack MacLaren, along with Howard Galganov and former Russell mayoralty candidate, Ron Barr, just to name a few, informed and enthused their relaxed and well fed audience.
The unexpected arrival of a sampling of “Condom Gate”, the latest City of Ottawa scandal that resulted in a person receiving, for free, over 17,000 condoms from the City, added hilarity to the fun and festivities.
Frustration was expressed in regards to there no longer being justice in our justice system and the futility in going after politicians because even if there is a “changing of the guard”, such as in Russell Township where those who passed the bilingual sign bylaw were all turfed out the following election, the bylaw still remains in place.
The media controls the message and supporting those that have finally given us a voice, especially SunNews, Cornwall Free News and CFRA, is a must.
Educating people as to what having Inalienable Rights and Freedoms means and how we must ALWAYS “stand on guard for thee” is essential in ensuring that our children and grandchildren continue to have the freedoms our fathers and grandfathers went to war to fight for.
Our highlight video will provide a glimpse of the quality of the presentations made.
Also, here is a link to the video Playlist containing the full-length individual presentations made that day.
To do nothing IS to do something and this, Canadians for Language Fairness, is certainly doing something.
Beth Trudeau, Spokesperson
Canadians for Language Fairness
Embrun, Ontario
613-443-2370
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(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.)
For those who couldn’t make it to Vars for our 2nd St. Pat’s Day Brunch, we thank the Cornwall Free News for this comprehensive report. The CFN is our most consistent media supporter and we urge our business readers to give support to them by advertising with them. It is reported that the Cornwall French lobby have asked their supporters to boycott CFN and because of the Fear Factor (fear of retribution from the Ontario Liberal government which is blatantly pro-French and also fear from local French-language zealots).
If this has happened, it is up to us, the English-speaking community to come forward and give CFN as much support as we can. CLF will be helping out in this regard and we will be advertising with them and if, as business owners you are nervous to do so directly, you can help in a roundabout manner by donating to us to help us support CFN. Your support will be held in confidence. We are in the process of launching our new web site and we hope that when it is ready, you will come and visit us.
If you are not on our distribution list (no charge), please contact us at clf1@sympatico.ca
We keep our readers informed of the battle for language rights for the English-speaking majority who have suffered from language discrimination for over 40 years, ever since the Official Languages Act was imposed on Canada in 1969.
It so easy for political parties, judges and special interest groups to do what they want, who knew about some of this stuff and who does anything about it? Most of us are a sleep at the wheel.
Ontario PC MPP, John O”Toole of Durham submitted Bill 7 last month, and first reading was carried. At first glance an Act to create the twenty-first century skills award for school pupils is needed. The idea of promoting 7 learning skills, responsibility, organization, ability to work independently, collaboration, initiative, and self-regulation can only be helpful towards a positive message and learning environment most would agree.
The seventh is the one I do not understand when there are already similar awards for it. Why would an objective that is not available to all students, be included? Social engineering, strategic voting among others come to mind, but adding ability in oral French as the 7th allows the Minister of Education to push an agenda over fairness.
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2719
@Kim.
To you and Beth and all others at CLF specifically PLUS other groups and individuals who are at the front lines of this VERY important cause i extend a VERY WARM and heartfelt.
.
THANK YOU
,
PS
@Everyone
I have been privy to a “sneak peek” at the new CLF web site which should be available soon (Kim will be letting us all know) and i can tell you that it is VERY nice site and will ultimately be a great “hub” for everyone to get all their information with regard to this issue all in one great place. 🙂
@ admin
I know I have been censored before, however, I never, ever take it personally.
I hope CFN carries on for ions to come. The fact that french lobby groups want to boycott CFN,is music to my ears. It means we are “getting ” to them , great, I hope this means that the french nationalists , that blog here, will disappear, so sensible dialogue and logic will win out.
In any event, weather I am allowed to post or not, I fully support CFN and all that it offers. I have sung the praises of CLF and CFN far and wide, and will continue to do so.
I also reiterate what Edudyorlik has stated so very well. So along with thanking Jamie, I too want to thank Kim and Beth, for all that they do, to ensure and bring to light what elected politicians refuse to do, deal with forced bilingualism and the rights of quebec anglophones.
Remember, DON’T BE INTIMIDATED , by any french group, or nationalist group. Don’t cower to any politician, especially francophone politicians from quebec. They will say we are anti- french, they will try to play the “language card” as opposed to the race card in the U.S.
Don’t fall for any of it, it is as bogus as saying the french language is in danger, or ever, was for that matter. Be strong , hold firm . truth, justice, and a conviction that we are on the right side here, will carry the day.
Peter you or anyone that consistently requires extra moderation would be sanctioned. Expressing ideas is fine. Attacking or abusing people in certain manners are not accepted on CFN.
If we have to micro moderate it’s simply more economical time wise to eliminate the poster.
@ admin
On another note, the best smoked meat in Montreal is to be found right across the street from schwartz’s. Its called “the main deli”
have a medium fat smoked meat with fries, pickle and slaw, if you don’t think itis the best ever, I will pay for it.
Jamie, I am a man of my word, keep up the great work
My husband and I have driven out to Vars sometimes and a nice village to drive to in order to get out of town now and then. Vars isn’t far from francophone villages nearby.
Yes I would agree that the bilingual bill is a huge chunk of our taxes but I am one who is for bilingualism being taught in the schools and not to send adults out to learn French or English which is a mighty big waste of time and money. I have said this all along – send the kids to learn both languages from kindergarden.
This man is right about a lot of things and you do have to stand up for your rights like I have been saying all along. You have to send the right people to represent you.
What this man is saying is what I have been hearing on Alex Jones Show. Yes all this has been going on and right up till today. Listen to Gerald Celente and Lyndon LaRouche as well along with Rosa Kore and other people who know of many things going on that is going to shock the ordinary people but all true.
I am never against the French language or the French people and I am one who promotes bilingualism from the time a child is of kindergarden age. I welcome everyone whether francophone, anglophone or any other to post.
I too get moderated plenty of times and not over language but over things that I say where I get very emotional. I will say this people have to get along no matter what language they speak. If this language thing errupts it can bite you right back and there is enough trouble in our world without this language discord. It sounds crazy to fight over language.
I would love to know what people would do if you are forced to learn Chinese and this can happen. Stop bickering about language and tackle the more important issues that are facing all of us.
Thanks CLF for this St. Patrick’s Day Brunch.
What a great list of speakers. I listened to all of their speeches. My apologies Beth, Kim as I wasn’t able to attend due to distance away.
Jules, forcing people to do something is the problem, we have all worked with, been involved with, or are good friends from both sides. Most want to get along, just stop the government from forcing it. After 43 years of the expensive Official Languages Act, we still only have 17% of the population being bilingual.
It is a failed experiment so let everyone get their lives back.
Democracy is to be protected ,but in Canada democracy is suffering .
What ever happened to individual rights which protects all equally?Now we have collective rights which allocates more rights to interest groups at the expense of the individual.
A fine example of this is the Russell township bylaws where the individual rights of the business owners were violated in the interest of bilingualism!
Jules I respect the fact that the French people want to protect their language ,but it should not be at the loss of others rights.
Being that there is legislated language (of which I do not agree )it should be at least MEASURABLE ,FAIR,and EQUITABLE for ALL the population.
Representation by population would be just in a democratic society.
ERIC yes 43 years of life support for the protection of the language has been long enough ,this patient needs to come off life support.
If Francophones wish to continue supporting it ,do it through their own money and teaching it to their children not at the expense of the tax payer.
But as the government continues to support it -It should in the very least be measurable ,Fair and Equitable through representation by population.
Once again LFA would never advocate the elimination of the french language nor any other language that’s why its called LANGUAGE FAIRNESS FOR ALL.
The bigger question to this is how not forcing it on the non francophone population is eliminating the french language as some posters here say.
Being this article is about rights ;
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/tony-kondaks/justin-trudeau-supports-segregation_b_2886822.html
CBC -live coverage of living English -the future of English culture in Quebec
http://www.cbc.ca/montreal/features/livingenglish/live/
Eric the problem has been on going for a mighty long time about English and French and long before Me Pierre Elliot Trudeau was ever born. I would say that even if we were all the same language and the same culture we would still find fault about one another.
Yes Québec is trying desperately to hold on to its culture and I have seen on the net where a Lebanese-Canadian woman in Montréal spoke in English and was beaten because she could not speak French. That case was on the net some months ago – last year in 2012 I believe. She was asking for information and they refused to answer her in English even though they could speak English. Yes it is a problem indeed.
I remember as a child growing up in the 50’s in Cornwall and Marlborough Street was a dividing line between English and French and nobody would cross that line in those days. It was hellish back then so can you imagine the problems that we have today and that was long before Pierre Trudeau came into power as PM. Canada has always had those problems. I have heard that in New Brunswick the cities are divided as well between English and French like Cornwall and other cities and people live with their own nationality because they have things in common.
I stress bilingualism not just for English people but for everyone whether French to learn English and foreigners as well. There are many foreigners here in Ottawa who do not speak either English nor French and don’t want to. We have a friend who speaks very little English and no French and is Lebanese and has been in Canada for a good 36 years now and cannot read nor write in English except for a very few basic words. There are plenty like that even among the very wealthy among them. A lot do not blend in with ourselves at all. They stay with their own people and that goes for the majority of them. It is their children or grandchildren and beyond who would start to change somewhat.
I am for bilingualism for everyone to speak, and write in both official languages and not let ones heritage get in the way of language. Both of these languages are the main ones of the world in business and culturaly. That is why I stress it.
Cornwall was always stressing for French even back in the 50’s era and I tell you no lie – it was like that then and it is like that today. The same is true here in Ottawa and in a lot of places. People have to have both and children have to be taught since childhood and not later – later is too late and too costly as we all know.
jules, thank you for listing your experiences, please understand I am not new to the issues involved either. Kids can be cruel, language, poor, rich, different clothing or footwear and religion can often be involved during the growing process anywhere.
You speak of New Brunswick, a few there are demanding and getting separate hospitals with all the fixings. Cornwall, and other parts of Ontario are also seeing a push for separate health care facilities. (Some bilingual staffing would suffice in most cases) Education is also included with separate facilities as you know. Few people have an issue with people learning French, it is how it is being forced and the expense associated that is a main issue.
Pierre is pushing for people to sign a petition so 3 kids in a population of 560 in Sask. can have separate facilities away from the English. The same English who have already offered suitable learning environments.
I think what this country needs is full discussion without bias and emotion on what the actual needs are, before we are even more bankrupt, if there are severity levels of bankrupt possible.
Government should create the right conditions for employment and for people to live, they are not doing that.
Oh and jules, can you tell me where in Cornwall “it was always stressing for French”? There has been a French presence for many years sure, but not all the way back to the Loyalist who founded the place. Of course, I may have lived on the other side of the tracks.
Jules, I have been informed that English is the # 1 language of commerce in the world and French is 10th and in decline. You state that you support bilingualism, please explain why?
This article reminds me of the movie:Gone with the Wind
@ Eric
Thanks to have, at least looked, at the info for that Franco school in Saskatchuwan.
But, you seem to have missed the point because, it’s not just about 3 kids.
The request is for a French school that would have a potential of 400 students in Pontex, Sask. and region.
The school (École Boréale) exists, as of now, in the basement of a Cultural Center, and you’re right, there are only 3 kids left, but that’s because of those poor conditions, ( imagine they now want to move those kids, in a kitchen.
École Boréale would have graduated 100 kids if they had not been forced to finish their education, in English.
I believe that 400 kids complies with the “Where numbers warrant policy” Don’t you?
Again, all readers are invited to complete the petition École franco en Saskatchuwam
imperatif@imperatif-francais.org
Please share the link for “where numbers warrant”. There is also a chanter right for mobility, i doubt it meant to go anywhere you want and then demand services in another language. If we keep spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make new buildings and provide separate services because of language, the retirement plan will be at 65, report to the euthanasia office because there is no money to keep you alive.
I know Quebec and France enjoy socialism, well, until the money has ran out.
Pierre
March 25, 2013 at 10:19 am
“The request is for a French school that would have a potential of 400 students in Pontex, Sask. and region.”
“I believe that 400 kids complies with the “Where numbers warrant policy” Don’t you?”
So all are from French decent and require francophone school ?
A potential? As there is only 400 students and an existing school ,why must the province build a new school for Francophones only?
So the province is to spend millions for a new school that has 3 students enrolled in francophone school?
The “numbers where warranted” 400 students right?so for the slight possibility of having those 400 students are they to close the existing school after?
Sask. census 2011 lists similar numbers per captia as ROC. 430 French only speakers, 46,370 can speak Eng & Fr and 965,925 English only.
http://www.stats.gov.sk.ca/stats/pop/2011Language.pdf