CFN – Can you imagine an employee here in Ontario being told that they could not speak French while at work? Could you imagine that same employee being told that they could not speak French on their break on site with another employee?
That’s exactly what’s happened to young Meghan Moran who quit her part time job with a St. Lambert IGA after she and other employees felt threatened by not being able to speak to each other in English.
“It’s just about the principle. You should be able to speak whatever you like. I understand if they want to impose (some rules) — I’m not going to talk to clients in English, I would talk to them in French — but if I want to talk to my friend on my break in English, I should be allowed,” she said. “It’s becoming too restrictive.”
CTV in Montreal broke the story. LINK
Why on earth should she not be able to speak English even while working? Could you imagine anywhere in Canada where an employee would be chastised for speaking French?
What is the point of having bilingualism in Canada with that type of mentality? Is Quebec to be radically unilingual French and the rest of Canada bilingual? That duck doesn’t dance.
The Language Nazi owner of the IGA, a Madame Louise Menard was referred to by a manager;
Madame Menard is French Canadian – who signs the paycheques. She’s asking that inside these walls people speak the language of work which is Quebec’s Language, it’s the law.
It’s actually not the law and it’s people like Madame Menard that shame Quebec and Canada. And of course it’s Canadians that allow this creeping linguistic racism and intolerance to abide unchecked.
If Canada is to be Socially Engineered to be bilingual then that has to exist in Quebec too, and shameful and disgusting acts like this have to be publicly and loudly condemned.
Will we hear comments by Stephen Harper, Thomas Mulcair, or Justin Trudeau? Ms Moran was fully bilingual. It’s not about picking on some poor Unilingual Anglo as they could never be hired in Ms Menard’s IGA.
Kinda makes you not want to ever shop in any IGA again, no?
What do you think dear viewers of CFN? Should there be a penalty or pushback against the intolerance of people like Louise Menard?
You can post your comments below.
@ItHappenedInCornwallToo RE: POST on July 2, 2013 at 3:27 pm.
You do have a point IHICT and you are right about this kind of language situation being a situation that is NOT “a positive” either way.
However, it should be noted that these two scenarios cannot and should not be compared as “the same.”
There are SOME MAJOR differences that one must take into account when comparing such situations.
The more important of these differences is the fact that Canada is — THE COUNTRY — In this scenario.
Despite how many radical French individuals wish to view the concept of historical events in a narrow self serving kind of way that dismisses SOME important historical Canadian events —
(IE: the victory of General Wolfe on the Plains Of Abraham. A historical event by the way which the French refuse to commemorate by even allowing a statue at the site in Quebec, Canada)
— as events that need to be moved past and forgotten, while at the same moment there are also some French radicals who do everything in their power to retain the memory of other historical french events —
(ie: the memories of the FLQ members who began their beloved quiet revolution)
— that some radical French continue to place much more historical value on.
The fact is, the British shed much blood, sweat and tears through many battles in order to have the right to proclaim this land as a British land with English as the common language of this land from coast to coast.
Quebec, just like Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Ontario etc etc… Are JUST provinces under the umbrella of the this main COUNTRY called Canada…
No matter what one thinks with regard to the past, sheer common sense and common decency dictates that there must be some degree of license on the part of the victors to retain the fact English is the common language of this country they fought for. And, unlike the same situation with regard to the French language, the English should expect that the central government would stand up for the rights of the English citizens of this country no matter what part of the country these English roam to.
This concept is not and should not be applicable in the same way, or with the same equality to ANY OTHER language groups in this country.
Now, that being said, i believe it is VERY NOBLE and a GREAT testament to the openness and sense of fairness that the English have shown in accepting the the historical value of the French and going beyond that to be willing to bend and look beyond the ridged ideals that the British victory was supposed to have done away with. The sense of fairness, openness, and willingness to accommodate the French in this country by the English MUST BE applauded and revered.
BUT, instead of that we are finding that the more the English give in and try to be accommodating the more the radical French (who basically are the ones running the show in Quebec) seem to take advantage and keep pushing for MORE and MORE everywhere in the ROC while constantly diminishing the English language and the English culture inside the Province of Quebec.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDa9gAHFn-Q&hd=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2KSCxZ_JAY&hd=1
This is just another example of what goes on in some areas of Quebec under Quebec’s fascist style language laws. I live close to this particular IGA store and up to now do my weekly grocery shopping there…..UP TO NOW….maybe I should consider shopping at the nearby Provigo instead! What I don’t understand is that this particular IGA is located on the boarder of Saint-Lambert and GreenfieldPark, the later of which still has a sizable English population. I believe it about time that the English population of the PROVINCE of Quebec spend their hard earned money at English friendly stores and restuarants and totally avoid stores such as the Fascist IGA of Saint-Lambert who likes English money but does it’s part to stamp out the use of English in the PROVINCE of Quebec.
Another thought: Why does our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper insist on sending our Canadian troops to fight in Afganistan supposedly so Afgan girls can go to school, when here in our own country the federal government closes a blind eye to cases like this when a 17 year old Canadian girl cannot even speak her own language in her employers lunch room.
Remember,Canadians fought in the last world war to end Fascisim in Europe. Why today do we allow Language Fascists to operate in our own country?
I’ve read these one hundred posts and marvel at the anger and black & white view of the issue. Language politics are always at play in Quebec and I don’t miss it as I am a now Quebec refugee turned Ontario taxpayer and loving it, not the taxes.
Ironically the St.Lambert IGA is several hundred feet from the ancient school that was the birthplace of Canada’s french immersion program. My parents, now St.Lambert residents, told me that when McGill University launched this ‘new’ french immersion test program, the principal of the school did not publicize it because he was against it. At the ensuing parents meeting, many were angry about the program, some shouting that they didn’t want french shoved down their throats. That was the darker side to the start of the french immersion program that has since spread across the country. It was indicative of the attitudes of anglos in 1965/66 St.Lambert. Not much has changed for “EnglishinQuebec” by the tone of his/her letter. BTW, the IGA is 10 times better than the Provigo, but knock yourself out…
I only know Cornwall for the new Benson Center and the old Si Miller and that great place called Billy K’s close by. I was in that granite building that still has the bank in question by Water Street last fall and wondered how Cornwall treated its francophones in general 55 years ago. Many of the bank’s french employees at that time are still alive and will never forget their experience and so I have empathy for their sensitivity over the protection of their language and their pride of their french heritage and culture. Je Me Souviens is just too loaded to describe, and the french version of O Canada has a different meaning altogether.
I’m not an apologist for poor behaviour on either side, but now that the shoe is clearly on the other foot, my point is to not forget about the english attitudes that were pervasive for over a century in Cornwall and St.Lambert.
It’s called seperatism in my opinion , when are people going to let others be themselves rather who they would like us to be, its a free world where we should be able to speak our prefered language unless being paid to do otherwise ( for communication) purposes. Let’s Get it Together and show peace in the world ,Amen!
In my opinion, it’s called seperatism and people who believe we should be as they would want us to be , rather than be ourselves. Unless , you’re doing a job and being paid to have the communication skills during THAT work-time ( excluding breaks) , language speaking becomes our OWN preference.