We’ve all wanted to go postal (all pun intended) at some time or another. The type of day where you regret even leaving your front door to face the day. The sort of day where you know that whatever you do, you just cannot make any headway nor win your cause in the least bit. We’ve all had those kinds of days whereby, ’ The Shirelles’ invented the song, “Mama Said” to describe them.
And so it was a normal, cool, crisp and sunny Northern Ontario morning last April whenever I left the house to mail a letter at the Post Office. I had not much to do that day; and figured I would take complete advantage of the time I had to run a few errands. My first step was the Post Office.
There was no lineup when I arrived and felt blessed that my luck was so far, so good. I was wrong though. As I approached the mid-age woman working behind the desk I greeted her and wished her a good morning and requested to purchase a stamp in the language of my choice, which happens to be English. She obliged by producing the stamp and not returning the greeting in English nor French. The remainder of our exchange during the few minutes had me requesting my service in English whereby her portion of the exchange was conducted in French.
Now, normally this situation wouldn’t be a problem for me as everyone knows I’m bilingual. But on this particular day, I couldn’t get over the fact that I showed absolutely no inclination at all as to being bilingual. Why wasn’t I served in English when clearly I greeted the worker in English upon the beginning of our exchange? Further, why didn’t the Postal Worker switch to English whenever I was communicating in said language? I could have switched to French but I decided not to. My idea in this decision had to do with the fact that I felt that the worker was obligated to provide me with the service in English simply because I was the customer. This would have been different if at any time she had informed me that she couldn’t speak English and would try to accommodate me by other means. One such solution she could have sought out would be to perhaps seek out the services of another Postal Worker to serve me if she didn’t speak English herself.
In any case, I didn’t complain. That is, I didn’t file a complaint at the Post Office. As an aside, I have come across instances like this a few dozen times during the course of business transactions with civil service workers throughout the years and even some in the private industry. And, after all was said and done, I never complained. I had simply grown accustomed to situations like the one above and there is an argument to be made that I had become somewhat conditioned by these scenarios over the years.
Until now…
Perhaps it’s my newfound sense of fairness and pride that has awakened within me during these past two years. Perhaps now that I’m a little longer in the tooth, I have decided that I no longer will take things lying down as it were.
I’m tired…
It’s one thing to learn a minority language and to enjoy the privileges of being able to read, write and speak in French. But for what purpose and intent? And to who’s benefit is it that I am bilingual? Myself or to those whom I communicate with who have French as a first language? I can honestly state that being bilingual hasn’t furthered my career options nor has it had the desired effect of garnishing career advancement opportunities for me in the job that I do have. Moreover, I get the feeling that being bilingual for many of us Anglophones simply equates to making it easier for the Francophones to not have to learn English in order to communicate with us – such as in daily merchant transactions.
Enough…
It was with all of these thoughts swirling within my consciousness that April day that I made the conscientious decision to file a complaint with Canada’s, ‘Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages’. Before doing so, however, I ensured that I had a valid complaint to begin with and checked out the ‘Filing a Complaint’ section, sub-section, ‘In what situations can I file a complaint’. After reviewing the information, I determined that I did in fact have a valid complaint and filed an online complaint the day of my Post Office visit and an initial response was forthcoming from a representative within a week of filing the complaint.
The representative advised me that in order to solve the dilemma of what had occurred an investigation would take place as to the incident itself. Having said that, keep in mind that my complaint was well documented and filed only after a few hours of the incident taking place. Everything that happened was written succinctly on the initial report!
So, after e-mail and playing telephone tag to which more than a half dozen e-mails and a half dozen telephone calls were sent between myself and the representative detailing what had occurred; I emphasized and re-emphasized that I wanted only one question answered – and that was the following:
Why, was I spoken to in French whenever I clearly communicated in English?
All of this to say that as month 3 was coming around the corner subsequent to the initial incident; I was informed that the investigation was completed and that the results would soon be forthcoming. I have a few questions as to this entire affair after having gone through this experience. One being why haven’t I been provided with a response yet after 3 months? Certainly this is a cut and paste situation?
Why?
Exactly what justifies the creation of an, “Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages” to begin with. As of 2011, there were 518 complaints that the office dealt with having to do with language issues. On October 16, 2012 a Globe and Mail article reported that,
“Almost half of the 518 complaints came from the area around Ottawa and adjacent Gatineau, Que., …” (http://www.theglobeandmail.
Are Canadian taxpayers being led to believe that 518 language-related complaints warrant a full-time staff being paid civil service wages to investigate this? I cannot help but comment that more work is done during an 8 hour shift by a half dozen or less call centre employees who themselves individually handle on average a little more than 100 calls a day. It seems as though by comparing stats, we’re not exactly getting a great bang for our buck. So, I would argue that what we have here is but another example of government incompetence; a type and kind of federal government language police make-work project that our taxes are paying for.
And I’ll say this much. We already have a set of language police in this country. We don’t require the services of another; let alone the foundational Office quebecois de la langue francaise.
Ask yourselves this much: Will it take over 3 months to solve your next computer or cell phone issue by someone making minimum wage? Probably not. So why would something so trivial take so long to conclude by someone being paid so much?
(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.)
Eric
July 16, 2013 at 4:35 am
Thanks Eric ,
I would not take issue if a private business sign were in French , English or bilingual as it should be up to the business owners to choose.
Market forces will decide if that business remains viable whatever language or languages is on the sign.
What I disagree with is the STATE telling them what is to go on their private signs!
There is certainly a difference of “THE STATE” to provide signs as according to legislation then legislating language laws on private business signs.This is bill 101 all over again .
How is this freedom of expression …..THE STATE determains what your freedom of expression as a business is !
We call that freedom? Its just an illusion .
@ Highlander. The FLA website LOOKS like a supremacist website. I didn’t say it is a supremacist website. It contains a lot of over-the-top BS that has nothing to do with unfair hiring practices. The site manager should delete the BS and leave the legitimate arguments, articles, etc. Otherwise, FLA will not be taken seriously.
And if people like Cory are gonna get all bent out of shape from being addressed in the French language, or from seeing a French sign, then for sure, St. Boniface and even North Ontario are probably not suitable places for them to reside.
Richard, language is an explosive issue as seen in this article.
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/explore.php?Lang=1&elementid=103__true&tableid=11&contentlong
Ontario has been English since Confederation just like Quebec has always had French. Keeping the language of the majority in the predominate position of a province pays tribute to our ancestors, and this also provides a bit of stability for our future generations.
There are bound to be older stories, try google, but these issues have been going on for decades as seen in this more recent complaint. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/10/22/some_quebec_stores_head_to_court_over_language_laws.html
If language being first or second is of little concern, ask some Quebecois if they want English first…….
Furtz I wish you long life and hope you never stop fighting for anything you believe in, but please don’t be short sighted or self absorbed on this issue. We do need your keen insights.
Stellabystarlight, what mission is accomplished? Language laws are still stifling. But it sure would be wonderful if some kind of language peace could be seen in our lifetime! ( and no, Christopher Cameron did not start it.)
Agreed Highlander, let private business put up what ever signs they want. That seems to be what South Stormont did.
There has to be some limits though on government.
Out of sheer curiosity I checked out the LFA site. I was looking for the french translation, or even the chinese, mohawk, japanese translation but couldn’t find it. This group is just for anglos no one else. Since it restricts and caters to just one language does it restrict itself to just one culture, white anglo saxon protestant ? I’m not familiar with the group but any group that puts restrictions and promotes the actions of howard galaganov a man that identifies himself as a francophobe. A Man that wants to eastern ontario just to promote anti-french, I just wonder why he has so many followers, does he put something in the barbecue sauce that makes some individuals go insane.
Eric…….yes absolutely correct, “That’s what South Stormont did” But that is not what your wonderful leader…galganov wanted. Galganov lost his case and SS did WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. They didn’t want to deal with the BS and everyone got on with their lives except you guys.
Just thought I would refresh your memory **smile**
@ Richard Iremblay. Howard Galganov has about twelve followers, and they all post on this site.
Correction……SG that is where he comes from no less
Sorry Richard. The I should have been a T.
Éric, apples and oranges buddy. we are talking about Ontario here. But like I have previously stated in the past, Quebec treats its minorities fine. TU n’as qu’à te rendre dans le vieux port de Montreal, à Kirkland, à Pointe-CLaire. LE service est impeccable de plus les Québecois veulent avoir l’argent anglo. Seems to me My friends furtz is right, a few followers try to stir up the pot, but I just realized, the pot is empty.
As all can see, this language debate is never ending. With quebec out of Canada, this debate, will not be necessary, nor will bilingualism.
Whether quebec votes itself out or some other exit comes along, quebec will eventually go.
So why not cut to the chase, have Canadians have a referendum on whether they want quebec in or out, and get it over with.
In any event, conditions will become right for quebec separation some day and they will exit.
I’d rather it be on Canada’s terms than quebec’s. Since we all CAN’T GET ALONG, lets be sensible here and have them go.
Don’t you think they ( quebec) and us ( Canada) would be happier and in Canada’s case, the billions spent on unnecessary bilingualism. could go for health care, seniors, the elderly as well youth programs and day care, to name but a few projects that Canadians would benefit from. These would be far more worthwhile things to spend our tax dollars on, than bilingualism in B.C. or Bugtussle . mayberry RFD or anywhere else in Canada that French is distinctly unnecessary and numbers don’t justify the cost of bilingualism.
Look at the blogs here and the polar differences of views. No one will change his or her mind. So lets get on with this and get quebec out ASAP for the common GOOD OF EVERYONE CONCERNED
Anyone care to start placing bets on when the Language Commissioner’s response to me will be? Vegas odds I think!
Richard tremblay
July 16, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Welcome back from the separatist excursion Richard ,how was your fellow ethnocentric’s?
“Out of sheer curiosity I checked out the LFA site.”
Welcome to your perception of the dark side,there is nothing on there anti-french nor will there ever be!
The problem is not the French people but government policies that create inequity ,some interest groups continue to push for advantage where none should be.
“A Man that wants to eastern ontario just to promote anti-french,”
Howard is not anti french as you define him but a rights activist and as for the sign bylaw check it out any language can be on the signs but the city telling you what goes on the sign is violating freedom of expression and that was what he was fighting for.
THE RIGHT OF THE OWNER TO PUT A SIGN IN THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR CHOICE NOT THE TOWN DICTATING IT TO THE OWNER.
Have you been drinking Stella propaganda spiked cool-aid?
Still waiting for facts and data to support your argument there Richard ,but hey keep passing that cool-aid around with your fellow separatists.
Furtz
July 16, 2013 at 1:31 pm
“@ Highlander. The FLA website LOOKS like a supremacist website. I didn’t say it is a supremacist website.”
Thats LFA Furtz
Please Furtz being that you recognize what a supremacist website looks like and you seem to be well informed about SUPREMACIST websites please advise me as I have never frequented such sites as what defines them as so.
Richard tremblay
July 16, 2013 at 5:11 pm
“This group is just for anglos no one else. Since it restricts and caters to just one language does it restrict itself to just one culture, white anglo saxon protestant ?”
People who speak English consist of over 200 different ethnic groups as well as religions in Canada -therefore defining the English language as only one group Anglo-Saxon protestant is very short sighted and may be defined as Racist in some circles .
But that’s alright Richard we didn’t expect any different from you .
*****smile*****
Richard tremblay
July 16, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Éric, apples and oranges buddy. we are talking about Ontario here.
What we cannot compare Ontario to Quebec ?Quebec is exempt?
That’s right they are the “DISTINCT SOCIETY” and must be pampered .
What happens in Quebec must equally happen in Ontario -NO SPECIAL STATUS -with the exception of the systemic corruption.
Highlander
July 16, 2013 at 8:23 am
“These language policies have been abused for years .The policy was initially to bring fairness of which we all agree but has warped into something that Canadians no longer recognize to what they agreed with.”
Now, 44 years later. The Intent of the Languages Act as you state, are no longer recognizable. The misguided belief that Public Institutions in Ontario draft Enforcement Policies to be in compliance with the Languages Act is an inaccurate misrepresented FACT.
Compliance Policies being drafted by Public Institutions in Ontario, do so to be responsive to the requirement of the The Services Act. Which, governance to compliance is under the Authority of the Office of French Language Services Commissioner. Nothing to do with The FEDERALCanadian Languages Act.
Ontario, in 1989 opted out of the Languages Act and introduced it’s own Legislation, which was latter modified in 2006 and is now known as The Services Act of Ontario.
It is from the Services Act Public Institution Compliance Policies that is the factual cause for this inflicted unfairness and discriminator behaviour to many Public Services Employees.
ACCESSIBILITY should never lend itself as an EQUAL interpretive
value as DELIVERY OF SERVICE.
Another story another day….
Right now I’m so Freaking tiered, I decided to follow on of Edudyorlik’s link escapades and I haven’t slept in two days. I got caught up at one place in a perpetual LOOOOOP… I’ve been to China and back. I even forgot what the point was.
OMG…. What a TRIP.
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
@peter
July 16, 2013 at 7:52 pm
“As all can see, this language debate is never ending. With Quebec out of Canada, this debate, will not be necessary, nor will bilingualism.”
What do you propose we do after you vote Quebec out of Canada, with the other FRONCO’S that don’t live in Quebec?
Sell them, burn them, shot them what? Or maybe we can bring them all to Casselman? What would you have us do
with the rest of the French vagrants?
How did you get in here, I thought I locked the door on my way in?
Come on, are you for real?
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
Richard tremblay
July 16, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Richard, t’a raison les Quebecois veulent avoir l’argent anglo. Meme les menus anglais pour le service anglais. Not too bad pour une Province FRENCH ONLY.
Ils veulent critiquer la plus belle Province au monde, c’èst DAUMAGE. La peur de faire des novelles choses peut aveugler la VÉRITÉ parfois. Mon clavier est bloquer en ENGLISH jai pas toutes les accents DÉSOLÉ. A la job jài les deux. Anyway la vie est belle, et let’s be inclusive to all and welcome everyone to QUEBEC. Vive le Canada. !!
Maudit qui fait chaud!!
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting
HFTT, “inclusive” is not helping all and the Francophone associations are throwing that word around the way they accept money from all taxpayers. Present laws dramatically favour the French who can speak a few words of English.
HFTT, if if, Quebec was separate, what would be done with the people who want to stay in Canada…..instead of that route, stop the damn laws forcing language. 43 years of the official languages act and billions of dollars leaves us with 17.5% bilingual. Remove Que. from those numbers and you have what, 5%? It is obvious that bilingualism is not catching on, except for Que.
Our biggest trading partner is the majority English U.S. with over 1 billion dollars a day in trade, how much do we have with all French speaking countries together? That in no way criticizes what you say is the most beautiful province in the world. Not sure how you came up with that criteria, hospital care for Western Quebec can’t be a consideration when they flock like mouton to Ontario health care for service and jobs.
French people designed and forced through the Ontario French Language Services Act, you allude that they did not do things right, maybe some English program managers should be contacted…..LOL
Richard how can the pot be empty, there is more than stone soup filling it from taxpayers across the country.
Richard tremblay, this is rich “Out of sheer curiosity I checked out the LFA site. I was looking for the french translation, or even the chinese, mohawk, japanese translation but couldn’t find it.”
From what I understand the couple of groups fighting for fairness are not accepting money from taxpayers, they should know their market and can cater to it. Now taxpayer funded associations, and there hundreds, accept money from all, but also do not have a translate button.
Private versus taxpayer funded, a few versus hundreds. I know that was how bilingualism was promoted, thanks for reminding us.
Well, éric in french we say ¨malgré tout, il faut pratiquer ce qu’on prêche.¨ So if it caters only to some, It is going against the very thing they are promoting.
This LFA group perpetuates a myth about enforced bilingualism. And if in some areas there are designated bilingualism government positions, that is because it sets parameters where the needs are. The government sets alot of those parameters that are for the greater good. Heck, I’d like to drive 100km\hour on second street, I’d like to play my music loud at 11h30 at night, I’d like not to pay school taxes since I have no kids in school. To neglect the needs of close to 10 million people that can get by in french in Canada is as ridiculous as the three examples I just gave.
This is taken from LFA site ¨ Such a person is Howard Galganov who was a Quebecer but, like about half a million people, left because he could not take the racist policies of Quebec. He fought very hard for the English-speakers, often using his own money, but the English-speaking Quebecers were too afraid to support him. ¨ Anglos in Quebec were not too afraid to support him, THEY DIDN’T AGREE WITH HIM. And he dares to come in eastern Ontario to do the exact opposite of what he promoted in Quebec. What a complete boob!
Bilingual today, french tomorrow! This has to be the best one yet. Is anyone buying this ? At 78 % majority in Canada, Are anglos really in danger of disappearing ?
There used to be an outfit called the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada (APEC) that started up in the seventies, The APECer head was Ron Leitch. These clowns used to organize teams of freedom-fighters that would go into grocery stores and rearrange packaging so the French labeling was hidden from view. In the village near where I live in the Brockville area, they used to regularly spray paint over any French on the signs at the post office and liquor store. And, of course, they resorted to making outrageous statements like ‘If child learns a second language (French), he/she won’t be able to speak either language properly’!
It took quite a while, but eventually the movement fizzled and was pretty much laughed out of existence, the same way that LFA will be.
Hungry for the Truth….
July 17, 2013 at 2:31 am
FRONCO’S that don’t live in Quebec?
Sell them, burn them, shot them what? Or maybe we can bring them all to Casselman? What would you have us do
with the rest of the French vagrants?
No hungry treat them as Quebec treats their English ,but is that what your saying the English will be treated as in Quebec ?
Richard tremblay
July 17, 2013 at 7:23 am
“And if in some areas there are designated bilingualism government positions, that is because it sets parameters where the needs are.”
Richard wake up 90% of all Francophones in Ontario live in eastern Ontario but because all yo need is 5000 in any region then its designated bilingual no matter if it represents less then 1 % and many times it does.this is far from REASONABLE accomadation.
“To neglect the needs of close to 10 million people that can get by in french in Canada is as ridiculous as the three examples I just gave.”
10 million ? way off the mark -I remember you saying to be repectfull of the 280 million french speakers of the world … near couple of hundred million off …your math skills …lol….or was it really selling that propaganda cool-aid again?
Try not to drink too much of that stuff Richard and you Furtz: Stella spikes it with hate and racial tendencies as well as intolerance it comes from Quebec you know.
“Bilingual today, french tomorrow! This has to be the best one yet. Is anyone buying this ? At 78 % majority in Canada, Are anglos really in danger of disappearing ?”
Are french in danger of disappearing the latest’s stats info states no,but keep selling that cool-aid .
Richard why must someone of another culture learn french to maintain its numbers and culture ?
Would this not be considered assimilation ;the same assimilation bill 101 was put forward for?
Hungry for the Truth….
July 17, 2013 at 2:22 am
It is from the Services Act Public Institution Compliance Policies that is the factual cause for this inflicted unfairness and discriminator behaviour to many Public Services Employees.
ACCESSIBILITY should never lend itself as an EQUAL interpretive
value as DELIVERY OF SERVICE.
Very well said Hungry,As I have always said its not the French people but the unjust government language laws that remains the problem.
For you howard:
This one says we are 220 million.
http://www.francophonie.org/Denombrement-des-francophones.html
This one 200 million:
http://www.quebecmonde.com/langue-francaise-et-francophonie/langue-francaise-dans-le-monde
– I do remember quoting 280 millon, but I also said that a Québec radio station was my source.
In 2001, we were 9 million. But, If you add bilinguals to this i’m sure it would top the 10 million
http://www.immigrer.com/faq/sujet/la-francophonie-et-le-canada.html#
Eric
July 17, 2013 at 5:45 am
French people designed and forced through the Ontario French Language Services Act, you allude that they did not do things right, maybe some English program managers should be contacted…..LOL
Two things Eric, First it is not “Ontario French Language Service Act” it is simply, The ONTARIO SERVICE ACT. (2006)
And the second, it is not the ACT that forces any one. The Act itself are guidelines. The Public Services institutions such as CCH the Post Services have to draft Policies to enforce and implement compliance. It is not The Service Act that requires 100% or 30% Bilingualism.
There is no ALLUDING that the Act is wrong. I am clearly stating that the measurable Data presently available to the Public Institution to Draft Policy to calculate it’s NEED is flawed.
And I would only suspect the Act was written by the English managers and latter translated. Like most things done at the
Government . LOL
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting
@Eric
I stand corrected it is
as you say The French language Service Act of Ontario.
I need reading glasses!
Eric wrote: It is obvious that bilingualism is not catching on, except for Que.
Dream on honey!!! You are way out in left field on this one. Example: Check out the teacher’s job posting website for all of Ontario and beyond, then let me know if it is catching on.
Richard posted this: This is taken from LFA site ¨ Such a person is Howard Galganov who was a Quebecer but, like about half a million people, left because he could not take the racist policies of Quebec. He fought very hard for the English-speakers, but the English-speaking Quebecers were too afraid to support him. ¨
Richard repleid:
Anglos in Quebec were not too afraid to support him, THEY DIDN’T AGREE WITH HIM. And he dares to come in eastern
Ontario to do the exact opposite of what he promoted in Quebec. What a complete boob
Richard you got that right!!!
OMG…. Are they brainwashed or what…ROFLMAO.
FLA: Howard fought very hard for the English-speakers, but the English-speaking Quebecers were too afraid to support him.
¨ROFLMAO!!! OMG this is too much.
What about the English speaking people in Ontario did they support him? He went down in a humiliating defeat when he ran for office. It would be safe to say that he has very little support in ON and QUE. No one likes radicals nor troublemakers.
I agree hungry, in some departments of the ontario government, I believe they are using google translation. They are so hard to understand that sometimes I have to have both copies one in english and one in french just to understand what my government says.
“They would go into grocery stores and rearrange packaging so the French labeling was hidden from view.”
If i am not mistaken, this began in Quebec with store owners ordering their packers to be sure to put French facing out in Quebec. Oh, and that was in between ordering their employee’s NOT TO SPEAK ENGLISH on their breaks that is.
————
“In the village near where I live in the Brockville area, they used to regularly spray paint over any French on the signs”
Aww yes, just like like this eh?
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AbXHmO67g2w/URPkPLzL5SI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/t311SkO9gLY/w640-h480-no/Removing+the+English+from+street+signs+03.png
This was ordered by the provincial government itself and carried out by paid public employee’s.
Yup, they must have learned that one from the French in Quebec as well
@All you French supremacists that frequent this forum.
You are all the same. Someone say’s black, and you say white. Someone say’s up, and you say down. You claim stupid things like the English are treated well in Quebec when it is EXTREMELY obvious that this is a superficial concept. Even your own French media say’s otherwise.
How many news stories of English people being told to their face “we don’t speak English here.” Or news stories of English people being egged, or spit on, or punched, or even argued with about speaking French while a 2 year old baby is potentially dying on the ground?
How many do you need before you admit to any of it? You call this “treating the English well?”
Whenever you condone, or try to make excuses for this kind of BS you SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS. We have all seen it over the past while.
This debate is no longer about “IF”
It’s about when, and how. This kind of lunacy in this country has reached it’s boundary.
This one sided French dominance was accepted in QUEBEC but now, they are pushing their way outside Quebec and that’s where the line gets drawn.
Go ahead, believe the Fleur de lys is “your countries flag”
Carrying on as if you are a separate country
Act as if the French culture and language are the only culture and language worth anything
Carry on. It’s your prerogative.
BUT…
One thing is for certain.
Canadians DO NOT HAVE TO continue to put up with this cr@p
and or pay for it either.
This party is OVER.
The last two times it was the French who spit in the face of the ROC and said we want to split from you and now, the momentum is building and, it’s Canada’s turn.
Highlander
July 17, 2013 at 9:08 am
Hungry for the Truth….
July 17, 2013 at 2:22 am
It is from the Services Act Public Institution Compliance Policies that is the factual cause for this inflicted unfairness and discriminator behaviour to many Public Services Employees.
ACCESSIBILITY should never lend itself as an EQUAL interpretive
value as DELIVERY OF SERVICE.
“Very well said Hungry,As I have always said its not the French people but the unjust government language laws that remains the problem.”
If the agreement we share is on the unfairness of the Policies that Enforce the Service Act in Ontario, what does Quebec Bill 101 or any Languages Law from any other Province have to do with fixing the unfairness in Ontario?
It is, the Ontario Pubic Institutions Enforcement Policies that are the cause of the disparity and unfairness. NOT|the French in Quebec or any where else. It is Our Ontario Public Institutions Policies.
And again Highlander it is not the LAWS that are UNFAIR it is the compliance POLICIES that ENFORCES, “The French Language Services Act of Ontario.” The Services Act does not stipulate 100% Bilingualism it is the Policy. It requires ACCESS.
Is your objective to change All of Canada or FIX the unfairness and disparities on a more local level? Or is there intent to fix or just BLAME?
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
HFTT
Well hungry for the truth, we will treat the francos the same way the anglos are treated in quebec. What is good for the goose, certainly is good for the gander.
According to trembly the English are treated well in quebec. So after quebec leaves maybe we can take a lesson from quebec on how they treat their minorities and do the same to the French elsewhere in Canada.
Perhaps a bill 101, a bill 14 and the like. Restricted education and tongue troopers. Because, from what I read here from stella, trembly and you this is the way linguistic minorities are treated in quebec, and accordingly this is fair and acceptable, to each and every one of you.
Oh Man! edudyorlik’s last post explains why LFA will be laughed out of existence, just like the APECers were.
Highlander
July 17, 2013 at 8:51 am
Richard writes: “Bilingual today, french tomorrow! This has to be the best one yet. Is anyone buying this ? At 78 % majority in Canada, Are anglos really in danger of disappearing ?”
Highlander writes: “Are french in danger of disappearing the latest’s stats info states no,but keep selling that cool-aid .”
History is a FACT.
From: The Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples/French Canadians/Yves Frenette
“Although most people continued to call themselves “Canadiens,” the labels “French-Canadian” and “French Canada” spread after 1840. We still hear these terms used today, especially by anglophones. They are anachronisms, however, given the historical developments that have caused French Canada to disappear as an ethnic entity in the latter half of the twentieth century.”
History, is a truthful and factual teacher to the Wise.
The smart man learns from his mistakes, the Wise man learns from history’s lessons.
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
Hungry for the Truth…. July 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Is your objective to change All of Canada or FIX the unfairness and disparities on a more local level? Or is there intent to fix or just BLAME?
My intention is to make others aware of the unfairness in varying forms of government .I do not believe in language laws as the state should not dictate what language you are to speak and write.
Being language laws exist they should be fair ,equitable and measurable outcomes such as representation by population.
We need as our moderator says a Canada wide discussion on unfairness with the implementation of language laws.
OMG Furtz !
Like I posted before, I’ve just returned from on
of Edudyorliks’s Link Escapade. I was up for days.
Some links will LOOOOP ya. If you go, pack a bag.
and be careful, it’s pretty LOOOOPY.
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
@peter
July 17, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Have you ever been out of Cornwall?
At least Richard’s observations are based on
actual experience, not off the TV.
Have you been personally denied English in Quebec?
Got to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
Pete, tu n’as aucune idée de quoi tu parles. Je vais t’appeler maintenant amer pete. Bill 186, do you know what it guarantees ? Pete, lets just face it, you wont be satisfied until all french is eradicated from Canada. You promoting separatism and that is just sad. Tu n’as qu’à prendre une marche dans le vieux port, à kirkland, Pointe-Claire, baie durfé and then you will know that anglos are doing fine. SIlence is golden, especially when someone has no idea what they are talking about. My buddy pete needs to take that advice to heart.
yorlik…..you forgot the flying sandwiches.
HFTT…5th STANDING OVATION!!!!
You are making the “freedom fighter’s” head spin. They are grasping at straws, repeating tales they have posted 1,000 times before and looking desperate when trying to keep up with you.
Your knowledge has them looking uninformed and their attempt at rebuttal weak.
Furtz……not only “APECers, what about……”The Occupy”
movement. That went over like a lead balloon. The leader of the “Occupy Group” ended up sleeping behind the complex “ALONE”
BUT, what we must not forget, people stopped to say hello which is definitely a sign of support.
Yep…. like the “freedom fighters” the “APECers” and “The Occupy” had a large following.
It kind of reminds me of the tooting of car horns when the LFA was picketing the CCH.
Furtz..
Where in my post did I mention anything about Kebec? You state that health care in Kebec is offered in both languages but I know people in the Gaspe who do not get served in English.
The family has a 200 year history in the area.
You claim that if I spout BS that no one will take me seriously..what you are saying is that my life’s experience is BS!
My name is Jurgen and I’m a Canadian.
Millions of Canadians have no ties to this notion that we are either Anglophone or Francophone. Not from Britain and not from France.
Please specifically point out the BS that I spouted
“History, is a truthful and factual teacher to the Wise.”
Yes well, how about let’s start with the historical victory of James Wolfe over Montcalm.
Yes, for those whose memory is rather selective, that’s the battle that the French wish to forget as this was the beginning of many other historical FACTS.
Like the FACT that France ceded — ALL — of Canada to the British.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX-h4s6dOoM&hd=1
Damn French extremists won’t even allow a statue of the victor to rest in the place of the battle. Never seen such pettiness.
@Edudyorlik
AKA “King of Rant”
You are so right that the FRENCH-Canadians did loose the battle and on “Les Plaine d’Abraham.” But the attempt to eradicate the French was never accomplished. They British won the land, but did not win the language rights over the French-Canadian. The complete historical Fact is the British later granted recognition to the FACT that French we’re the first settlers in lower Canada and later enacted ;
Quebec Act
The Province of Quebec in 1774
The Quebec Act provided the people of Quebec their first Charter of Rights and paved the way to later official recognition of the French language and French culture. The act also allowed Canadiens to maintain French Civil Law and sanctioned freedom
of religion, allowing the Roman Catholic Church to remain, one of the first cases in history of state-sanctioned freedom of religious practice. Further, it restored the Ohio Valley to Quebec, reserving the territory for the fur trade. New France had thus been restored,
so that it could play the same role as it did before the Conquest in North America.
History is FACTUAL if one is looking for all the facts.
Why would the French-Canadian want to erect a Memorial to a man that had a clear objective of destroying them?
It has nothing to do with French or English.
It’s common sense.
Radicalism has no boundries and does not subscribe to LOGIC.
Go to go now, my Sand box is waiting!
hungry you said it all. me and stella don’t have to add anything more. perhaps if we talked about the weather cause you touched on every part of the language subject and you’ve said it well. you have what many others on here lack …common sense. a discussion on the subject is great but I don’t think its needed. But for a small portion of canadians, most think the language issue is fine the way it is, and we have many other pressing matters. bilingualism is less then 1 % of the national budget. Yes, 2.4 billion is alot of money but money well spent. why not worry about the billions the conservative party wasted on self promotion such as the canada action plan. lets worry about the 3.4 billion that the conservative party lost and can’t account for.
Hungry for the Truth….
July 18, 2013 at 6:27 am
AKA “King of Rant”
Do you think you are above the fray by not name calling,well that changed …avoid Stella’s cool-aid as it will make you intolerant.
“Why would the French-Canadian want to erect a Memorial to a man that had a clear objective of destroying them?
It has nothing to do with French or English.
It’s common sense.”
So its common sense to avoid historical facts ?
If there was a “clear objective of destroying them ” would they have not massacred them rather then make them inclusive within the British empire ?
The United States with their greatest loss American life with the civil war have many reenactments not in celebration but to respect their history and its reality .
Canadians cannot have reenactments of the plains of Abraham or even have a statue of General James Wolfe because sensitive nationalists threaten violence.
Are we to forget or rewrite history because the sensitivities of Quebec Nationalists?
It is the same history that included what would latter be Quebec to become part Canada.We share this history yet avoid it in the interests of Quebec Nationalist.
Sad that we let a small group of “Quebec Nationalist “threaten with violence disrupt our respect of historical significance’s that had a direct impact of the development of our nation.
stellabystarlight
July 17, 2013 at 5:02 pm
“It kind of reminds me of the tooting of car horns when the LFA was picketing the CCH.”
Now Stella get your facts straight before you attempt to sell that Propaganda cool-aid .
LFA did not exists when Chris Cameron and others protested at the Hospital but LFA was formed Because of the inequities of CCH as well as other Government institutions .
“BUT, what we must not forget, people stopped to say hello which is definitely a sign of support.”
That and the 3000 signatures on a petition,but I guess you wouldn’t consider that support!
Hungry for the Truth….
July 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm
“And again Highlander it is not the LAWS that are UNFAIR it is the compliance POLICIES that ENFORCES, “The French Language Services Act of Ontario.” The Services Act does not stipulate 100% Bilingualism it is the Policy. It requires ACCESS”
If it were not for the laws and policies would there be”ABUSE” .
The government has set forth a policy whereby there is no measurable outcomes for its institutions thereby creating conditions to abuse this policy.
Yes it is the government and its laws that create this inequity because policies is not just enacting them but having measurable outcomes and these are government entities that enforce the compliance of these acts.
Legislation is enacted for drunk driving with a measurable outcome of .08 and above -the police did not set this quota; but legislation did through panel and professional input.
It is the provinces responsibility to ensure legislation is enacted and with measurable outcomes for these government agencies as they are under the mandate of the government.
This is akin to the Fox watching the Henhouse.