[Newsbot]

Title: Bernier under fire for criticizing Quebec language laws
Category: Provincial Politics
Posted By: wildrosegirl
Date: 2011-02-07 16:06:23
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

Thou shalt not speak truth in Politics.

[Thanos]

Quebec's got some deep emotional issues whenever any of their phony political preconceptions get challenged. If there's a place out there that's still mentally stuck in the political culture and bogus leftist mythology of the 1970's it definitely has to be Quebec. Well, them and Ottawa too.

[Unsound]

I do wonder what it is about the french that makes them think that their language and culture are so weak and insignificant that they need legal protection in a place with millions of french people? Do they really have so little confidence in their own heritage that they think it can taken away from them by allowing people a little freedom? Kind of reminds me of those Christians who have so little confidence in the rightness of their faith that they won't allow their children to learn about anything they don't agree with for fear that they be corrupted by a little knowledge.

[Thanos]

To be fair to Quebec they were fairly badly oppressed for a very long time, on a cultural, legal, and moral level, by the Church, the Anglo elite in Montreal, and too many of their own Francophone politicians like Duplessis. It's just questionable why they think that having to constantly resort to some ridiculous form of ethnic fascism of their own and to fiscal extortion of the rest of the country are the best ways to address problems and old oppressions that no longer even exist. They seem fairly oblivious to how and why this sort of behaviour deeply pisses off the rest of Canada.

[Proculation]

He got into a very delicate debate here. But, I understand his move:

Two weeks ago, a 'hardcore' Parti Québécois MNA said that Bill 101 (obligation to go to school in french if your parents are not of english descent) should be applied to colleges and universities. That means it would forbid french-canadians and immigrants, who are then over 18yo, to go to an english college or university like McGill or Concordia.

That's total nonsense. If at 18yo you cannot speak french after kindergarten, elementary school and high school, there's a fuc**** problem. They decide to go to english classes because knowing english is VERY IMPORTANT in a career.

So his position brought a debate about how far should we restrict individual rights to go to the school you want VS the importance of preserving french and integrate immigrants.

Like I said, it's non sense. Even René Lévesque said that every Quebecers should be bilingual. But, it's a pur-et-dur separatists. He despises all that is english. So his goal is to isolate Quebecers from the rest of the continent by being unilingual. That way, he thinks separatism emotions will grow so they will be able to win a hypothetic 3rd referendum. I know, that's fucked up. But that's the separatists....

So Maxime Bernier just told that Bill 101 was not still useful today because the question was brought in the conversation.

Anyway, like you imagine, Bernier is under fire in all the media for his comments. That's very akward. I want to leave Quebec please

[Unsound]

Please don't. If all the reasonable people leave quebec then things will get even worse.

And just to be clear, I was asking a question in my post not stating my opinion about french language and culture. I think it's important to remember that the culture did survive all those years of oppresion and eventually came roaring back with the quiet revolution. Anyone with even or a passing acquaintance with Quebec or Acadian history knows that the culture will survive, and thrive. It'll grow and change, just like all healthy cultures do, but it's really not in much danger from english Canada, or even the US.

With a population of almost 8 million, with about 80% being francophones and another 15% or so reporting french as a second or 3rd language they're in a better position to maintain their language and culture than a great many european nations are. I don't think draconian language laws are really neccesary. All they do is piss people off and make it harder for francophones to become functional in english.

[Tman1]

Thanos Thanos:

To be fair to Quebec they were fairly badly oppressed for a very long time, on a cultural, legal, and moral level, by the Church, the Anglo elite in Montreal, and too many of their own Francophone politicians like Duplessis. It's just questionable why they think that having to constantly resort to some ridiculous form of ethnic fascism of their own and to fiscal extortion of the rest of the country are the best ways to address problems and old oppressions that no longer even exist. They seem fairly oblivious to how and why this sort of behaviour deeply pisses off the rest of Canada.

Somebody should have taken Lord Durhams report more seriously. Idiot British making policy before and we have to pay for it now.

[Tman1]

Unsound Unsound:

All they do is piss people off and make it harder for francophones to become functional in english.

Sorry, why does that matter? It's English people who need to become more functional in French for a minority to appease them in order to get a decent job in Eastern Canada.

[Proculation]

Tman1 Tman1:

Thanos Thanos:

To be fair to Quebec they were fairly badly oppressed for a very long time, on a cultural, legal, and moral level, by the Church, the Anglo elite in Montreal, and too many of their own Francophone politicians like Duplessis. It's just questionable why they think that having to constantly resort to some ridiculous form of ethnic fascism of their own and to fiscal extortion of the rest of the country are the best ways to address problems and old oppressions that no longer even exist. They seem fairly oblivious to how and why this sort of behaviour deeply pisses off the rest of Canada.

Somebody should have taken Lord Durhams report more seriously. Idiot British making policy before and we have to pay for it now.

Are you fucking serious ?

[martin14]

Unsound Unsound:

I do wonder what it is about the french that makes them think that their language and culture are so weak and insignificant that they need legal protection in a place with millions of french people? Do they really have so little confidence in their own heritage that they think it can taken away from them by allowing people a little freedom? Kind of reminds me of those Christians who have so little confidence in the rightness of their faith that they won't allow their children to learn about anything they don't agree with for fear that they be corrupted by a little knowledge.

from the article:

$1:

"In 1996, the prime minister said that the language policy in Quebec ran counter to human rights. In 2002, he said that Quebec's language policy prevented Francophones from being bilingual. Now his dauphin is saying this and he refuses to scold him," Rodriguez told the House in French. "Is it that the prime minister didn't understand, or is it that he just agrees?"

Both are essentially true, and bill 101 is kind of a hangover from the Catholic Church,
whose objectives in Quebec were to keep the people stupid and poor, and in church.

101 does stop Francophones from becoming bilingual, and hurts their chances
in North America.

The smart ones say fuck it and learn English anyway.

Fact is I think Canada has done a very good job protecting French language and culture, Bill 101 is the result of too many academics and small minded shitheads
with too much time on their hands.

[Tman1]

Yes I am fucking serious. Quebec would still have its language and culture and the rest of Canada wouldn't have this constant headache of Quebec bitching about language to the ROC when their own backyard is less than clean.

[Unsound]

Tman1 Tman1:

Unsound Unsound:

All they do is piss people off and make it harder for francophones to become functional in english.

Sorry, why does that matter? It's English people who need to become more functional in French for a minority to appease them in order to get a decent job in Eastern Canada.

Oops, silly me, I forgot all about that.

[Tman1]

Don't worry, I won't hold it against you.

[Proculation]

Tman1 Tman1:

Yes I am fucking serious. Quebec would still have its language and culture and the rest of Canada wouldn't have this constant headache of Quebec bitching about language to the ROC when their own backyard is less than clean.

Are you aware of what you are saying here ? So British should have go the strong way with immigration in Quebec to assimilate us to the 'proper' allegiance ? We should have lost our French heritage of catholicism and other privileges granted 80 years ago after the Conquest ?

After that, you really think it would have been the best thing for Canada ? Please, explain because i'm not following you here. At all.