Independence for Quebec

gerryh

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Nov 21, 2004
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This is false. Yes we are free to send our children to school in French outside of Quebec, but it's not always convenient. I know this for a fact since I had gone to a French-medium school in Victoria, BC. Since it was the only French-medim school in town, those of us who lived farther away had to accept either a long daily commute which English-medium students did not have to endure, or switch to a nearby English-medium school.

So, no, such schools are not 'everywhere'.

And if this was the case in a provincial capital, you can imagine it would be even less convenient in a smaller town.


and how long ago was that?
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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Actually its NOT false. The schools are found wherever there is a demand for them. There are no legal impediments to say that everyone could not enroll their children in them, if they so choose. There are some practical limitations, such as the number of available francophone teachers and the small demand for French in rural areas outside Quebec. In the end, if someone wants to send their children to French immersion school, they can without hindrance from the law. Conversely Quebec does not legally allow someone to send their children (including English speaking immigrants) to an English school unless they meet some specific criteria.

You just agreed with what I'd said, that they are not available everywhere. A demand, and not just one parent, but a sufficient demand, must be met, so no, as you've acknowledged, these schools are not available everywhere as 5P claimed.

And the idea of making English the sole official language of Canada is a non-starter if you expect Quebec to remain a part of Canada.

and how long ago was that?

I just checked, and it's still the only French-medium school in town:

École Brodeur de Victoria

And Victoria is quite geographically spread out when you include the suburbs.
 

gerryh

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Nov 21, 2004
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:roll:
You just agreed with what I'd said, that they are not available everywhere. A demand, and not just one parent, but a sufficient demand, must be met, so no, as you've acknowledged, these schools are not available everywhere as 5P claimed.

And the idea of making English the sole official language of Canada is a non-starter if you expect Quebec to remain a part of Canada.



I just checked, and it's still the only French-medium school in town:

École Brodeur de Victoria

And Victoria is quite geographically spread out when you include the suburbs.
:roll:

Wulfie explained it quite well. There are no lawfull impediments to learning in French or English in the ROC. Unlike in Quebec, where there are lawfull impediments to learning in English.

That makes the quebecois racist/bigoted rat basterds.
 

s_lone

Council Member
Feb 16, 2005
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:roll::roll:

Wulfie explained it quite well. There are no lawfull impediments to learning in French or English in the ROC. Unlike in Quebec, where there are lawfull impediments to learning in English.

That makes the quebecois racist/bigoted rat basterds.

You certainly have rock solid argumentative skills!
 

gerryh

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Nov 21, 2004
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You certainly have rock solid argumentative skills!


What is there to argue? When I was young and stupid, I defended Quebecers and all French Canadians for the shoddy treatment by the englais. After all, MY paternal family came to Canada from France in 1653 and helped establish [FONT=trebuchet ms, Arial, Helvetica]Villemarie.

I have since grown up and have seen, the same as my father before me, Quebecois for what it is. Whining baby's that will not be satisfied no matter what they recieve.

My attitude is, if you don't like living in Canada, and you want to be somewhere where only French is spoken, then get the hell out and move there. If you don't want to do that, then suck it up buttercup.
[/FONT]
 

AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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Of course, Quebec is a part Canada. Why would that stop Quebec from doing what it judges best for itself? And if, according to the ROC, Quebec is violating rights, why are you ''rest of Canadians'' not doing anything about it? Why won't the federal government come and arrest our provincial politicians if they are so outraged?
lol So you are saying that Canada's rules are ok for everyone else but not for Quebec. So much for the Canadian efforts at equality. Quebec is the unequal exception. I've periodically pointed out that BC would be better off without Ottawa, as well. But as long as all provinces remain with Canada, all provinces should abide by the same federal rules.

Here's my answer. The ROC can't and won't do anything about it because there is nothing to do about it. You don't have a case. Those who live in Quebec accept to live by its laws. Those who don't simply leave. Good for them for taking control over their lives. But those that stay and and those that continue to arrive here accept the reality of Quebec and its laws.
There's another reason why politicians won't do anything about it: it's too hot a potatoe. Besides that they may simply be tired of the issue.
If Quebec wants its own rules and be special, it should separate (and I mean separate so that it is completely self-reliant like any other developed nation).



But languages do disappear. Most aboriginal languages are in great danger of disappearing.
Anishinaabemowin was dying, I agree, but in the past decade or so there's been a revival. And there's been a revival without provincial and federal aid I might add. Yet French would be in danger if it didn't get provincial help and federal kissass? I seriously find that extremely hard to believe.
French in Quebec is not because we took some measures to protect it, and we want it to stay that way. We can't be complacent about it. Some minimal measures need to be taken. If immigrants in Quebec don't learn French, it's a simple mathematical fact that francophones will be more and more alienated and there would be a huge social divide in our province.
I get it. You want to stick with the status quo. Then quit accepting foreigners into Quebec. *shrugs*

Well I see a problem with that. And I'd see one if I lived in BC too. I would expect newcomers to be able to learn English in order for them to integrate in the cultural and social landscape. If you don't expect this, you open the door to too much ''ghettoization''. Multiculturalism is all nice and cheery, but it needs to be rooted in something that can create some form of cohesion.
So what's your plan to make sure that everyone speaks English, French, as well as hang onto their own language; that everyone accepts Canadian culture as well as hanging onto their own, etc. and not have conflicts occasionally?

People in Vancouver don't complain because English is in no foreseeable danger of disappearing.
And French is? NB doesn't seemm to agree with you. That province doesn't need special treatment to keep its French.
If suddenly all of North America spoke Mandarin except BC who spoke English, I'm sure most of you would start thinking otherwise.
I think some would, too. Personally, I'd just learn Mandarin and move on. That wouldn't keep me from retaining English, Anishinaabemowin, and Gaeilge. I wouldn't need special laws and kissass from the feds for that.

Quebecers don't want to be more equal than anybody else. They just want everybody else to mind their own business.
The language laws don't show that to be the case.
You folks in BC can have all the laws you want or don't want. The fact that we live in the same federation doesn't give you the right to dictate our ways.
*shrugs* We don't care what you do in Quebec as long as we are all treated the same everywhere in Canada. But as it sits, we aren't. As it sits, anyone in BC can put up a sign in any language they want and have the wording any size they want. Not so in Quebec. Quebec is "special".
If our ways are fundamentally contrary to the philosophy of Canada then you should kick us out right now. You don't of course, because you don't have a case.
There's a case, just not a big enough case to make it worthwhile.

Funny... All the whining in this thread seems to come from non Quebecers whining about Quebec.
Why? Because Quebec wants to be special and more equal than the rest of the provinces.

Actually its NOT false. The schools are found wherever there is a demand for them. There are no legal impediments to say that everyone could not enroll their children in them, if they so choose. There are some practical limitations, such as the number of available francophone teachers and the small demand for French in rural areas outside Quebec. In the end, if someone wants to send their children to French immersion school, they can without hindrance from the law. Conversely Quebec does not legally allow someone to send their children (including English speaking immigrants) to an English school unless they meet some specific criteria.

s_lone can deride English Canada all he/she/it wants for not "challenging" Quebec on the language issue but the reality is that Quebec is already acting counter to the rulings of the Supreme Court of Canada (and has repeatedly) with their unconstitutional language laws by using the Not Withstanding clause. English Canada is therefore left with the option of re-opening the constitution and ammending it so the Not Withstanding clause is removed (which will never happen because the other provinces won't forfeit the protection that it gives them on other issues). The other option would be to remove official bilingualism and make the country English only: francophone Quebecers may not like it but since they don't care for anyone else's rights, why should anyone else care about theirs?
Egg Zachary.

You just agreed with what I'd said, that they are not available everywhere. A demand, and not just one parent, but a sufficient demand, must be met, so no, as you've acknowledged, these schools are not available everywhere as 5P claimed.

And the idea of making English the sole official language of Canada is a non-starter if you expect Quebec to remain a part of Canada.
NB wouldn't have an issue with that, I am sure. I don't see an issue except that Quebec created an issue.
 

s_lone

Council Member
Feb 16, 2005
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What is there to argue? When I was young and stupid, I defended Quebecers and all French Canadians for the shoddy treatment by the englais. After all, MY paternal family came to Canada from France in 1653 and helped establish [FONT=trebuchet ms, Arial, Helvetica]Villemarie.

I have since grown up and have seen, the same as my father before me, Quebecois for what it is. Whining baby's that will not be satisfied no matter what they recieve.

My attitude is, if you don't like living in Canada, and you want to be somewhere where only French is spoken, then get the hell out and move there. If you don't want to do that, then suck it up buttercup.
[/FONT]

We're not moving and we're not sucking it up. We don't need to suck anything up. We already CAN have the language laws we want despite what the rest of Canadians think about it. You're obviously the one who needs to come to terms with the fact that the rest of Canada can't dictate how Quebecers will choose to manage their own society.
 

AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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We're not moving and we're not sucking it up. We don't need to suck anything up. We already CAN have the language laws we want despite what the rest of Canadians think about it. You're obviously the one who needs to come to terms with the fact that the rest of Canada can't dictate how Quebecers will choose to manage their own society.
Apparently there are a few Quebeckers who refuse to be dictated to by Quebec's language cops, too.
I think the RoC for the most part just take a relaxed view of Quebec's phobic & Orwellian stance until someone stirs the pot.
 

gerryh

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Nov 21, 2004
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We're not moving and we're not sucking it up. We don't need to suck anything up. We already CAN have the language laws we want despite what the rest of Canadians think about it. You're obviously the one who needs to come to terms with the fact that the rest of Canada can't dictate how Quebecers will choose to manage their own society.


I'm not the one that started ANOTHER Quebec independence thread.

As for Quebecs language laws.....I pity Quebecers, since they feel that French is too weak a language to stand on it's own.
 

AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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I'm not the one that started ANOTHER Quebec independence thread.

As for Quebecs language laws.....I pity Quebecers, since they feel that French is too weak a language to stand on it's own.
Yeah, really. The Roman empire has been dead for quite a few years, yet Latin is still around. Same for Sanskrit and Ancient Egyptian.
 

lone wolf

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What French? Ville Marie French? Montreal French? Parisian French? Can you get along with Caugun French or Vietnamese French? The reason the slanguage is in danger is partly because it varies from family to family, from community to community, from region to region and every one of them believes their way is the right way. For us Anglais (or Angleek if they want to bring religion into it) we have Official French on our cereal boxes and as a required credit to get out of high school and it isn't even French enough for Quebec language cops.
 
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gerryh

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What French? Ville Marie French? Montreal French? Parisian French? Can you get along with Caugun French or Vietnamese French? The reason the slanguage is in danger is partly because it varies from family to family, from community to community, from region to region and every one of them believes their way is the right way. For us Anglais (or Angleek if they want to bring religion into it) we have Official French on our cereal boxes and as a required credit to get out of high school and it isn't even French enough for Quebec language cops.

Consider this a greenie...... my old man used to laugh like hell whenever he read the "french" on the cereal boxes.
 
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taxslave

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You just agreed with what I'd said, that they are not available everywhere. A demand, and not just one parent, but a sufficient demand, must be met, so no, as you've acknowledged, these schools are not available everywhere as 5P claimed.

And the idea of making English the sole official language of Canada is a non-starter if you expect Quebec to remain a part of Canada.



I just checked, and it's still the only French-medium school in town:

École Brodeur de Victoria

And Victoria is quite geographically spread out when you include the suburbs.

Never heard of a French medium school but there are french immersion schools in every school district. The demand is somewhat limited since there is no need to speak french here. As Anna said Hindi or Mandrin would make more sense both as a practical matter and for business.
 

s_lone

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Feb 16, 2005
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What French? Ville Marie French? Montreal French? Parisian French? Can you get along with Caugun French or Vietnamese French? The reason the slanguage is in danger is partly because it varies from family to family, from community to community, from region to region and every one of them believes their way is the right way. For us Anglais (or Angleek if they want to bring religion into it) we have Official French on our cereal boxes and as a required credit to get out of high school and it isn't even French enough for Quebec language cops.

Can you even understand French?
 

lone wolf

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Can you even understand French?

Which French? The multitude of slanguages or the official version?

I learned the stuff they taught us in school but Italian was more useful to me. When one is belittled for speaking "lawyer French" to someone who speaks a local dialect, one just doesn't bother trying any more.
 

talloola

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Nov 14, 2006
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We're not moving and we're not sucking it up. We don't need to suck anything up. We already CAN have the language laws we want despite what the rest of Canadians think about it. You're obviously the one who needs to come to terms with the fact that the rest of Canada can't dictate how Quebecers will choose to manage their own society.

province, just like us in b.c., you are a province in
Canada.
 

s_lone

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province, just like us in b.c., you are a province in
Canada.

Exactly! Which means we Quebecers consider you as equals and that if you want to have your own laws we'll be genuinely happy for you and be the first ones clapping.

You folks just seem obsessed by the idea that somehow Quebecers consider themselves superior to other provinces. You have it all wrong. It's just that in our view, provinces should be more independent. Don't blame Quebec for the fact that other provinces act as sub-entities in the face of Canada as a whole. Can you see how our understanding of Canada is fundamentally opposed? Most of you seem to want a monochrome Canada. I want a Canada which respects the different social and cultural realities of each province.
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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Never heard of a French medium school but there are french immersion schools in every school district. The demand is somewhat limited since there is no need to speak french here. As Anna said Hindi or Mandrin would make more sense both as a practical matter and for business.

A French-medium school is a school in which French is the medium of instruction in all courses except second-language courses. So in that school, while English class was conducted in English, maths, science, French, art, music, PE, etc. were all conducted in French.

Now I think there may be a misunderstanding here. I'd responded to 5P's claim that French-medium schools were available 'everywhere', correcting him by stating that that is in fact not the case.

This does not mean however that I think it ought to be the case either.

Personally, I think a fair move would be to introduce a Swedish-style voucher programme and requiring all schools that participate in that programme to teach the predominant local language at least as a second language if not a first language, and have the other language taught be a language of the school's choosing. So if a school in Vancouver's China Town wanted to teach Chinese and English instead of English and French, or if a school in Quebec city wanted to teach Spanish and French instead of French and English, that would be a decision for the school to make according to market demand.

So when I had disagreed with 5P about the availability of French-medium instruction 'everywhere', it was not to be interpreted as my wanting it to be 'everywhere' either.

Though I think we ought to have the freedom to send our children to French-medium or English-medium school anywhere in Canada, it certainly ought not to be a right. Let's make a distinction between freedoms and rights here. A Swedish-style voucher programme would help to guarantee that freedom based on market demand, though of course it would not guarantee any right to it, with market demand being a precondition.

Also, though I don't support the CPC on many fronts, I do like some of Scott Reid's ideas concerning 'regional bilingualism', whereby most of the country would adopt either French or English as the official language, depending on the dominant local language, with only some regions being officially bilingual based on significant numbers of both language communities.

I could see Quebec supporting such a proposal. In fact, it's already proposed making Canada Post and other Federal Crown corporations, and Federal government offices subject to Bill 101.

I could also see other provincial governments supporting this since it would save taxpayers money on French-language services where not needed.

This could also benefit international markets. For instance, let's say Canada's labelling laws were also subject to a new policy of regional bilingualism. This would mean that in English-speaking communities, English-language labels would suffice, and in French-speaking communities, French-language labels would suffice. This way, products from the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. which have English labels but not French on them could still be imported into English Canada, and products from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Senegal, etc. with French-language labels on them but not English could still export them to the French-speaking parts of the country. Only those communities designated as bilingual would require bilingual packaging. This could also help smaller start up copanies. For example, a small company starting up in Quebec city and focusing only on the local market would not need to spend so much money on translator, etc. And the same would apply to a simila company in Victoria, BC let's say.
 

taxslave

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Machjo: What you describe as French-medium is called French Immersion in B.C. and all school districts have them, although since we have many remote areas not all communities may have one do to lack of population. SO if learning in French is that important to someone they can simply move to where there is one.
I do get tired of looking for English labels and instructions on products when there is no need for bilingual labels.
Face it, outside of Quebec there is no need for french.