Yeah, I was exaggerating with the Language police... but it's still a joke. And the whole issue of mandatory french school is frustrating. I like to believe that I live in a free country, and then to have someone tell me I can't send my kid to an English School would definitely piss me off.
There is a HUGE difference between wanting to keep your culture and being so INSECURE about you culture that it forces you to the extremes. I don't mean to brag, but if everyone thought like I do, we would all live peacefully.
Yes the bill 101 is definitly a protection law that was establish because (among other reasons) of insecurity, but that insecurity comes from somewhere, and yes it must be corrected, or updated. It's a relatively old law. I also believe you can send your kids to english private school, but not into english public school, or something alike, but at least there is an english independant school system, which is not the case in most province with the french education.
The sign law might be stupid when it comes to the small farm in the eastern township, but the language law takes it's significance when it comes down to multinatinal company like Sony (who were told to remove an english only add some years ago) or Wal Mart (who were told to remove every english only packaging in their store, or translate them). It's a touchy subject i know, and it's all blurry at times...
"L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Yes and i understand the point, but it was not better when Montreal was all english in appearance cause anglos were holding most of Quebec wealth, therefore most of Quebec's economy, therefore most of Quebec's commerce, therefore most of Quebec's commercial signs, even if the majority of the population was speaking french. Would a company doing business in Madrid would only advertise in english? No, but it was the way things were before the Bill 101 in Quebec, i guess things have changed since then, and some of the changes were made thanks to the BIll 101...
"L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Yes and i understand the point, but it was not better when Montreal was all english in appearance cause anglos were holding most of Quebec wealth, therefore most of Quebec's economy, therefore most of Quebec's commerce, therefore most of Quebec's commercial signs, even if the majority of the population was speaking french. Would a company doing business in Madrid would only advertise in english? No, but it was the way things were before the Bill 101 in Quebec, i guess things have changed since then, and some of the changes were made thanks to the BIll 101...
True ... Complete dominance of English in Quebec doesn't make sense either. The problem, as I understand it, is one of degree and enforcement. In the rest of Canada, packaging (for example) must be as bilingual as possible. Certain things (ingredients) MUST appear in both languages, even in regions where there are almost no French speakers. My understanding is that there is no similar attempt made in Quebec to accomodate Anglos, except in Montreal where they form a substantial chunk of the population. It seems one-sided. And mandating education in French may not be the end of the world, but such a move is unheard of elsewhere in Canada. Learning English only makes sense, but it is not legally mandated, I don't think.
True ... Complete dominance of English in Quebec doesn't make sense either. The problem, as I understand it, is one of degree and enforcement. In the rest of Canada, packaging (for example) must be as bilingual as possible. Certain things (ingredients) MUST appear in both languages, even in regions where there are almost no French speakers. My understanding is that there is no similar attempt made in Quebec to accomodate Anglos, except in Montreal where they form a substantial chunk of the population. It seems one-sided. And mandating education in French may not be the end of the world, but such a move is unheard of elsewhere in Canada. Learning English only makes sense, but it is not legally mandated, I don't think.
Well, Quebec accomodate english speakers by giving them their own school system (commission scolaire), their own hospitals, english speaking peoples have their own university etc. , in part of Quebec where english is not spoken, packaging must also be bilingual. So i don't think Quebec is such a bad place for english speaking peoples, in other words i don't think it's easier to live in french in Alberta than to live in english in Quebec.
In most part of the ROC, my assumption is that a commerce with French only signs would just get no customers, while in Quebec we will go to the commerce with english only signs, but will then complain to the office de la langue. Of course, there's place for ameliorations in Quebec, not at all perfect, but i don't think there's a significant difference between anglos in Quebec and francos in the ROC, again just my opinion...
"L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
There is no difference between anglos and francophones. Period. Just a language. Nothing more. And most of the people in Quebec are bilingual in some form anyways. It's all just blown out of proportion at times.
All this being said, I love Quebec.
There is no difference between anglos and francophones. Period. Just a language. Nothing more. And most of the people in Quebec are bilingual in some form anyways. It's all just blown out of proportion at times.
All this being said, I love Quebec.
Klein
I used to work in a renovation center when i was a student, and i remember having my brain exploding all the times i had to consistently switch from english to french to english to french, it makes your brain all slushy and at the end of the day you can't even make a correct sentence in both language .
"L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Ma copine est Quebecoise, mais elle est parfaitment bilingue.
Et quand je discute n'importe quoi avec elle, je me rappele meme pas si j'ai parler en francais ou en anglais.
Our discussions vary so much in language it get's crazy. It just flows off my tongue, no matter the language.
Ma copine est Quebecoise, mais elle est parfaitment bilingue.
Et quand je discute n'importe quoi avec elle, je me rappele meme pas si j'ai parler en francais ou en anglais.
Our discussions vary so much in language it get's crazy. It just flows off my tongue, no matter the language.
What a beautiful world we could be living in.
Klein
I'm happy to be bilingual, for sure, i think french and english should be equally important in every schools in Canada, Canadians should be bilingual coming out of high school. I wasn't even close from speaking english with my high school standard education, it tooks a 3 years living in the Ottawa region, a lot of english music and many tv shows, for me to be bilingual, now if only i could learn more spanish...
"L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
I'm happy to be bilingual, for sure, i think french and english should be equally important in every schools in Canada, Canadians should be bilingual coming out of high school. I wasn't even close from speaking english with my high school standard education, it tooks a 3 years living in the Ottawa region, a lot of english music and many tv shows, for me to be bilingual, now if only i could learn more spanish...
My old high school, after I left, cut their French program....I wish my school had put French higher up in the requirements...that way my path to PM would be a little bit easier....:)
Should have taken it during university during summer session but unfortunatly did not....wish I would have though.....
I saw a poll on CBC this morning that out of 1500 average Canadians polled, 77% of them did not support the Quebec motion. Granted anything based on statistics is always suspect. From what I gather the grits just took this offer off of the table, please correct me if I am wrong, not sure of this?
>>>>
>
...a lover and a fighter.
"I'm at least half a bum" Rocky Balboa
Comments
Yes the bill 101 is definitly a protection law that was establish because (among other reasons) of insecurity, but that insecurity comes from somewhere, and yes it must be corrected, or updated. It's a relatively old law. I also believe you can send your kids to english private school, but not into english public school, or something alike, but at least there is an english independant school system, which is not the case in most province with the french education.
The sign law might be stupid when it comes to the small farm in the eastern township, but the language law takes it's significance when it comes down to multinatinal company like Sony (who were told to remove an english only add some years ago) or Wal Mart (who were told to remove every english only packaging in their store, or translate them). It's a touchy subject i know, and it's all blurry at times...
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Yes and i understand the point, but it was not better when Montreal was all english in appearance cause anglos were holding most of Quebec wealth, therefore most of Quebec's economy, therefore most of Quebec's commerce, therefore most of Quebec's commercial signs, even if the majority of the population was speaking french. Would a company doing business in Madrid would only advertise in english? No, but it was the way things were before the Bill 101 in Quebec, i guess things have changed since then, and some of the changes were made thanks to the BIll 101...
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
True ... Complete dominance of English in Quebec doesn't make sense either. The problem, as I understand it, is one of degree and enforcement. In the rest of Canada, packaging (for example) must be as bilingual as possible. Certain things (ingredients) MUST appear in both languages, even in regions where there are almost no French speakers. My understanding is that there is no similar attempt made in Quebec to accomodate Anglos, except in Montreal where they form a substantial chunk of the population. It seems one-sided. And mandating education in French may not be the end of the world, but such a move is unheard of elsewhere in Canada. Learning English only makes sense, but it is not legally mandated, I don't think.
Well, Quebec accomodate english speakers by giving them their own school system (commission scolaire), their own hospitals, english speaking peoples have their own university etc. , in part of Quebec where english is not spoken, packaging must also be bilingual. So i don't think Quebec is such a bad place for english speaking peoples, in other words i don't think it's easier to live in french in Alberta than to live in english in Quebec.
In most part of the ROC, my assumption is that a commerce with French only signs would just get no customers, while in Quebec we will go to the commerce with english only signs, but will then complain to the office de la langue. Of course, there's place for ameliorations in Quebec, not at all perfect, but i don't think there's a significant difference between anglos in Quebec and francos in the ROC, again just my opinion...
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
All this being said, I love Quebec.
Klein
I used to work in a renovation center when i was a student, and i remember having my brain exploding all the times i had to consistently switch from english to french to english to french, it makes your brain all slushy and at the end of the day you can't even make a correct sentence in both language
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Et quand je discute n'importe quoi avec elle, je me rappele meme pas si j'ai parler en francais ou en anglais.
Our discussions vary so much in language it get's crazy. It just flows off my tongue, no matter the language.
What a beautiful world we could be living in.
Klein
I'm happy to be bilingual, for sure, i think french and english should be equally important in every schools in Canada, Canadians should be bilingual coming out of high school. I wasn't even close from speaking english with my high school standard education, it tooks a 3 years living in the Ottawa region, a lot of english music and many tv shows, for me to be bilingual, now if only i could learn more spanish...
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
My old high school, after I left, cut their French program....I wish my school had put French higher up in the requirements...that way my path to PM would be a little bit easier....:)
Should have taken it during university during summer session but unfortunatly did not....wish I would have though.....
>
...a lover and a fighter.
"I'm at least half a bum" Rocky Balboa
http://www.videosift.com/video/Obamas-Message-To-American-Indians
Edmonton, AB. September 5th, 2005
Vancouver, BC. April 3rd, 2008
Calgary,AB. August 8th, 2009