[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

You seem to be confusing the Director of Communications (who comes up with strategy) with the Press Secretary (who deals first hand with the press).

The Press Secretary (whose name escapes me) is bilingual.

Besides, if GF is correct, we've had numerous english-only-speaking Directors of Communication in the past.

Dimitri Soudas was DoC, and he was the ones journalists talked to when they needed a meeting with the PM.
GF is correct, but that's not the whole issue.  The most important issue is that he is a known Quebec basher.

As I said, just imagine a seperatist in the PMO office, some guy like Gérald Larose, if you've heard of him.  If you haven't, one his most famous recent declaration was that federalists are all double-crossers (the exact french word used was "crosseur", wich means badly dishonest, I guess; you'd use that word for a used car salesmand selling you a piece of junk).

As for "unilingual", you didn't apologize (nor was it necessary), but you did say it was "badly phrased", so that's the end of that for me.

Ok, I apoligize for using the word unilingual, as Drakken explained, and as I said, in the context of Quebec-Canada politics, I tend to refer to "bilingual" as people who speak French & English, discarding any other languages.  Someone who speaks French & German is not usually considered bilingual.  Yes, it is not the literal view, and I am sorry for the confusion.

I suspect everyone else understood what you meant by a "unilinqual Anglophone".  In the Canadian context that means he does not speak French.  Your phrase was more eloquent then "person who does not speak French but speaks English"  but for the more literal minded among us the nuance might be lost.

[Barrister]

I suspect everyone else understood what you meant by a "unilinqual Anglophone".  In the Canadian context that means he does not speak French.  Your phrase was more eloquent then "person who does not speak French but speaks English"  but for the more literal minded among us the nuance might be lost.

Why are you suddenly busting on me?

It made no sense to describe someone as a "unilingual anglophone" whose entire career has been in Italian publications and broadcasting in Canada.  We're not talking about someone whose 'other language' is a purely private one, but rather someone who was described as being the 'eminence grise of ethnic media'.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/journalist-angelo-persichilli-replaces-dimitri-soudas-at-pmo/article2148647/

[crazy canuck]

I suspect everyone else understood what you meant by a "unilinqual Anglophone".  In the Canadian context that means he does not speak French.  Your phrase was more eloquent then "person who does not speak French but speaks English"  but for the more literal minded among us the nuance might be lost.

Why are you suddenly busting on me?

I just find it amusing how literal you are.

[HVC]

I suspect everyone else understood what you meant by a "unilinqual Anglophone".  In the Canadian context that means he does not speak French.  Your phrase was more eloquent then "person who does not speak French but speaks English"  but for the more literal minded among us the nuance might be lost.

Why are you suddenly busting on me?

I just find it amusing how literal you are.

it's a a lawyery trait. you're an outlier

[viper37]

So, to replace Dimitra Soudas, they hired 3 guys, including that xenophobic journalist from Toronto.
Way to go Harper!  That's the good way to reduce expenses accross the board!

[crazy canuck]

Talk of a Liberal/NDP merger are heating up again.  I dont see it but who knows.  I am not sure why the NDP would be tempted to do this.  I can understand the desperation of the Liberals though.

[viper37]

It's going to take at least one more defeat from the Liberals for them to understand the merger is in their best interest.
Right now, they still think (and they might be right) that this is a temporary situation, they think that by next election they'll either be back in power, or to #2 spot with the NDP left with 2-3 dozen MPs.

[Drakken]

When the NDP dream comes crashing down now that Layton's dead, center-leftists will have no choice but to return to the Liberal fold. All they need is a reason to vote Liberal and get out of their homes to the voting booth.

Makes a lot of sense.

[Grey Fox]

When the NDP dream comes crashing down now that Layton's dead, center-leftists will have no choice but to return to the Liberal fold. All they need is a reason to vote Liberal and get out of their homes to the voting booth.

Makes a lot of sense.

But the Liberals, worse then the NDP even, have no compelling leader in their ranks.

Atleast the NDP has Mulcair.

[Grallon]

So, to replace Dimitra Soudas, they hired 3 guys, including that xenophobic journalist from Toronto.
Way to go Harper!  That's the good way to reduce expenses accross the board!

Your problem Viper, like so many Quebecers, is that you're a nationalist that isn't rational enough to follow your belief though to its logical conclusion.  No matter how long you wait you won't be seeing either respect or consideration from Canadians, especially now that our demographic situation is declining.  The only way is out of Canada!



G.

[viper37]

So, to replace Dimitra Soudas, they hired 3 guys, including that xenophobic journalist from Toronto.
Way to go Harper!  That's the good way to reduce expenses accross the board!

Your problem Viper, like so many Quebecers, is that you're a nationalist that isn't rational enough to follow your belief though to its logical conclusion.  No matter how long you wait you won't be seeing either respect or consideration from Canadians, especially now that our demographic situation is declining.  The only way is out of Canada!



G.

I was a seperatist.  I still am, up to a point.  I don't believe it's in Quebec's best interest to seperate right now, our economy is way too weak and we're not willing to change anything.  I also believe it's pointless to waste time on something Quebecers already rejected twice for wich opinion polls never show overwhelming support, unless it's some kind of new partnership with Canada, the Yvon Deschamps' way

More to the point, I do not like socialism and the PQ has declared itself more than once a socialist party.  They want a big government to manage everything in our lives, just as it was the norm in the 60s and 70s.  They have refused to adapt to the reality, and they propose an indefinite statu quo on everything else but the sharing of power between the Federal and the Provincial level of government.

When you look at the Bloc's and PQ's proposals over the years, it's always more of the same: more socialism, more government intervention, more crushing of the mythical "rich" (with only an handful of billionaires in Quebec, half of wich will move back to Ontario once we seperate or will die with no heir, it's easy to understand that these filthy rich are people at the highest tax bracket, around 80 000$/year...  Make it a couple, each owning 40k$/year.  That's not much to be considered rich here.  Yet, they are the ones we target with every tax hike.  And we don't get the services we pay for.

Until the PQ is willing to accept rightwingers in its party, other than those we keep their mouth shut (remember Facal was thrown out for talking about "center"...), I can't see myself voting to remove rights&freedoms I currently enjoy.

Canadians, english Canadians will never like us, that's a fact.  I'm not an idiot.  I can see all the love from Neil and Malthus.  It's shut your mouth and keep to your hole.  That's why we need to be their leaders.  Once we get out of this position of weakness, they'll be dependant on our cash, and they'll play to our tune. 

But as long as we keep to socialism, worship poverty and demonized entrepreneurs, we'll get nowhere.  Even independance will not change that.

[crazy canuck]

Viper, by now you will have realized Grallon is a damn the torpedoes type of separatist.

[Barrister]

Canadians, english Canadians will never like us, that's a fact.  I'm not an idiot. 

[Malthus]

Canadians, english Canadians will never like us, that's a fact.  I'm not an idiot.  I can see all the love from Neil and Malthus.  It's shut your mouth and keep to your hole.  That's why we need to be their leaders.  Once we get out of this position of weakness, they'll be dependant on our cash, and they'll play to our tune. 

. Vipes, your paranoia has jumped the shark - it's just dull. English Canadians don't really hate you, and your Pinky-and-the-Brain act of "muah ha ha, one day we will take over!!!" is more sad and tiresome than funny.

[Barrister]

When the NDP dream comes crashing down now that Layton's dead, center-leftists will have no choice but to return to the Liberal fold. All they need is a reason to vote Liberal and get out of their homes to the voting booth.

Makes a lot of sense.

But the Liberals, worse then the NDP even, have no compelling leader in their ranks.

Atleast the NDP has Mulcair.

The Liberals need to stop worrying about having a "compelling leader".  They've been consumed by leadership politics for 15 years now.  They need to build their party as a whole, and not wait for some charismatic leader to take them to the promised land.

The reason why Liberal-NDP merger talk is coming out right now is because both parties are leaderless.  However there's a huge obstacle - organized labour.  I'm not convinced that the unions would be willing to detach themselves from party politics, and I'm similarily not convinced that Liberals would be happy in a party with such close ties to organized labour.