Canada to firmly re-assess its status as a British colony

[Neil]

He just lost Quebec forever.
He better be ready to sign his checkbook for Ontario every 4 years.

You're overstating things.  Forever is a long, long time.

Mind you, it turns out that Quebec isn't all that important for the Tories.  They gave them their distinct society nod, and now they're done listening to their sniviling and whining.

[Grey Fox]

The names. *shrug* it's no big deal, but I don't get why they're doing it.

Harper has very consciously and deliberately tried to emphasize a more "conservative" Canadian self-image as part of the overall plan to make the Conservatives the "natural governing party".  That includes greater emphasis and respect for both the Canadian military, and the royalty, as well as a greater emphasis on Canadian history and tradition.

All of that combines nicely in bringing back the traditional names.

He just lost Quebec forever.
He better be ready to sign his checkbook for Ontario every 4 years.

Yeah. I don't think anyone that voted for Harper cares about this. Those  that didn't vote for him, never would anyway. This only matters to you Viper.

[Viking]

I was under the impression that nobody in Quebec voted Tory. 

[Valmy]

If you are right wing and a Quebecker you really have no voice in politics I guess.

[Barrister]

The names. *shrug* it's no big deal, but I don't get why they're doing it.

Harper has very consciously and deliberately tried to emphasize a more "conservative" Canadian self-image as part of the overall plan to make the Conservatives the "natural governing party".  That includes greater emphasis and respect for both the Canadian military, and the royalty, as well as a greater emphasis on Canadian history and tradition.

All of that combines nicely in bringing back the traditional names.

He just lost Quebec forever.
He better be ready to sign his checkbook for Ontario every 4 years.

By my count he lost Quebec "forever" a half dozen times by now.

[Barrister]

after a bit more research, obviously, I'm wrong....

besides, there is only one winnipeg hockey team worth mentioning

That gold medal belongs to US!

What the hell are you talking about?

And clearly there is only one Winnipeg hockey team worth talking about - the multiple AVCO Cup winning Winnipeg Jets.

[Barrister]

Is the Winnipeg Jets logo supposed to be a stylized Hornet?

It is the RCAF Roundel, with a stylized CF-18 Hornet superimposed, but it is also made out to act as a compass rose (check out the two-tone effect on the jet) as a subtle nod to the ownership company, True North Sports and Entertainment.

Apparently the Jets are giving $1mil over the next 10 years to some military charities, presumably as part of getting permission to use the roundel.

[Viking]

after a bit more research, obviously, I'm wrong....

besides, there is only one winnipeg hockey team worth mentioning

That gold medal belongs to US!

What the hell are you talking about?

And clearly there is only one Winnipeg hockey team worth talking about - the multiple AVCO Cup winning Winnipeg Jets.

The 1920 Winnipeg Falcons



Firstname Firstnamesson's the bulk of them...

[viper37]

Excellent text, but in French
Title: A colonized country.
I don't think the word "colonized" has the same meaning in English though.
Still en excellent text.  From a Federalist journalist in a federalist newspaper, before the usual accusations occur.

[Razgovory]

Perhaps you can sum up the parts for those of use can't read French?

[viper37]

By my count he lost Quebec "forever" a half dozen times by now.

only at the last election.

Before that, 10-11 MPs was still an impressive gain considering this is the successor to the Reform Party, with a creationist wing, and the actual PM was totally opposed to official bilinguism less than 10 years ago.

I think the Quebec wing of the Conservative party was right, the party has really abandonned us.

[Razgovory]

Perhaps you can sum up the parts for those of use can't read French?

I babel fished it.  Don't know if I got all of it, but it sounds like the main beef the author has is that he is being reminded of things he wishes to ignore.  Things like the countries history, and the fact that Canada is a predominantly culturally and linguistically a British country.

[viper37]

Perhaps you can sum up the parts for those of use can't read French?

Summary:
Royal name doesn't gave a plus value to the army.
Relating our dead soldiers, those who died in just wars to a foreing sovereign is no more respectuous than the current (well, past) situation.
The Conservative government wants to renew with an old tradition of honoring our heroes, but it fails miserably.  (Note from me: soldiers I know would much prefer better equipment and more resources than a silly sounding name).
It's a symbolic change greated with enthusiasm by the Globe & Mail (big ontarian newspaper, left leaning and mostly anti-Quebec like all Canadian newspapers) and the CBC.
There is no insult to our soldiers by calling an army by its national name, by the name of its country.
As seen with the visit of Kate&William, an important proportion of English Canadians still worship their colonial masters.

The article goes on with the Foreign Minister removing all paintings by a famous Canadian (Quebec) artist to replace them with protraits of Queen Elizabeth 2.

Further talks of total disbelief as, 235 years after the American Revolution, the worshipping of foreign royals looks pathetic.
No adult country would rejoice of having a foreign monarch.
Weird talks of Canadian nationalism being based on worship of foreign leaders (I would had hatred of America, but he doesn't)

Then there's talk of the Canadian government celebrating the 60 years of reign of QE2, wich coincide with the anniversary of the war of 1812 when Americans invaded Canada thinking the people would support them, where as the fought against them (note: given they were Royalists whose parents had seem their houses burnt by the Rebels, it's understandable).
The War of 1812 is apparently, for English Canada, the foundation of their national feelings, the first time they realized they were not Americans.

The 1982 Constitution, brought back from England, was apparently not enough to de-colonize the country.
The restoration of British monarchy symbol does not do anything to restore pride to the country, but rather it reinforce its mediocrity, the idea that the country has not totally given birth to itself.


***
It's a general idea, I did not always used the exact same words, and as I said, the meaning of the word "colonized" (colonisé) probably does not have the exact same signification in English, even outside of Quebec.

[viper37]

I babel fished it.  Don't know if I got all of it, but it sounds like the main beef the author has is that he is being reminded of things he wishes to ignore.  Things like the countries history, and the fact that Canada is a predominantly culturally and linguistically a British country.

Linguistically, I don't think he even cares.  Canada is an English country pretending to be bilingual.  It's been like that since 1867, before that, the colonial authorities were not even pretending to be bilingual or to treat French as equal citizens.  For some it's reason enough to seperate, for others, like this journalist, it's not enough.

Culturally, however, his the main point of his argument.  Canada should try to reinforce its own culture rather than adhere to a foreign one.
I don't know of any English Canadians worshipping Obama or G.W. Bush.  They even do their best to remind you at every turn that they are totally different than the Americans, what with a few different words here&there.  Frankly, English Canadians have more in common with Americans living near our borders (and it goes for most of Quebecers too) than with the British.

But there is that fear of assimilation by the US Empire, and it gives us silly things like this, where we try to create a nationalist feeling by worshipping a foreign leader.  And it will fail, as it did before.

[Razgovory]

Yeah, it's what I thought.  The feeling of being snubbed by their more populous Anglophone countrymen and the desire to ignore the reality of Canada.  I think colonialism in this sense means "Cultural Imperialism".

The article goes on with the Foreign Minister removing all paintings by a famous Canadian (Quebec) artist to replace them with protraits of Queen Elizabeth 2.

Wow, that's a really, really petty complaint.  Where is he removing them from by the way?

If I were Quebeci, I wouldn't really bring up the American Revolution or War of 1812.  I mean you had your chance get away from Monarchy then, and failed to take it.  If you guys want to be a Republic, go be a Republic.  Don't forget to write and tell us all how it went.