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

[Valmy]

I can't watch the Superball with the original ads, it's forbidden to me.  Talk about coercition!

Wow...what an interesting mistake.  Or was that intentional?

[Malthus]

One hardly needs to agree with Grallon or Slargos to believe that unique local cultures, traditions, and yes languages, help make the world a more interesting place and deserve to be protected.

I mean I suppose it may be inevitable that one day we'll all be eating identical Big Macs, listening to intechangeable pop music, speaking Anglo-Cantonese, but that doesn't mean we should welcome it.

You do know that our Canadian government goes to great lengths to try and promote and protect a unique Canadian identity?  Are you opposed to that?

And to bring it full circle, the reason I can understand what our Quebecois friends are going through is the same reason I loved the opening post - I saw it as an effort to promote that unique Canadian identity to bring back the RCAF and RCN, and understand why Quebec wants to promote their own sense of identity.

The choice of bringing back the "royal" doesn't impose any loss of freedom on individuals.

You say it is a good thing to have diversity and all that. I agree.

What I disagree with is the choice of method. I oppose using coercive means to support the majority over a minority in the name of "promoting a unique identity". That doesn't mean that I don't like the notion of supporting a unique identity.

The glorious ends do not justify the annoying and petty means.

[viper37]

I can't watch the Superball with the original ads, it's forbidden to me.  Talk about coercition!

Wow...what an interesting mistake.  Or was that intentional?

for some reason, I always spell it "ball" instead of "bowl" even if I know it's wrong.  Weird habit, don't know where I picked that up.

[Valmy]

for some reason, I always spell it "ball" instead of "bowl" even if I know it's wrong.  Weird habit, don't know where I picked that up.

Well the name was coined by the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs when, according to legend, he found his kids playing with a toy called 'superball'.  Yes the 'superball' in question is in the NFL Hall of Fame.

[Berkut]

I mean I suppose it may be inevitable that one day we'll all be eating identical Big Macs, listening to intechangeable pop music, speaking Anglo-Cantonese, but that doesn't mean we should welcome it.

I like how whenever anyone chooses to attack the side effects of globalization, they always paint it with the lowest common denominator of culture items.

Yes, we'll be reduced to insipid pop music and big macs.

Indeed, like today there is LESS culturally interesting food and music available than before?

Oh wait...

[viper37]

What I disagree with is the choice of method. I oppose using coercive means to support the majority over a minority in the name of "promoting a unique identity". That doesn't mean that I don't like the notion of supporting a unique identity.

so you have absolutely no problem with public school serving halal food exclusively and having prayers with menstruated women sitting at the back of the room?  Because otherwise, it would be trempling on the rights on the minority.  Nor should you be opposed to female genital mutilation, it's part of their minority culture, certainly the majority can't tremple on their rights?

You should try visiting Quebec, I mean, the cities like Montreal, Sherbooke, Quebec city, not the north where only a few people live.
You could see by yourself if the English Quebecers are coerced and live miserable life.

[Malthus]

like, oh say, forbidding publicly french schools?  French education in Manitoba is available only since the late 90s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitoba_Schools_Question
Easy then to say there's not enough French population to justify the existence of French services.

Again, you Wiki article references only stuff that happened in the 19th century. Certainly, the French-speaking inhabitants of Manitoba were treated shabbily by the Anglo authorities ... but guess what? Most anglo-speaking inhabitants of the RoC today aren't even descendants of those dastardly Anglos!

Also very easy to talk about coercition when there's a cultural firewall around Canada.
I can't just subscribe to HBO, since it's an American channel.  I need to subscribe to most channels available first.  Same goes with à la carte channels, i need an equivalent number of canadian channels before subscribing to american channels.
Even though Canadian networks mostly air american content.

I can't watch the Superbowl with the original ads, it's forbidden to me.  Talk about coercition!

Back in the 50s, no one could get a decent job if not speaking english.  Even today, outside of Quebec, preference is given to an incompetent english speaker rather than a competent French Canadian (see the TSX group debacle).  When a Québécois was near buying the Canadian Pacific, the Federal government intervene to put a stop to it.  But that's not coercition...

Bottom line: when English Canada feels threatened of something, they react no different than Quebec did to protect its culture.

The difference is that nationalism over matters like commercials etc. isn't putting down one group of Canadians in favour of another. Not that I agree with it, but it is not at all the same thing.

[Valmy]

Indeed, like today there is LESS culturally interesting food and music available than before?

Oh wait...

Well...sorta.  But before you had to travel all around the world to find it.  Today generic versions of it get spread everywhere.  The eventual result will be a unified world culture.  This has lots of pluses and minuses.

[Valmy]

Most anglo-speaking inhabitants of the RoC today

Regia Canadiorum?

[Malthus]

What I disagree with is the choice of method. I oppose using coercive means to support the majority over a minority in the name of "promoting a unique identity". That doesn't mean that I don't like the notion of supporting a unique identity.

so you have absolutely no problem with public school serving halal food exclusively and having prayers with menstruated women sitting at the back of the room?  Because otherwise, it would be trempling on the rights on the minority.  Nor should you be opposed to female genital mutilation, it's part of their minority culture, certainly the majority can't tremple on their rights?

Are you attempting to win the Marty prize for analogy use? 

In point of fact, I regularly oppose within-Ontario hysteria over Muslim institutions (for example, that whole silliness over Sharia arbitration).

You should try visiting Quebec, I mean, the cities like Montreal, Sherbooke, Quebec city, not the north where only a few people live.
You could see by yourself if the English Quebecers are coerced and live miserable life.

Of course anglos don't live a "coerced ... miserable life". We are talking about disapproval over specific legal measures. There is no need to exaggerate or get hysterical.

And I've been to Montreal and Quebec City many times.

[Malthus]

Most anglo-speaking inhabitants of the RoC today

Regia Canadiorum?

"Rest of Canada".

[Berkut]

Indeed, like today there is LESS culturally interesting food and music available than before?

Oh wait...

Well...sorta.  But before you had to travel all around the world to find it. 

And now I do not, and this is a bad thing? How?

Notice that the spread of McDonalds has not crushed out other sources of food. Despite BBs apparent confusion of movies wth reality, it really isn't all Taco Bell, nor does it appear to even be moving in that direction.

There are noticeable cultural differences between Rochester NY and Buffalo NY. The idea that proximity and technology are going to inevitably wash out all cultural differences is unsupported.

No, what does happen (and has always happened) is that culutres shift and change as they are influenced by a variety of other forces, both internal and external. And at all times, there is a bunch of people bemoaning the destruction of what was, and thinking that everything was ever so much better before that nasty change came along and made things different.

But in most cases, things are actually better after the change than before, because change is typically driven by the wants and needs of people. But the "conservatives" never see that, they just see nasty change and create all these demons about how horrible it will be if the Francophones cannot speak as much French as they like, or if the gays are allowed to marry, or whatever.

What is funny is seeing people like grallon turn into ardent conservitards as soon as it is their pet issue that is changing. Then they suddenly become all in favor of the state imposing THEIR demands on others. Like I've always said, most people only pay lip service to liberalism or the concept of freedom and liberty. They are all for it as long as it doesn't actually apply to issues they care about.

[ulmont]

Can't do that in Quebec, the French has to be "predominant". So unless you want the French to be predominant everywhere you do business, you MUST have separate documentation, advertising, etc., etc.

In fairness, some Georgia localities tried to do this sort of thing with English - banning any sign that did not have an English translation predominating.

California actually did pass some similar laws, and New York City is apparently in the same sort of process.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-04/business/29736688_1_signs-english-foreign-language
https://illinois.edu/db/view/25/55078

[crazy canuck]

Indeed, like today there is LESS culturally interesting food and music available than before?

Oh wait...

Well...sorta.  But before you had to travel all around the world to find it.  Today generic versions of it get spread everywhere.  The eventual result will be a unified world culture.  This has lots of pluses and minuses.

That is certainly not my experience.  I am not sure what you mean by "generic versions".  I can get many wines I could not previously purchase.  I can get many foods I could not previously purchase.  I certainly have a better diet then my parents had simply because I can eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round.

As a result our local wineries and producers have had to up their game with quite good results.  I am trying to think of the downside to all of this.

[Valmy]

And now I do not, and this is a bad thing? How?

I don't think it is a good thing or a bad thing.  It is just: a thing.  Times are changing.

The idea that proximity and technology are going to inevitably wash out all cultural differences is unsupported.

Nonsense.  We are all exposed to the same media and we see the same stuff on the internet and we are increasingly buying the same stuff from the same global corps.  Now it will not happen anytime soon, it will happen gradually over time, but I think it is happening.  How could it not?