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

[Zoupa]

My father just got back from Quebec City.  He said it was pretty monolingually French...fortunately he speaks French and that seemed to please the Quebecois so much they heaped praise upon him.

The problem is really centered around the downtown Montreal area. You walk into a store and get greeted by "How may I help you?" a huge majority of the time.

[Barrister]

The one about restricting the ability of francos to attend unilingual anglo schools is of course a lie on your part, or on the part of the Globe.

Anyone can attend any school in Qc, providing you have the money. Public schools are 99% francophone. We also have anglophone public schools to serve the historical anglophone community.

Zoupa, are you missing the point, or being deliberately obtuse?

The issue is one of restricting the ability of people to attend anglophone public schools.

Your comment is like saying "Anyone can drive any car they want, as long as they have the money".  Well, that's kind of the point.

[Jacob]

Hey Malthus (and CC, since I think you guys are in agreement) to what degree do you think it's reasonable for Quebec to enact policies to protect and promote the French language and Quebecois culture?

Is anything more than "government services must be provided in French" unreasonable? Or are there legitimate ways for the government to influence the language used in the public sphere, in your view? Or is it straight up up to the French language to sink or swim on its own, without any government action?

[The Brain]

You walk into a store and get greeted by "How may I help you?" a huge majority of the time.

I'd just walk right out.

[Zoupa]

The one about restricting the ability of francos to attend unilingual anglo schools is of course a lie on your part, or on the part of the Globe.

Anyone can attend any school in Qc, providing you have the money. Public schools are 99% francophone. We also have anglophone public schools to serve the historical anglophone community.

Zoupa, are you missing the point, or being deliberately obtuse?

The issue is one of restricting the ability of people to attend anglophone public schools.

Your comment is like saying "Anyone can drive any car they want, as long as they have the money".  Well, that's kind of the point.

I and others have told you guys this hundreds of times, and it's quite symptomatic of the great divide between us.

Quebec is a UNILINGUAL francophone nation. We provide public schools in english for the small historical minority that lives here, because we're enlightened balls of light.

France is a UNILINGUAL francophone country. How come you don't cry that people there can't get free schooling in english?

[The Brain]

UNILINGUAL

lol

[Berkut]

My father just got back from Quebec City.  He said it was pretty monolingually French...fortunately he speaks French and that seemed to please the Quebecois so much they heaped praise upon him.

The problem is really centered around the downtown Montreal area. You walk into a store and get greeted by "How may I help you?" a huge majority of the time.

Jesus, what a nightmare.

[Zoupa]

Har har. It gets annoying when it happens almost all the time. Especially when you answer in french and they call somebody else to serve you. Wtf. How did you get your job if you don't speak the language.

[Barrister]

I and others have told you guys this hundreds of times, and it's quite symptomatic of the great divide between us.

Quebec is a UNILINGUAL francophone nation. We provide public schools in english for the small historical minority that lives here, because we're enlightened balls of light.

France is a UNILINGUAL francophone country. How come you don't cry that people there can't get free schooling in english?

Well it's problematic because Quebec is part of a BILINGUAL confederation, and as such both English and French have certain rights.

We're enlightened balls of light out here as well, and French schooling is provided to anyone who wants it (and has the linguistic chops to be able to handle it).

It seems unfair to me that if you're an anglophone immigrant to Quebec (either from the Rest of Canada, or somewhere else in the world) that you'd be denied schooling in your own native, official language.

And weren't you the guys saying that comparisons to Frence weren't helpful?

[Valmy]

And weren't you the guys saying that comparisons to Frence weren't helpful?

Yeah that comparison makes no sense.  Quebecois speak with a funny accent.

I mean...Quebec is part of a confederation with two official languages.  If France entered into a union with Spain they would probably start providing Spanish education no?

[Barrister]

Har har. It gets annoying when it happens almost all the time. Especially when you answer in french and they call somebody else to serve you. Wtf. How did you get your job if you don't speak the language.

Okay, I didn't give the sarcastic response before, but ZOMG - the horror!  The system works the way it should!

I think if you're a unilingual anglophone in Quebec you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage, but you still have the basic right to work and earn a living to support yourself.

[Berkut]

Har har. It gets annoying when it happens almost all the time. Especially when you answer in french and they call somebody else to serve you. Wtf. How did you get your job if you don't speak the language.

Wow, you answer in French, and they get someone who speaks French to serve you, and this is annoying?

[Valmy]

I think if you're a unilingual anglophone in Quebec you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage, but you still have the basic right to work and earn a living to support yourself.

So in that sense would providing an Anglophone education in Quebec really be serving those people if you are creating a group who will be at a disadvantage?  I presume they still teach English classes in Francophone schools so it is not like you wouldn't get training in that also.  Just musing from a public policy perspective.

[Barrister]

I think if you're a unilingual anglophone in Quebec you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage, but you still have the basic right to work and earn a living to support yourself.

So in that sense would providing an Anglophone education in Quebec really be serving those people if you are creating a group who will be at a disadvantage?  I presume they still teach English classes in Francophone schools so it is not like you wouldn't get training in that also.  Just musing from a public policy perspective.

Fair point, but when I say a francophone education I mean exactly that - everything is in French.  It's not French classes for English speakers.

As I understand it.  Feel free to correct me.

[Oexmelin]

I have read the platform statements of the new party and they dont sound nearly so benign as all that.  They want to prevent Francophones from attending Anglophone educational institutions.  They want to prevent any immigrant from attending an Anglophone educational institution.  They want to reduce immigration to the province.

We have not read the same thing. Except for the reducing immigration for a two year period, the rest is not in their platform.