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

[Neil]

Agreed,  and we shouldn't encourage that.

You're such an ass.

[viper37]

Are you sure. Is the French population in British Columbia significantly smaller than it was? And is this due to assimilation (rather, than say an influx of non-French speakers)?

French people didn't colonize British Columbia, so I suspect French speakers came, and still come from elsewhere in Canada.
It's the entire country historical hostile attitude toward French that has given diminished numbers.

Is seems that you think that there should be a perfect mirroring of language policies across the country, so that however Anglophones are treated in Quebec is how Francophones should be treated in every other province from New Brunswick to British Columbia?

If English had been discriminated instead of French, the numbers wouldn't be here today...

Question for you: are there any Canadian provinces where there are no French school boards?

Manitoba was forced to grant them in 1990s.  Ontario had been forced to allow French to control their school boards in the 70s/80s.  For New Brunswick, that was the 60s.  It's a pretty recent phenomon.  Kinda like women's rights, abortion and such novelties

Second question for you: do you think language specific hospitals should be provided in a community if there is not a sufficient population to support it?

Isn't this the case in Quebec?  We are building two distinct super university hospitals, one for the English community, one for the French community instead of a bilingual ones (that's on top of all the english only hospitals)? I count 14 (out of 31), last time I checked, plus one for the Chinese.

Meanwhile in Ontario, they're still threatening to shut down the only bilingual hospital runned by francophones.

[crazy canuck]

Are you sure. Is the French population in British Columbia significantly smaller than it was? And is this due to assimilation (rather, than say an influx of non-French speakers)?

French people didn't colonize British Columbia, so I suspect French speakers came, and still come from elsewhere in Canada.
It's the entire country historical hostile attitude toward French that has given diminished numbers.

I wonder why French immersion is in such high demand in English Canada?

[Savonarola]

Saw a byline on Le Monde:  Obama annule sa rencontre avec Poutine and I thought "This is going to torpedo our relations with Canada."   

As it turns out they meant a different Poutine; one considerably less savory.

[viper37]

I wonder why French immersion is in such high demand in English Canada?

There's more french immersion, but less students exposed to french language overall:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130528/dq130528b-eng.htm

Decline in the proportion of students learning French

Outside Quebec, the recent slowdown in bilingualism occurred in tandem with two factors: the decline in the proportion of primary and secondary students exposed to French as a second language, and the increase in the number of immigrants.

Between the school years 1991/1992 and 2010/2011, the proportion of primary and secondary students outside Quebec learning French as a second language in a regular public school curriculum declined 24%, from 1.8 million to 1.4 million.

Even though the number of students registered in French-immersion programs rose 28% over the period—from 267,000 in 1991/1992 to 341,000 in 2010/2011—the overall proportion of students exposed to some degree of French in public schools declined from 53% to 44%.

At the same time, the proportion of young (aged 15 to 19) bilingual Anglophones outside Quebec decreased constantly in every census year since 1996.

English–French bilingualism was also influenced by the influx of new immigrants, whose mother tongue is neither English nor French in approximately 80% of cases.

Outside Quebec, immigrants (6%) were less likely than the Canadian-born (11%) to report being able to conduct a conversation in both English and French and thus contributed to the increase in the non-bilingual population.

In Quebec—contrary to elsewhere in the country—the immigrant population contributed to the increase in bilingualism, as immigrants in that province had higher rates of English–French bilingualism (51%) than the Canadian-born (42%).

[garbon]

In Quebec—contrary to elsewhere in the country—the immigrant population contributed to the increase in bilingualism, as immigrants in that province had higher rates of English–French bilingualism (51%) than the Canadian-born (42%).

Which makes sense as they need French to get by in Quebec and English to get along with anyone else.

[viper37]

Which makes sense as they need French to get by in Quebec and English to get along with anyone else.

They don't need French to get by in Quebec, but they often come from former French colonies and they studies in international schools were english & french were taught.
Also, given that many anglo-Quebecois still don't want to learn French and the younger anglos move to Ontario rather than adapt, it kinda makes sense, yeah.

[garbon]

Which makes sense as they need French to get by in Quebec and English to get along with anyone else.

They don't need French to get by in Quebec, but they often come from former French colonies and they studies in international schools were english & french were taught.

True. They could just be treated rudely for not speaking French.

[Neil]

It's Quebec.  They'll treat you rudely no matter what.

[Grey Fox]

It's Quebec.  They'll treat you rudely no matter what.

I think you have us mistaken for New York City.

[garbon]

New Yorkers are a convivial sort. Just don't waste their time.

[garbon]

So one way not to be endearing - don't hold the subway train up 5 minutes because you felt disrespected when you tried to shove into a crowded car. I was surprised to see one of the conductors (well one of those people in middle cars that watch to make sure everything is clear) get off the train to deal with him.

[viper37]

Which makes sense as they need French to get by in Quebec and English to get along with anyone else.

They don't need French to get by in Quebec, but they often come from former French colonies and they studies in international schools were english & french were taught.

True. They could just be treated rudely for not speaking French.

were you ever?
There are lot of english-only enclaves.  Speaking French west of St-Laurent street in Montreal will get you dirty looks

[crazy canuck]

Speaking French west of St-Laurent street in Montreal will get you dirty looks

Probably because everyone understands what you are saying about them.

[Jacob]

Probably because everyone understands what you are saying about them.