Quebec, where for some reason it’s always autumn and always sunset.
I also particularly enjoy how Quebec presents itself in as many languages as possible when it comes to tourists, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars enforcing laws meant to restrict the use of those tourists’ languages or just make them feel unwelcome.
Oh, barf.
“I also particularly enjoy how Quebec presents itself in as many languages as possible when it comes to tourists, while simultaneously spending millions of dollars enforcing laws meant to restrict the use of those tourists’ languages…”
You always have a very balanced opinion, but this seems to be some kind of an obsession.
I’m asking this seriously. Do you really feel oppressed by the 101-bill? Do you really believe that the french language has any chance of surviving on this continent without strict governement oversee? Or maybe you don’t think french should be preserved?
It’s so easy to make fun of the infamous “Language Police” like it’s some kind of gestapo.
Since you asked:
1. I don’t feel “oppressed” by Bill 101 or the OQLF, though I do feel that the government’s language policy treats me as if I’m not a Quebecer.
2. I don’t think Bill 101 or any kind of government oversight is going to counter the fact that there are 400 million English-speaking people in North America and only about 6 million French-speaking people.
3. Quebec isn’t where the French language needs protection. It needs protection in New Brunswick, Ontario and the rest of Canada. But language hard-liners in Quebec assume they’re going to pass a sovereignty referendum and cut themselves off from the rest of Canada, so they don’t care about the French language outside its borders.
4. Though I believe in preserving cultural heritage, and I understand the value in knowing more than one language, I wonder sometimes if the world wouldn’t be better served if everyone just picked a single language so they could all communicate with each other. Some people wanted to use Esperanto, a manufactured language, for this, but English is emerging as the world’s second language, primarily because of American influence.
Whether or not we want it to happen, English is growing. You can legislate all you want, but Quebec teens from the smallest of farming communities are still going to go on Facebook and YouTube and watch American Idol.
If as a tourist, you feel unwecolmed because people speak a different language than you do, stay at home.
Oh come on Philipppe-A – the real “obsession” is the giant circle-jerk on language in this province that saps a huge amount of resources; financial, intellectual and otherwise. Until that changes, we’re condemned to mediocrity. Fagstein is right – no amount of legislation is going to change the linguistic demographics of North America.
I would also like to point out to Philippe A. that, in Quebec, we have a piece of legislation that determines the rights of a citizen based on their language.
Now, if you tried that with “race, colour, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, civil status, age except as provided by law, religion, political convictions, ethnic or national origin, social condition, a handicap or the use of any means to palliate a handicap”, people would have a fit. Replace English and French by Black and White in Bill 101 and you you have a law that looks a lot like something you used to find in the southern US.
Oh, and by the way, the above quote is from the Quebec Charter of Human rights. However, for some reason, I had to REMOVE language from the list of things that are illegal to discriminate against because, in Quebec, the end justifies the means.
Don’t get me wrong. Bill 101 is necessary in OBLIGATING French. The English have clearly demonstrated that they simply will NOT use French if you don’t legislate it but that is where it should stop. Obligating French is ok, banning or minimizing everything else is not.
Oh, and if it was me, I would quintuple the fines.
I agree with fagstein
Very well said M. Giguere!
Ok… so if I understand your argument, the french language has no chance of surviving north american demographics, regardless of regulations. And that’s that. Wow! How convenient for you!
Yeah… that one common language thing. Once again: how convenient for you!
Oh and by the way, Facebook is now in French. And you must be very disconnected from Quebec’s youth to think ANY of them EVER watches American Idol.
Ok.. so I should just go ahead and watch my language and culture disappear simply because the regulations in place to prevent that make you feel uncomfortable?
Do you realisticly think ANY french-protection regulations would be well received by the english community in Quebec.
Yeah, it’s convenient for me. That doesn’t make what I say wrong.
Of course, if I wanted language convenience, I wouldn’t be living in Quebec.
You’re right, American Idol is a bad example. Replace it with House, the Daily Show, the Simpsons or Grey’s Anatomy. It’s actually a minor point because Quebec culture – TV, movies, radio, magazines, etc. – is actually thriving and doing much better than English Canada. That’s where I’d like to see the government focus, because culture (not the law) is what really affects our kids.