I doubt many people on here will care, but I'm still reeling. For those of you who don't know, I'll try to break it down. Up here in canada Quebec has always been the black sheep of the country, not in a good way either. Since the 1980s i think, Quebec has wanted to separate from canada and become its own country. Primarily because they believe that they are being oppressed by the English, and think that being their own country would be the best way to go. These people are called Seperatists or Sovreigntists, and their Fearless Leader is the political party known as the Parti Quebecois. They've tried to separate twice in the past, failing both times. But at the same time they introduced every Anglo's favourite law: Bill 101. It's basically a mish mash of language laws from various things like: It's illegal to have an english-only sign, but french-only is okay and if you MUST have english on the sign it needs to be 30% smaller. If you are an immigrant you are not allowed to send your kids to english elementary or high school, same for francophone kids. I have had people be downright nasty to me, like being english is a disease, (when I was working at an ice-skating chalet, a father and his 2 little kids came in. When I spoke in english to them, he dragged his kids outside and forced them to get their skates on on the outdoor steps) and I've seen public transit workers point-blank refuse to speak in english to TOURISTS. Please keep in mind that Quebec is supposed to be legally a bilingual province, with almost half its population being English. All the being said, over the past 10 years the Liberal party has been in power, which kept the extremist views of the PQ in check. But not anymore. Pauline Marois, leader of the PQ, who a lot of people have nicknamed the French Hitler has come to power, and on the same night there was a shooting and one person was killed, another injured. It's a minority gvt, so she won't be able to do as much as she'd like, it's still enough to scare a lot of English people into up and leaving the province before we do separate. I am in the process of getting myself organized and looking to move away. How do you guys feel about that? Americans? Canadians outside this province?
The only legally bilingual province in Canada is New Brunswick according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (section 16). French is the official language of Québec according to the Charter of the French Language. Anyway, to the point of the post. I'm sort of torn on the subject but I think that I would not want Québec to separate. I grew up with Québec being a part of Canada and it would just seem a little weird to have a big gap separating the maritimes from the rest of Canada. When I lived in Ottawa we were taught some basic French in school but I felt that students took it more seriously than when I moved to Winnipeg (despite having an established French part of the city). We spent more time watching Mr. Bean VHS tapes than actually learning French. I do, however, think French should be taught in schools and have French Immersion options for those that wish to become fluent. I think it is a valuable part of Canadian culture. Also, what would they call the Montreal Canadiens? I suppose they could call just call them Les Habitants. I don't think Québec could make it on their own as a country to be honest. I'm no economist but they've received about 50 billion dollars since 2005 in equalization payments and have consistantly been a have-not province for the past 55 odd years. Manitoba's no prize pig herself but we aren't trying to separate.
Be that as it may, Seperatists tend to go "vive la quebec libre!" and plug up their ears when someone tries to bring up the financial side of things.
I speak both English and French both, and I feel like this is exactly what they're trying to do in Spain (with Catalonia) because they all speak Catalan. Different cultures means frustration and wanting to separate. And believe me, Quebec could never survive on its own. Je parle l'anglais et le français, et je me sens c'est exactement ce qu'ils essayent faire en l'Espagne (avec Catalogne) parce qu'ils tout parlent le catalan. Different cultures signifie frustration et un désir separer. Et croyez-moi, Québec pourrai ne jamais survivre sur eux-même.
How I feel about this? Very frustrated to realize that the PQ leader is probably the most fitting for the majority of the hillbillies Québequers. Think about it... you probably overheard that type of conversation over and over until it became sickening; the immigrants are not even trying to fit in and they have it too easy, the french language will disappear if we don't force to keep it, we are a nation therefore we should be a country, the rest of Canada is using up our resources and not giving us the freedom that comes with it, we are Oh!so different than the rest of Canada... Yeah, well, it does make me want to move the hell away from here. Unfortunately we are still tied until my wife's immigration is done and over... but we do intend on sending our kids to English school and if it can't be done here, too bad, we'll be gone. Lots of people think like us, most of our friends anyway. That just sad for the older English folks who always lived here, possess their houses and for whom a new start is hardly conceivable. Imagine how oppressed those people will be... I fully intend not to be inside Québec when it crushes down financially and culturally.
That sounds like discrimination to me. I am not aware of all the history, but I know the the Quebecois have legitimate grievances, so I don't want to dismiss them all out of hand. I am surprised to see such linguistic conflict, that's amazing. I talked to a French speaker from France about it, and he said yes, they Quebecois are really tiresome in that they are more French than the French. (So for example, while the French word for rollerblades is rollerblades, the Quebecois will say whatever the French translation of "shoes with wheels in line" is.)
More French than the French :roflmao: that's so true! However, nobody speaks perfect French like in the books and dictionaries. Plus while the French have more words from other languages included in their speech, the québécois has so much swearing that to my mind it negates them speaking better. Wait, did I say them? I meant "us".
