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-- wtf: University rejects student and his unilingual guide dog
wtf: University rejects student and his unilingual guide dog
University rejects student and his unilingual guide dog FREDERICTON -- The University of New Brunswick could be facing a human rights complaint after it told a blind student from Quebec that his guide dog would have to learn English.
Yvon Tessier was kicked out of UNB's English Immersion program because he only gives commands to his guide dog in French.
He was asked to sign a declaration that he would only speak to his dog in English.
Tessier says that would only confuse the dog, and university officials would not accommodate him.
He's now considering a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.
UNB spokeswoman Susan Mesheau says Tessier was turned away because of a lack of advance notice, but the school can accommodate him for a future five-week program.
Mesheau says a lot of preparation is needed to accommodate students with special needs, mainly for their safety.
She says having the dog learn a few English commands is also a safety issue.
www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgaz...6e-2de7b4ecf2a9
Everything in turn. What about the English speakers in Quebec who have to deal with the Quebecois' unilingual nonsense?
why can't we all just tolerate one another?
oh thats right... http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...threadid=193115
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| Originally posted by imokruok Everything in turn. What about the English speakers in Quebec who have to deal with the Quebecois' unilingual nonsense? |
your right! my bad:
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| Originally posted by malek huh?? i posted this because its stupid and funny... you replied with a stupid remark but where's the funnay in your post? |
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| Originally posted by NYCTrancefan I think he makes a good point, we see what a big deal the Quebecois make about French being spoken first in every capacity possible in Quebec. We know if this was a kid speaking English in Laval or McGill to his dog something might be said about that as well. With that said if this story is for real what the hell is the point if a dog understands English or French, who cares besides the owners who depend on them. |
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| Originally posted by NYCTrancefan I think he makes a good point, we see what a big deal the Quebecois make about French being spoken first in every capacity possible in Quebec. We know if this was a kid speaking English in Laval or McGill to his dog something might be said about that as well. With that said if this story is for real what the hell is the point if a dog understands English or French, who cares besides the owners who depend on them. |
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| Originally posted by malek this is a stupid story about a zealot at the university who is applying a rule blindly (and maybe on purpose). The rule implies that he must only talk english during the semester. Doesn't talking involve two persons ?? since when dogs talk and answer back? oh and btw, McGill is an english university. Almost every university teacher in Quebec accept exams and projects written in english, so please don't talk without knowing. |
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| Originally posted by imokruok Everything in turn. What about the English speakers in Quebec who have to deal with the Quebecois' unilingual nonsense? |
i think this has been grossly blown out of preportion.
The school fuked up but the policy says in black and white that if anyone with a handicap intends to attend that school, they have to give them 5 weeks notice.
I cant and wont believe this story. If it is accurate then shame on the school.
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| Originally posted by TrueToTheCrew i think this has been grossly blown out of preportion. The school fuked up but the policy says in black and white that if anyone with a handicap intends to attend that school, they have to give them 5 weeks notice. I cant and wont believe this story. If it is accurate then shame on the school. |
FREDERICTON - The University of New Brunswick Wednesday reversed a controversial decision to bar a blind man and his guide dog from an English immersion program.
Yvan Tessier was refused entry to a five-week summer English program because his guide dog Pavot only understands French commands.
After receiving a flood of media calls from around the world, the university has announced it will allow Tessier in the course.
"We had to ensure that UNB could adapt the program to maximize Mr. Tessier's learning," said Judith Potter, the director of UNB's College of Extended Learning.
"We also needed to create as safe an environment as possible and respect the promises that have been made to the other students. We now have had time to do that."
The Trois-Rivieres native is expected to join the program, which started July 4, on Thursday.
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It appears that the University recieved a request for an interview from the BBC. They even recieved hate mail from Europe and the Middle East...
case closed.
Silly people, the reason that this was such an issue is because everyone is afraid that the blind man and the dog are going to revolt! You see, if the dog only understand french, then the blind man can teach the dog his ways of complete and total anarchy! Watch out for the rebellion of the blind man with the dog that speaks french... they're killers those two! Killers!!
I crack myself up.
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| Originally posted by malek FREDERICTON - The University of New Brunswick Wednesday reversed a controversial decision to bar a blind man and his guide dog from an English immersion program. Yvan Tessier was refused entry to a five-week summer English program because his guide dog Pavot only understands French commands. After receiving a flood of media calls from around the world, the university has announced it will allow Tessier in the course. "We had to ensure that UNB could adapt the program to maximize Mr. Tessier's learning," said Judith Potter, the director of UNB's College of Extended Learning. "We also needed to create as safe an environment as possible and respect the promises that have been made to the other students. We now have had time to do that." The Trois-Rivieres native is expected to join the program, which started July 4, on Thursday. ----- It appears that the University recieved a request for an interview from the BBC. They even recieved hate mail from Europe and the Middle East... case closed. |
I am wondering, what is easier? For human beings to learn French or for a dog to learn English?
p.s.: for someone else in the audience, McGill is an English university and the whole of montreal is pretty much bilingual...
You know exactly what I meant with that comment.
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Bill 101 The passing of Bill 22 by the Bourassa government in 1974 became an important issue during the Quebec elections of November 1976. The bill had come under attack from the anglophone community and from those, in the francophone community, who thought that the bill did not go far enough. Once in power, the new government of the Parti Qu�b�cois led by Ren� Levesque first issued a white paper on language and then introduced Bill 1 and later a revised version of it, Bill 101, titled Charte de la langue fran�aise. The bill, as it was passed in the summer of 1977, proclaimed French as the official language in Quebec for just about every facet of life in the province: government, judicial system, education, advertising, business, contracts, etc. For example, the bill required that all advertising on billboards be done in French only and that all commercial signs in business establishments be in French alone. All public administrations and businesses had to address their employees in French. All government agencies were directed to use the Official language in their dealings with corporations and other governments in Canada. Government Ministries and Agencies, as well as professional associations in Quebec, were to be known by their French name. The laws of the province were to be enacted in French although an English translation might also be made (and indeed continued to be made after bill 101). English education was to be restricted mostly to those already in the system, their siblings, those temporarily posted in Quebec or whose parents had themselves received an English elementary education in the province. While the bill was very prescriptive in several respects, it showed considerable flexibility in connection to businesses, especially head offices of international and national corporations centred in Quebec. While francization programmes were instituted for businesses, they were limited to businesses of more than 50 employees. The debates around bill 101 have never abetted and seem endless. The law has received very bad press outside of Quebec and anglophone Quebecers have never accepted it. They believe the bill was designed essentially to eradicate English from the face of the province, that many of its provisions are unduly harsh, unfair, and in violation of basic human rights. They reject the view that French is a threatened language and that it requires strong legislative protection. They demand that their language be considered equal and be allowed full visibility. Their perception of the bill is sharpened by sometimes plainly petty application of it by overzealous bureaucrats, called �the language police�. By contrast, the bill has received widespread support from the francophone community. It views the bill as an essential protection against the increasingly pervasive spread of the dominance of the English language in North America, indeed the world. Many remember the days when French was insignificant as a language of achievement and promotion in the province, when discrimination was rampant, and when businesses did not provide fair and adequate services in the French language. What many anglophones view as an instrument of oppression is seen by many francophones as the thunderous expression of their right to live in French in one corner of North America. Indeed, it is of significance that the name of the law is Charte de la langue fran�aise; it conveys for many the same dedicated support one would offer to a Charter of Rights. Thus, both communities have a deep sense that they are right and that the other side is wrong. Both react as endangered minorities fighting for their very existence and appealing to the other side for understanding. Few are able to discuss the subject without becoming emotional. A number of changes have been effected to the bill. Some were made because provisions of the law have been found to have violated articles of the Constitution or, after 1982, the new Canadian Charter of Rights. Other changes were made willingly by the majority in an attempt to resolve issues as they arose and to show good faith. The most significant of the changes have dealt with the language of legislation (now issued in both English and French), access to English schools (enlarged to guarantee access to English school to all those that have received their education in English in Canada), and with the language of signs (where English is now acceptable provided that French be given priority). Some of these changes were incorporated in a bill issued in 1993 by the Liberal government of Robert Bourassa (Bill 86). Another bill (42) guaranteed to anglophones health and social services in their language. Some of that should have gone a long way to lessen tension on the linguistic front. However, guarantees of social services in a language at a time when governments are cutting so many social services altogether are perhaps not guarantees at all. So the battle rages on. |
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| Originally posted by NYCTrancefan I think he makes a good point, we see what a big deal the Quebecois make about French being spoken first in every capacity possible in Quebec. We know if this was a kid speaking English in Laval or McGill to his dog something might be said about that as well. . |
Also the quebecqouis have a strong right in my mind to maintain thier distinct language and culture. It is these laws that prevent them from being washed up in the overfollowing travesty of american pop culture. In many ways Quebec is one of the only provinces with a truly distinct canadian culture with the exceptions of the east coast and nanavut. In ontario we are constantly bombarded with american media and clothing and fashion etc... and as such become more like america in many respects. At least in quebec with thier laws they get a wide diversity of influences from other sources.
If it were up to me i would stipulate that on canadian tv that there should be equal amounts of programming from canada,austrailia, the UK, new zeland and the US and other european countries. Or possibly that 70 percent should come from canada and the rest divided up between the other nations in equal amounts. with deifintatly a stronger influence from the rest of the commonwealth. We are still members of the empire and that is where our focus should lie not to the south of us.
cheers
swilly
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| Originally posted by swilly Idiot Mcgill is a english language university oh my dear Yankistan swilly |
imacrook: just to put things into perspective for that 101 law. If you take it as is, its evident that its on the fringe of "blind nationalism" and language exclusion for the english people.
the most "contreversial" part of the 101 bill, is the obligation by the buisness to put up signs in french only and later on predomentily french.
till the 70s, the problem was that everywhere you walked in montreal, signs of everykind where in english only, store employees unilingual and answered in english only. For the shop and buisness owners, it was normal because they, buisness owners, were majoritarly english people. Though, they represented a very small fraction of the population, it seemed that Montreal was effectively a completely english city, which was/is not the case.
I don't see whats all the fuss about? If i walk into store, doesn't i have to be served in the majority's language at least?
Even the people in Toronto have started to complain about the lack of bylaws to force store owners to put up signs in at least English.
How about Miami?, you walk into stores and they talk only spanish!?!?
why is it a problem if a people decide to control its destiny? English people aren't persecuted, their schools are still running (and being funded of course), english is well represented on tv, newspapers and the radio.
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