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More discrimination against English speakers in Quebec
Very sad....
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| For the first time in 20 years, Montreal's Town of Mount Royal has French-only street signs after painting over the English words. That move came after a bitter dispute with the province's Office de la langue fran�aise (OLF). All of which has left the mayor of the nearby bilingual municipality of C�te Saint-Luc confused. He says he won't give in to pressure from the language police and can't figure out why Mount Royal backed down. "It's absolutely baffling that they would remove the English language that is part of the history of Town of Mount Royal," said Mayor Anthony Housefather. "I mean, I don't want to ascribe motives to a council, but it seems to me to be a very foolish thing to have done." Housefather said bilingual municipalities have the right to put up bilingual signs, as long as the French portion is to the left or at the top of the sign. French must predominate He said C�te Saint-Luc received the same warning as Mount Royal did from the OLF in 2002. But the city refused to change, and it hasn't heard back from the language watchdog. The OLF is also puzzled about Mount Royal's decision to paint over the English words. It thinks the city overacted. "They could have erected these signs in both French and in English as long as the French is predominating," said OLF spokesman Gerald Paquette. He said the city just needed to make some slight changes to the signs. Signs did not comply Mount Royal mayor Vera Danyluk says the language police have been hounding her city because the signs didn't comply with the Charter of the French Language. Danyluk said the city was tired of fighting with the OLF, so it hired municipal workers to paint over the English words. "Well, [it's] not that we threw in the towel," she said. "We feel that there are so many important things we should be doing in our municipality to improve the quality of life for our citizens." Danyluk said the fight over the bilingual signs is petty and narrow-minded, and a waste of money. However, the C�te Saint-Luc mayor said covering up the English on street signs sends the wrong message to anglophone youth in the community. Housefather said it's an issue that crosses municipal boundaries, and bilingual municipalities should stick together. "C�te Saint-Luc will keep bilingual signs, and it's gonna be over my dead body that we ever take off the English from our signs while I'm mayor of C�te Saint Luc." |
dude, stick to politics in your own province.
Im an anglo, and i have no qualms witht the french signs.It makes this city different and unique in times that other Canadian cities are starting to feel more american like.90% of the time i speak in English, but still when i go to Toronto its so english its like culture shock.English people in Montreal just have to adapt to their surroundings and learn some french.Are you goint to start a thread blaming those damn germans for having signs in german?
if people want to live here learn french, if they dont want to learn then its their fault that they are ignorant and wont educate themselves.
ouch!
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| It makes this city different and unique in times that other Canadian cities are starting to feel more american like |
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| Originally posted by tatgirl Sorry, but English does not 'equal' American. English is spoken in many other countries too. Language Police in a country thats majority english speaking is nothing short of fascist, especially when the rest of the country has to have bi-lingual signage in French. I've always had an issue with the 'language police' (in Quebec City) going around and taking photos of places where the english lettering was 'too big', etc... so they can fine the shop owners. Seriously people- get a life and worry about other things. |
That's a pretty lame thing to do. How about the tourists who come to Quebec now? Are they going to have to learn french before they go there just to make sure they can get around? If the rest of Canada has signs in both languages why is it so damn hard for Quebec to do so themselves? This all sounds very anal to me. (And before anyone jumps on me, i'm a french speaker, i just happen to agree with bilingual signs)
i heard about this on the radio driving into montreal on thrusday morning. they were interviewing a civil servant working in the town and she said it was ridiculous since most of the changes, were covering up "Street" so that only "rue" could be seen...
they could spend thier money on better things.
the highway signs are billingual.
English is on signs just smaller than French.
Tourists dont tend to go to TMR or Cote St-Luc as they are purely residential.
i agree that billingual signs arent the end all, but I also dont have a problem with the government trying to preserve some of this province's cultural aspects.If we became just another "i want my mtv" society it would be sad.
and fyi the only other official billingual province in this country is New Brunswick.
Unless a city has a historic quarter or has been around for hundreds of years, ALL modern major cities relatively look the same. Only the architecture varies from city to city.
Canadians in general are hard pressed to prove they're 'not American', and the Quebecois are even more pressed to prove they're not Canadian.
I'm American, but what 'makes' me an American, really? What makes a Canadian? A German? A Dutchman? Who cares really?? Do stereotypes or generalizations make up a country? Just live your life, and stop worrying about being different. It's pointless.
After a heated debate with the bf i've come to realise that i pretty much overreacted. He correctly pointed out to me that the majority of street signs downtown are not actually in both french and english but only in english. I was always under the false impression they were in both languages. Considering this, i think it's a bit hypocritical to be insulted/upset by the removal of the word 'street' on signs in Quebec, when we ourselves don't even have 'rue' on ours.
tatgirl, im quebecois and proud to be canadian.(i have the maple leaf tatooed on my body where all the wonderful seperatists can see)You have to realize in a country as big as ours with so much space between urban centers its normal to be different.I'm going to drag out the old meech lake term of distinct society.Quebec is a distinct society, but so is Ontario,Alberta and BC.The fact that we remain different is what makes our country so unique and great.The day the provinces assimilate and become like each other is the day we become the 51st state
I hope you understand that i respect your opinions, i just have a problem with people who have never lived here deciding whats right or wrong with us.Whats good for people in Ontario doesnt always represent the needs of the other provinces.
a stop sign that says arret is not a big deal.If a tourist cant recognize what a large red octogon means, they shouldnt be driving.
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak if people want to live here learn french, if they dont want to learn then its their fault that they are ignorant and wont educate themselves. |
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak funny how no one is posting this subject in Montreal.Why? We dont care.The rest of this country hates the law more than us but doesnt live here. |
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak the highway signs are billingual. English is on signs just smaller than French. Tourists dont tend to go to TMR or Cote St-Luc as they are purely residential. i agree that billingual signs arent the end all, but I also dont have a problem with the government trying to preserve some of this province's cultural aspects.If we became just another "i want my mtv" society it would be sad. |
1. people dont always learn french here.I have friends who have lived here all their lives and cant even put one sentence together.
You also have to understand that anglophone culture supressed francophone culture for many years, even though anglos where the minority.Its a soft point with the french.
2.The Gazette is owned by Conrad Black....media outlets are the best propaganda tool
3.Montreal is still a great city, and compared to how it was in the 80's i actually prefer it today.
You arent picking on me my man, i like having intelligent debates.I can also respect your opinions more because you have lived here, even if i dont nescessarily agree.Its when people havent lived here but decide whats best for us that pisses me off.You dont see me commenting on Jayx's threads that involve toronto municiple law
lets agree to disagree, but your point of view is respected.
am i the only one that thinks harper speaking french at the white house yesterday was rude? He was a guest there and wasted a lot of peoples time.
yes and when vincente fox represents mexico at the white house he shouldnt speak spanish
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak yes and when vincente fox represents mexico at the white house he shouldnt speak spanish |
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| Originally posted by Pett not if she can fluently speak english |
Whats Quebec??
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| Originally posted by infinity HiGH Whats Quebec?? |
just like we should be able to hear the news confrence all in english and your french cbc can translate if for u guys and everyone wastes less time.
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| Originally posted by Pett just like we should be able to hear the news confrence all in english and your french cbc can translate if for u guys and everyone wastes less time. |
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak lets agree to disagree, but your point of view is respected. |
that wasnt the point...... that news confrence could have been half the length if those damn french reporters didnt keep harrassing him after every question to repeat everything in french. and do u really have to say it after every question. you could even see bush rolling his eyes at it.
1. bush has trouble speaking/understanding english
2.a canadian head of state does not visit the white house everyday, so why not let the french media take interest in the event.(we arent all seperatists and some of us care)
3.i hate harper, but respect the fact that he made the effort to represent the whole country.
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| Originally posted by all-nite-freak 3.i hate harper, but respect the fact that he made the effort to represent the whole country. |
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