From Whoweare.ca I present this video titled "Quebec fails its minorities."
I must, again, remind of my position whenever I'm confronted with an issue discussed in the video. Namely from the perspective of liberty.
So any comments about "how hard can it be to post bilingual signs" (I wish it were the case. The OLF can visit you for far less than this) miss the point and merely tolerate draconian laws that don't value civil liberties. Detach yourself from the parochial side of the coin for a second and look at it from a larger picture; one that goes beyond cultural nationalism. I recognize this will ruffle some language nationalists (I'm aware how serously some take it) but my intention is to point out there are consequences for such actions. Those consequences are rarely, if ever, discussed here.
As a citizen of Quebec, I must admit I am shamed by our behavior. There's no excuse on any level, be it moral, cultural, legal, (of course, we have found ways to justify it) to ever enter a person's place of business to make them feel like they're the enemy. I have friends - both French and English - who have been visited by L'Office de la Langue Francaise (the dreaded language police). If only the average citizen knew the anger and disgust felt by citizens after being visited by these - Commentator watch your language!
As one person put it to me, "I felt like I was in 1933 Germany. I needed to take a shower after the stench of intolerance was so strong. If I could do it over I would move." Ironically, this person was half French and employs 35 French-Canadians! Not good enough apparently.
Parochial organizations like the OLF have a negative effect on a population; in particular the non-French speaking one. It's not a myth - we DO leave and MANY do cite the politics as a reason. The Montreal diaspora roams the continent in search of new hopes and dreams. They find peace of mind elsewhere. It's not enough to say, "hey, even with the political climate we still live great here." You can live great in many places minus the OLF.
Quebecers need to ask themselves: How would they feel if there was an English language police harassing them at their place of business? Not so long ago, they knew what it felt like yet...yet they see no contradiction in causing such heart ache on their fellow citizens based on...language.
Sad.
And don't look to the Quebec Liberals for intellectual guidance on the issue. They plan to hire more inspectors to infringe on our civil liberties.
After viewing the video, I suggested to the person who sent it to me to ask the film maker to expand on the story. To collect and document the indiscretions of the OLF shared by Ms. Plamondon. There's more than enough material (I know of six off the top of my head) to make a 90 minute documentary. I would then present it to an international film festival exposing Quebec's tolerance for anti-democratic institutions like the OLF. The question is: Is there the will to fight for individual liberty?
By speaking from the perspective of the citizen, perhaps we can have a real debate about the issue.
Anonymous comments will be deleted, Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteBasically I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteThere are rednecks on both sides of the language debate. As long as extremists will, although a minority, rule we will have these discussions.
Within the various circles I move in there are people who just squarely refuse to speak english and some who just as steadfastly refuse to speak french. Both sets of people are the real ennemy and they are responsible for bill 101 and the OLF.
I'm glad that you agree. I actually looked forward to your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteIt means we care much for Quebec's future. I'm all for holding tight to a position but extreme attitudes provide a disservice to the population. That's why the tone of our political speech is extremely important. We're not their yet. We don't have that conciliatory dialog at the media/political level. Socially, I think Montrealers are light years ahead. Their past the language thing.
Their loss is our gain. Unfortunately, in the grand scheme of things, Quebecers who choose to not speak English have much more to lose than vice-versa. That's just a fact. In a way, it's an advantage for me. In fact, I see it in the business I'm setting up.
My point of the post is Quebec is poorer for the OLF not richer.
Sorry. I misused "their" a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could enlighten us with some more of your enlightened thinking on the labeling laws that that force poor law-abiding Québec farmers to label their products in both French and English, a clear violation to their free speech rights.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the freer oaming liberty-loving Quebec expats you talk about can tell us more about the 20-some american states that have laws making English the only official language, including some like Iowa that FORBID their governement employees to communicate in any language ecept English with their customers.
Maybe the tens of millions of Spanish-speaking Americans reading this blog can tell us about the completetly governement financed school system, universities and hospitals provided to themand how they compare Quebec's THREE english universities, half dozen hospitals and 300+ english schools?
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ReplyDeleteHelvisse,
ReplyDeleteWow.
Some specious comments there. Sounds like you're ready to tolerate such actions.
But above all, you completely missed the point of the post.
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ReplyDeleteCommentator, your response to Helvisse is right along the line you reproach the OLF...it smacks of intolerance and denial of freedom of speech and expression. I'm sure your words betrayed you.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you're correct Paul.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I'm deleting it. I answered after a 5k run and was still a little hyped. No excuse. I attempted to break down the question raised but it will be too long.
ReplyDeleteI may address them - in a more sober moment - in a post.
Essentially, it comes down to this: Is Quebec balancing liberty with cultural protection? Can they be mutually inclusive?
While it's a separate issue, Helvisse, please kindly provide a source of where this forbidding is taking place.
ReplyDeleteThey could be but the doasge still has to be worked out very carefully on both sides.
ReplyDeleteJust thought of something.
ReplyDeleteThe commenter, who seems to have disappeared, asserted that some U.S. states are enacting unilingual laws.
Interestingly, yet he or she fails to point out in Canada, Quebec is the only province that's unilingual by law while the rest of the country is officially bilingual!