warpus
In pork I trust
Except they think they will get to keep all the Canadian ones.
If they ever want to separate I say we make them get all their own crap. Also, a sizeable chunk of our debt.
Except they think they will get to keep all the Canadian ones.
So where do the Quebecois get this zany idea that they're somehow stuck in a foreign country? Is there some aspect to Quebec's history that leads them to believe that they're being held prisoner by the big mean Canadians? Was Quebec a free, thriving nation at some point until the Canadians moved in, slaughtered the natives, and colonized the country? I don't get it.
Yeah that was very informative.
I was under a totally different impression. Here in Ontario everything is written in both French and English, even stuff that has the exact same translation. You go to Quebec - stuff is written in just French. That sort of stuff made me think that the Quebecois have it good and are complaining for no reason.
But you're not Québécois.
Everything might be written in both language but, in the end, it's only a legacy of Pierre Trudeau who had a dream of a Canada that would be bilingual coast to coast. Once you put a foot outside Quebec, and some part of New-Brunswick, the chance of getting service in french is the same as in Italia. It's a bit better on federal level but even there, the exception is common. I once needed to go to Canada embassy when I was aborad and was unable to be served in french. No big deal since I can speak english but what if it would have been my father?
So for them, it's hard to get in touch with the culture in english Canada. We do watch translated movie and tv show but all of them come from Hollywood. I've only learned recently that canadian use "eh" alot. This is what I mean when I say that we feel Canada is a foreign country is that I can't catch any cultural reference. A trip to Ontario is same as a trip to Vermont, except for passing the border.
First of all, Quebecois are a conquered people. In 1763, the english gain control of the French americas. We try to revolt in 1837 but we lost. You could say that living under english isn't so bad. That's true, they didn't go mongol style on us, making a big pile of skull outside Montréal. In fact, when the american revolution started, they gave the french-canadian in Quebec everything they asked for fear that they would join the american. So over the years, the situation stay that way: english were in control but french people could prosper if they were smart enough. We were not equal but we were never threated like the black in the US or even the chinese immigrant of early 20th century. However, the fear of being assimilated grew as the percentage of french speaker in Canada went down.
Today, people talk about the losing battle of the french people outside Quebec. I disagree, it's not a losing battle, it's a battle that have been lost, long ago. Just to make a comparaison, the english minority in Quebec have access to many hospital, a pubic school system and 2 university in english. In Ontario, where the french minority is greater than the english minority of Quebec, they close the last french hospital years ago.
Will french be still the dominant language of Quebec in 10 years? Yes. In 50? Probably. In 100? Likely but it's getting less sure. The day french disappear in Quebec is the day my people die. I'm aware that alot of people actually wish that, see the comment from Amadeus, but the survival of our culture is something worth fighting for.
Everything might be written in both language but, in the end, it's only a legacy of Pierre Trudeau who had a dream of a Canada that would be bilingual coast to coast. Once you put a foot outside Quebec, and some part of New-Brunswick, the chance of getting service in french is the same as in Italia. It's a bit better on federal level but even there, the exception is common. I once needed to go to Canada embassy when I was aborad and was unable to be served in french. No big deal since I can speak english but what if it would have been my father?
The truth is that not everyone is at ease at learning a second language. I speak english because it serve my interest but most of my friends and family speak only french and I can't say that I live a more complete life than them.
So for them, it's hard to get in touch with the culture in english Canada. We do watch translated movie and tv show but all of them come from Hollywood. I've only learned recently that canadian use "eh" alot. This is what I mean when I say that we feel Canada is a foreign country is that I can't catch any cultural reference. A trip to Ontario is same as a trip to Vermont, except for passing the border.
I do however wish that the situation would be improved. The likely next prime minister of Quebec, Pauline Marois, don't speak french well and that make me cringe because it's show that's she's not very curious about politics in North America. Education should make sure that everyone in Quebec should at least be able to maintain a basic conversation in english.
But when you try to convice people of that, this happen: http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/04/14/epic-meal-time-on-tlmep/
For those interested, read the blog post until the end, it gave a good insigh of the view of an english-speaking quebecois who grew up in Montreal. It's an example on how unique Quebec situation is. I've lived in Vietnam for a while and there are chinese guettos over there but all those chinese speak vietnamiese. In Saigon's chinatown, I can get service in english or vietnamiese but I sometime can't get service in french in western Montreal.
As long as this situation persist, Quebec independance will be an living idea.
Today, people talk about the losing battle of the french people outside Quebec. I disagree, it's not a losing battle, it's a battle that have been lost, long ago. Just to make a comparaison, the english minority in Quebec have access to many hospital, a pubic school system and 2 university in english. In Ontario, where the french minority is greater than the english minority of Quebec, they close the last french hospital years ago.
Anecdotal nit-pick, because I agree with the overall sentiment of what you're saying: we have two bilingual universities (Laurentian/Laurentienne and Ottawa) where we can do all of our studies in French (at least, I did) and we still have a francophone hospital in the Montfort hospital.
But the Anglo-Quebecers are in a better situation than we are, that's for sure. Higher median salaries, more education, the works.
The Québécois already slaughter the pronunciation of French themselves.
I would hope so. Preferably, each on its own. The best places to live in the world are all tiny countries.Would the atlantic provinces eventually separate as well?
and Canadiens use "hein". It's the same word in both languages, just spelled differently, and I believe that the origin is French. Parisians look down on "hein" too. From what I know that's because it actually comes from Belgium, not France.I've only learned recently that canadian use "eh" alot.
I would hope so. Preferably, each on its own. The best places to live in the world are all tiny countries.
Edit: My native country was stolen in 1873. You apparently are Canadian. Google my nick.
Everything might be written in both language but, in the end, it's only a legacy of Pierre Trudeau who had a dream of a Canada that would be bilingual coast to coast. Once you put a foot outside Quebec, and some part of New-Brunswick, the chance of getting service in french is the same as in Italia. It's a bit better on federal level but even there, the exception is common. I once needed to go to Canada embassy when I was aborad and was unable to be served in french. No big deal since I can speak english but what if it would have been my father?
The truth is that not everyone is at ease at learning a second language. I speak english because it serve my interest but most of my friends and family speak only french and I can't say that I live a more complete life than them.
So for them, it's hard to get in touch with the culture in english Canada. We do watch translated movie and tv show but all of them come from Hollywood. I've only learned recently that canadian use "eh" alot. This is what I mean when I say that we feel Canada is a foreign country is that I can't catch any cultural reference. A trip to Ontario is same as a trip to Vermont, except for passing the border.
I do however wish that the situation would be improved.
This is interesting - what makes you expect that all of Canada from coast to coast should be bilingual simply because a small fraction of its population speaks French? I can understand the problem of feeling alienated within your own country, but from where I'm standing, it seems some of that isolation is self-induced on the part of Quebec.
And you're right, not everyone can or wants to learn a second language, but doesn't it seem a little odd to want the entire rest of the country to learn a second language so some Quebecois don't have to?
I hope this doesn't sound insensitive, but it just seems as though Quebec wants everyone else to change, but isn't willing to change itself. I have an admittedly uninformed perspective, though, so I appreciate you sharing your perspective.
I would love to speak French but I only arrived here in grade 7 and the French classes I took were a joke.
I got the highest mark in my grade 9 general French class, but I didn't learn A THING. I memorized how to conjugate verbs, that's it. Highest mark and NOTHING learned.
I'm not surprised that not too many people speak French here. I mean, sure, they start learning in grade 4 or whatever, but if the rest of the classes are as bad as the ones I took - it's not really that surprising.
I don't mind French on everything cause when I'm bored I'll try to read it and maybe learn a bit. What I find hilarious is when a product will write something in French and English even the translation is EXACTLY THE SAME. I can't think of an example cause I don't speak French, but.. if the translation is exactly the same you don't need to write both words on the box.. it's the same word! .. And to me that is the largest issue in franco-anglophone relations of this day.