LadyAngelika
Posts: 8070
Joined: 7/4/2004
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Ok, I'll only address a few parts. I'm getting a little tired of the debate. I have been having it all my life you see...
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ORIGINAL: BLoved
In what way was the french language in jeopardy?
Pretty good summary here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_assimilation#North_America
What is being described here is a voluntary assimilation, not one that is forced upon another.
That is a question of perspective, and a whole other debate. My father's work took us to Northern Ontario for a while and I know what it is like to have to fight to keep my language alive, more than most Québecois.
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I guess you were never told to Speak White: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_white
I understand that there have always been bigots in Canada. There are in every country. That neither makes all of us bigots, nor even the vast majority.
You are saying this with the perspective on an Anglo. You cannot understand.
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I believe Ontario is also officially bilingual.
I refer you to the following:
Wiki: French Language Services Act (Ontario)
Ontario's official language is English and French de facto. Try getting French services in Ontario. You'll see how official French is there.
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I don't believe anyone in Canada has ever intended to deny the Quebecois their language or their heritage.
Ok. Keep believing that. Ask all the Franco-Ontariens what they think of assimilation.
Which was no different than what my mother experienced being English-only in Montreal. It was one of the main reasons we moved back to Toronto.
Northern Ontario was a majority of Francophones before the political assimilaition. Franco-Ontariens are trying to reclaim their culture.
Anglo Montrealers are not a minority. Half the city is English. I know people who manage to live here their whole life without learning French.
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Certainly not like we did with native peoples in the 50s.
Again, Franco-Ontariens were not able to protect their language. Here is an example of what happened about a hundred years ago in Ontario: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_17 only took about 55 years to turn around.
I cannot excuse those who enacted such legislation, but will note that the article claims the regulation was repealed in '27, 15 years after its enactment, not 55.
You missed the part where they wrote: Despite the repeal of Regulation 17, however, French language schools in Ontario were not officially recognized under the provincial Education Act until 1968.
If you cannot receive education in your language for 55 years, your language has a damn good chance of dying.
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The FLQ radicalized the issues and the PQ took advantage of it. English Canada was demonized for political gain and we are still living with the consequences.
The whole seperatist movement has been like a gun to the head of English Canada, and has done more harm to the goodwill in this country that anything else I can think of.
That is your perception of things. It is not mine. And I am a bilingual Canadian who has studied and worked in both official languages.
And I am an English Canadian who has lived in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver who has spoken with a wide cross-section of other english speaking Canadians on the subject.
I agree, we have differing views on the subject. I also disagree with those english-speaking Canadians who want to discard Quebec, and there are quite a few who blame Quebec for Canada's economic troubles.
I have lived in 2 provinces and have visited all 10 provinces. I have driven across Canada, road tripped a great oortion of British Colombia over a 2 week period on one of my many trips there with my brother who has been living there for 17 years, have driven all over Ontario at least a half dozen times, have road tripped all of Québec more times than I can count, driven out to the Maritimes and spent a summer in Nova Scotia. My immediate family is dispersed across the country.
So yeah, I've seen Canada, more than most Canadians. And I can't go anywhere without someone wanting to talk to me about my views on seperation. So I know. Trust me.
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No one likes having their country threatened.
Nor their province, culture, heritage and language.
I'm sorry, but in my eyes you've not demonstrated a credible threat to any of the above.
With all due respect, your eyes aren't the ones that concern me.
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You speak of persecution 100 years ago, you speak of bigotry that is not wide-spread, you speak of the troubles people have moving into english-only areas, but you do not speak of any attack against Quebec or its culture, heritage or language.
It is because it is a slow, subtle process this assimilation. Immerse yourself in Quebec music, cinema, poetry, literature. You might start to get an idea.
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~sigh~
How far we have fallen since 1967.
How do you know? Did you say you stopped tuning in? My gosh, the world hasn't stopped because you did. In fact, there is a movement in Québec now that the only way the French speaking Québécois are going to survive is by distinguishing themselves with excellence and worldwide recognition. We have 5 universities in a region of 5 million individuals in Montreal. We are going to be ok.
I am speaking of Canada, not just Quebec.
We are more divided now than we were in '67.
The "Notwithstanding Clause" has been used to legally and officially supress the human rights of minorities in Quebec.
Not a proud moment for Canada.
And has Quebec signed onto the Constitution? Last I heard the answer was "non".
Well how do you expect Québec to sign the Constitution when there is such discord. It is like trying to make a baby when you are considering divorce.
For the record, though I am not a seperatist, I see the many faults that the Canadian governement did that had a hand in driving the Québécois further away.
That said, the Québécois should focus on really being distinct, through success, living well and making their language thrive.
- LA
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Une main de fer dans un gant de velours ~ An iron hand in a velvet glove
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