seabee

In Canada, shouldn't all the religious groups implicated in the "Residential Schools" scandal be banned? After all, their acts went beyond sexual agression, and bordered on crimes against humanity.

Even though I believe legalizing drugs is necessary, I don't think it will happen. Right now, organized crime makes billions out of drugs. If there were serious talks by the political cless to legalize them, organized crime will stop at nothing to prevent this proposition to became law, including blackmail, kidnapping and murder. And politicians will rightfully just be too scared to vote to legalize drugs. After all, would you be willing to sacrifice a loved one so that pot be legalized?

The NHL? The "National" hockey league? As about half the teams are from the U.S.A., which "Nation" are we talking about? Has Canada annexed the U.S.A., or is it the other way around? The whole thing is ridiculous.

Just as an aside. It is important that Erik Kierans be remembered. He is an unsung hero of the Quiet Revolition in Québec, which would probably have been an economic fiasco had it not been of him. Thanks to the Irish; they helped make Québec what it is today!

Aren't you confusing James Bay with Churchill Falls?

Just feed Mr. Bush pretzels, extra-large.

Nicadia is unlikely to do much about "Canadian Unity" with a unilingual english site; this is usually interpreted by francophones and Québécois as a rejection, that they are not wanted.

Don Cherry, a nominee? Québec's separation just got a big boost.

Today's Montreal Gazette's opinion on the subject: Propaganda war Notice that there were substantial cuts to the Fête Nationale (formerly Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day) celebrations, not increases.

The article, by Jack Aubry, appeared in today's Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa citizen if the link is still active.

Federal civil service jobs that require the knowledge of Canada's both official languages apply to all, regardless of their mother tongue. No unilinqual francophone can get the job. One possible reason why there are more francophones in these jobs might be that English is easier to learn than French. This stands to reason. After all, English Canada speaks it.

The lady on every canadian coin and on $20 canadian dollar bills,for those who wonder, is of German descent, the Saxe-Coburg and the Hanover, a.k.a. Windsor, a name-change around 1940 by the royal family of England as its citizens resented the Germans with whom they were at war. So, this German lady, presently queen of the Dominion (a biblical term) of Canada, seems to have as her main function, in the last 35 years, rubber-stamping the decisions of French-canadian federal prime ministers.

By what right do Canadians of British heritage allow others anything, if not by the principel that "Might makes right"? Canadians of British heritage are of a supremacist culture, not very far from the Aryan supremacist ideology. Should Anglo-canadians in Québec consider themselves lucky that they are "allowed" their language?

Let us assume that the cost of bilingualism in Canada is too high. Then let us abolish it. Use French only. After all, the federal prime minister has, for the last 35 years, nearly always been a French-canadian. Many, if not most of the major departments have been headed by French-canadians. And, as everyone knows, it seems, the public service sector in Ottawa is manned by French-Canadians. And this would end the awful discrimination against unilingual francophones who cannot get a job in the federal public service. Obviously, the cost of bilingualism is due to French-to-English translation, not the other way around. Unless the Québec nationalists are right; everyone in Canada has to be bilingual, except for those who speak English...

Or, for that matter, in Québec, why English? After all, this is the 21st century, instant communications around the globe, rapid transportation around the world. The growing market in America is no longer the U.S. of A., but the rest of America, from Mexico downwards, where Spanish is the language of the people, save for Brazil, which speaks Portuguese, another Latin language. At present, there is far less trade between Québec and the other Canadian provinces than there is with the U.S. of A.. But putting all of one's eggs into one basket is risky. The future needs Québec to diversify its economy. It should start with Mexica, part of NAFTA, and spead down south. Québec will start next year to teach Spanish as a third language; why not as a second language, with English as third, and optional. Today is when we start preparing the future. And it is not only in English or French.

My understanding was that at the root of the problem was that the child had previously had his schooling in a French immersion program outside Québec. If that is indeed the cases, how come he does not speak French? Maybe French immersion programs in the ROC are not quite up to the task. But is it sufficient reason to dump him in an English school?

What difference do you make between integration and assimilation.

Quite correct. In fact, they would have deported or killed or starve to death, or die from exposure if they had wanted to. And, to a certain extent, they did want to, and it resulted in the death of several thousands of Acadians and Canadiens. It is a well known fact among Québécois; outside of their limited group, the English believe that "Might makes right". This has been an argument used by some in favor of Québec's independance. But it backfired. In fact, on the independance referenda, many people voted "no" not because of their love for federalism or English Canada, but because they feared for their life and that of their loved ones. Today, either English Canada still has that supremacist attitude, or, if it has evolved, then more people will feel free to vote yes in the next referendum. Your move!

This is totally correct. In fact attempted assimilation really backfired; it is what gave rise to the idea of Québec's independance. It's time for the English (in Canada) to accept the battle on the Plains of Abraham Martin was only a battle, and that the war has not been won yet. It's time for the English to accept the fate of the English language, it's only good as a second language.

« the French in Canada »; there are very few of them, as nearly all the French are in... France (where else?). D'oh! French-speaking people in Canada are generally called French-Canadians outside Québec, and Québécois in Québec. And there also are the Acadians in the Maritimes. Historically, English-speaking presence in present-day Canada can be accounted for by one, and only one, thing, violence, at times genocidal. The only legitimacy for this violence is that "Might makes right". The 1757-1760 conquest of Canada, one of the colonies part of New-France, resulted in the dispossession of the Canadiens. In other words, armed robery. So, yeah, the victims reclaim what was stolen from them. What is so surprising about that. Wouldn't anyone in the same position want the same thing?

British colonials in North America have been repeating this mantra to the french-speaking conquered for more than two centuries now. In English! To french-speaking people! D'oh!

In Québec, french-speaking public schools start teaching English as a second-language in grade 3. It is a compulsory subject, not an option. And this applies to all schools, no exception. A child can't graduate if he or she has not succeeded ESL. This goes on until the end of high-school. You can't be admited to french-speaking public CEGEP (post-high-school) if you have not succeeded in ESL at the end of high-school. How does that compare with the teaching of French in other provinces? In Québec, the percentage of people who speak both Canada's official languaqes is roughly 45%, whatever linguistic origin or political affiliation. In English-speaking Canada, the percentage is below 10% and is mostly the fact of french-canadians.

Why? The bickering between Québec and the ROC has been constant since at least the 1940's, whatever party was in power. Fundamental differences, as basic as whether Québec is a nation (as unanimously acknowledged recently by the National Assembly under Jean Charest) or not. Language rights are a perpetual source of antagonism. Many people in the ROC want to abolish bilingualism on the ground it is too costly. And also that money is continually being poured in Québec, with little, if any, return.

If the Québec government were to hold a referendum on the question: " Should Québec remain in the federal Dominion of Canada " , a clear majority should be 60 to 65%. In the last Québec referendum, the "no" side did not win by a clear majority, so the government was not justified in recognizing it.

Find and replace: These anglo-supremacists need to be deported somewhere far away, so they cause problems for another country. (they already have; Scotland, Ireland, India, Rhodesia, etc.). There! All problems are solved. First Nations will finally be able to evolve according to their own wishes and their own rythm.