Quebec continues support to Francophone's in ROC

[Leafless]

This is almost laughable as it is tax payers in the (Rest of Canada) ROC that are really doing what the Quebec government says it's doing concerning financial support to Francophone's in French speaking communities outside of Quebec.

In fact ROC is really condescending in describing other provinces in Canada, as if Quebec is somehow the dominant province in a position to refer to other Canadian provinces as the rest of Canada.

"Premier Jean Charest says Quebec has a responsibility to support French-speaking communities across Canada because it’s the only place in North America where francophone's form a majority."

This is also untrue as Francophone's don't form a majority anywhere in Canada as Quebec being a province like all other provinces in Canada must base it's French population calculations related to the whole or all of of Canada.

It's like making a comparison of ten Blacks and one White in an elevator and while in the elevator the Blacks are the majority but when the doors open to the REAL world Whites are the majority in Canada. But in Quebec's case there isn't any elevator.

"Recent census numbers suggest that francophone communities outside Quebec are gradually being assimilated by English-speaking majorities."

This whole assimilation bit is absolute nonsense because most Quebecers who speak English have been assimilated or they would refuse to speak English period, like the choice the majority of English speaking Canadians have chosen and that is not to speak French period.

That's the beauty of assimilation as a smaller group is absorbed into a larger group and not the other way around a larger group absorbed into a smaller group, something that does not make sense but something the Liberals initially implemented with official bilingualism in the federal public service and federal entities.

This Quebec funding is something the PM should look into as it creates a conflict of interest where as tax payers of Canada are forced to contribute to the support of French communities outside of the regular amenities offered by Canadian society in general.

I suspect this funding would be against equality rights and makes a fool out of the federal government.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...9ef&k=77264

[ft.niagara]

That's the beauty of assimilation as a smaller group is absorbed into a larger group and not the other way around a larger group absorbed into a smaller group, something that does not make sense but something the Liberals initially implemented with official bilingualism in the federal public service and federal entities.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...9ef&k=77264

The term is 'placate'. When the natives are restless, throw them a bone with the federal public service bilingualism policy.

Also similarly to Quebec support of French in ROC, Saudi Arabia lends support to Islim in ROW...... the (rest of the world).

[Charles Anthony]

Language is like music. If all that you can hear is Country or Western, you eventually grow to like both. If all that you HAVE EVER heard in your lifetime is Country or Western, you will never know what you are missing.

This reminds me of the "bilingual certificates" hulabaloo in elementary school and how we all need to be bilingual to get a job and yadda yadda yadda. I took French for only one year in high school and dropped out because it was tasteless to share classes with other students who were only taking courses to get a better job. Our French teachers taught French with passion and I thought that bilingualism was insulting to them. I could not stay in that crowd.

I think French is fabulous and I am immensely grateful that my parents transferred their passion of French to their children. The French language has an overwhelming wealth of literature from the past and the present. My father is a Baudelairien collector and I am named after that foul poet.

Having said that, I see no reason why a government should be enforcing any language. In the United States, they do not even have an official language.

About 10 years ago, I heard of Zachary Richard for the first time in a Moncton pub. His French made my jaw drop. He was on his first poetry-book tour and candidly joked that he was nervous because he did not have his guitar to shield him from the audience. He identifies himself as originaire d'Acadie du Sud with pride. If people in Louisiana can speak French and preserve their culture in Louisiana without government help, anybody can.

[Leafless]

Having said that, I see no reason why a government should be enforcing any language. In the United States, they do not even have an official language.

About 10 years ago, I heard of Zachary Richard for the first time in a Moncton pub. His French made my jaw drop. He was on his first poetry-book tour and candidly joked that he was nervous because he did not have his guitar to shield him from the audience. He identifies himself as originaire d'Acadie du Sud with pride. If people in Louisiana can speak French and preserve their culture in Louisiana without government help, anybody can.

In the U.S. many individual states have declared themselves officially English speaking.

It seems though Quebec is the only province in Canada 'ALLOWED' (by the feds) to unilaterally declare themselves officially French although ALL OTHER provinces in Canada are suppose to have that same right. Outside of Quebec all other provinces would be officially English if it was not for federal government interference not allowing it, which is totally undemocratic and oppressive.

I think you might realize Charles the problem has little to do with preserving the French culture in Quebec, but rather a lot to do with extracting billions of dollars from the other provinces in Canada under the guise of doing this as an official minority culture.