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Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Bloc Out
This is just a little too amusing: In a just-published book titled Open & Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama and Canada Has Stephen Harper, columnist John Ibbitson of The Globe and Mail has a suggestion for the many Canadians who, like him, dream of a day when the House of Commons will be free of the Bloc Québécois. If Canada replaced the monarchy with the Constitution in the oath of allegiance MPs must swear prior to taking their seats in Parliament, he argues that future bloquistes might well fade into the night – quietly or otherwise – rather than pledge to uphold a document no Quebec government has agreed to sign.
Posted by Richard Anderson on June 17, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
Mr. Publius,
This article is intellectually poor to put it politely. You sound like if someone gave you a new subjet and a short deadline.
What does "Souviens the Plains of Abraham?" means ?
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 9:36:00 AM
You sound like if someone gave you a new subjet and a short deadline.
What does "Souviens the Plains of Abraham?" means ?
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 9:36:00 AM
What does subjet mean? A substandard jet or a jet powered submarine maybe?
Posted by: The Stig | 2009-06-17 9:52:26 AM
Along with the Oath to the Queen, change the national anthem to the Maple Leaf Forever. Hey, if the ROC can hold on to those little rascals for another generation, their demographic decline will make them irrelevant. The new anthem can then be, Thanks for the Minarets.
Posted by: John Chittick | 2009-06-17 10:40:56 AM
Marc:
What part of conquered do you not understand?
Posted by: set you free | 2009-06-17 10:51:03 AM
Marc,
You act as if you remember what happened on the Plains. Get over it. The French are no longer oppressed in Quebec. They are the oppressors. And proud of it.
The sad fact is that terms such as "Quebecois de souche" show precisely the type of xenophobia and intolerance that is rampant today in Quebec. Unless you are white, of french decent, and a sovereigntist, you are not a "real" Quebecois.
To be honest, the Rest of Canada would be much better off without Quebec and I, for the life of me, cannot understand why it is so important for Canadians to have to constantly support a socialist basketcase like Quebec.
Posted by: Charles | 2009-06-17 11:32:35 AM
What wrong with Quebecois being "white and of French dissent"? If the immigrants chose South Africa instead of Quebec would they now be Zulus? The Quebecois are a founding people and have a right to preserve a homeland for their descendants.
Maybe they should pass a law:
"This came at the end of a week in which the Israeli Knesset voted by a large majority (47 to 34) for a law that threatens imprisonment for anyone who dares to deny that Israel is a Jewish state."
Posted by: DJ | 2009-06-17 1:08:53 PM
DJ,
Ironically enough, the Parti Québécois presented a Bill in 2007…
http://www.assnat.qc.ca/eng/38legislature1/projets-loi/publics/07-a195.htm
Guess who came out the strongest against it saying the "proposed legislation to create a “Quebec identity” is so undemocratic and xenophobic that it resembles far-right European politics". That it was "shameful" for Québecers and that this bill would be "a terrible mistake".
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 1:43:36 PM
Does it start with J and rhyme with shoe?
Posted by: DJ | 2009-06-17 2:07:47 PM
« Vague memories of school yard taunts and not being served in French at Eaton's, is rather a ways from even the most elastic interpretations of oppression.”
From the Merriam-Webster’s online Directory:
Oppression
a: unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power b: something that oppresses especially in being an unjust or excessive exercise of power.
*
I would like to remind the smart asses around here that the small Anglo-Saxons elite that called for the complete assimilation of “Canadiens”, hanged Les Patriotes for defending their freedoms, families and houses in 1839, and have high jacked the best jobs and every key position in this province; were still in full power until René Lévesque. Just look at the Maritimes, Ontario, Manitoba and tell me you can count on English Canada to protect their French heritage and specificities.
Nobody talks about les Plaines D’Abraham, but most remember “Speak White” from Michèle Lalonde, “Les Ordres” by Brault and every frauds and tactics used by federalists to prevent Québec to become its own country. The “monarchy” is barely used as an argument since Canada produces far better crooks and tyrants.
*
“The argument of the Quebec nationalists is that Canada isn't a real country, but Quebec is.”
Where? When? What nationalists? That’s not the argument of “nationalists”, it’s the argument of Zebulon Pike.
“In general the Left doesn't like Kings or Queens - unless the latter is male and suitably dressed - they offend egalitarian sensibilities”
That also must be why the next Québec’s Premier will be a woman.
*
Again, so much dishonesty on this blog that pretends to defend Canadian freedoms with facts, objectivity and historical quotes.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 2:32:13 PM
Actually DJ,
It has all to do with an organisation that has the mandate of promoting the State of Israel; not targetting a specific ethnic group that are significally devised on the issues regarding this region of the world.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 2:40:23 PM
John,
Just to inform you that if our demografic decline will makes us irrelevant, the same will happen in your own region. French Québec will be much better equipped to face those realities and protect our heritage than anywhere in English Canada. Despite, our birth rates are up and as long as children able to speak french and love Québec for what it is, you're a pure laine.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 2:46:44 PM
Hell, they don't even protect their British heritage and specifics, even in the UK. From Ceylon to Fiji, Guiana, the American South, English Canada and now England, it's just one race-replacing demographic bomb after another.
Posted by: DJ | 2009-06-17 2:52:53 PM
"Despite, our birth rates are up and as long as children able to speak french and love Québec for what it is, you're a pure laine."
You lie. Quebec has lost more than a million people since 1990, and abortion there is more prevalent than anywhere else in the country. Maybe the immigrants have high birth rates, but the born-and-bred Quebecois is a disappearing species. Their desperation proves it.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2009-06-17 3:37:19 PM
Shane,
That's simply because sex is better here than in the ROC.
You know…the thing you never practice with someone else.
Like I've told you in the thread "Under Duress", it's not our fault your mother never loved you.
Birth rates were up in Québec in recent years compared to the beginning of the millennium. That the mothers were not all born here or from diverse ethnic backgrounds is irrelevant.
If their kids understand French, understand our society and love participating in it, that's a pure laine to me! That’s already better than some old stock xenophobic Anglo-Saxon families incapable of doing one full sentence in French after 200 years.
By the way and to all the geniuses around here: Séparatisssssss are not all whites with a French background.
There were some “Johnson”, “Mancini” and “Nguyen” voting yes in the last referendum as well.
The Patriotes of 1839 were not all from French European background either.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 9:35:48 PM
The sex is better in Quebec? Really?
Why does the government have to bribe Quebec citizens to have children?
Why does the government have to force people to use the French language?
These seem like acts of desperation.
Posted by: dp | 2009-06-17 9:53:34 PM
dp,
What's wrong with incentives to promote birth rates and helping families...? Every government does it, including the CPC.
Despite, it's not because you enjoy sex a lot that you're looking to have kids.
Like everywhere in the civilised world, people are waiting to be well established and financially comfortable before having children.
"Why does the government have to force people to use the French language?"
That's an easy one: it's because there's still some assholes.
A pack of bloggers who have no clue doing frenchies’ bashing on the Western Standard...THAT, is an act of desperation.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 10:19:16 PM
"If their kids understand French, understand our society and love participating in it, that's a pure laine to me!"
The problem is they don't Marc. It's the reason for the whole "reasonable accommodation" thing. Mass immigration simply encourages ghettoizing because for the same reason Quebecers want to protect their heritage, so do the immigrants.
La survivance.
Posted by: DJ | 2009-06-17 10:45:21 PM
It's the reason for the whole "reasonable accommodation" thing.
No DJ,
The reasonable accommodations thing was directly linked to religious accommodations after some extremists attempted to impose their religious standards on our laic and liberal society. They should have asked our priests who've lost their power after Duplessis.
For the rest DJ, I simply know too much people of different ethnic backgrounds that are perfectly Québécois and participate positively in this society, to agree with you. DJ, if I go to the states me never, under any circumstances, goes to Hollywood beach. The few ethics we never hear from in the public sphere are those who refused to learn french and doesn’t feel accountable to Québec’s society, just Ottawa. There are some people like that who would always hate the society they live in.
The Western Standard is full of them.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 11:19:38 PM
"That's simply because sex is better here than in the ROC."
If this is the sort of thing that passes for intelligent thought in Québec, no wonder la Belle Province is in decline.
"Birth rates were up in Québec in recent years compared to the beginning of the millennium. That the mothers were not all born here or from diverse ethnic backgrounds is irrelevant."
It's very relevant. Because those immigrants are not the keepers of Quebecois culture. The more numerous they become, the more your own power wanes. In this country, the majority rules.
"If their kids understand French, understand our society and love participating in it, that's a pure laine to me! That’s already better than some old stock xenophobic Anglo-Saxon families incapable of doing one full sentence in French after 200 years."
Those "old-stock, xenophobic, Anglo-Saxon families" are not all descended from the Germanic tribes who became the pre-Norman English; in fact most of them are not. And the "old-stock, xenophobic, Anglo-Saxons" have no objection to French signs on their restaurants.
"By the way and to all the geniuses around here: Séparatisssssss are not all whites with a French background."
And not all white French Canadians want to separate. They had the chance and voted no, I believe. And Jacques Parizeau was right in there to blame the "ethnic vote." Lucien Bouchard at least had the taste to be gracious in defeat.
"That's an easy one: it's because there's still some assholes."
Anyone who doesn't speak French is an asshole. Quelle attitude, mon frere! Clearly the world hasn't developed to your liking. To that I can only say--tant pis!
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2009-06-17 11:38:37 PM
Tell me Shane,
How come an intelligent man like you who know SO MUCH things on SO MANY subjects (...see Stig), is ALWAYS missing the point and is unable to understand second degree humour...?
Wait...
...
...
...
Forget it:...I don't care.
Posted by: Marc | 2009-06-17 11:51:54 PM
Are any of you Canadians starting to think that your lives would have been easier if you had let Benedict Arnold take Quebec in 1775? Who knows? Maybe Quebecers would have turned out as right-wing as Louisiana? Funny(unlike Quebecois) our Cajuns and Creoles don't expect a government handout! They actually believe that you have to earn your keep. They helped fight the British off at the Battle of New Orleans. They have fought commendably since in all our wars. Unlike the Quebecois, they haven't tried to undermine us in the world wars(Quebec opposition to conscription in WW 1 and WW2). Face facts, the Quebecois are a pack of spoiled children who will sell you guys out! I say Canada should secede from them. Let's see how long their fat bloated socialist government survives without handouts. Get ready Quebec, you might actually have to grow up and earn your keep! Let's see which one you would dump first your bloated provincial government or your demented language laws(french is a dying language of international business). You might even have to fight each other to get your kids into english language schools. Wouldn't it be funny if the prize language of an independent Quebec was english. My advice to anglo Canadians is stop plopping up this crew. Let Quebec get all the negative karma it has earned!
Posted by: Jerry | 2009-06-18 3:54:10 PM
Anglophones hardly highjacked the highly paid, executive jobs in Montreal; they created those industries from scratch and those jobs beginning with the early British and Scottish settlers who were largely merchants and industrialists to begin with. Moreover, it was close to ties to financiers and the capital markets in London at the height of the British Empire that allowed those Anglo industrialists to establish, grow, and build up the Quebec and Canadian economies. The natural division of the two societies and the inequalities that festered were largely cultural and systemic: the Catholic Church controlled les Canadiens and did not stress education as the Protestants did. Les Canadiens were an agrarian people who were misguided by their leaders to stay on the farm and raise many kids. After generations of this, the result was a city (Montreal) of English corporations and Anglophones in power. You can't expect to go from the farm to the board room of Sun Life in one an instant. There simply was not a culture of higher education among the francophone population compared to the Anglophones. By that time, Montreal was a powerful North American economic metropolis.
Posted by: WatchingfromtheHills | 2009-07-29 6:33:27 PM
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