I was born and brought up in Quebec. My mother and fathers first language was French. Both sides of the family were fluently bilingual.
Everything we see and hear tells us that The Parti Quebecois is trying to oppress the English speaking minority within the Province of Quebec however what people, especially the media are missing, is that the legislation is directed more at the French speaking Quebecois than at the damn square heads.
I lived through the FLQ crisis in Quebec and then the rise of the PQ and Rene Levesque. I watched and listened to the so called French intellects as they spewed their hate message, not to, but at the French Quebecois. My children required certificates permitting them to attend English language schools. Our foster children required proof that their mother's mother tongue was English.
One particular TV encounter stands out in my mind and instilled the idea that this whole argument had little to do with the elimination of English but rather the controlling and oppression of their own people.
There were two groups sitting on grandstand style seats in the studio, French on the left, English on the right. While there were interpreters the majority on both sides spoke in English.... the one comment that stands out above all others was by a University of Montreal professor who, in perfect English, said that children could not be expected to excel in school if they had to learn two languages. It was then and there that I realized .... its not about me or my language it is about control over the people of Quebec.
Let's not forget that English and the ability to converse in one, two, three or more languages is essential to ones growth especially here in North America where English is spoken to the east, west and south.
Where do you travel if you cannot converse in English as well as French? How do you move up in an international company if you do not speak English. Why limit yourself to only those companies that are uni lingual. Many companies outside of Quebec insist on fluent bilingualism, and not just French/English but Spanish, German and Mandarin to name a few.
So get over it Pauline and stop limiting your people from expanding their knowledge and opportunity.
Quebec language wars, the people are the problem
ReplyDeleteHere in Quebec we are becoming accustomed to hearing about how the rights of English speaking citizen are being torn away and have been for years. The government has taken it upon itself to seek out English and snuff it out like some crazy witch hunt. The Quebec government has even employed a makeshift language police of sorts whose job it is to do the seeking and warn the institutions of their use of English and essentially force them to stop and desist or face legal action and fines.
Stepping back a moment I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am a born and bred Quebecker who speaks both French and English and loves this province very much. I embrace the multiculturalism and love the English and French history that shaped this amazing province into what it is today. I am proud of the history and culture that comes with it and would love for my children to enjoy it as much as I do. I sent my children to French school so they can be fluent in French and blend seamlessly into the French culture if they should choose. So why is it that we have so much going for our beautiful province that people are so bent on destabilizing, embarrassing, segregating, hating and demoralizing it's people? A province that has so much to gain from embracing acceptance but would rather take it down a notch on the ladder of civility.
Now I would like to mention that the common Anglo perception is that it is only a handful of people making a lot of noise when it comes to separatism and the lack of English rights in Quebec. If this is true then how is this delightful handful of separatists gaining enough power to accomplish all that they have? The answer is motivation! If every Quebecker, English/French/Mexican or otherwise got off of their couches for five minutes and spoke their mind about how this is not the province they want to live in and that equal rights are a necessity, the Government would have no choice but to listen. Amazingly people would rather just sit idle and complain on Facebook or while chatting on the train but do nothing to help change it, nothing to make this province a better place for our children and to allow them the education they need to be successful anywhere. People have been allowing this type of oppression to go on and on and on, untethered, unquestioned and it has become an international embarrassment. The most embarrassing part though is that the people have not stood up, stood up for the future, stood up for hope for something better, to work together and love each other for what we are.
So I will ask, Where are you people of Quebec that want change, that want a better more accepting place to live? Where are all you civilized people that can put the past behind us and look into the future? Where are the people that will stand up for a fellow Quebecker's rights when told they can't speak in their language? In order for there to be change, there must be action! This is a battle for all Quebeckers no matter what language you speak, a challenge that will bring on positive change for this province, a challenge that requires participation, not apathy. It's time to speak out for the better good, time to put an end to a government that perpetuates segregation and oppression. It's time to work together and let your voice be heard. Will you stand up?
Merci beaucoup/Thank you very much
Citizen for change