Quebec: April 7, 2014

[MaxQue]

I would be surprised if TVA really invites Françoise David to its debates.

Péladeau is a right-wing Péquiste, so, he doesn't want to give airtime to the left, especially than QS is mostly taking PQ votes.

But, they lost their main argument, which is the incompatibility of the format, as they were forced to transform it in a 4-person format after Joly rise in Montreal election.

[MaxQue]

Very ironically, April 14, 2003 was the day of the election in which PQ lost power to the Liberals.

[MaxQue]

Is Legault running in a new riding or sticking w/L'Assomption? Cause he'd get walloped if he stays.

Legault will run in L'Assomption.
PQ candidate is Pierre Paquette, the former BQ house leader MP for Joliette. He was widely seen as Duceppe successor until he declined to run for BQ leadership. So, an heavyweight and possibly a future Cabinet member.

[MaxQue]

How hard is the PQ running on that sketchy laïcité law?

Didn't heard about it this month, through obviously, right now, media is obsessed by Winter Olympics.

[MaxQue]

There's been conflicting reports about whether they're just reserving the name or setting up a full-fledged party.

I'm not sure they decided yet either.

[MaxQue]

However, the PQ has turned out to be far-right when it comes to cultural issues, like you'd find in Europe with parities like Front National. I do not support racist parties.

I'm seeing than the English media have continued their desinformation campaign.

EDIT: To be clear, I don't agree at all with that policy, but the FN comparison is over the top. And English Canada media LOVES Quebec-bashing.

[MaxQue]

However, the PQ has turned out to be far-right when it comes to cultural issues, like you'd find in Europe with parities like Front National. I do not support racist parties.

I'm seeing than the English media have continued their desinformation campaign.

Well, they have a habit of making minorities... uncomfortable

Like every party, they cater to theit core base. It's not like if immigrants would vote for independance.

[MaxQue]

Again, I can only stress than English news in Canada aren't a fair news source about PQ.
It would be like judging Obama by listening only to Fox News.

[MaxQue]

Who's citing a ROC news source?

Nobody, but I'm quite sure than Earl and DL did Front National comparisons because of what they heard in news.

[MaxQue]

The PQ certainly isn't far-right or fascistic or anything, but it is kind of a bit racist. But then the Liberals are kind of entirely corrupt.

I certainly won't contradict it. There was always a segment of the base which was, but, until the 90's, the leadership wasn't pursuing policies in that sense.

Rene Levesque policies weren't racist (he may have been through, he pursued pro-gay rights polices despite being personnaly homophobic), but the Charter is.

And before someone brings language rights, English isn't a race.

[MaxQue]

Jacques Duchesneau, the "integrity" guy in CAQ retires and won't seek a second term in St. Jerome.

[MaxQue]

Oh, great, the English suprematist troll is back again.

[MaxQue]

I'm sorry then. I just had bad memories of what happened last time you taled about the subject.

I'll happily concede you than the OQLF (the so-called language police) is clearly over the top. While, on paper, the idea is good, on the application, they are clearly overzealous. But, in the 70's, it was needed since all stores were belonging to Anglophones and were refusing to give services in French. But right now, it's clearly overzealous and they should stick to check in services in French are avaliable in every shop, which was the first goal. Besides that, I don't see any "bureaucratic harassment". Most government forms are avaliable in English and most emigration is because it's not really possible to live in Quebec anymore as an unilingual Anglophone outside Montreal and Outaouais. It's quite difficult to live in an area where you are not talking the language of the majority. You're de facto excluded, since you can't communicate with them.

As for French fries, why they would do that? They didn't have to be forced, they translate the name of their products in the local language in most countries. It helps to identify the product.

And, really, it's possible to reach a perfect level in English with current system. Upper education isn't subject to that and I know plenty of people who decided to go to an English college or university for that reason. It's working well right now.

[MaxQue]

Well, French people were pretty much all working-class and most stores were plainly refusing to serve people talking French to them and would often be answered by insults (the famous "speak white"). It improved through the 60's and 70's with language laws and an effort to educate Francophones (they weren't really educated then, the Catholic Church was opposing education, since it was inciting people to leave rural areas, farming and child procreation). Free market wasn't working because it was a widespread opinion in the anglophone community than French people and culture had to be assimilated into the Canadian English culture, by forcing them to talk English.

Given the whole level of education of Francophones, bilinguism wasn't an issue, since only the small Francophone elite was. Most Francophone didn't how to write, so, bilinguism was clearly out of the question and lack of bilinguism didn't stop the mass immigration to New England in the late 19th century. They learned once they moved there.

The target was more immigrants coming here and deciding to sent their kids at English (well, then, Protestant) schools instead of French (but, officially, Catholic) schools. There was a widespread feeling in the Francophone community than they would be quickly a minority if immigrants were integring into the Anglophone community instead of the Francophone one.

After, the famous Pasta-gate. It happened last year (on February 14), and the OQLF faced considerable backlash. You know, here, restaurants have tacos, fajitas, spaghetti, raviolis, etc... I can't say that about wantons in Chinese restaurants, but it's because I never go into them, so, I don't have a clue.
Removing words like pasta wasn't OQLF policies (it never happened at any point before that day) and they blamed it over an over-zealous employee. No clue if it was true or not, but the OQLF president resigned over it and they announced they would totally review how they conduct their inspections. Every French people I know thought it was ridiculous to fine people having foreign food words in their menus. It was an isolated incident, which caused deep embarassment to the population and, for that reason, wouldn't happen again.

Anglophones can still stop with ease in Montreal area and in the remaining Anglophones areas. In the other areas, the issue is than the Francophones mostly don't speak English. If an Anglophone doesn't speak French and the Francophone clerk doesn't speak English, it's normal than things are complicated. Sadly, clerks are not often bilingual in rural areas (bilinguism and education are related, and an educated person will most likely not be a shop clerk). It's exactly the same thing in the Anglophone community. Education and bilinguism is related, too, and people who would be likely to be clerks aren't talking French.

But, you know, bilinguism is quickly progressing, both in French and English communities and I hope than more bilinguism will lead to better communication and understand from both communities.

I know it's probably naive and than the bigots in both communities will do all they can to stop it, but without that hope, the pictureis quite grim and depressing. 

[MaxQue]

Separatist movements actively thrive on divisions and bitterness between people, not the most honourable style of politics, it has to be said.

Nationalism will always cultivate a sense of superiority, and whether it's the PQ or the SNP in Scotland or any manner of other nationalist/separatist parties, there will always be times when one has to question whether such parties have crossed the 'racist' line.

The same could be said about their opponent, often. There is many anti-French people in English Canada.

[MaxQue]

I should note that if I lived in Quebec, I'd be voting UCQ.

Last news I heard, most founding members have left, saying than the party has been hijacked.

EDIT: More exactly, by regionalists wanting to create regional assemblies.

[MaxQue]

I would be voting  Liberal.

You like corruption, then?

[MaxQue]

In my riding, the "star" candidate which was openly seeking the investiture withdrew, saying than he was interested in mines, not in things like the Charter.

It's one of the wierdest reasons I ever heard.

[MaxQue]

So, a question. Are the CAQ the party of, well, conservative or right-leaning voters? I'm aware that they're partially descended from the ADQ, which, according to my reading on it, was a fairly right wing party. I'm just curious, as they seem a little vague when it comes to their political positions (I may be wrong).

They are what their leaders want them to be. There is no internal democracy, the leader simply appoints the candidates and decide the positions.

It's a mix of various positions, some left-wing (raising teachers wages by 30%, for example), some right-wing. There is more right-wing positions than left-wing ones, but I'm not sure it's enough to call it right-wing.

EDIT: Let's not forget than their main campaign plank is massive investment to transform St. Lawrence Valley into a Silicon Valley.

[MaxQue]

Notre Rai Pays? What the hell it's supposed to mean?

[MaxQue]

Surprisingly, François Gendron, vice-Premier and Agriculture Minister and longest serving MNA, will seek an 11th term. He had an health issue last month.

It also means than it's almost sure than he will eat the record of Gérard Lévesque (no relation with René, it's a very common family name in Gaspésie) as the longest-serving MNA of Quebec history (37 years and 6 months). He will reach that record on April 15. He is elected since 1976 (the René Lévesque landslide).

[MaxQue]

Gazette reporter calls Benhabib the PQ's token Muslim and implies PQ is racist. Disgusting.

She is apparently the courts and justice reporter, and she should stick to that.

[MaxQue]

Gazette reporter calls Benhabib the PQ's token Muslim and implies PQ is racist. Disgusting.

Well, its true - the PQ is a racxist party that is the Quebec equivalent of LePen's Front Nationale...the xenophobic so-called "charter of Quebec values" is the most flagrant example of that.

Stop drinking the francophobe media kool-aid or inform yourself about FN.

Given than you can't even spell "Front National" correctly, I suspect your knowledge in either is very low.

I suspect you don't have a clue about the things you're talking about and you just repeat the talking points of a francophobe "journalist".

I do think than many in the PQ are racist, but FN comparisons are over the top and it's very insulting to Mrs. Benhabib (one of the creators of the Charter). Does she is racist, too?

[MaxQue]

I don't deny it, I'm saying than Front National comparisons are bad.

For the record, all French political parties support the France ban on all religious symbols in public institutions (including students) and integral veil is banned in public places.

I personally think it's excessive, but it shows the FN comparison is bad, and the Wallace ones are even worse. Do you really think than the situation of the Anglophones in Quebec is similar to the one of the Blacks during the Segregation Era?

[MaxQue]

I don't deny it, I'm saying than Front National comparisons are bad.

For the record, all French political parties support the France ban on all religious symbols in public institutions (including students) and integral veil is banned in public places.

I personally think it's excessive, but it shows the FN comparison is bad, and the Wallace ones are even worse. Do you really think than the situation of the Anglophones in Quebec is similar to the one of the Blacks during the Segregation Era?

No, I'm less concerned about Anglos in Quebec who can defend themselves than I am by the wave of ISLAMOPHOBIA the PQ seems to want to escalate and provoke for cynical political reasons. Btw it seems the PQ has dumped That Algerian woman as a candidate in Trois Rivière

It seems a done deal when she will run in Mille-Îles (eastern Laval), majority 1797. Won't be easy, but it's winnable for her.

As for islamophobia, I would rather blame the media making news everythign Muslims get a reasonable accomodation. PQ is only merely trying to surf on that. That's despicable, sure.