Press Release: Stop Hate Literature In Its Tracks
Posted by Membership Admin. on April 22, 2009
Earlier this month a book entitled “Anglaid”, by author Michel Brule was released.
This book openly attacks Anglophones with direct, false, misleading and hate filled statements and revisionist history. The book is penned in such a manner that the reader is to interpret its slanderous falsities as facts.
It is a clear attempt by the author to spread hatred toward the Anglophone minority of Quebec-and Anglophones around the world.
This book clearly violates Canadian law-The Criminal Code of Canada, Sections 319(2) and 319(7) which clearly state:
C.C. section 319(2) makes it a crime to communicate, except in private conversation, statements that wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group. Section 319(7) defines “communicating” to include communicating by telephone, broadcasting or other audible or visible means. “Public place” is defined to include any place to which the public has access as of right or by invitation, express or implied. “Statements” include words spoken or written or recorded electronically, electromagnetically or otherwise and also include gestures, signs or other representations.”
The D.A.A.Q. believes the author and any person(s) involved in the publication, sales or promotion of this hate literature and propaganda should be held accountable, by law.
Yesterday, the author conducted an interview with Montreal’s “Metro” in which the following was stated:
(Translated to English)
Q: We sense anger in your book.
A: “Yes, for sure. First of all, English is not a beautiful language. Intolerance and all the movements -the most extremist, racist and segregationist, is the KKK, White Power and the expression “speak white” They are all English things. They come from the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. There are none more racist than the English.”
“In my book there is a chapter called The Age of Pirates. You know how it happened at the battle on the Plaines of Abraham. The English settled themselves in Levis and shot their guns (canons). But North America is big. Why did they not look for their own little corner and leave the French quietly on their side? The history of North America is to make war with the French, to wipe out the Amer-Indians, to get rid of the Dutch by buying New Amsterdam, which became New York, to get rid of the Russians by buying Alaska. The English got rid of everyone. Is this a sign of tolerance? No.”
Q: Do you have English friends?
A: “That has no link (connection). We all have an individual personality and another collective one. If I said the Americans were a bunch of big (slang), obese, imbecilic, ignorant, uncultured, it’s the truth. But it’s sure and certain that of 303 million Americans there is about 50 million who are not like that. But collectively they are still a bunch of uncultured imbeciles. My girlfriend might be English but that has no connection. Me, in as much as Quebecois, I have my individual personality but I can also say that the collective identity of the Quebecois is of a group of softs (slang) and sheep.”
Q: What reaction are you waiting for from the public?
“I did a lot of research work for this book. I hope it becomes essential. I believe my book should be taught in the schools. But that would surprise me if that was the case, for sure not with a Prime Minister like John James Charest. We are losing the linguistic battle in Montreal and me, I want to beat that. Someone once said to me “You are against linguistic peace.” Yes I am against peace if peace means Anglicization.”
Q: What about the successes of the English?
A:”They’ve installed their dictatorship all over South America. They have killed 40 million Amer-Indians, subjected 5 million Africans to slavery, they’ve said Speak White to all the Francophone’s. What’s their success? They made wars everywhere in the name of imperialism and intolerance. I find no success in what they’ve done. They are good warriors yes. They are the biggest committers of genocide”
The author’s intentions are made vehemently clear. He wishes this historical revisionism and hate propaganda to be spread to the youth of Quebec via the school system.
While the author desperately attempts to label all Anglophone Europeans and North Americans as ethnocentric, white supremacists and narcissists. Members of the Ku Klux Klan-That Anglophones are all supporters of some form of modern imperialism-We would invite Mr. Brule to make that giant leap to the real world and into the 21st century. Out of his dark basement which is located somewhere in the neighbourhood of the 17th century.
Odd that there is no mention of Spanish, Portuguese, French or Dutch Imperialism? Nor the actual reasoning behind the attacks by England on the forces of France-in what was to become Canada-The fact they were engaged in a war perhaps?
We would like to offer Mr. Brule this perspective: England attacked French colonies and vice-versa due to the aforementioned war by both Imperial Empires.
France abandoned Quebec at the Treaty of Paris. Where oops!, the author seems to have forgotten some other facts. For example: that Louisiana was ceded to Spain, etc.
He must not have read that far?
But when rewriting history one must omit facts-correct Mr. Brule?
But attempting to argue with someone of an Ernst Zundel-like, historical revisionist mindset-we’re certain is futile.
We are encouraging D.A.A.Q. members, supporters, and Anglophones at home and around the world to pressure the Government of Canada to enforce our hate laws-For international governments to be made aware of the existence of this hate literature and ensure it does not make its way to their borders.
End the sale and distribution of this and all hate literature!
Canada:
This hate literature is being offered by the company Renaud-Bray, as a “Canadian Essay”. The company offers limited service in English. So best to lodge your concerns regarding their support of the spread of hate literature, in French. http://www.renaud-bray.com/accueil.aspx
Chapters/Indigo offers this book online. However at the time of our release the Chapters/Indigo website states: “Book is currently unavailable as new”. Chapters/Indigo Home Office: 416-364-4499
Current List of all Canadian Members of Parliament: http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E
Including the Prime Minister, Minster of Justice, Minister of Heritage.
(*We have not included any contacts within the Province of Quebec as there are currently no MLA’s or Parties within the National Assembly that enforce or protect the rights of Anglophone inside Quebec).
For our International members and supporters:
The United States:
The United States Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov/ag/
The U.S. Department of State: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/
United Kingdom:
Home Office: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact-us
Ministry of Justice: http://www.justice.gov.uk/
Foreign and Commonwealth Office: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/docs-and-legal-services/legalisation/
Australia:
Attorney-Generals Department: http://www.ag.gov.au/
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: http://www.dfat.gov.au/
New Zealand:
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: http://www.mfat.govt.nz/
Ministry of Justice: http://www.justice.govt.nz/
The D.A.A.Q. appreciates all of your continued national and international support in exposing to the world injustice in Canada.
DAAQ.International@gmail.com
The D.A.A.Q. is a provincial, national, and international association of Anglophone, Francophone and Allophone Canadians in and from the Province of Quebec; who strive to achieve equality under the provincial laws of Quebec. As well as have our rights as Canadian Citizens enforced without compromise, or hindrance within the Province of Quebec.
Defense Association of Anglophone Quebec - DAAQ 
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Thomas said
I don’t think Bonbon’s comments about Maxime are very helpful. Maxime has given a point of view in a reasonable and articulate manner, and it doesn’t hurt anyone to listen to what someone thoughtful has to say, even if you don’t agree with it.
Both English Canadians and Québécois have unfortunately fallen into patterns of thinking that doesn’t help them reach common ground. I have been reading a lot about the events leading up to the establishment of Confederation in 1867. These guys–English and French–respected each other and were passionate about their desire to build something together. And this was less than 30 years after the Patriot Rebellion, when wounds should have been very fresh for both sides, and sectarian differences between Catholics and Protestants were highly charged.
So where did ‘we’ go wrong?
English Canadians, unfortunately, went ‘wrong’ by taking advantage of the preponderance of English speaking provinces and voters to encircle and contain the French Canadians, creating a culture with a constant ‘siege mentality’; always under ‘threat’; always being ‘thwarted’. The history is there, from the NW Rebellion to the Manitoba Schools Question, to the squelching of French language education rights in Ontario in the early 20th century. Maxime is correct when he (she) states that the French were instrumental in the exploration and opening up of much of the country. My home province of British Columbia (mainland) had a majority Francophone population until the 1858 goldrush. The first school in Victoria was opened as a French school by the Sisters of St. Ann from Lachine, Quebec. The 2nd newspaper published in BC was a francophone paper–Le Courrier de la Nouvelle Calédonie–so much of our history has been forgotten because we pay no attention to it.
There were efforts in the 60s and 70s to create a more balanced society, but Trudeau really destroyed goodwill when he repatriated the BNA Act without Quebec’s participation. The Fathers of Confederation understood the importance of the role of French Canada. Even anti-French George Brown recognized that the French were essential to building Confederation. How Trudeau, in his arrogance, thought Canada would survive a major constitutional overhaul without Quebec defies imagination.
Our other great sin in English Canada is simply ignoring Quebec. Here in BC we are so far away from the centre that most people just don’t care. Quebec goes; Quebec stays. No difference to us: our sights are westward to Asia.
French Canadians, for their part, went ‘wrong’ by using their vulnerable position to cast themselves in the role of perpetual victim, and to begin a glorification of the Québécois mythology and race to the point where they began to feel that their unique position would justify levels of intolerance towards minorities that are truly shocking to English Canadians. Yes, Ontario in 1912 prohibited French education. Quebec brought in a similarly shocking piece of legislation against English education in the supposedly much more enlightened 1970s and many Québécois express levels of open hostility toward anglophones and glee at the gradual diminishment of the English community in Quebec, that is very disturbing to thoughtful people. Really, the English community in Quebec has been there nearly 250 years. At the time of the fall of New France, the French had only been there for 140 years. The English have a historic presence in Quebec just as the French have in BC or Ontario or Manitoba or Nova Scotia or Newfoundland even. We have to first learn about each other’s histories and take some interest and pride in them.
The Québécois obsession with their grievances has led many into dark alleys of paranoia and prejudice. ‘Je me souviens’ has, for some, ceased to be a motto encouraging the citizen to be aware of his or her heritage, and instead become a mantra used to crowd out other ways of thinking. Sadly, I see the same type of ‘grievance-based’ emoting developing among Anglo-Quebecers. ‘We Won’t Forget This!’ should be their motto.
The question is, are there people of good will who are willing to listen to one another fairly and reasonably? Really listen. People who think it’s important to know the contribution that French Canadians made to Canada; and that British (yes the hated British) made to Quebec? Are we willing to have French schools and hospitals in English majority provinces? Are we willing to treat the English with respect and not shout in triumph when another Anglo family pulls their loaded Volvo wagon out of the west island toward Mississauga? I don’t know. There are a few signs of hope. In Victoria a beautiful new francophone school was recently opened. But the levels of assimilation here art still going to be staggeringly high. And perhaps that is inevitable. Perhaps the French in Ontario and the West and the Anglos in Quebec are doomed to dwindle, like the High Elves of Tolkien’s Middle Earth; relics of a passing era.
As for Anglaid; I love English, the language and the people, just as I love French, the language and the people; and Italian; and Spanish; and no one will convince me ever that one ‘race’ is inherently worse than another. The nation that gave the world Bergen-Belson also gave it Bach and Beethoven. We are all, under the right/or wrong circumstances, capable of prejudice, hate, violence and injustice. 400 years ago the First Nations were thought, erroneously, to be savages. Now it’s the turn of the Anglo-Saxon to be vilified by certain narrow hate-mongers. A generation from now, it will be another group being vilified. It is up to people of good will to keep fighting the good fight.
Defense Association Anglophone Quebec said
Thomas,
Hi, and thank you for your comment. It was rather enlightening to read.
“So where did ‘we’ go wrong?” – I have to agree with you. I would love nothing more than to live in peace and harmony without the language and separation issue constantly getting in the way. The ironic part of all this – the Anglophone population in Quebec actually promote the French language in that it is taught in all English schools beginning in Kindergarten through high school. We integrate into a French society, use French in public and in the workplace. What the problem is is so many have been fed “revisionist history” (you know, how bad the Anglo-Saxons are, they want to “assimilate” the French…etc…etc…etc…). Strangely enough, the Anglophone population in Quebec is 80% bilingual. And yet…there are still complaints. Where we went wrong, or our Federal government went wrong, is they did not agree to a completely French society. You know, no English schools for us, no health services for us in English, no Federal government services in English, I’m sure you get the picture. That’s where things went wrong. Canada has accommodated the French minority of Quebec; however, Nationalists are unwilling to accommodate their minority. Even the UN deemed the laws in Quebec “unconstitutional”. And we are told by some, we are the “best treated minority”. Funny, I think the French would be the “best treated minority in Canada”, that being Quebecers.
I believe that many are willing to work on Quebec itself in order to improve our health services, our roads, our infrastructure, education, etc… this can only be done if the language/separation issue is not in the way. We, as Quebecers, have evolved but the provincial governments are holding us back by continuously furthering this linguistic divide. I believe Quebec can be a bilingual province, I also believe that if it were, it would prosper! Everyone would feel welcome, everyone would be welcome. There was a report a little while ago that came out here in Quebec. It deemed Quebecers as intolerant. I believe it. We must come together despite our language or political convictions and fix our home that is Quebec!
Thomas said
There are, unfortunately, a lot of misconceptions in circulation. Old assumptions are very slow to change. It is easy to see, reading the comments of Québécois/francophone Quebecers on the internet that they remain largely of the view that Quebec’s anglophones are still unable and unwilling to participate in Quebec society in French and that Quebec anglophones remain the best treated linquistic minority in the country.
I don’t know the statistics for bilingualism among Anglo-Quebecers, but if your numbers are accurate, then enormous progress has been made on the language front. I have known many many Anglo-Quebecers who could not speak French, and so I have some understanding for where the perception of unilingual Anglophones among Québécois has arisen from; and from that I can understand their frustration of the 1970s and 80s. There was also a time when the Anglophones of Quebec clearly had much better access to the broadest range of services in their own language –schools, hospitals, universities, municipal, courts etc–that did not have any real equivalents in English Canada.
That has changed somewhat, as the 9 majority English speaking provinces have expanded services in French, largely due to the influence of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but also, I think, to a real willingness to be fair to Francophones. New Brunswick and Ontario are obvious leaders in this area. As a result, it is perhaps somewhat inaccurate to say that Anglo-Quebecers are the ‘best’ treated minority in the country. If you still have English hospitals and 3 English universities in Quebec, then you are probably ‘better’ off from a service point of view than Francophones in most of the rest of the country. We have no Francophone hospitals or universities in BC, for example, and at this point it would be ludicrous to create them for the small Francophone population. But, perhaps we are not far off from the day when it would make sense to have a French university somewhere in the West.
However, it is hard to justify the position that Anglophones are ‘better’ treated in Quebec than Francophones in other parts of the country when official government policy seems to be aimed at either assimilating English Quebecers into the majority society or driving them out of the Province altogether. That would create a psychological condition that is antithetical to the support of a self-confident flourishing minority. So while the Francophone communities in the rest of Canada may say ‘We are fragile; facing high assimilation levels, but at least we are accepted and making advances in education and services’ for the Anglo-Quebecers I perceive that it would be fair to say that your position may be: ‘We were once a flourishing community, we are now increasingly fragile, facing steadily declining numbers and living in a largely hostile provincial environment, with gradual erosion of services and serious interference with what should be our basic linguistic rights’.
What Anglophone Quebecers could do, is to in a reasonable, articulate and absolutely accurate manner is to document the social changes that have occurred in both English and French Canada and present this in a reasonable way, in French, to the Francophone majority of Quebec, to try and correct the many misconceptions. Ranting and shouting and whining will only get Anglo-Quebecers the label of ‘Angryphones’. The message from Anglo-Quebecers has to be a steady one: ‘we have a right to be here, as an historic contributing community in Quebec; we have become bilingual; we are prepared to contribute to Quebec society; we expect to be treated with dignity and respect and to have our basic linguistic rights acknowledged by the Francophone majority.’ The formidable task facing Anglo-Quebecers is to persuade the soft nationalists that the continued presence of a strong and dynamic English minority in Quebec is not incompatible with the existence of the Québécois nation, and that it is not acceptable in the 21st century to espouse a policy designed at even soft ethnic-cleansing.
bonbon said
it seems to me that this verbose maxime is saying that anglos in quebec deserve to suffer because the 500 000-strong franco community in ontario doesnt have an exclusively french hospital. dont punish quebec anglos for what’s happening outside of quebec.
as far as some pissant french community in saskatoon….are you really surprised that it folded and the residents had to move to quebec? i mean REALLY? look. it is not up to a bunch of people that are not of your own cultural grouping to make sure you have a culture in any given location. it is up to YOU and YOUR GROUP to instill the traditional cultural values in your children. this way you preserve your culture in a location. i highly doubt there was some saskatoonian equivalent of kristallnacht to expel the few french citizens there.
and in any case, in terms of perserving french culture IN QUEBEC who the hell cares about french communities ELSEWHERE? short of sending some crackpot french military task force ( AHA HA HA.) out-of-province to go fight for their compatriots rights,. what are they going to do for them except whine impotently about the horrible injustices of the saskatoonian assimilationists…..need i really go any further with that one?
Ben Smith said
Do Canadians shut down all literature expressing hateful views? Don’t you believe in free speech? Who gets to decide what is hateful and forbidden, and what’s OK?
equality4all said
I do believe in free speech. It becomes hate literature when one expresses it as fact, not opinion. Such as in the case of Mr. Brule. He clearly expresses his views as fact. THAT is where the line is.
maxime said
As a french canadian I stongly disaprove of this book. The language is appaling, the rhetoric is weak and the content is indeed hateful. It was clearly written by someone who is in a psychological distress at the moment. But unfortunetly, I have to agree nevertheless with many of his conclusions. The anglophone minority of Québec has failed to integrate into the majority. One senses that it his still trying to gain importance and dominate (with 8% of the population) instead of fighting together with the francophones here to maintain this incredible and unique culture in north america. Knowing the international recognition of so many Québec artists, singers, writers, film directors, creators, it is really sad to look at the anglophones of Canada completely ignore them. You listen to an anglophone radio station even in Montréal and you would think you’re in a foreign country! To hire unilingual anglophones in a majority francophone state, not willing to live in french in the common place, not respecting the language laws without which it would be impossible to preserve our thriving culture etc… Very sad. That is not acceptable in a state where people ought to live together. Canada was founded as a confederation. A union of relatively indepedent states. Québec is one of them and its official language is french even if a minority speaks english. And it should show. Ontario has as much francophones as Québec has anglophones. And they don’t even begin to have the same rights and institutions. Maybed you should try fighting for them till they get the same as your community here. Good luck! We, Québécois, don’t get the sense that you care to build a nation together with us. And thus, I fear, because of our failure to cross over the language barrier, that such manifestation as that book, are just beginning to reappear.
equality4all said
Your opinion of what Confederation is, is bang on. I agree 100%. However I don’t agree with your views of language outside of the province. I recently watched the Premiere of Ontario hold a press conference entirely in the French language. Ontario has MANY French institutions and communities. I would advise travel. You may be surprised to learn other than what the PQ and BQ say. Canada is a wonderful country.
I am not a Quebecois, I am Canadian. That apparently makes me a traitor to many of my neighbours. I’m not certain how? My family has been in Quebec for almost 200 years. Does the language we speak make us less? I have no need to integrate. I speak English and French. Unless what you mean is take down my Canadian flag and fly only the provincial flag. Stop celebrating Victoria Day and calling it Patriot’s Day. (Whatever that is?) Or Stop calling Canada Day “moving day”. As though that’s not a jab at proud Canadians.
When you speak of building our country, do you mean the one we already have? Canada. And improving on it? Or do you mean the twice democratically rejected country of Quebec?
I am a Canadian. My rights as a Canadian should not come with conditions because I am a maudit anglais. The French language is under no threat. It never has been. If French was banned tomorrow would you cease to speak it? I would hope not. I am a Canadian, and I am a Quebecer. I have as much right to exist as the Francophone in Ontario. Manitoba. Alberta. The only difference, those provinces do not have English only legislation.
maxime said
Hi Equality!
I actually forgot to say that my father is an anglophone from Ontario and that i (I) did travel a lot in Canada and of course throughout the state Ontario, which I do find pleasurable. But my opinion is 100% firm about the collapsing french communities everywhere else! One of my best friends is a francophone from Sakatoon and the entire family had to move to Québec to avoid assimilation. The institutions of the anglophone community here in Québec have NO equivalent anywhere else in the whole world! It is the best treated minority anywhere on the planet. And I think we did allowed too much privileges. An anglophone mega hospital for example has no place here. In Ontario they have Montfort in Ottawa… the equivalent of…say… the Royal Victoria. That’s it. And for the same francophone population, that is 500 000 in Ontario. When the anglophones here will have succeeded in granting the francophones elsewhere the same privileges that they enjoy in the state of Québec, then I’ll start listening again to their demands. Sorry. The fact that you consider yourself foremost canadian is fine with me. But the vast majority of Quebeckers consider themselves Québécois, and then, for some, and only to a certain point, canadian without much emotional string. Myself, I identify more to americains then to canadians. I feel much at home in Boston and New York. But absolutely not in Toronto or Calgary or even Ottawa! In New York, you’ll find francophiles everywhere. It’s even the mark of an educated and sophisticated person to speak french there. In Toronto? Good luck! I speak several other languages and cultural diversity plays an huge role in my life. I spend half the year abroad where I have to speak russian, german, swedish, nederlands, spanish, arabic and even english when I don’t master the local language… But when I come back home, in Québec, I want people to respect the fact that the common place should be french. And I will never say one word in a foreign language unless I decide so. Which, to calm you, I do once in a while. And when I meet a fellow Québécois that speaks to me in english and pretends not to speak french, I always ask: Is it by lack of intelligence…or lack of respect? And I doubt it would be the former. I am a person dedicated to justice and respect. We will be able to live together in Montréal when the anglophone will accept that they form a minority. And that their battle here in Québec, is ours to: Do everything possible to preserve a francophone society in north america. And the anglophones should play a crucial role in making sure the rest of the actual federation does everything in that sense. Our battle should be the same. And then we will all be Québécois. At last.
Defense Association Anglophone Quebec said
Hi Maxime,
Our opinions of Canada may differ. There are many Francophone communities in Canada that are growing. Which we not only encourage, but entirely support! Places like Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick etc… They possess pretty healthy Francophone communities as well as the Federal government allotting more funding and promotion of the language. Sorry your friend did not persist in trying to fight for the same in Saskatoon. I believe persistence and dedication to ones language and culture is passed down through the family, and it’s unfortunate your friend was unable to maintain that.
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why Anglophones of Quebec have their institutions (which by the way are bilingual, not unilingual Anglophone, at least according to my visits)? Could it be perhaps due to the fact that our families have been here for years (approx. 200) and contributed to the Quebec economy and building these institutions? Hmmm, how we would love to forget that one minor detail, how dare we maintain them today right? Best treated minority, um ok…LOL. 500,000 Francophones in Ontario vs. 900,000+ Anglophones in Quebec, and you know something else? They can post THEIR signage in the language of THEIR choice; they can send THEIR children to a French/English school. They CAN obtain all Federal Government services in THEIR language. They can visit websites in French/English. And THEY are entitled to choose either FRENCH or ENGLISH. Yes, we are by far, the best treated minority in Canada.
As for the Anglophones here granting Francophones in other provinces the same privileges we enjoy here, what might those privileges be and how can WE grant them? I would be all for the laws being equal in EVERY province for minorities. This being said, all Canadians would possess the right to post signage in the language of their choice, enrol their children in the schools of their choice. Obtain information in either of Canada’s official languages, without discrimination. Receive government services in either official language without discrimination, etc… Would you be willing to accord the same rights? We have no problem with that whatsoever and we support the minority Francophones in the rest of Canada. How could we not?
As for the “vast majority” viewing themselves as Québécois, aren’t we all? I consider myself a Quebecer since this is the only place my family and I have ever lived. As for identifying yourself with Americans, I would guess you’re more Canadian than you think since Francophones often accuse Canadians of having no culture and being like the Americans. I, like you, am home and do conduct myself in French on a daily basis, what is your point?
Please “clarify” what you mean by “foreign language?
We, like you, are for justice and respect, who wouldn’t be? Anglophones help promote and preserve the French language as the law dictates. We however, would like to live harmoniously alongside our Francophone brothers/sisters. We know we are a minority here in Quebec, as we appreciate Francophones are a minority in Canada. The same can be said regarding Francophones in Quebec, if the Anglophones felt they were respected, I cannot see why we would not willingly fight alongside our Francophone brothers/sisters. Right now unfortunately, our focus is on maintaining our community and heritage, it is difficult to help you with this fight, I’m sure you understand… I do however disagree with one thing, just for clarity, we are Quebecers. We have the ability to make Quebec more prosperous and should collectively take pride in our diversity and acceptance! Vive notre belle province!
Thank you for your comments.
maxime said
Hi DAAQ,
As you said we have different perspective. You identify mostly to Canada. And I identify mostly to Québec. That is a huge detail. To me english is indeed a foreign language. The official language of Québec being solely french. I enjoy any other language as a way to enrich my cultural knowledge…including english also. All your depiction of the language situation take in account an intellectual failure to begin with. You are talking as though french and english could be put on a similar ground. It is not the case in North america. I do believe that the language and culture are passed through the family at the beginning. But the most important socialization institution today (both parents go to work) is school and later work. The french communities in the ROC don’t have enough influence to maintian themselves. So they are assimilated. That IS a fact. And you know what? Those communities have been there, not for 200 years… but for 400 years. The discoverers of north america were the french. Détroit, Sault Ste-Marie, St-Louis, Nouvelle-Orléan, Des Moines, Saskatchewan, Manitoba… all french! And you think they didn’t loose their influence?? Come on! I won’t even argue that point. This federation is based upon a lack of balance between the “founding nations”. It won’t work. We need to reestablish in Québec a fair balance. I think the best way is to form an independant country. But otherwise, it would be possible in respecting the confederation and allowing QUébec all the tools it needs. And that means assert the predominance of french in all parts of the Québec society. I agree to keep all services for the anglophone minority. But strictly. Not extended to any other minority group. I would rather integrate the anglophones with the francophones for a better cohesion. But that has to be left to them to decide. But the question is: Do your children feel Québécois and integrated? When they have no clue about most of the cultural life here? When instead of watching Star Académie (2 millions viewers each week) they watch American Idol?? And that’s just an example. It goes on and on. Which are your 10 best québec singers? When was the last time you went to TNM? Which are your 10 favorite Québec movies? I once told a The Gazette cultural critic I had seen Hosannah from Tremblay… and she asked me twice before telling me she had no idea who that was??? Is that not Anglocentrism?? Apartheid?? To have a coherent life, all children should go to one school…in french with an enhanced enlish curriculum. Otherwise they don’t have the same references even if they live on the same street. And later many anglophones will move to BC. Montréal was founded by Maisonneuve. In old french royal was réal. So Mont-Réal. That is the history that ought to be preserved here. You cannot have two competing identities on a same territory. Did you know that Ô Canada was written in french and to the glory of the french which were called Canayens…later Canadiens. The anglophones were British subjects. But they took our song over, translated it and made it theirs, they took the identity expression Canadiens, and made it Canadian. So let’s talk about symbols, inheritance and so on. And you want to know something. Almost everytime I meet with friends and there is ONE person that is not francophone…Well I have to switch to english to accomodate that person who alway says: My french is not too good!! And ask any francophone. Everyone will share the same impression! Right here in my city! My mother was told by her employer not to speak to anyone on the phone in her native french…here in Montréal…during her lunch! Can you believe it? And as you see, we engaged here in a conversation in your language. Even though your association in rooted in a french speaking state. It’s allright. I’ll play the game once more. Sans rancune.
equality4all said
Hi Maxime,
When you travel what passport do you carry? When you are at customs either entering another country, or returning, what citizenship do you declare?
I would, with all due respect to you, remind you again that the “nation of Quebec” has been democratically rejected, twice. Can we please move on from that issue. It’s like a cold sore that won’t go away. Quebecers by a majority want to be Canadians. Whether they call themselves that or not.
The status quo of reaping the benefits of being Canadian and calling yourself a Quebecois is ironic. Essentially, rejecting the nation that keeps the dream alive. Pure irony.
As for French in other provinces. I don’t put much credit into what the PQ and BQ tell us Qubecers. (Like you, but the other way around, my father is Francophone).
It is a complete and total shame that your friend felt they had to move from their home province. Canada is a bilingual country. Our official languages should be equally protected, everywhere. As the DAAQ said, French does receive a larger amount of funding from the federal government, as the PROVINCIAL government of Quebec refuses to help the English language in most ways.
As for an English mega hospital, I would hardly call it that as, by law, you must complete your exams in French to enter nursing or medicine (be a doctor) in Quebec. Sinage laws etc. etc. are mandated by law. So how much of an “Anglo hospital” could it possibly be? “Anglo hospital” really doesn’t make much sense when you add those realisitc factors eh? Don’t tell Pauline Marois, it’ll blow her whole “maudit anglais” campain platform. Ha-ha. Bilingual yes. English, no. That’s just reality.
Again, as was pointed out, you can post sinage, educate your children, and feel safe to converse in whatever language you choose anywhere in Canada except of course, Quebec. If anyone, anywhere else in Canada interjected in a private conversation and ever told someone to “speak English” that person should be immediately smacked. Just like someone telling me to “parle francais” in Quebec when in public. And I do get in their face about it. I have, and I will continue to do so. I don’t live in a facist country.
The “woe is us”, mentality that fuels the PQ and BQ has to go. It’s so childish. And 250 years out of date.
I want to educate my children in the manner I and my wife so choose. NOT how the government that rejects me or at best considers me an inconvenience, chooses to.
bonbon said
hey maxime, have you ever heard of brevity? could you maybe try and employ some of it when you post ’cause most of the people reading this are at work, not on chomage, so they dont exactly have a day and a half to take a point from your ramblings.
equality4all said
I agree. I don’t think Quebecers are racists. Like any other society, there are good and bad people. In general, we Quebecers are the warmest friendliest people. Well, the Newfoundlanders sure give us a run for our money on friendliest, but you get my point. Ha-ha!
Our problem in Quebec is the blame game. We all need to pull our heads out of our collective asses. English, French, Allophone. We need to start working together. End this language non-sense. But until everyone is equal in Quebec, by law, we will not be able to move forward.
Fridoline said
I think that most of the french quebecers (and I count myself in) disagree with Brule and that we think he is a narcissic, paranoid fool.
By the way, he published himself his own book, probably because no one else would have.
On the other hand, we are force to admit that hateful litterature is also OFTEN published toward Quebecers.
Michel Brule’s propaganda is very similar to Jan Wong’s, who once stated that Dawson’s massacre was caused by bill 101 and argued that all Quebecers were racists…
As Jeff said, you cannot say : “All Quebecers are racists” without being on yourself…
Suomy Nona said
I read a comment somewhere that if you substituted the word(s), Jew, Black, Chinese for the English this would really sound racist. And it does. Why do we take this sitting down? It just encourages more tripe from other quebecois writers. Do we really feel so bad about ourselves that we deserve this type of published hate crap? We should not let this die. This guy is giving interviews promoting his book in all types of media, print and on radio stations. Also I believe I read that the author acknowledges receiving a grant from the Canadian government to write this garbage. That is truly outrageous.
Defense Association Anglophone Quebec said
Hello Suomy Nona,
We, THE DAAQ are not taking this sitting down. We are encouraging EVERYONE to write letters to ALL Federal ministers citing the Criminal Code as the spread of hate propaganda is illegal! You read correctly, he did receive a grant from Heritage Canada however, our guess is Heritage Canada is unaware of its content. We are and continue to raise awareness through writing letters to the bookstores that are selling this crap and, as I mentioned above, to all Federal ministers. We are also taking care of spreading the word internationally (the Press Releases are sent to places such as: France, England, etc…and the United Nations). We would like to have this type of literature REMOVED from stores!
We encourage you to write letters citing the criminal code regarding the sale of hate propaganda!
Thanks for your post and your support. Together we can accomplish our goal of having this book and others like it, out of our bookstores and in the garbage where they belong!
Hobosic said
Hello,
daaqinternational.wordpress.com – da best. Keep it going!
Thank you
equality4all said
I found a facebook page regarding this piece of crap. i’ve called and written the book stores and a bunch of mp’s and mna’s.
this garbage has to be taken out of stores and brule charged with spreading hate.
Ruby Clark said
I am outraged by Mr. Brule’s book and am very happy to see that others are reacting negatively towards it. However, I believe that not enough Anglophones are aware of this hateful publication; more people need to know about this and express their outrage so that this book can cease to propagate hate towards Anglophones.
Muchacho Enfermo said
I’m posting about this on my blog and for Google News… When I read this in Metro I was too angry to keep a cool head about it, but now I’m a bit more composed and will definitely fight this book tooth and nail…
jeff said
This man is ignorant and hypocritical. Anyone who even slightly reads between the lines can see that every negative quality he accuses the English of having he indeed shares. You cannot say “all english are racist” without being racist. He is not worth too much effort.