From: audetf@Software.Mitel.COM (Francois Audet)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Biliguism
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:41:01 GMT
Distribution: can
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.

In article steven@spxtech.qc.ca (Steven C. Potter) writes:
>   You are still denying the existence of an English community in Quebec!

No I'm not, and that's why the restriction of education language do
not apply to the anglo-quebecois. That's also why english schools are
funded with public funds.

>   Quebec's francophone "face" is a "masque".

Why? Are you denying the french history of Quebec?

The english community of Quebec exist because of the conquest of
then-Canada by the British. That obviously cannot be changed. What can
be changed is the future, so that's why the law attempts to minimize
the deterioration of the francophone Quebec to the benefit of the
anglophone Quebec.

>   I already speakthe language of the English community to which I naturally
>   belong. I learned French at school and I shall encourage my children to
>   do the same.

I'd do the same, but if I was moving to England, I would not send my
kids to french school, and complain of not being able to do so.

>   "effectively FORCED" because resources and schools are not available is
>   NOT the same thing as being legislatively denied access to public
>   resources that are available to other members of the community.

Why isn't it the same? To me, at least the law is clear, while
claiming rights to schooling in the language of choice but failing to
provide it is simply hypocrit. It keeping the eyes close not to see
the injustice being done. Both achieves the same result, except that
in Quebec, the anglo-quebecois are protected (unlike the
franco-not-quebecois).

>   When access to those services is only granted to a certain language group
>   (according to when and where thay were educated) it is RACIST!

Not again. This is like saying that providing the facilities for
schooling only in english (and not in the other "official" language)
is also racist.

>  Francophones in all the other provinces in Canada have a legal right to
>  have ther children educated in French schools where there are enough of
>  them to warrant the provision of the service. 

This is a pile of crap. The law does not force any provincial
government to provide such service "were number warrants." 

>  You seem to be trying to suggest that English people must be prevented
>  from using English schools that are already available in Quebec until
>  other provinces provide French schools all over Canada.

I'm not sure what you are referring to with "english" in this case.
Bill 101 originally said that english education for anglo-quebecois
would be guaranteed (funding and everything), which is already a lot
more than what exist in other provinces. It also had a clause that
stipulated that if a citizen from another province "immigrates" to
Quebec, he would be allowed to have education in english for its kids
provided that his province of origin provides french education for the
francophone minority.

As for immigration from other countries, I don't know why all the
argumentation since there is virtually not francophone immigration
outside Quebec.

>   I am objecting to being denied the right to join my own linguistic
>   community in Quebec.

I could object to not even having my linguistic minority survive in
TROC.

>   You are still trying to deny the existence of an English community in
>   Quebec.

No. I'm objecting to Quebec supporting a NEW english community. It is
unthinkable to deny the existence of an english community in Montreal,
even if its existence is associated with an invasion of a country.
Can't blame the descendants of course. There is no reason whatsoever
why Quebec should accept to support new arrivants to integrate an
english community rather than a french one. No other country does
anything like that (including the rest of Canada). Why would we? 

>   If there were a French community in Great Britain (even if French were
>   not an official language of the country) I would support them! 
>
>   If they wanted their own French language school, for example, at
>   public expense - Why not?

How do you expect to be in a situation were "number warrants" if they
were denied access to schooling and services in their own language
since the beginning? It's a chicken-and-egg situation! Communities
don't pop-up of anywhere. In the case of the english minority in
Quebec, it started up when the then-British took control of Canada.
The minority was not assimilated (unlike a lot of the irish because of
their religion) because they had their own parallel system that
included education and other services. That's a chance that the
francophones of the rest of Canada didn't have.

>   If they expected to integrate and function well in Britsh society
>   they ought to see about getting a good English education but that
>   should be their choice!

Well, that's easy to say because the situation does not apply in
Britain. I doubt that it would work if I look at Britains reputation
of openness to other european languages.

>   As for being "fooled by federalist propoganda into believeing that
>   Quebec was another British colony" - could you please provide a
>   source reference for that "propoganda"? - I should very much like to
>   see it out of curiosity. Though I have a strong suspicion that you
>   shall be unable to produce it!

That was an exageration of course. Call it sarcasm if you want. I
believe it is very stupid from the federal governement to "tell you"
that Canada is a bilingual country were you can fully live in whatever
of both official language you want anywhere. First, it is not true,
and second, it's a provincial matter, not a federal matter. And third,
it resulted in expectations from your part that could not be
fullfilled by your new home.

Nevertheless, I personnally think that a lot of the language laws
should be softened. But, not because of so-called "canadian
bilinguism" abstract principle, and certainly not with the current
situation of francophones in the rest of Canada.
-- 
                                                       Francois Audet
                                                           '
                                      Telephone: (613) 592-2121 x1754
                          Internet: Francois.Audet@software.Mitel.COM