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Affichage des résultats pour les étiquettes 'language'.
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C'est quoi vos opinions les gars? Honnêtement j'ai vécu ce scénario. Beaucoup de difficultés à trouver un emploi après mon bac. J'ai quitté pour l'Ontario pour prendre de l'expérience et revenu à Montréal après deux ans, mais je connais beaucoup de personnes éduqués qui ont resté à Ontario et c'est très dommage (avocats, ingénieurs, actuaires, etc). http://globalnews.ca/news/2608967/new-montreal-documentary-explores-anglo-youth-unemployment/ The film looks at the higher rate of unemployment for anglophone youth as opposed to francophone youth in Quebec’s largest city. According to career advisers, the lack of job opportunities for anglophones leads many to move to cities like Toronto. “Quite often, if English is an easier language for them, they leave Quebec,” said Iris Unger, YESMontreal’s executive director. “We’re losing a lot of really talented people.” According to the Association for Canadian studies, the unemployment rate is 8.4 per cent for anglophones and just 5.9 per cent for francophones. But for bilingual people, there’s still a discrepancy with a 5.8 per cent unemployment rate for anglophones versus a 3.4 per cent rate for francophones.
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Not sure if all or any have heard of this by the office Québécois de la langue française concerning the pronunciation of pk subban's name? Not sure about other people's reaction or position on such things but as a Montrealer and Quebecer all my life I'm pissed that these people make such stupid and useless remarks. I for one see that there is a certain pressure to protect the language however this is not how one succeeds in such things. In language especially making it interesting and relevant, with bilingualism, events and places to go and things to learn in French here in Québec which make people want to learn the language and use it. I go to ÉTS and I as is evident I am pas mal anglaphone but I go there because of what they offer, it doesn't phase me to attend my courses in French it is simply a bit more work. Just take schools in the Uk or the states for example, people from all over the world who do not speak English go to places like MIT or Oxford because they have reputations to be some of the best. People then learn english and that's that. From what I see and who I talk to the opinions of the language police are not those of the people of Montréal. In some case sure like everything sold should have french but this bs of pronunciation of an english guy from Toronto is insane! Sent from my C6806 using Tapatalk
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So I cannot sleep as I keep thinking the rest of Canada keeps hating on Montréal and our developments, economy, government and so on. A, I don't buy the bs that we're lagging behind (We could be growing much much faster I realize) but more importantly the hate on our new architecture m'enerve en poutine. Not my point however, I was thinking it would be fantastic to develop both the northern and souther corners of René-Lévesque and Guy. Not in a standard way of developer says this, city says that, study shows this, ok simple tower that sells and doesn't cause much fuss. But in a very Montréal way rather, through a system of all Montréal companies who care about here(Wsp accross the street for example), ideas from all groups of people like students from our excellent engineering universities like ÉTS/Polytechnic/McGill/Concordia all in the visinity, people on this forum with fun ideas that we can all talk about and turn into something Montréal in general can ve proud of. It be an awesome place to have the highest outlook as well, all along the boulevard, the new Champlain, the general, both new mega hospitals, the other new developments popping up all around the area. I'm gonna spend some free time trying to come up with some designs and 3d models and I hope someone else on this vibrant forum will do so with me. To all my francophone friends , I wrote this in english because I'm better in english, and I know you understand just as I understand when you write you're long French posts.....another great Montréal thing where we don't care what language just as long as it's a good idea [emoji14] Sent from my C6806 using Tapatalk
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Toys "R" Us in Quebec refuses to sell English-only Daniel Tiger doll
un sujet a posté IluvMTL dans L'actualité
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/montreal/toys-r-us-in-quebec-refuses-to-sell-english-only-daniel-tiger-doll-1.3031253 Toys "R" Us in Quebec refuses to sell English-only Daniel Tiger doll Montreal father says it should be up to parents, not province to determine what toys kids play with Apr 13, 2015 8:13 PM ET Kate McKenna, CBC News A Montreal man is criticizing Quebec language laws after trying to buy a toy from a local Toys "R" Us — and being told by a clerk he wasn't allowed to purchase it. Chez Geeks board-game store gets OQLF complaint Quebec government stance dismays francophone school supporters Looking back at 40 years of French as Quebec's official language Blue Dog Motel bar no longer in hot water with OQLF Nick Messina tried to purchase a "Daniel Tiger" plush toy for his infant daughter Carina after noticing her eyes "lit up" while watching the popular children's TV show Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood. Hoping to buy it as an Easter gift, he drove to his nearest Toys "R" Us, which didn't have the toy in stock. Then he called another Toys "R" Us in Montreal where clerk informed Messina there were two of the toys in stock. However, the clerk told Messina that he couldn't buy a Daniel Tiger because the toy is unilingual. "It's kind of saddening."- Nick Messina, father Daniel Tiger talks and sings 14 different phrases — but they're all in English. Messina said the clerk thanked him for letting them know the toy only spoke English, and said it would be shipped back to Ontario. "I kind of felt a little bit turned off. I felt it was discriminatory against the English-speaking community in Montreal. After all, Montreal is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural," he said. Not giving up, the father tried to purchase the doll online — only to discover the Toys "R" Us website wouldn't ship the product to Quebec. English-speaking toys illegal Messina didn't know until a few weeks ago, but because of Quebec's language laws, it's illegal to sell a unilingual toy unless the toy has a French-speaking counterpart. He says it should be up to parents to decide what toys they can buy for their kids, not the province. "I don't understand why, when it comes to the choice of purchasing a toy for our children, that we have to be subjected to these kinds of rules and regulations," he said. "It's kind of saddening." Toys "R" Us admits mistake In a statement to CBC News, a spokeswoman from Toys "R" Us apologized for the inconvenience, but said the toy shouldn't have been on the shelves. "Toys 'R' Us shipped in error the English-speaking product to one of our Quebec stores and a customer tried to purchase it. Our store did not sell the product to the customer and we apologized for the inconvenience that this caused our customer. We immediately communicated to our store that this product cannot be sold," said the statement. Happy ending for family Messina's perseverance paid off. He did manage to buy the doll eventually; he bought it on Amazon for about $50 more than what Toys "R" Us was asking. Though it was more than he planned to pay for the doll, Carina adores her new toy. For Carina Messina, it was love at first sight for this Daniel Tiger doll. (CBC) sent via Tapatalk -
Here are some examples that show US based companies that have retail stores in Québec, but don't rush (if at all) to translate their online sites, probably because of the relatively small population base in Quebec vis à vis North America. In the meantime we are cut off from ordering online. http://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/retail/blocked-in-quebec-u-s-stores-shut-down-english-only-web-sites-when-they-open-here Blocked in Quebec: U.S. stores shut down English-only web sites when they open here EVA FRIEDE, MONTREAL GAZETTE More from Eva Friede, Montreal Gazette Published on: November 12, 2014Last Updated: November 12, 2014 5:20 PM EST Many retailers have closed their sites to Quebec traffic due to language restrictions. As the invasion of U.S. retailers continues and as the Internet increasingly becomes the marketplace and the research centre of consumers, some Quebecers are getting unpleasant surprises: some companies have blocked access to their websites here either because they have voluntarily complied with the French Language Charter or because they have received a notice from the Office québécois de la langue française. The latest sites to shut down are Williams-Sonoma, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, all part of the same San Francisco-based company and all arrived in Quebec within the last two years. The sites shut down on Oct. 22, according to a company spokesperson. But a quick survey shows many prominent U.S. retailers with brick-and-mortar stores in Quebec continue to operate English-only shopping sites here. The probable reason: the Office québécois de la langue française, charged with ensuring that Quebec’s French Language Charter is respected, sends notices to retailers only if complaints are filed, said spokesman Jean-Pierre Le Blanc. The Williams-Sonoma spokesperson confirmed in an email that the brands have ceased e-commerce activities in Quebec for an undetermined period in order to comply with Quebec language regulations. The home pages and other information pages are available in English only, but clicking on the shopping link takes you to a redirect loop. “We are actively working with the stores in order to find ways to continue to make the shopping experience memorable for our Quebec customers,” the spokesperson wrote. BCBG, Club Monaco and Urban Outfitters are among other retail brands that block access to shopping or to their entire sites in Quebec. Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, part of the same Philadelphia-based company, blocked access to their websites when they opened stores here. Anthropologie, which opened in Montreal in late 2012, launched its French website 13 months later. Urban Outfitters remains blocked. But Free People, also part of the chain, does not have a store here and the site is accessible, either for research or Internet sales. Similarly, Club Monaco shut its site in Quebec when it launched an online shopping site. A visit to its home page invites customers to visit its store, which is soon to expand and move to a prominent location at Ste-Catherine St. W. at Metcalfe, from Les Cours Mont-Royal. Founded by Canadian Joe Mimran in Toronto in 1985, Club Monaco is now owned by Ralph Lauren and headquartered in New York. sent via Tapatalk
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I have heard from a source who works for a tenant at 1425 Boul. Rene-Levesque Ouest that the building was recently sold to Saputo and therefore the property management contact info had changed. I don't know anything beyond this. There were rumours circulating in other threads about Saputo targeting the Standard Life Building which appears to have fallen through... could this have been their Plan B? The building is home to a number of tenants including Quebec govt offices, some international NGOs, and a language school among others... as well as the newly opened Frunchroom restaurant.
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Contrôler les propos sur les réseaux sociaux, c'est une mesure complètement dépassée. Que vont-ils faire plus tard? S'attaquer aux applications mobiles parce qu'elles ne sont pas en français? Complètement R-I-D-I-C-U-L-E! Quebec language watchdog targets Facebook page Social media the new frontier for agency probing Ottawa-area retail boutique By Joel Balsam CHELSEA, QUE. — The agency in charge of enforcing the primacy of the French language in Quebec apparently has a new target — social media. Eva Cooper, the owner of a small retail boutique called Delilah in the Parc, has been notified by the language agency that if she doesn't translate the shop's Facebook page into French, she will face an injunction, which will carry consequences such as a fine. "Ultimately, to me, Facebook has nothing to do with Quebec," said Cooper, who uses the social media site to inform customers of new products in her boutique in Chelsea, north of Ottawa. The shop has an all-bilingual staff of fewer than 10 people. "I'm happy to mix it up, but I'm not going to do every post half in French, half in English. I think that that defeats the whole purpose of Facebook," said Cooper, who has requested the agency send her their demands in English. Cooper's case represents a new frontier for the language agency, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The agency says probes of social media complaints, which started only recently, are "not frequent." This all comes amid election talk in the province. Diane De Courcy, Quebec minister of immigration and cultural communities, said earlier this week that if her party wins the next election, they will toughen language laws for small businesses. In particular, the Parti Québécois will crack down on bilingualism, such as the "Bonjour-Hi" greeting used in many areas including Chelsea and Montreal. Traditionally, the language agency has targeted non-Francophone businesses that have signs or promotional material in a language other than French, but there have been some instances of small businesses' websites being targeted as well. In 2011, a smokehouse in Chelsea was threatened with a $1,000 fine if it didn't translate its website into French, and earlier this month, a Montreal-based website called "Provocateur Communications" was told it must comply with the French language charter by translating its page. Still, the question of how the agency is able to dictate what goes on social media in particular is "really murky," said Cooper. "Would I be able to do my text in English on (Pinterest or) Twitter?" The notice addressed to Cooper is dated Feb. 7 — almost a calendar year to the day when the "pastagate" scandal made international headlines after a Montreal restaurant was investigated for having the word "pasta" on the menu instead of the French word "pâtes." The fallout led to the resignation of the language agency's president and the launch of a "triage system" for complaints to prioritize cases that had the most impact. "This is not consistent with what the OQLF said after they evaluated their approach last spring around complaints," said Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents 41 English organizations. "She's in Chelsea. (Her Facebook page) has only 602 likes. There is no gravity to this. This is ridiculous," said Martin-Laforge. Jean-Pierre Le Blanc, spokesperson for the language agency, wouldn't comment specifically on Cooper's notice, but explained how Quebec's language law applies to Facebook. "If you talk to your friends, it's not a problem, but if it's the sale or promotion of a product or service, (it must be in French)," he said. "Our demand is this: if you sell in Quebec, it must be in French." Cooper has until March 10 to respond to the notice before she is hit with the injunction that could lead to a fine. If the language agency goes the route of asking Facebook to take down Cooper's page, it would have to prove the page violates Facebook's community standards, which prohibit the use of graphic content, hate speech, spam or harassment. Facebook does have the power to block the IP address of the page in a specific area or country if it violates the law, but this is reserved for extreme circumstances.
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Je crois que cette discussion est approprié avec L'application possible de cette "charte des maleurs" et Barbara Kay dit tout haut ce que plusieurs Montrealais pense tout bas: Je suis a priori Montrealais dans une province qui n'est pas la mienne....pourquoi pas crée notre propre "cité-province"? http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/09/18/barbara-kay-the-case-for-the-city-state-of-montreal/ Barbara Kay: The case for the City-State of Montreal A few months ago, I appeared on a French language talk show as part of a diverse panel of politicians, aesthetes and chattering-class types to give our two-cents’ worth on Quebec political issues (Bill 14 was the hot topic then). Even though everyone else was a sovereigntist, I was warmly received; francophone media people truly appreciate anglo participation in such discussions. Dialogue proceeded in amiable fashion until I was asked if I considered myself a québécoise. “Non“, I unequivocally responded, “I consider myself a “montréalaise,” adding that Montreal was a distinct society within Quebec just as Quebec is a distinct society within Canada. Silence. The temperature of the room seemed instantly to go down 30 degrees. Every face around the table turned to stone. Stating the truth about Montreal to Quebec nationalists — that its character, needs and interests have little in common with those of the rest of Quebec (ROQ) and that, by implication, Montreal deserves special status — is simply a taboo. Related Kelly McParland: Quebec charter reflects values of small-minded separatists Barbara Kay: Accommodation of a different order Full Pundit: The Charter of Quebec Values — ‘Kafka, meet Monty Python’ Taboo no longer. Today there will be a press conference at a downtown Montreal hotel. There strategic consultant Michel David will make his long-researched case for Montreal as a city-state, a place in which counter-productive “values” charters and language laws would not apply, and where conditions favouring entrepreneurship, economic investment and skills recruitment would. David has been brooding over Montreal’s decline for decades. According to David’s just-released report, Montreal: City-State, Re-Inventing Our Governance, Montreal is the poorest city in North America with two million or more population (22nd of 22). It ranks 59th out of 60 jurisdictions for liberty, with the highest taxes and lowest level of entrepreneurship in Canada (50% of the Canadian average). Governance is authoritarian and disrespects individual rights. If Montreal is to regain its former glory, it will not happen under any of Quebec’s parties, all of them in numeric thrall to regional, ethnically homogeneous voters with no direct stake in Montreal’s fortunes. David concludes that only the political and economic autonomy conferred by special administrative status (SAS) — for which there is a precedent: the Cree of northern Quebec have self-governed their territories in collaboration with Quebec City for decades — can restore and surpass this once great city’s former entrepreneurial glory. A recently completed IPSOS survey surveyed 1,250 respondents on the island of Montreal (50%), the greater Montreal area (25%) and ROQ (25%) on Montreal’s current position and prospects and what should be done to improve the future of the city. It found that the idea of Montreal as a city state has wide appeal in the Montreal area. And even somewhat wide appeal in ROQ. Language laws were recognized as an impediment to Montreal’s prosperity, and 75% of Montrealers think ‘guaranteeing full bilingual status’ would help Across the board, close to 80% of respondents agreed that “Montreal has lost its prestige over the last few decades.” Only 54% across the board “would recommend Montreal as a place to start a business.” Only 46% of the ROQ felt that Montreal “should have more autonomy to make its own decisions for its future,” but 81% of Montrealers agreed they should. Yet 88% of ROQ and 92% of Montrealers agreed that “Montreal needs to be bold if it wants to move forward and prosper.” What to do? Language laws were recognized as an impediment to Montreal’s prosperity, and 75% of Montrealers think “guaranteeing full bilingual status” would help. “Streamlining and improving Montreal’s city governance” found favour with 97% of all the respondents, and almost as many think “recognizing entrepreneurs who are creating jobs in the city” is important. Premier Marois, take note: A full 94% of Montrealers and encouraging 80% of ROQ believe in “promoting Montreal’s multicultural aspects.” It’s not remarkable that “making a clear and long term commitment to the Canadian Federation” drew agreement from 80% of Montrealers, but that 66% of ROQ felt the same way will probably come as an unpleasant surprise to the PQ government. The key points of overwhelming agreement to take away from Montreal residents’ numbers are: Montreal is a distinct society within Quebec (90%); to stop its decline, Montreal needs to take drastic steps to improve the way it does things (91%); and Montreal deserves special status within Quebec because it is a world-class, cosmopolitan city (74%). The PQ government’s attempt to pass anglophobic Bill 14 offered proof yet again, if it were needed, that language supremacy is more important to sovereigntists than Montreal’s health and prosperity. The proposed Quebec Values Charter makes it crystal clear that Montreal’s strengths of multiculturalism and openness to the world are actually hateful to them. They would rather see Montreal on its knees, reduced to a plodding, unilingual provincial backwater, than take pride in what could be one of the world’s greatest cities. Montreal as a city-state is an idea whose time has come. All Canadians should support it. What is good for Montreal’s prosperity and growth is good for Quebec, for Canada and the world. National Post bkay@videotron.ca
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Language debates are holding up corporate plans, developer says
un sujet a posté bucketsofrain dans L'actualité
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Language+debates+holding+corporate+plans+developer+says/8451858/story.html MONTREAL — Major corporations are putting expansion, relocations and long-term commitments on hold, because of the “unstable business environment” caused by the Parti Québécois hotly debated Bill 14, Jonathan Wener said Wednesday. “The market has definitely gotten softer and a lot of people are putting major decisions on hold. It’s basically a wait-and-see attitude,” the head of Canderel Group of Companies, a national real estate development and management company, said. Wener is the chairman and CEO of Montreal-based Canderel, which manages 9 million square feet of commercial space and has an additional 2 million square feet of residential development under construction nationally. “I think it is extremely unfortunate that we live in a society that has reduced itself to thinking it needs language police to preserve its culture — point final,” Wener told The Gazette, in a reference to the Office québécois de la langue française. “I’ve travelled a good chunk of the world and when I talk about the fact that we have language police in Quebec they laugh at me.” His comments come as the PQ is expected to put the bill to a second reading vote Thursday morning, despite widespread opposition from different groups and a Liberal filibuster. “It’s reawakened old memories which are just unfortunate because I really felt the most important thing to do was to get on with governing and improving the state of our economy, which needs a lot of work,” he said. A seventh-generation Montrealer, whose family first arrived in the 1860s, Wener is being honoured Thursday night for his support of the non-profit Segal Centre, North America’s second-largest bilingual multidisciplinary performing arts centre. The Segal Centre has a cultural — and not political — vocation. Despite Canderel’s offices in Canadian cities like Toronto, where it is building Aura, the country’s tallest residential skyscraper, the 38-year-old company still has its headquarters on Peel St. in downtown Montreal. While Wener’s personal views supporting English rights are well known, Canderel has worked on business ventures with partners of all political affiliations, including the Fonds immobilier de solidarité, which is controlled by the sovereignist-leaning Quebec Federation of Labour. Canderel and the Fonds are still looking for tenants to launch a two-tower office complex with 1.2 million square feet at the corner of Ste. Catherine and Bleury St. in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles. Wener said political uncertainty generated by proposals like Bill 14, may have softened, but not “depressed” a Greater Montreal real estate market. Until recently, the industry was breaking records for prices and new condo construction, at a time when former industrial areas like Griffintown and former downtown parking lots transformed with new developments. Indeed, the Bell Centre-adjacent Tour des Canadiens housing project that Canderel is developing with Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd. and other partners actually added two floors in January, after the original 48 storeys sold out at a pace that surprised Wener himself. “What I was surprised about is that we could do it as quickly as we did in Montreal. We had allowed for a year, we had allowed for millions of dollars in advertising that we never spent,” Wener said. “We were finished in virtually six to eight weeks.” alampert@montrealgazette.com Twitter: RealDealMtl -
Third Consecutive Oscar nomination for Canada
un sujet a posté Chris1989 dans Divertissement, Bouffe et Culture
For the third year in a row, and the 7th overall, Canada was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language category, for Rebelle. Monsieur Lazhar was nominated in 2011 and Incendies was nominated in 2010. It has no shot at winning though, Austria's Amour will take the Oscar (Amour was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Picture) Still, Quebec cinema is on fire! http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2013/01/10/rebelle-nabs-oscar-nomination-for-best-foreign-language-film/ -
C'est ce que j'adore de Montréal, et de sa communauté anglophone: cette façon d'être elle-même vraiment distincte du ROC et des USA. Ça paraît dans la langue utilisée. Cette particularité est pour moi une richesse indéniable de notre ville et du Québec en entier. Même une grande source de fierté! http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Montreal+English+true+sais+quoi/6941480/story.html
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I couldn't find a thread about this subject so I'm making it. What are some bands/singers/soloists from Montreal (and Quebec in general) that you like? French, English or any other language is ok. Send even the obvious ones! If there is already a thread about this subject then just point to it and remove this one if necessary Thanks a lot!
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Oscar Nominations came out this morning, and from what I can see, there are three Canadian nominations, all of which are for Quebecers! Denis Villeneuve's Incendies for Best Foreign Language Film http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110125/mtl_nomination_110125/20110125?hub=Montreal Adrien Morot for Best Makeup (Barney's Version) http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20110125/barneys-version-oscar-nomination-110125?s_name=oscars2011&no_ads= Dean DeBlois for Best Animated Feature (co-director of How To Train Your Dragon) http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20110125/oscar-nomination-110125/20110125?s_name=oscars2011
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(Courtesy of Monocle) I don't have the full article yet. I will post it, when it comes online.
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(Courtesy of The Montreal Gazette) :stirthepot:
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http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=2529268
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Quebec sees growth in English-speaking population
un sujet a posté ErickMontreal dans Discussions générales
Quebec sees growth in English-speaking population Last Updated: Monday, December 21, 2009 | 9:20 PM ET CBC News The number of English-speaking Quebecers is on the increase for the first time in 30 years due to immigration, along with a slowdown in the outflow of Quebec anglophones. The number has grown by about 5.5 per cent between the censuses of 2001 and 2006, reversing a trend that began in the early 1970s when provincial language policies and a push for Quebec sovereignty prompted many English-speaking residents to move elsewhere. The influx includes people moving from other provinces, as well as an increase in immigration by English-speaking people from south Asian countries. CBC News interviewed several families who have made the move. Steve Clarke and his family moved to Quebec City from Oklahoma and are impressed by the city's safety, its old-world architecture and by what he calls a "benign" government. "When people move to New York City, other people in New York City don't ask them 'why did you move here?' They just understand — you'd move here because it's a great place to live," he said. "But people in Quebec, because it's unusual for people who aren't French as a mother language, I guess it's a curiosity," Clarke said. Carrie-Anne Golding and Ryan Hughes, who moved to Montreal from Vancouver, enjoy the low cost of housing and the city's vibrant, 24-hour lifestyle, but admit cultural change requires some adjustments. "I think the first few months was sort of the honeymoon phase of everything is wonderful," Golding said. "And the reality of, you know, as an anglophone, you are in a minority in comparison." "I thought that we would merge in with the cultures a lot quicker," she said. "But it is a little bit harder. There is definitely some inroads to do in merging in with the French culture." The increase in Quebec's English-speaking population comes as a surprise to Jack Jedwab, a demographer and executive-director of the Association for Canadian Studies. Jedwab is also surprised by how little attention has been paid to the trend by Quebec's English media, compared with 30-year spotlight they focused on the so-called Anglo Exodus. "The community psychology is such that it's very accustomed to this erosion," he said. "It has become part of the [anglophone] community's identity. The shock of that demographic decline, it's impact on our institutional life." Jedwab noted that Quebec's civil service is almost entirely francophone, which can exacerbate the feeling of alienation in the English-speaking community. He suggested it may be time for anglophones to try to build on their increase in numbers, instead of clinging to the old complaint that they're a disappearing breed. -
Dieppe (Moncton,NB) pushes French, bilingual sign bylaw
un sujet a posté ErickMontreal dans L'actualité
Dieppe (Moncton,NB) pushes French, bilingual sign bylaw Proposed sign law open for discussion in January Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 6:13 AM AT CBC News Dieppe is proposing a bylaw that will require all future commercial signs on the exterior of buildings in the southeastern New Brunswick city to be either in French or bilingual. Dieppe city councillors brought forward the sign bylaw on Monday night in an attempt to quell a long-simmering debate in the francophone city over the number of English-only signs. The proposed bylaw is not in force yet and the city will give people opposed to the idea a chance to speak at a public meeting in January. The move was greeted with applause by people in the audience at Monday night's meeting, including Martin Rioux-LeBlanc, who ignited the debate after gathering 4,000 names on a petition in January in an attempt to get bilingual signs in the city. "It's a big step for New Brunswickers, it's a big step for Dieppe and we can be proud of that," Rioux-LeBlanc said. The bylaw states that any new signs that go up in Dieppe will have to be either in French or bilingual, but existing signs would not be affected. Dieppe, a city of roughly 18,000 people, is the province's only francophone city that offers municipal services in both official languages. Natural progression Dieppe Mayor Jean LeBlanc said the proposal is a natural progression from years of trying to convince businesses through education to switch from English-only signs. "Dieppe has been promoting French and promoting French culture — the linguistic landscape of our city — for a long time. This is just a continued progression towards making sure our community is well reflected," the mayor said. Dieppe, along with its neighbouring Moncton, are popular shopping destinations for people in the Maritimes and have attracted a large number of businesses in recent years. However, most business signs are still in English only, which is what instigated the petition to adopt a new sign bylaw. Although New Brunswick is officially bilingual, the province's language law does not cover the private sector. So any regulation over the language on signs in municipalities must come from the local government. Municipalities are covered under the Official Languages Act, if they are designated as a city or have an official language minority that forms 20 per cent of the population. That would require, for instance, local bylaws to be published in both official languages, but it would not extend to commercial signs. Positive regulation Michel Doucet, a prominent constitutional lawyer who specializes in language law at the University of Moncton, has been pushing the city to pass such a bylaw. Doucet said this is a step forward for bilingualism. "It's something that will be very difficult for somebody, who is in good faith, to oppose this," Doucet said. "What the municipality has done is ensure that the linguistic image for this municipality transpires through its sign law. And I believe that the council now needs the support of the people of Dieppe to come forward and to congratulate what the council has done." Along with the public meeting on the bylaw that is planned for January, Dieppe city council is also seeking an opinion from the Greater Moncton Planning Commission on the bylaw. -
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Immigrants to Quebec find job search hard Last Updated: Friday, September 4, 2009 | 4:16 PM ET CBC News Recent immigrants to Quebec have a harder time finding work than the average person, according to a CBC report. Aurelie Tseng has been looking for a job in Montreal for two years.Aurelie Tseng has been looking for a job in Montreal for two years. (CBC)The unemployment rate for new immigrants living in the province is nearly double the national joblessness average of eight per cent. Language barriers are a major obstacle for many people looking for work, especially in Quebec, where the dominant language is French. But even for French-speaking immigrants, searching for employment can be frustrating. Aurelie Tseng is a Taiwanese immigrant who moved to Quebec two years ago to be with her husband. Tseng has a business degree, speaks French, and is looking for work in her field. But after two years of looking for a job, she remains unemployed, and her discouragement grows. "I have no clue how to do it," Tseng told CBC News. "It takes more courage [now] because I have been depressed for a long time." Tseng has sought advice from YES Montreal, a non-profit organization that offers job-search services. They told her networking is key to finding any job. But networking in a new country is daunting, Tseng said. "In my country nobody does that, nobody would tell you to do that," she admitted. Tseng believes her Taiwanese background has made her job search tougher. "We are more, you know, moderate and modest. You just want to say 'OK, yes, I probably can do this,' but for example people here, they don't like to hear that, they want you to say it out loud: 'Yes I can do it' not just, 'Oh yes I think I can do it,' for example." Tseng said she's hoping to eventually get a break at a bank in Montreal's Chinatown.
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Anglos key to Quebec, Weil says New justice minister discusses her political debut, her views on Quebec society and the language issue - and her other job as a hockey mom By KEVIN DOUGHERTY, The GazetteFebruary 22, 2009 12:01 Kathleen Weil, Quebec's justice minister and MNA for N.D.G., in Old Montreal this month.Kathleen Weil sees language and diversity not as irritants but as lubricants, changing the face of Quebec. "It's French here, but with a thriving English community," Weil said in her first interview with The Gazette since her political debut in the Dec. 8 provincial election. Premier Jean Charest named Weil - who pronounces her name "While" in English but "Vial" in French - as justice minister after she held the Liberal stronghold of Notre Dame de Grâce. She sees N.D.G. as a microcosm of Quebec's future, with people from English, French and other backgrounds who increasingly speak French. Michael Goldbloom, a founding member of Alliance Quebec and principal of Bishop's University, says he and Weil have been close friends since the 1980s, when she was the English-rights lobby group's legal adviser. He recently saw the justice minister and her husband, Michael Novak, when their daughter Elisabeth, 13, played in a hockey game in Bromptonville. "She really is a hockey mum," Goldbloom said. Family values and empathy motivate her, Goldbloom added. Working with Batshaw Youth & Family Services and Quebec's regional health boards, Weil established links in Montreal and across the province. "You've got to be connected," Goldbloom said, adding that her shift to politics was "a perfectly logical step." Paul Jones, who was with Alliance Quebec, as he puts it, "from its inception to its decline," remembers Weil as "very pleasant" and "very intelligent." And Jones observes that the two solitudes that once defined Quebec society are now blurred. Weil sees Quebec's English community is a " tremendous asset," plugged in to Quebec. "If it didn't exist, you would have to invent it, because Quebec is stronger because of the English community. "My best close friends are francophones," she said, adding that the shifting demographics of Montreal mean the city will be quite different in 10 years, in 20 years, with more anglophones and newcomers at ease in French. "When I was campaigning in N.D.G., I was amazed," Weil said. "I was amazed at the anglophones, how bilingual they were." Going door to door, she would greet voters in French and in English. "Anglophones would sometimes continue in French," she said. "I was meeting Chinese people, where the dad didn't speak English or French, but the child spoke fluent French." But Weil recognizes that the government has to be sensitive to English-speaking seniors and others who are not at ease in French and who have a legal right to services in English. Quoting former PQ premier Lucien Bouchard, she said: "When you are sick, it is not the time to take a language course." Running in December was Weil's first venture into partisan politics, but she said she is "very comfortable" with the Quebec Liberals. "I've always been a Liberal in my heart," she said, recalling that her mother, Mary, was an active Liberal. "I believe in their values of social justice. I believe in supporting the private sector to create jobs to better share the wealth, which is one of the fundamental principles of the Liberal Party." Weil inherited her social conscience from her parents. Her father, Dr. Paul Weil, ran the blood transfusion service at the Royal Victoria Hospital. He wrote medical research papers, but the dinner table conversation was about history and socioeconomic issues. "He cared about people who did not have advantages." Her mother worked full time in public relations at the hospital and corresponded with Dr. Norman Bethune when he was in China. Her mother, from Almonte, Ont., decided she should be schooled in French. Weil, the sixth of seven children, recalls that her father, originally from the United States, would take the younger children on house calls in the southwestern part of the city. And Verdun is where she takes her daughter Elisabeth to pre-dawn hockey games. Weil admits to being a "hockey mum," but rejects the comparison with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Aside from impromptu runs, when she can find the time, Weil, 54, says her daughter's hockey games are important, to maintain contact with the youngest of her four children, but also to meet other parents. "Some lose their jobs and they are stuck," she said. As justice minister, Weil aims to improve access to justice, using mediation to cut legal costs and save time. She wants to reintroduce the anti-SLAPP law - to stop Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation - which died on the order paper when the election was called. As justice minister and attorney-general, she is the government's lawyer in court cases. She also follows trials in progress and bills under consideration. "You're the legal counsel for the government on all laws," she said. She is not, however, allowed to comment on cases before the courts. "The Gazette may get frustrated because probably I will be the quietest minister of all, and I have to be," Weil said. "If a minister of justice is not above the fray, that's when people lose confidence in their justice system." kdougherty@ thegazette.canwest.com © Copyright © The Montreal Gazette
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Peladeau shakes up Sun Media management The Canadian Press November 7, 2008 at 11:09 AM EST MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc. chief executive Pierre Karl Peladeau has shaken up the leadership of the company's media holdings while reporting a third-quarter profit of $45.6-million, reversing a loss of $35.2-million a year earlier. Mr. Peladeau noted “disappointing results in publishing and at Sun Media,” and personally took leadership of Sun Media Corp. and the Canoe online operation. Michael Sifton, president of Sun Media, “will be leaving the company as his position will now be undertaken by Mr. Peladeau,” Quebecor said in a release shortly after reporting its latest results. Mr. Sifton had taken the job in September 2007 after Quebecor's takeover of his Osprey Media newspaper group of small Ontario newspapers. Quebecor Inc. “The speed with which business models are required to change, combined with an uncertain economic context and more difficult advertising conditions, calls for a clearly defined strategic and operational vision,” Mr. Peladeau said in a release. “To ensure that our efforts and resources are better co-ordinated, I will now take charge the leadership of both our newspaper segment and our Web portal.” The integration of Sun Media and Canoe under one leader “will help to maximize growth opportunities and synergies, and accelerate the migration of information and contents generated by the various publications to cross-platform supports,” Quebecor stated. Added Mr. Peladeau: “Michael has played an important role, in particular by ensuring the smooth integration of two major publishers, and by preparing Sun Media Corporation's expansion in Internet and new digital technology. As such, he has contributed to the development of our vision for the future.” In a separate statement, Mr. Sifton said: “I am happy to have been given the opportunity to integrate Osprey Media in Sun Media organization. I leave behind talented people and a strong team that will no doubt successfully take on the challenges that our changing environment is bringing.” In its financial report, Quebecor said revenue increased by $73.5-million or 8.8 per cent to $908.1-million in the third quarter, with the improvement driven by the media and telecommunications group's Videotron cable subsidiary, Quebec's largest cable TV operator. Quebecor said its net income was worth 70 cents per share, compared with a year-ago loss of 55 cents per share. Income from continuing operations adjusted for one-time items edged up by $300,000 to $42.4-million, or 65 cents per share. Cable-segment operating income grew 17 per cent to $28.7-million, and Quebecor confirmed plans to spend between $800-million and $1-billion over four years to build out a wireless network. This includes $554.6-million for operating licences. “In a challenging business environment, Quebecor posted strong third-quarter 2008 results, driven by its cable segment, which continued logging substantial customer growth for all services,” Mr. Peladeau stated. He noted that Quebecor has already arranged the funding for the 17 mobile-phone network licences, and “in these times of tight credit markets, it is important to mention that future investment in this project does not rely on access to capital markets; it will be funded through cash flow generation and available credit facilities.” In early trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Quebecor shares fell 90 cents to $19.75, a drop of 4.4 per cent. Quebecor Inc., with 52,000 employees is a major newspaper publisher, cable TV operator, television broadcaster and commercial printer. It also has operations in magazine and book publishing. The holding company holds a 54.7 per cent stake of Quebecor Media Inc., which owns Videotron Ltd., the largest cable operator in Quebec and a major provider of Internet and telecom services, and Sun Media, a major newspaper chain with tabloid dailies across the country and other assets. Other Quebecor Media holdings include TVA Group Inc., the largest French language TV network in Quebec, a number of specialty channels, the English language station Sun TV, and Canoe Inc., operator of a network of English- and French language Internet properties.
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Young anglos complain of un plafond de verre Conference. Must have higher level of fluency in second language, English-speakers say HUBERT BAUCH, The Gazette Published: 23 hours ago The burden of bilingualism chafes on young anglos in Quebec. Many feel that even speaking both languages, they are still second-class citizens. A consultation with 300 young anglophones from all parts of the province conducted by the Quebec Community Groups Network found most are eager to integrate with the francophone milieu, but encounter frustration, either because their school-taught French isn't good enough, or because franco- phones are unwelcoming. A perverse finding was that for young anglos, bilingualism is a greater asset outside Quebec than at home. Most shared the view that outside Quebec, any ability to speak French gives job applicants a competitive advantage, whereas less than total French fluency puts you at a disadvantage if you're anglo in Quebec. It suggests that rather than slowing the exodus of young anglos from Quebec, bilingualism is aggravating it. A common view was that on the provincial job market, francophones qualify as bilingual with far lower second-language skill than is demanded of anglophones. "Most youth expressed the frustration they feel at attempting to integrate into the job market," says the summary report of the consultation. "In addition to the language barrier, many feel that English speakers face discrimination in accessing jobs or upward mobility." The survey suggests young anglos find their school system is doing an inadequate job teaching them French, and while overall language tensions have significantly abated in Quebec in recent years, English-French relations remain tenuous on the ground. "While some said they feel shy about participating in French language activities, others reported feelings of social segregation, being unwelcome and a lack of belonging," the report says. On the upside, it was found that a great many young anglos feel positively about their communities and would prefer to make their lives there. For all the frustrations, "quality of life" was widely cited as good reason for staying. "In rural Quebec the quality of life cited included access to the outdoors, the proximity of family and friends and a strong sense of community. In Montreal, it was cited more in reference to the low cost of living, vibrant artistic community and range of activities." There also appears to be a willingness to confront the frustrations and reach across the linguistic divide. "A desire for frank discussion and projects to directly address English-French tensions in their regions was expressed." The consultation results were presented at a weekend conference organized by the QCGN at Concordia University and attended by about 100 young anglos from all parts of the province. In a plenary discussion, some spoke of personal experiences that reflected the report's conclusions. Jonathan Immoff, who attends university in Rimouski, praised the quality of life in his native Gaspé. "The region is gorgeous. It's home. It's where our family is and we don't want to leave." But he said job opportunities are scarce for anglos who don't speak perfect French. "You have to speak very well to be considered bilingual, while francophones aren't held to nearly the same standard in English." Marilyn Dickson, from the Magdalen Islands, said bilingualism is "the big issue" for the small local anglo community of about 500. "Those who aren't have no choice but to leave. It's the way it is." A delegate from the North Shore said anglo efforts to be bilingual tend not to be reciprocated by francophones. "They're not willing to speak any English. If you're English, it's screw you. The lack of communications cuts all ties right there." A franco-Ontarian delegate who moved to Quebec said she finds anglo Quebecers are treated like francophones are in her native Ottawa. The situation presents challenges for the greater Quebec anglophone community, but there is also an encouraging will to confront and overcome what problems and frustrations there are, said QCGN president Robert Donnelly. "You expressed a desire to move forward, to leave the issue of language in the past, to increase intercultural activities and to have frank, open discussion with your francophone counterparts," he said in his welcoming speech. "You stated you wish to remain in Quebec and to contribute to Quebec society." The consultation and the conference are the groundwork for a three-to-five-year strategic plan for English-speaking youth being developed by the QCGN, an umbrella group for anglo organizations throughout the province. "Youth are saying now that they want to stay," said Brent Platt, co-chairperson of the QCGN youth committee. "I think French people on the whole are more willing now to work with us, to make things better for both communities. We have to do things together if we're going to get anywhere." hbauch@ thegazette.canwest.com
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A quick word for English Language dispute. Quebec parents challenge French Language Charter ELIZABETH THOMPSON, The Gazette Published: 6 hours ago Quebec parents challenging the constitutionality of a Quebec law that blocks some children who attend English private schools from transferring into English public schools will get their day before Canada's top court in December. The Supreme Court of Canada has set aside Dec. 15 to hear two cases that pit the Canadian Charter of Rights against Bill 104, leading some to hope that a final decision in the dispute could now be rendered in time for the start of the 2009 school year. "It appears the court is doing everything it can to hear the case as quickly as possible," said Brent Tyler, lawyer for the parents. The cases centre on Bill 104, adopted by the Parti Québécois government in 2002. Prior to Bill 104, children who were otherwise ineligible to attend English school under the terms of the French Language Charter, Bill 101, could become eligible to attend English public schools after spending at least a year in an unsubsidized English-language private school. Attending English school under a special authorization, such as for a temporary work permit or for humanitarian reasons, could also make a child and their siblings eligible for English education. At the heart of the case is the issue of which takes precedence - the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which provides that children who have attended English schools, and their siblings, have the right to attend English schools in Quebec, or Quebec's language charter. Although the parents in both cases lost at the lower court level, they won at the Quebec Court of Appeal which struck down Bill 104, saying the law was inconsistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights. Tyler said the parents got more good news recently when they learned that the federal court challenges program, which was cut then partially restored by the Conservative government, has agreed to provide $70,000 in funding to fight the two cases before the Supreme Court. Tyler says the outcome of the cases could have a significant impact on English schools in Quebec - particularly in the Montreal area. Tyler said there has been a steady stream of English school closures in the Montreal area since Bill 104 was introduced and the phenomenon is more pronounced in areas of town that had been receiving students who became eligible for education in English school by attending a private school. The English Montreal School Board has estimated it has lost about 450 students a year since Bill 104 was adopted. The stakes are high for many private schools as well, said Tyler. Many English private schools in Montreal accept government money at the high school level, but not at the primary level, meaning they can accept students ineligible under Bill 101 in elementary school but not in high school. "On average, 30 per cent of the children enrolled in the primary programs of these schools now will not be able to continue in the same schools if Bill 104 is upheld by the Supreme Court," said Tyler. The challenge to Bill 104 is just one of several cases the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear this fall - many of them from Quebec. The first case to be heard, on Oct. 7, will be a challenge by a group of Hutterites to an Alberta law obliging everyone to have their photo on their driver's licences. The Hutterites argue the law violates their religious freedom because their religion believes that the second commandment prohibits them from having their photograph taken willingly. ethompson@thegazette.canwest.com
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Trilingualism flourishes in Montreal Cheryl CornacchiaThe Gazette Tuesday, January 08, 2008 While widespread bilingualism remains an unattained goal in the rest of Canada, in Montreal, the level of trilingualism has jumped yet again. In 2006, the number of people in the Greater Montreal area able to converse in both of Canada's official languages plus another language, increased to 18 per cent up from 16.5 per cent in 2001. About 660,000 Montrealers know three languages, according to Jack Jedwab, the Montreal researcher who conducted the study that looks at trilingualism in 10 selected Canadian cities. "It's good news all around," said Jedwab, an executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies in Montreal. When it comes to language proficiency, Jedwab said, Montrealers far surpass those living in the nine other cities analyzed as part of the study. Montreal is not only one of North America's most cosmopolitan cities but also one of the most linguistically gifted, he said. "The message for the rest of the country," he added is that "where there is a will, there is a way." At 10.5 per cent and 10.2 per cent of their population, respectively, Toronto and Ottawa came the closest to Montreal for trilingual speakers. At 1.2 per cent, Halifax had the fewest number of trilingual speakers. Jedwab who teaches a course entitled Canada's Official Language Minorities: History and Demography at McGill University's Institute for the Study of Canada, analyzed 2006 Canadian census data, released last month, to arrive at the linguistic portrait. The study also found that in Montreal Armenians (77 per cent), followed by Italians (72.3 per cent) and, then, the Dutch (71.9 per cent) were the three most bilingual of the city's allophone groups. The least bilingual of the city's allophone groups, unable to speak either of Canada's official languages, were Cantonese (21 per cent), Cambodian (15.5 per cent) and Punjabi (15.3 per cent). Hagop Boulgarian, principal of l'École Armenien Sourp Hagop, a 675-student private elementary/secondary school in Montreal said the findings about his ethnic group didn't surprise him. With genocide and a diaspora in his people's history, Boulgarian said, learning new languages - and fast - has been an important survival tool for Armenians in general, not only the 25,000 living in the Greater Montreal region. Aloisio Mulas, acting director of the Picai Institute of Montreal, which is devoted to the promotion of Italian culture and language, said Italians in Montreal have shared that passion for speaking French and English. However, he said, attendance in Italian language classes at the institute have been falling over the past decade. Some families after a generation or two in the city, he said, become less concerned about ensuring their children keep up their Italian language skills. Denise De Haan Veilleux, a cultural attaché at the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Montreal said she is pleased but not surprised to see that so many Dutch living in Montreal are multilingual. In Holland, she said, children must study two languages, English and French or German when they reach high school. "It's just something you do," said De Hann Veilleux. "The attitude towards other languages is very different. "It's no big deal" added the 47-year-old francophone, who grew up in Quebec City and learned English and Dutch only after she married and moved abroad for various postings. With the family now back in Canada, she said, her 20-year-old son studying at McGill University and a 13-year-old daughter are lucky to be able to speak French, English, Dutch, German and Arabic. "It's like a present you give them as children," she said. "They don't have to learn as adults." ccornacchia@thegazette.canwest.com http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=0c56862f-bd4f-4df3-8ddd-8acc4d9e633d&k=76598
