Location: Ottawa (Now in Bangalore)
Posted on: 11-12-04 01:12:14
Quote:
Orginally posted by Chris
It's possible that you're both right, jake and gapoldi; your experience of MTL depends on where you live.
if you live in outremont or lasalle, your view of the importance of french will obviously be different. remember the fable of the 10 blind men who were asked to describe an elephant: one felt the trunk and said it was a snake; the other touched the side and said it was a wall, etc.
Montreal is much like this. i lived downtown, in cote des neiges, Durocher and Jean Mance and the linguistic situation was completely different in each place.
I once went with a friend to a suburb in West MTL to get a book from the library. my friend had lived in quebec all her life and was in her own city. she asked the librarian in french where she could get such and such a book. the librarian looked at her like she was from Mars. people in the library, all anglos obviously, were openly snickling and enjoying her discomfort. no one made any attempt to speak french or help her. it was very embarrassing for me to see her being treated so rudely simply because she couldn't speak english.
in fact, much of the 70s separation movement was caused, IMO, not by friction between English and French Canada, but by this core of Westmount Anglos who refuse to even acknowledge the French fact of quebec. (and these are the ones who have migrated away, as you say, Gapoldi)
but you're right, i think, jake. these frictions have died down quite a bit. the time in the 70s when a french canadian being told, "Speak white!" if he tried to get service in french is long past... though some still remember it...
And we should be thankful to a person by the name of Pierre Elliot Trudeau..who had the balls to send in the tanks to quell the rebellion in 1970 as well as had the guts to get the Charter of Rights passed....
Paul martin...now who the hell is he
Can you imagine..The last 3 prime ministers (excluding Kim Campbell) have all been from Quebec ! Chris..one more favour from you..Can you please give me an exact link of the site you mentioned in an earlier post (CCF)...
Would be helpful
Thanks
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Chris,
You do bring up a very valid point about the french speakers being discriminated against in the 70's. There were instances where Eatons clerks would refuse to serve French speakers in MTL. It was only natural that the French would react at some point. Like you say the old-guard who remember the greviances are being replaced by those who are aware of a shinking world and the reality of living in an english majority biz world.
Quote:
Orginally posted by Chris
Montreal is much like this. i lived downtown, in cote des neiges, Durocher and Jean Mance and the linguistic situation was completely different in each place.
I lived inCDN next to the oratory for 2 yrs and then in cote-st-luc before moving to the more anglo west island. People say st-laurent blvd is the street that devides the dominantly french east mtl from the sort of anglicized west mtl.
There are instances where you can feel overwhelmed by the need to know French, but they get fewer as you live in the city. Knowing English is fine...even at govt offices ppl oblige you by switching to english. There are the odd seperatists but I have not come across any in my 6 yrs here, though I've heard of a cpl of desis who have.
Heck some desis get along just fine speaking tamil, punjabi with a rudimentary knowledge of English.
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i am very envious of you, jake; it was always my wish to live in MTL but i just couldn't find a good job. one of my passions is cinema, and MTL is probably one of the best cities in north america for cinema. there are festivals all year around and small experimental cinemas all over the city (i wonder if CINEMA PARALLELE is still open?).
i used to live close to St Joseph too... on Eduoard Montpetit. maybe one day i'll come back to MTL and invite you for a cappucino, jake, and we can discuss our views on quebec politics.
ON, i have the link but if you tell me the country you are interested in, there is another, more specific link. these two links are (1) a search engine for the CCF you're looking for and (2) the Ministry's homepage of recent cultural events abroad.
http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/annuaire/index.asp?code_theme=CULTURE
http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/thema/dossier.asp?DOS=CULTURE
The British equivalent of the CCF is THE BRITISH COUNCIL, the Dutch one is ERASMUS HUIS and the German one is the GOETHE INSTITUT. i believe they are represented in most countries around the world. happy hunting!
Quote:
Orginally posted by Chris
i am very envious of you, jake; it was always my wish to live in MTL but i just couldn't find a good job. one of my passions is cinema, and MTL is probably one of the best cities in north america for cinema. there are festivals all year around and small experimental cinemas all over the city (i wonder if CINEMA PARALLELE is still open?).
i used to live close to St Joseph too... on Eduoard Montpetit. maybe one day i'll come back to MTL and invite you for a cappucino, jake, and we can discuss our views on quebec politics.
Dont know about Cinema Parallele but you are right about mtl's affinity for the arts, especially cinema. I work next door to ex-centris which regularly screens independent and alternative films.
click on the programs options in http://www.ex-centris.com/
This place was built by the same person who built the company I work for and is now a leading philanthophist in Quebec.
Sure!! It would be a pleasure to put a face to a name AND catch some of the films at the festivals. Just let me know when you have your travel plans ready!
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