Xref: utzoo can.general:1823 can.politics:2827
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!alberta!ccu!salomon
From: salomon@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Dan Salomon)
Newsgroups: can.general,can.politics
Subject: Re: Nuremberg Laws (Was: Re: STOP Signs)
Message-ID: <1989Oct3.015838.18330@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
Date: 3 Oct 89 01:58:38 GMT
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Lines: 48


derome@cs.toronto.edu (Philippe Derome) writes:

>J'argumentais que les lois linguistiques du Quebec ou que les quebecois
>supportant ces lois n'etaient pas racistes. Les lois d'affichage
>s'appliquent egalement aux francophones qui auraient voulu plaire
>a une clientele anglophone. Ils sont eux aussi penalises.

Now I understand.  Both the English and the French customers are
equally prevented from reading signs in English.  There is no
discrimination.  Well that sounds fair, doesn't it?
Is this guy for real?


>>When Quebec joined Canada it was 50% Anglophone and 50% Francophone.
>>For years the proportion of Francophones increased, and in the 1970's
>>it hit about 75% depending how you count.
>
>Donnez-moi des references a vos chiffres,
>s'il vous plait. Please give me proof of your 50-50% English-French
>numbers on Quebec.

The dramatic increase in the French population of Quebec is well known
as by the name "le revache du berceau," (the revenge of the cradle).
Unfortunately I don't have a written reference.  I heard these figures
on the radio.

>Je crois qu'il est raisonable de penser que des chiffres pres des votres
>s'applique a une certaine periode du 19e siecle dans les villes de Montreal
>et de Quebec, mais je doute fort que cela s'applique a la population
>entiere.

Take a look at a map of Quebec.  In particular look at the Eastern
Townships (Les Canton de l'Est).  You will find plenty of towns there
with English names: Sherbrooke, Bedford, Sutton, Ormstown, Hemmingford,
Bolton, Roxton, Hereford, Cookshire, Wolfestown, Scotstown, Richmond,
Kingsbury, etc., etc.  You even find some towns with bilingual names
like Waterville, Granby, and Bromptonville.  The Eastern Townships once
had a large proportion of English residents.  But the French had
babies, and the English had hot-water bottles.  Even a French name
doesn't guarantee a majority French population as is proved even today
by the names Lachine, Baie d'Urfe, and Ile Perrot.

You profess that you do not want the English to leave Quebec, but you
do want them always to feel like strangers in the French homeland.  The
English helped build Quebec and Montreal, just as much as the French
did, and now they are not supposed to enjoy the fruits of their
labour.