September 23/2016
Please note: This post went up Friday evening. At 09:39 on Saturday, 709 people had viewed it. Please keep on sharing.
An acquaintance went into the SAQ earlier today and sent me the following:
I had a brief conversation with a young man who approached me to see if he could assist me. I explained that I had just returned to Montreal after living in Ontario, and was interested in observing the store and the assortment of product. I mentioned that I didn’t see any English signs and he explained that this was a Government business and even though Fairview and the community is predominantly English speaking they do not have any English signs in the store. He also explained, and I am paraphrasing, or interpreting, that we are a small ‘Island’, French being the official language, and the English speaking population has to understand this. He also made mention that even having to speak in English was a problem, although he spoke perfect English.
In Ontario wherever 10% of the local population is French mother tongue there are bilingual signs at their LCBOs (LCBO=SAQ in Ontario).
Six months ago I asked the SAQ to do the same in QC wherever 25% are English mother tongue. Of course I don’t expect the SAQ to do this as in Quebec, English is a disease and must be eradicated just like the ZIKA virus.
NOTE: Over $10,000 has been raised (mostly from a bank) for the BOYCOTT THE SAQ ADVERTISING FUND. The goal is to impress upon QC that the lack of respect for minorities is costly! See: https://www.gofundme.com/BoycottTheSAQ
IF you deserve to be treated as a second class citizen please do nothing. IF YOU DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT PLEASE SEE: https://quebecboycott.wordpress.com/
This has NOTHING to do with being served in English at the SAQ!
The point is that, in Ontario there are bilingual signs at their LCBOs wherever a minimum of 10% are Franco and in QC in areas where as many as 60% are Anglo, there are no bilingual signs.
This has 0 to do with comprehension of the language of the majority BUT everything to do with the fact that the SAQ shows FAR less respect for Anglos than the LCBO shows for Francos.
And now to be told by the morons commenting on Facebook that I should move to Ontario or learn French! :o)
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FEBRUARY 1,2014
THIS BLOG IS RECEIVING 4,000+ HITS/DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SHARING IT! Please SHARE as well! Please click on “follow” to be kept abreast of future developments.
Fairview merchants are spitting in your face with the full cooperation of the Office Quebecoise de La Langue Francaise (OQLF).
Does that make you smile and feel warm all over? 🙂
“ICI ON COMMERCE EN FRANCAIS” essentially means “KISS MY FRANCO BUTT YOU USELESS ANGLO/ALLO!” 🙂
The following retailers have the ICI ON COMMERCE EN FRANCAIS decals on their windows
Banana Republic, OLD NAVY, The GAP, are ALL essentially spitting in your face. (Photos below)
At the Lowes in Plattsburgh, NY, and the Home Depot in North Conway New Hampshire, there are bilingual signs hanging throughout! These retailers show respect for their non-existent Spanish speaking shoppers. At Fairview Pointe-Claire, an area that is only 20% Francophone, the overwhelming percentage of the retailers post only French signs. If you feel that bilingual signs at Fairview RETAILERS should be hanging , please tell Fairview to forward your request to ALL of the tenants IMMEDIATELY.
It is imperative that everyone in the West Island become aware of the ICI ON COMMERCE EN FRANCAIS decals and lack of bilingual signs at retailers in Fairview ASAP so please share this blog
QUESTION: If you do not contact Fairview, and you do not share this blog, do you really deserve to be treated with any respect?
This is not simply a matter of understanding French (which 99% of us do). This is simply a matter of R-E-S-P-E-C-T and unfortunately this is something that most Fairview merchants do not show.
Please feel free to write to: Christian Vezina, General Manager; Tina Da Costa
Marketing Director plus Mathieu Demers, Manager, Operations (all of Fairview Pointe Claire) and tell them exactly what you think:
Christian.Vezina@cadillacfairview.com; tina.dacosta@cadillacfairview.com; mathieu.demers@cadillacfairview.com
NO BILINGUAL SIGNS=NONE OF MY BILINGUAL $$$!!!
For additional information concerning The GAP, OLD NAVY and the Banana Republic please see: http://isthegapfullofcrap.wordpress.com/
This is not simply a matter of understanding French (which most of us do). This is simply a matter of R-E-S-P-E-C-T and unfortunately this is something that most Fairview merchants do not show.
NO BILINGUAL SIGNS=NONE OF MY BILINGUAL $$$!
The following was the initial round of activism and it did bring results BUT there is a long way to go:
86% of the local population is Anglo/Allophone, yet retailers at Fairview don’t post bilingual signs. Will you be joining the boycott of Fairview Pointe-Claire?
If you look at this video you will NOT only avoid shopping at Fairview but throughout Canada altogether, unless of course you welcome being ripped off! http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/Marketplace/ID/2420067914/
What can you do to fight the linguistic stupidity of Quebec?
To start; Please share this blog on Facebook, Twitter, etc. JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP MENTIONED BELOW!
Fairview’s reply has so far been highly evasive. Ask them for a list of the retailers at Fairview that have bilingual signs. Tell Fairview that you wish to shop at those stores and boycott the rest.
Fairview and all of their merchants deserve to be embarrassed. That is our job. It cannot be done without you. You must share this blog and encourage others to do so as well! Christmas shopping has commenced and soon it will be too late to have the retailers post bilingual signs!
Further information as to what to do follows
Why go after Fairview at this time? Here is a very interesting letter to the editor that appeared in the Nov 13 edition of The Gazette:
This is the busiest time of the year (until Jan) for Fairview, so they are highly vulnerable. Go shop at TARGET, the Dorval Gardens, Place Vertu, Kirkland, Vaudreuil, Angrignon, Laval (13)
- or even better yet, go shop in the USA or ON. After 48 hrs in the US, one may bring back up to $800 in merchandise.
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You are strongly encouraged NOT to shop at Fairview until there are actually bilingual signs in ALL their stores. Do NOT shop there if they advise you that bilingual signs will be going up, as in the past retailers have made promises, and not kept them.
Please feel free to write to: Christian Vezina, General Manager Christian.Vezina@cadillacfairview.com ; Tina Da Costa
Marketing Director tina.dacosta@cadillacfairview.com OR Mathieu Demers, Manager, Operations mathieu.demers@cadillacfairview.com>and if you wish, please feel free to send it to Cadillac Fairview as well http://www.cadillacfairview.com/Notesdata/HR/CF_LP4W_LND_WebStation.nsf/ContactUs!OpenForm
Tell them what you think of the lack of bilingual signs of the retailers at Fairview. As Fairview itself gets a %age of all sales at the mall rest assured that they are not pleased with this boycott.
Why are you being asked to write to Fairview and not to each of their “100” stores? If you prefer to send off “100” emails, please do not let us stop you! 🙂
Demonstrations are now being planned for outside of Fairview Pointe Claire. Click on “FOLLOW” in order to receive notifications re the demonstrations and updates or join https://www.facebook.com/groups/182082991985120/182082995318453/?notif_t=like
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO PAINT UP THEIR OWN: “GOOGLE: IS SOMETHING ROTTEN AT FAIRVIEW?” SIGN AND DEMONSTRATE
- BY THEMSELVES
WHENEVER AND WHEREVER THEY CHOOSE! ONE PERSON DOES NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT TO DEMONSTRATE. IT IS “FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.” THE OTHER DAY I DEMONSTRATED ALONE FOR 90 MINUTES AND 882 PEOPLE VIEWED THIS BLOG AS A RESULTq 🙂
DEMONSTRATIONS ARE PLANNED FOR OUTSIDE OF FAIRVIEW COMMENCING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20. IF YOU WISH TO DEMONSTRATE ON ANY SATURDAY/SUNDAY BETWEEN NOW AND CHRISTMAS PLEASE JOIN THE FOLLOWING FACEBOOK GROUP TO RECEIVE UPDATES (We await a permit for mass demonstrations.):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/182082991985120/182082995318453/?notif_t=like
We are pleased to announce that one major West Island chain store has just put up bilingual signs as a result of an email that we sent to them. Others will surely follow! 🙂
Meanwhile, for those who think that Quebec’s Xenophobia is disgusting please see: http://quebecboycott.wordpress.com/
Is Something Rotten At Fairview? 
I am a bilingual Franco who is married to an Anglo and I totally agree that there should be more bilingual signs.
Rather than contacting Fairview, I think most should be contacting Old Navy, Banana Republic, and the other chains head offices. I doubt they want their chains associated with discrimination.
James; There is a reason why I target Fairview and not the stores themselves. Fairview deals with the hierarchy of the retailers, while dealing with customer service is at the bottom of the totem pole. The retailers that you mention have been ignoring people for “10” years. The Bay and Sears also ignored calls for “10” yrs. In under two months we succeeded in having the Bay, Sears and other retailers/restaurants post bilingual signs at Fairview. Personally, I was responsible for l’Equipeur posting bilingual signs and thanks for reminding me as I will edit the blog. Please do not let me stop you from writing to the head offices of the chains, BUT the head offices seem to listen to Cadillac Fairview and not to their potential customers. Will you be attending one of our upcoming demonstrations at Fairview?
Why not have only English sign if the west island I’d over 80% Engish what do you think of that and I am a French Canadian but not very proud if it
Don’t be ashamed. Its the morons who should be ashamed Ray! Personally I like the idea of having bilingual signs as then it is easy for people to learn the words in the “opposite” language. Why make it difficult for people to learn?
Pourquoi ne pas aider le Québec dans sa quête de liberté et d’indépendance?
Il y a plus d’un milliard de gens qui parlent anglais dans le monde contre 220 millions de francophones.
L’anglais est partout : sur Internet, à la télévision, dans les noms de magasins, même dans les phrases des francophones.
Pourquoi ne pas vous rallier à la langue française au lieu de combattre – encore une fois – le peuple québécois qui tente jour après jour d’assurer sa survie? Ce n’est pas assez que vos ancêtres aient tués les nôtres, qu’ils les aient déportés ou assimilés?
L’anglais, il y en partout.
En avons-nous vraiment besoin de davantage?
Merci à tous ceux et à toutes celles qui soutiennent le bastion francophone en Amérique du Nord.
Je me souviens.
Mes ancêtres ont tué vos ancêtres? Qu’est-ce que vous fumez? Mes ancêtres sont venus de France.
En fait, je préfère aider les Québécois à résoudre leurs problèmes sociologiques. Il ya des années, j’ai rencontré un homme quo m’a été décrite comme le doyen des collecteurs de fonds québécois. Il m’a dit avec une larme à l’œil, «J’ai honte de mon peuple.” La cotisation médiane annuelle acquittà de bienfaisance d’un déclarant en QC, qui a fait un don en 2011 était de seulement 44% de celle d’un contributeur de la 9e place, plus pauvres NB. Le bénévolat n’est pas mieux. Le plus haut niveau de décrocheurs de l’école dans le monde industrialisé. Le plus haut niveau de l’abandon des animaux de compagnie au Canada (si pas aux États-Unis ainsi). Le niveau le plus bas des entrepreneurs au Canada (si pas aux États-Unis ainsi).
Juste une question: Quand le Québec accède à l’indépendance t-il demandera de l’aide étrangère d’Haïti?
Il peut être une bonne idée pour le Québec à résoudre ses problèmes sociologiques avant il dit au revoir au Canada!
M. Murray, vos arguments m’apparaissent forts curieux :
1. Si vos ancêtres sont venus de France, alors pourquoi parlez vous anglais? Et pourquoi luttez vous contre les francophones d’Amérique, eux qui sont menacés à tout moment de disparaître?
2. J’ai lu ailleurs que vous préférer magasiner en Ontario et aux États-Unis. Est-ce que c’est exact? Si oui, en quoi est-ce que ça aide l’économie québécoise?
3. Parlons-en, des fameuses collectes de fonds pour des organismes de bienfaisance… encore faudrait-il savoir ce que c’est, qu’un organisme de bienfaisance. Ah, il y a des règles, non? Oui, c’est Ottawa qui décide ce qu’est un organisme de bienfaisance. Je suis bien désolé, M. Murray, mais moi comme des millions de québécois donnons du temps et de l’argent à des oeuvres, des organismes et des actions qui ne sont pas reconnues comme des organismes de bienfaisance. On aide qui on veut. Dommage que ça n’intéresse pas Ottawa. Les faits que vous citez reposent sur des statistiques partielles, partiales et donc douteuses.
4. Le taux de raccrochage scolaire est important au Québec, comme le démontre ce sociologue : http://tendancessociales.blogspot.ca/2011/01/le-discours-alarmiste-sur-le-decrochage_09.html
5. Sur l’entrepreneuriat, on y travaille. Et si vous nous aidiez au lieu de crier au loup sur l’affichage bilingue? C’est un frein que de lutter contre la société québécoise.
6. En ce qui concerne votre question sur Haïti, elle est fondée sur l’émotion et sur une absence de faits. Il est donc impossible d’y répondre, puisque ce n’est pas une question, mais plutôt une démonstration émotive vide de toute logique.
7. Tout cela a peu ou rien à voir avoir la discussion présente. Vous prenez parti contre une langue menacée et prétendez vouloir aider les québécois?
Pourquoi prétendez-vous vouloir aider le Québec en luttant contre lui?
Vous souvenez quoi? Pourquoi souvenez-vous pas que votre(et plus la notre) magnifique province est fabrique sur les succes de ses immigrants, incluants les francais devenuent quebecois. Especialement dans les dernieres 100 annees. Durant le milieu du 20e siecle, le quebec connaissait un expansion et amelioration plus majeur que le reste du Canada. Les immigrants juifs, irlandais, vietnamiens, chinois, francais, haitiens, latinos, ont tus travailler ensemble pour ameliorer l’etat de Montreal, et aussi le Quebec. Mais depuis le regime de Levesque l’etat du Quebec devient de plus en plus degrader a cause de le penser que le francais devrait etre supreme et seul au quebec. Ce n’est pas le cas. On devrait faire un nouveau precedent, honore le vrai constitution du Canada, devenir reelment bilingue et redevenir le meilleur place au canada!
M. Marlon, avez-vous des preuves, des faits, des chiffres qui prouvent ce que vous affirmez?
J’ai une autre hypothèse : l’économie de l’après-guerre a été relativement bonne dans la majorité des pays occidentaux, en raison du plan Marshall et des exportations vers l’Europe.
L’embellie économique s’est calmée durant les années 70, alors que les crises de l’énergie et la récession s’installaient un peu partout.
Cela n’a strictement rien à voir avec le bilinguisme ou avec M. Lévesque.
The case of the city-state Montreal
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/09/18/barbara-kay-the-case-for-the-city-state-of-montreal/
Report Card on Quebec 2010 -il y a une version francaise.
http://www.cpq.qc.ca/cpq/CPQ-in-English/Report-Card-on-Quebec-Prosperity
This one includes what you said about quebec’s stagnation but also shows Quebec’s greatest time of growth, when it had the fewest obstacles. Quebec growth during 1945-1975 was greater than any other province. C’est plus que juste le resultat du guerre mondiale. Rene Levesque est devenu premier ministre en 1976.
Click to access Cmq_CPP_Histoire_A.pdf
Je regardait pour l’information sur l’immigration des populations, soit de rural a urbain aux Quebec ou venu d’autre pays mais jusqu’a maitenant je n’ai pas trouve des statistiques strictement pour le quebec. En ce moment je n’a pas de statistique mais je sais par mes etudes que entre environ 1900 et 1960 il y avait beaucoup de migration au Quebec, especialement a Montreal. Le prosperite majeur du Quebec du 20e siecle est grace a la nouvelle generation d’immigrants (francais, anglais, juif, italien, irlandias etc) qui on survecu les deux guerres mondiales.
Close minded people like you are what is destroying my beautiful city. Instead of helping this province prosper, des péquists comme vous choose to let Quebec stay shackled by only teaching our people french. I don’t know if you noticed but the main global language is english. Say your son or daughter only knows french, how do you expect him/her to live with the rest of the world? It’s the 21st century, wake up. Pauline Marois can take her neo-nazi fascist ideals and shove it. Ici ça ce fait en français? Bitch please, you’re just as much as an immigrant than I am. The Natives were here first. I speak english at home and spanish but I’ve gone to a french school all my life. Je serais mieux préparé que tes enfants le jour où j’aurais besoin de parler en englais. T’as peur que la langue française disparaise? Parles-en chez toi. Ici c’est bilingue. It’s time you people got that through your thick skull.
Personally, j’aime les affiches bilingue because ils me donnent l’opportunite d’apprende plusieures vocabulaire. If I see the word en francais a cote to the English mot it would be bon pas seulement pour les Anglo/Allo mais pour French speakers aussi!
1) La Française est dans un tel danger? Pourquoi est-ce que un pourcentage beaucoup plus élevé de non-francophones au QC parle maintenant français qu’ils ne le faisaient il ya quelques décennies ? Qu’est-ce que cela a à voir avec des panneaux bilingues dans un centre commercial où seulement 20 % des acheteurs sont en fait francophone ?
2 ) En ce qui concerne achats aux États-Unis et ON est concerné, il est mon plaisir de le faire et économisez jusqu’à $ que possible pour moi . Il est évident que je ne suis pas intéressé à payer plus d’impôts à QC que nécessaire. Comment vous êtes venu à la conclusion que je fais cela pour aider l’économie du Québec est absurde !
3 ) McGill soulevé 7X ce que le U de M a soulevé l’année dernière . La Sainte-Justine a procuré 22 millions de dollars et le MCH a soulevé 21 millions $. La circonscription de Ste Justine est d’environ 5 fois plus grande que la MCH . Tous les domaines de la recherche médicale que j’ai déjà vérifié soulève moins de 50 % en QC sur une base par habitant que toute autre province . Désolé mais les gens de QC ne sont pas uniques en leur donnant ou volontarisme . Les statistiques proviennent de formulaires d’impôt sur le revenu et si vous pensez que Statistique Canada biaise les statistiques pour montrer QC sous un mauvais jour , Vous êtes dans le déni .
4 ) Nous sommes désolés mais rien de temps.
5 ) Il ya 20 ans l’ U de M me demande de participer à une étude sur les entrepreneurs . Je suis heureux d’être posée , jusqu’à ce qu’ils m’ont dit que l’enquête prendrait six heures. Fait intéressant, une fois que le québécois QC quitter leur niveau de l’esprit d’entreprise augmente au même niveau de la province / état où ils se déplacent à . Je suis heureux de voir les caisses Desjardins , la Fondation de maire de Montréal sont à la fois la promotion de l’esprit d’entreprise . Le problème est que les entrepreneurs aiment faire $ $ et le Québec étant aussi déprimé que c’est , n’est pas le lieu de faire $ $ afin que les entrepreneurs vont s’éloigner .
6 ) Désolé mais je plaisante bien sûr. jusqu’à QC se débarrasse de son complexe d’infériorité et la nécessité de trouver des excuses pour ses problèmes plutôt que de passer du temps à les résoudre , le Québec continuera à faire tourner ses roues .
M. Murray,
1. L’anglais est partout : sur les produits, dans les noms de magasins, sur la toile internationale (“le web”), dans les produits artistiques et culturels, à la télévision, dans les sports et plus encore. Vous avez la chance de vivre au Québec dans une culture différente et unique qui lutte pour la survie de sa langue, une langue en perte de vitesse.
Pourquoi vouloir rajouter de l’anglais encore et encore jusque dans les affiches des magasins? L’anglais est partout, partout, partout. Pourquoi en vouloir encore plus et plus? Pourquoi ne pas plutôt profiter du fait, vu que vous avez accès à l’anglais presque n’importe ailleurs, de pouvoir prendre le temps de vivre une autre langue, une autre culture?
J’envie les européens, dans un sens : ils peuvent vivre dans tellement de langues! Alors qu’ici, on croirait qu’en dehors de l’anglais, il n’y a point de salut.
2. Ma conclusion est que, en magasinant en Ontario et aux États-Unis – tout comme en évitant de payer des impôts chez nous -, un citoyen nuit consciemment à l’économie du Québec. Comment peut-il alors chiâler contre l’état des routes ou de l’économie québécoise? En quoi un citoyen québécois qui lutte contre l’économie de l’état québécois est-il un citoyen qui aide son économie? J’avoue que je ne comprends pas cette attitude : pourquoi un citoyen du Québec est fier de magasiner ailleurs? Ça n’a pas de sens. Un citoyen américain est-il fier d’acheter au Mexique? Et les quelques dollars économisés, ne finiront-ils pas par nuire à l’économie québécoise et empirer les choses?
3. Je vais essayer de mieux l’expliquer : les organismes admissibles aux dons de charité sont régis par Ottawa. C’est Ottawa qui décide qui peut recevoir des dons de charité. Sur mon rapport d’impôt, il y a toujours de petits montants dans cette case. Pourquoi? Parce que je donne mon argent à des causes et des organismes qui ne sont pas reconnus par Ottawa. Je donne de l’argent et du temps, mais je ne peux pas le déclarer sur mon rapport d’impôt, parce que les organismes que j’aide n’ont pas le droit d’émettre des reçus d’impôt. Mon hypothèse, c’est que c’est le cas pour bien des québécois, qui donne et qui aide, mais avec bien peu de reçus de charité en retour. Est-ce que c’est plus clair?
4. Je suis désolé, Je ne comprends pas ce que vous voulez dire. Vous pouvez l’écrire en anglais si vous êtes plus à l’aise dans votre langue maternelle. Je vous assure que ce n’est pas un problème. On s’exprime mieux dans sa langue maternelle. C’est l’idée de vouloir afficher l’anglais partout au Québec – alors qu’il est largement affiché ici et presque partout ailleurs en Amérique du Nord – qui me séduit beaucoup moins.
5. L’entrepreneuriat québécois se développe. Prenez l’industrie des jeux vidéos. La filière montréalaise et québécoise se classe parmi les meilleurs joueurs. Prenez l’hébergement sur la toile internationale. SherWeb compte parmi les meilleurs. La filière du transport et de l’électricité se développe. Peut-être fabriquerons-nous un jour des véhicules électriques? Nous avons des forces neuves qui se déploient d’ici vers l’ailleurs. Il suffit de les soutenir et de les faire rayonner.
6. Oui, vous avez raison : il est temps que les Québécois prennent leur destinée en main, qu’ils se rappelent leur histoire, qu’ils soient fiers de leur langue, qu’ils poursuivent leur émancipation d’un gouvernement fédéral à la merci des provinces de l’Ouest. Et vous pouvez y contribuer, que ce soit en anglais ou en français. Peut-être y a-t-il des luttes plus importantes qui vous attendent que celles de réclamer de l’affichage en anglais dans des magasins?
hey l’osti de cave,
cest du l’oppression que nous subir./
Merci pour votre commentaire! Les bâtons et les pierres seront briser mes os, et vous êtes une raison superbe pour l’avortement légalisé!
Really? I find this ridiculous….a French speaking person that wants to be served in French at Fairview will have a hard time to find an employee that speaks french. Actually, a french speaking person will have a hard time to be served in French in the West Island, period. And there is actually a bigger french speaking population in the West Island than you seem to think there is…probably because most of us are bilingual, therefore you might think we are all English speaking….We should probably start a protest asking to be served in our language, french. Maybe the business’ could start looking at their employment requirements….bilingual…At least for now, we have the signs in french that tell us about the specials that are going on, since most employees that work at fairview don’t have the capacity to tell us in French…
COMPLAIN TO THE RETAILERS! Several months ago when I pointed out to Mathieu Legros of Costco, that in the US their warehouses in Hispanic areas have Spanish signs he looked into the situation of English signs in their Montreal warehouses. At the same time that I requested some respect for Anglos in Montreal, I requested the same respect for Francos in Ottawa. I believe that wherever there are a significant number of Anglo or Franco minorities in Canada that there should be bilingual signs. Doing so gives everyone an opportunity to learn/improve their vocabulary. When I speak to a salesperson in a store and their English is not good I speak French. I simply look at it as an opportunity. I remember when I was in the Charlevoix and I ordered a sandwich. I asked for it on Ble d’Inde and immediately laughed and said Ble Entier. When I skied the Traversee deCharlevoix with three friends (Sophie, Luc and Alain) it was super as I enjoyed French immersion for 5-6 days.
Total bull like all the myths and distortions that have ruined non=francos lives for 40 years. Deny all facts to support legislated franco de souche supremacy.
Did you encourage people to read Rules as we discussed? I began to post them and people have been curious
Some francophones don’t seem to realize that there are native english speakers in Quebec too. Why shouldn’t we have bilingual signs? We pay taxes too and buy the products too, and we are here, living too. We have always been here and will always be here, so why not show a little respect.
If one has no self respect, it is difficult to show respect for les autres! 🙂
Interesting point. I’d be curious to know what % of anglo Quebecers can actually speak/write in both languages. You see, I started early on to catch up on my english by watching teevee (House of Spookenstein, anyone remember?) while never neglecting my first language, french. Born and raised in the thiniest village in Bas St-Laurent, I moved to Montreal years later and found out it was quite easy and most often polite going from english to french in one single conversation. Geat! I also found out that english people are most often undestood by french people outside Montreal even in remote areas. Turn the situation around while you’re there and it most often gets harder for the english folks. I’d like to think that by today most english Quebecers should be able to get things done in both languages but I guess I’d be fooling myself… I strongly believe anglo Quebecers are a crucial and essential part of a strong Quebec, you’re part of this cultural fabric.. and that’s coming from a bilngual séparatisssse. So take that *common assumption* ! As that Molson jingle once said: On est 6 millions, faut s’parler.
Bienvenue SD; According to Wikipedia:Between 1971 and 1996, the proportion of native francophones who claimed to know English, too, rose from 26% to 34%. The proportion of native anglophones claiming to know French, too, rose from 37% to 63% percent over the same period. Among allophones claiming a third mother tongue in 1996, 23% also knew French, 19% also knew English, and 48% also knew both. On the whole, the 1971 to 1996 period showed a progression towards better knowledge of French. By 1996, 2.6% of the population (182,480 persons, predominately Hispanic) were trilingual in French, English and Spanish.
Here is an article re bilingualism but chk if there is any mention of the % of bilingual Anglos. For the past 30 yrs or so Anglo kids have been graduating bilingual
The important thing is being served in English if the customer speaks English. Signs that explain store policy should be in both languages. But Fin de saison, solde, vente…who really cares?
I could care less BUT when it comes to product description the signs in Spanish at Home Depot in North Conway, NH are larger than the ones in English at Home Depot in Pointe Claire. Somehow I think that the % of Spanish speakers in NH is far, far less than English speakers in the West Island. If Home Depot can show respect for linguistic minorities in NH, why not as much respect in QC?
I don’t really care about the store signs. I speak French and English… I attended French Elementary/High School and elected to do the rest of my schooling in English (College/University). I am of Italian origin and speak English at home/with my family/most of my friends. However, I can write in both languages… I got the best of both worlds. If I go into a store and they say “Can I help you?” I respond in English… if I hear “Est-ce que je peux vous aider?” then I respond in French. No big deal… if we agree to live in Quebec the reality is that there is still a vast majority of Francophones… and if you understood the sign that was in the window… who cares? You are making a stink over nothing. You cannot survive in QC without understanding French. We have more serious issues to worry about than this. If you want to protest… why don’t you put your energy towards more important things… such as the safety of our bridges/highways, or a metro line for the West Islands, healthcare.
Cynthia;
I am a volunteer fundraiser/charity activist. My ideas have raised far more than $2 billion for charities around the world since 1988.
Healthcare? Where were you when I led a national campaign 4 yrs ago to bring an additional $350 million/yr to Canada’s healthcare sector? The health ministers of 8 provinces supported it. The other 2 did not, simply because their sectors are deemed an extension of their provincial governments and thus were not in the same inequitable position as the other eight.
Prior to criticizing anyone for doing something obviously far beyond your comprehension, you might wish to ask them questions first.
If you wish to campaign for safer infrastructure please be my guest and do so. I have no time!
Perhaps one of your intelligent friends could explain to you what this “fight” is all about?
Have a nice day and please share the blog!
Hey Pafmurray… spewing out your charitable accomplishments doesn’t make me change my opinion on the matter… but I guess everyone is implied to be “unintelligent” if they don’t share your views on the issue. Good luck with your boycott… Bon courage!!!
No Cynthia! When one formulates an opinion it should be based on logic, and an opinion that is not based on logic is not as valid as one that is.
Get a life!! Learn to speak both language or just move to Ontario. The french community are more blilingual than the english community. We do make a point of learning both language.
Pointe-Claire, West-Island or not, the law is the law. Stop whinning and educate yourself instead of complaining to the world about your lack of knowledge.
Cry babies
What makes you think that I am not bilingual? As far as the French being more bilingual, I encourage you to supply a link showing that such is the case! :o) As far as the law is concerned, the law allows for bilingual signs, MORON! :o)
Wow… so now I am not only “unintelligent” but “illogical” as well? While I do respect you wanting to advocate for change… you may want to work on your people skills. The reality is that in QC we are vastly out-numbered… and this is likely a losing battle. Is it fair that we have to waste our tax dollars on this stupid Language Police?… absolutely not… should it matter that your mother tongue is English rather than French?… No! Should we have to jump through hoops to send our children to English schools?… NO! Is it normal for the PQ to advocate French like English is the anti-Christ rather than promoting bilingualism?… of course not! A majority of French Quebecers don’t give a crap about our concerns or our rights when it comes to language… they don’t pity us and don’t care when we use the argument that we pay taxes just like they do. They’ll take our money and still expect us to comply with their rules. No place is immune, not even West Islands where the residents are primarily English-speaking. I genuinely regret saying that you shouldn’t waste your time on this as it is clear that you believe in the issue so strongly and I believe that everyone should have the right to protest what they feel is important to them. However, let me ask you this. Even if the merchants were to remove the signs in fear of your boycott and you can go back to shopping there… will it change the fact that they still thought it was okay to put them up in the first place? The sign will be gone, but will this change their perception of us in any way? Also, many of my francophone friends argue that they also pay Federal taxes, yet in Canada, where they claim to have 2 official languages, how easy would it be for them to go elsewhere within the Country and find a place where they can be serviced in French? They too have a point.
Cynthia; The blog had 3,426 hits yesterday. Today it will have more. Tomorrow a.m. when Cadillac Fairview employees check their emails they will be in for a shock as the number of hits on the blog is growing exponentially. Personally I have not purchased any booze here in 17 months. Most of our shopping is done in the US and ON as I do not like to pay sales tax in QC, and I like to save $$$. We are in the US and ON once per month and when in the US we are there for over 48 hrs and thus can return with $800 each. The retailers at Fairview are not to a very large degree Quebecois. The Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic are owned by a foreign company. As mentioned, I am an activist and I love to fight for what I believe is right. This year Velo QC is supposed to be cooperating with charities. That took only 21 yrs to accomplish. I like challenges. With Fairview I accomplished more in 2 months that thousands of emails accomplished in the past ten years. I am having fun with Fairview and certain positive things are going to happen there and elsewhere as a result. As far as my people skills are concerned; As long as I have the respect of those that I respect, I really could not give a rat’s rear end what others think of me! Enjoy the Super Bowl!
Your statement saying you are PROUD of shopping outside of the province in which you live in is cowardly and shameful. If people like you actually HELPED OUR businesses here, we might be doing better. If you don’t want to pay higher taxes here, you can always move elsewhere, no one is holding you back. Because guess what? Our high taxes are paying for YOUR medical bills, the streets & bridges on which YOU drive on (which are not doing so good are they? I wonder why…) and so much more, but you are just too egotistical to see that. I am sorry, but to me this comment is plain ignorance. Find a better way to protest, instead of spreading your stupidity onto others. Thank you.
You give yourself a great deal of credit by referring to yourself as “A Bigger Vision”. Thank you very much for informing me where our taxes go.
Have you ever heard of income tax? Likely not as a significant minority do not earn enough in QC to pay any.
Your “solution” is a clear indication of your total lack of intelligence as when I leave QC so does the income tax that I pay. Should that ever happen it would mean that you would get to pay more taxes. That is not “A Bigger Vision”. That is the vision of an imbecile! :o) Happy Wednesday!
If you actually had a brain I would encourage you to engage it before you speak or write
You are retarded and you are the rotten thing around fairview . You narrow minded asshole
Congratulations! You have won the annual “calling the kettle black” award! :o)
Jeez! All of this animosity for having bilingual signs as is allowed by law in a region where 80% are not Francophone. All that such a comment does is reinforce that Quebec is a sociological basket case, in addition to being a financial one! Enjoy the Super Bowl!
Slow clap for the village idiot! You can go tell your sep buddies that you flamed a reasonable site, I hope you feel great about yourself! Now promptly go jump off a bridge, preferably in sept-iles or something.
I am from the West Island, moved to Toronto in 2011, and now reside in Northern BC 13 hours North East of Vancouver in a town called Dawson Creek. When relocating I took the opportunity to drive across Canada to take advantage of the opportunity to see town like Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, etc.
During the beginning of my journey I crossed through the towns approaching and around Lake Superior, those being cities such as Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Wawa, Thunder Bay, etc. While I was there I was shocked to hear the amount of French being spoken. It was as if I was back home in Quebec! I looked into the matter and found out that large portions of the population have maintained their francophone identity despite being surrounded by tons of English.
My point is this: If these communities have preserved their french culture, perhaps Quebec should be a little less worried about preserving French in a province where it is the predominant culture/language.
I think maintaining the rules as is goes a large way to preserving the Quebecois identity. Perhaps now Quebec should find ways how to harmonize Quebec values with a world that is more and more interconnected where new cultural ideas and exposures from around the world are being shared.
Ahhhhhhhhh! What a pleasure to hear such a nice comment!!!! We were in Alaska last summer and then cruised down to Vancouver. Beautiful part of the world! We drove back from Gimli, MB a few yrs ago and experienced the same as you. French speakers are actually quite widespread in Canada. Cheticamp, NS, much of Southern MB and St Boniface, the Qu’apelle Valley in SK, Ottawa and the valley, Cornwall and even Toronto. Unfortunately nationalism is innate and we all know what happens when people think with their hearts rather than their brains! :o(
Another example of why I was right to get out of Quebec! I live in Ontario, just across the Quebec border, where many of my neighbours are French Canadian. The big difference here is that we live in HARMONY, together. We respect each other and treat each other as equals. It’s a beautiful change from wasting away in the bitterness of Quebec. You have a beautiful province, in Quebec, however it is most tragically polluted with linguistic excrement! Where else can an Anglo be beaten by a metro ticket agent simply for being an Anglo? Where else would a businessman, looking for your dollar, tell you he doesn’t give a damn about you? If it wasn’t all so patheticly tragic it would be funny!
Very well stated!
simply said…put back bilingual signs PLEASE! SVP!!!
Rest assured Patricia that they will. I just received word this a.m. that one of Canada’s top 25 websites (for hits) wishes to promote a national boycott of retailers that do not post bilingual signs where they are warranted. The blog just passed 19,000 hits. It has gone viral! :o)
Ici on ne commerce plus!
:o)
Why can’t we just freakin parler les deux langues estie 🙂
Because s’il y a de langue anglais a Quebec, it would absolutely tuer l’economie 🙂
I am a regular shopper at faireview but if i cant be served in english i will do the extra drive elsewhere
BUT did you tell Fairview to get rid of the decals and to welcome all of their retailers to post bilingual signs as the law allows?
I totally agree that sign should bilingual, but the decal that says “ici on commerce en français” only means “here we speak english too”. You would be surprised of how many stores i get served only in english when i’m a french speaking person trying my best to be bilingual. It isn’t normal that when i go into a store in downtown and ask a question in french to the salesman, i get replied in english. Who ever working with the public in montreal should be bilingual.
I agree with you, except for the Ici On Commerce En Francais. I knew what it meant prior to posting this blog BUT to give the benefit of the doubt I asked two Quebecois friends the meaning behind it. Both told me that it was insulting to Anglos/Allos, hence the blog.
If I were you, whenever I went into a retailer downtown and was served by someone unable to speak French, I would either ask for someone who could or ask for the manager and explain why you were not going to shop there.
there are bigger fish to fry in Quebec. this just makes smart business sense in a predominently English suburb that French clients know they will be served in French… it is a politesse, not a slap to anyone’s face.
Yes Cathy there are indeed bigger fish to fry, but no Cathy, that sign is not at all like the “Bienvenue Quebecois” decal that I saw at a tourist info place in VT 10 days ago. Yesterday a friend told me about what happened at the IGA in Pointe-Claire recently. There was an OQLF inspector there ensuring that the staff were speaking to each other en Francais. What difference should it make what language workers speak among themselves as long as they speak to the customers in the language of the customers’ choice?
So you’re asking these companies extra money because you can’t take two seconds to read a sign and translate it? There are thousands of stores that have french only and this is not only in fairview. The signs themselves are no big deal to me.
The ICI stickers on the otherhand I will agree with you on. If I walk into a store I want to be served in the language I am comfortable with. If I need to speak french to my customer I should be served in english as well.
The overwhelming percentage of retailers at Fairview are national chains that already produce English signs so there is no additional expense for them (not even shipping). I am aware that there are “thousands of stores that have French only and this is not only at Fairview”. Can you think of a reason why I am targeting Fairview, aside from the one given in the blog? The signs are no big deal to me either BUT there is a good reason why I am leading this fight. Can you think of one?
Like I said I agree that having the ICI stickers is wrong but you can’t expect these companies to start changing all their store signs
Why do they have to change all of their store signs? The French ones must predominate so 40% is fine and as mentioned, they already have the signs!
I am fully bilingual but my maternal language is French.
I agree with your reasoning that all signs should be in both languages. But, and there’s a HUGE but unfortunately, when I’ve wanted service in French for my mother (who understands but still has difficulties) I’ve gotten rotten looks from some (read most) store clerks as if I’d ask them the bloody moon.
It escaladed so much that I’ve become the person who will only speak in French if the clerk speaks to me only in English. If I’m spoken to in a broken French, then I’ll speak English to help since he/she tried their best to help me.
Basically what I’m saying is, the signs might be French but the language spoken in Fairview is 90% English with 20% of them speaking French also… It sucks both ways!!!
Somehow I do not believe that there is a shortage of bilingual people in the West Island. They should be hired to replace the ones who are not and as far as the dirty looks, the retailers obviously have very low standards. 😦
Aprends le francais…M Levine… on est au QC ici… !!!!!!!!
Bonjour Jean; Parlez vous Mohawk, Huron, Iroquiois, Algonquin ou Cree? Nous demeurons sur la terre Amer-indian. N’oubliez pas ca SVP!
La majorite est francais…pas autochone…votre arguement n a aucune logique… je repete — aprends le francais… vous seriez plus heureux….et moins con….
Rebonjour Jean; Je pense que tu ferais mieux de montrer plus de respect pour les Amerindiens ou ils peuvent vous dire à quitter leurs terres. En ce qui concerne la majorité, est concerné, la seule majorité que je vois au Québec, c’est que d’imbéciles comme vous! 🙂
Je ne comprends pas votre arguement avec les Amerindiens. Pas de logique comme j ai ecris dans l autre commentaire.
Ici on est au Quebec, pas a Kanawake, la langue de la majorite c est le Francais… est ce que vous comprenez ca.
J imagine que non, quand le monde comprends pas, ils font des arguements sans logique, et insulte le monde…. je ne suis pas un imbecile.
Jean; If you were as intelligent as you think that you are, you would understand the logic. Malheureusement les separatistes pense avec leur coeurs, et pas avec leurs cerveaux.. C’est la probleme. Start thinking with your head instead of your emotions!
Pourquoi vous pensez que je suis séparatiste….je suis seulement un défenseur de la langue français, la langue de notre peuple…
Au Québec c’est français, c’est ça la logique. Ce n’est pas trop dur à comprendre. ICI on commerce en Français. ICI on vit en Français…. Le problème c’est qu’il y a trop de monde paresseux comme vous pour apprendre le français.
Montreal is a distinct society from the ROQ.
A reminder for the stubborn:
• Quebec is not 100% French, nor has it ever been in its history.
• Anglophones have been an integral part of Quebec society for 300 years.
• Quebec does not belong to francophones.
• Francophones are not all Quebecers and Quebecers are not all francophones.
• Quebec was built by both anglophones and francophones together.
• Coercive laws imposing an artificial French-only façade does not change that reality.