Tag Archive for: Anglos

Opinion: Anglos need a political party they can count on

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A single-issue party that brings the concerns of minorities to the floor of the Quebec legislature can only be better than what we have now.

Quebec anglophones are political orphans. Geoffrey Chambers’s piece in the Gazette last week (“We’re committed Quebecers who deserve respect” Opinion, Dec. 18) and Don Macpherson’s final column (“In politics, Quebec non-francophones don’t count” Dec. 19) both underscore a common theme. There is not a single political party in Quebec or in Ottawa today that Quebec’s linguistic minority can expect to defend their rights or speak up on other issues of concern. It is politically incorrect to do so and heresy to question the nationalist pretension that French is in imminent danger in Montreal.

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What if Quebec anglophones aren’t the problem some think they are?

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We spoke to anglos who (actively) support the protection of the French language, cementing the fact that language debates are a thing of the past.

They say that nothing is certain in this world but death and taxes. And, if you live in Quebec, you can also add contentious language debates to that.

Last week a simple tweet by the OQLF recommending people and businesses use “à emporter” instead of “take-out” got the fireworks started again. The tweet itself was nothing special. Part of the OQLF’s mandate is to promote the proper French terminology, as I alluded to in a column a few weeks ago.

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Many Anglos side with Franco-Ontarians (FR)

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TORONTO – Alors que la communauté franco-ontarienne organise sa riposte aux coupures de Doug Ford, des anglophones font savoir qu’ils partagent leur colère. Et ils comptent se joindre aux actions qui seront entreprises au cours des prochaines semaines avec la ferme intention de faire reculer le gouvernement ontarien.

Jeudi 15 novembre, aux alentours de 13h30, le gouvernement Ford annonçait l’élimination du Commissariat aux services en français et l’annulation du projet d’Université de l’Ontario français. L’organisme anglo-québécois Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) a été l’un des premiers à dénoncer ces coupures.

«Notre organisme regardait l’Ontario comme un modèle en ce qui a trait à la manière dont on devrait traiter une communauté linguistique minoritaire», a écrit l’organisme dans un communiqué.

Selon QCGN, la formule ontarienne se base sur trois piliers qui sont indissociables: «Une Loi sur les services en français, qui protège les droits des Franco-Ontariens. Un Office des Affaires francophones qui s’assure que des services en français sont offerts. Puis, un Commissaire aux services en français qui s’assure que ces droits sont respectés».

Selon le groupe, on ne peut pas s’en prendre à l’un d’eux sans provoquer de graves conséquences, ce qui le motive à prendre part au mouvement.

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Editorial: Anglo funding takes nothing away from French

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Last year, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Official Languages produced an enlightened report on the state and needs of Quebec’s anglophone communities.

Titled The Vitality of Quebec’s English-Speaking Communities: From Myth to Reality, it suggested that the anglo minority in Quebec is “caught in a dynamic where it must constantly stand up for its rights, and yet is not necessarily able to promote them.” The committee noted that the anglophone minority has specific needs, and recommended that federal institutions take positive measures to enhance its vitality and support its development.

This month the federal Heritage Department followed up on that recommendation with the announcement of $4.4 million in funding for 22 projects aimed at supporting official-languages development. Of these, 17 went to anglo community groups. Most of them, though not all, centred in the Montreal area.

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Financement de groupes anglophones à Montréal – NPD, Bloc et PQ sont outrés

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Le Devoir

La langue anglaise est-elle en détresse à Montréal et au Québec ? C’est la question qu’ont posée hier avec ironie le Parti québécois et le Bloc québécois, à la suite de la confirmation par le gouvernement conservateur de l’octroi de 4,4 millions en subventions à des organismes anglophones de la métropole.

Les 22 projets choisis par Ottawa et dévoilés lundi seront financés par les programmes Développement des communautés de langue officielle (19) et Mise en valeur des langues officielles (3). Le premier « favorise l’épanouissement des communautés francophones et anglophones minoritaires du pays », tandis que le second vise à « aider les Canadiens à comprendre l’importance de la dualité linguistique ».

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Anglophones aren’t on board yet: François Legault’s political history makes some non-francophones twitch

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BY PHILIP AUTHIER, THE GAZETTE OCTOBER 17, 2011

Anglos, anglos, where are the anglophones?

For a movement that fancies itself inclusive and sells an idea that should be popular among federalists – shelving all talk of referendums or constitutional reform – the coalition has a dearth of non-francophones in its ranks, which now number about 5,000.

Beyond business tycoon and coalition co-founder Charles Sirois, who has links to the provincial Liberals, not been many federalists have come forward to get involved in this coalition.

He has yet to meet the Quebec Community Groups Network, an umbrella group for 32 English-language community groups across Quebec, but network spokesperson Rita Legault (no relation) said there have been discussions about having one.

 

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Electoral system makes it hard for anglos to be heard

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By Sam Allison, Special to The Gazette, April 30, 2011

MONTREAL – A good deal of ink has been spilled on Canada’s inability to form a national government. Most commentators assume that Canadians are divided, and that the election results reflect those divisions. Curiously, few seem to have noticed that Canada’s electoral system is partly responsible for our inability to form majority governments. Federal ridings are partly based on the provinces, rather than upon the demographic patterns of the nation.

Quebec is the big winner in this system of division. It has 75 out of 308 federal seats. The province has 21 per cent of the Canadian population but 24 per cent of the seats in Parliament – important in a tied Parliament. In addition, within the province, the largest ridings are the English-speaking ones.

English Canada in general and English Quebec in particular punch below their electoral weights. In an Opinion piece in The Gazette April 28, Linda Leith wrote that “anglos must make themselves heard.” But how can this happen in a skewed electoral system designed to ensure that French Canada punches above its electoral weight?

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West Quebecers study future of Anglo communities in West Quebec

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The West Quebec Post, Lily Ryan

Directors of the Regional Association of West Quebecers consulted a selection of their membership, February 23, in preparation for RAWQ’s long-term strategic plan. Moderated by planning facilitator Susan Grundy, fifteen members met the board at the Western Quebec Career Centre. The plan will map out where RAWQ’s resources should be directed to best support the vitality of the English-speaking communities across the Outaouais.

Heather Stronach, the Association’s manager, launched the discuttion asking participants to look ahead a few years at the evolving Anglo community’s needs. Discussion centered around RAWQ’s assistance to anglophones as they navigate French-language governmental services, including hospitals, municipalities, and provincial agencies.

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Montréal, une ville bilingue?

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Sylvia Martin-Laforge was interviewed by V Télé reporter to react to February 2 Gazette article
”Montreal is bilingual, poll finds”. 

Watch the interview by clicking on the thumbnail below.


Charest talks economy, skirts language

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The Chronicle-Telegraph, Scott French

During a recent visit to Quebec City, Liberal leader Jean Charest, the man who will most likely continue as Quebec’s premier following the December 8 provincial election, shied away from questions about anglophone representation in the province.

[…] Anglos currently hold 0.7 per cent of the province’s bureaucratic positions despite representing 13 per cent of the province’s population, according to the Quebec Community Groups Network. Read more…