Tag Archive for: Bonjour-Hi

Bloc Québécois wants to replace Bonjour-Hi with Bonjour-Ho

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The sovereignist federal party wants to stamp out the “Bonjour-Hi” greeting in Montreal businesses.

The Bloc Québécois has launched a holiday ad campaign urging Montrealers not to say Bonjour-Hi.

Posters for the sovereignist federal party show a blue Santa with the caption “Bonjour-Ho!”

The idea is to stamp out the bilingual greeting in businesses, which has raised the ire of Quebec politicians and commentators who say customers should be greeted in French only.

Joanie Riopel, a spokesperson for the Bloc Québécois, said posters will be put up near downtown shopping centres during the one-week campaign, which starts Monday.

“The message we want to send is to be able to shop in French in Montreal in the current situation, where French is in decline,” she said.

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Really?!?! Bonjour/Ho?!?!

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(AUDIO) Tom Mulcair, who can be heard every weekday morning at 7:40 on the Andrew Carter Morning Show, comments on the Bloc Québécois’ Bonjour-Ho alternative to Bonjour-Hi.

Listen

Brownstein: Why the Bloc Québécois needs to rethink its ‘Bonjour-Ho’ ad campaign

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Woe to the unsuspecting Montreal merchant who greets a sensitive anglo female client with a “Bonjour-Ho!”

Blood may be spilled. Lips may be fattened. Eyes may get blackened.

“Bonjour-Ho!?” Seriously? ‘Fraid so.

Even during the grimmest of times, we can always count on our politicians to bring a little, nay, a lot of levity to life here. And elsewhere as well.

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Bloc Quebecois suggest Montreal store clerks ditch ‘Bonjour-Hi!’ for ‘Bonjour-Ho!’

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MONTREAL – The Bloc Quebecois has offered a suggestion for Montreal store clerks accustomed to greeting customers with ‘Bonjour-Hi!’

The Bloc is suggesting the more festive, and less English, ‘Bonjour-Ho!’ Twitter erupted when the Bloc posted the suggestion, along with its campaign “2021: On touche du bois!”

“Montreal will also benefit from the ‘Bonjour-Ho!” campaign, which promotes the use of French,” the Bloc wrote.

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The doggedness of the Anglophones

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The “Bonjour-Hi” battle continues. Journal de Montréal columnist Denise Bombardier shares her thoughts on the greeting. QCGN President Geoffrey Chambers recently expressed the wish that Canadians be greeted in both official languages.

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Voters will be Greeted By a “Bonjour-Hello”

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Voters turning up on October 21 will be greeted with a “bonjour-hello”, causing the Mouvement Quebec française (MQF) to speak out against Elections Canada. Quebec Community Groups Network president Geoffrey Chambers says that a welcome in both official languages is exactly what the English-speaking community supports.

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National Assembly again urges merchants to drop use of “Bonjour-Hi”

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The Bonjour-Hi debate is back after Member of the National Assembly voted unanimously in favour of another resolution to eliminate the word “Hi” from the Bonjour Hi greeting. Two English-speaking MNAs voted in favour of the resolution, baffling Quebec Community Groups Network President Geoffrey Chambers. “Promoting and protecting the French language we are all for. Suppressing the English language is not on,” he said via Twitter.  

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Bonjour-Hi: Couillard repents, but anglo group too furious to forgive

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“Accused in writing of participating in an exercise that heaped scorn on the English-speaking community, Premier Philippe Couillard has moved to patch up relations in the wake of the Bonjour-Hi debacle.”

Premier Philippe Couillard moved to patch up relations with English-speaking Quebecers in the wake of the Bonjour-Hi debacle after receiving a letter from the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN).

Sources confirmed that the letter landed in Couillard’s mail Tuesday, sparking his comments in the legislature Thursday and an unscheduled afternoon interview with Montreal radio station CJAD. During question period Couillard admitted his government underestimated the negative impact the debate would have on the English-speaking community.

Read the article on the Montreal Gazette website

Parti Québécois Leader Admits “Bonjour-Hi” Ban Was “A Trap” To Make Other Politicians Look Bad

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“Jean-François Lisée, leader of the Parti Quebecois, the political party who started the “Bonjour-Hi” debacle that took over the province, revealed the party’s true intentions behind the bill to denounce the iconic bilingual greeting.”

Read the article published on MTL Blog

Bonjour-Hi: English-speakers are surprised by the debate.

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“De nombreux anglophones sont surpris du débat actuel sur le «Bonjour-Hi»: ils apprécient l’expression de courtoisie — avec le français en premier — et jugent que l’Assemblée nationale devrait avoir d’autres chats à fouetter.”

Many English-speaking Quebecers are surprised by the political debate that has suddenly sprung up around a common greeting in Montreal. For some business owners, welcoming customers in both French and in English helps make tourists feel comfortable.

James Shea, president of the QCGN, notes that the bilingual greeting opens the door for communication and is a form of respect for the English-speaking minority community in Quebec.

Read the article written by the Presse Canadienne in the Journal Métro