I learned a new word a few weeks back. And when I read the Globe's editorial, about Québec's move to bar the kirpan from the National Assembly and prevent four men wearing it from entering the building, it took me a while to get it. I couldn't honestly reconcile the headline with the story that was being told. And then it hit me!... the Globe and Mail was being contemptuous; these people obviously knew better. That's also the attitude they had when covering the niqab story almost a year ago.
A few days later, The Gazette printed an editorial on the incident, a text in which the authors state that there is no record of any incident in this country of anyone being injured by a kirpan... hmmm... a little journalistic integrity is in order here. And then what!?... you guessed it!... it's all because of the sovereigntists!... "the only logical explanation" concludes The Gazette.
Today, the National Assembly unanimously voted against the kirpan in the legislative buildings... that's right!... unanimously! Whether an individual should enter parliament with a blade or not may be an issue in other provinces, but it isn't in Québec.
You think this is being racist or xenophobic? I think not. You see, from where I stand, everyone's equal. Wearing a kirpan is a personal choice, not a human right. Of course, freedom of religion is, but is forbidding the kirpan really about depriving someone from her, or his, religion? Have you ever seen someone with a ceremonial blade on an airplane? Is this a pleasant thought?
Simply put, anyone with a blade can't enter Québec's legislature, regardless of her, or his, personal convictions. On the other hand, anyone complying with the rules of the house is welcome. And these rules equally apply to women, Sikhs, Hindus, Anglos, midgets... name them!
Clean and simple... no ambiguities... fair to all...
Oh!... but I don't understand Sikhism you say? You're probably right. But I do understand the deviant minds that might want to use Sikhism to justify wearing a blame when entering premises they wouldn't normally have access to.
You're not sure about the soundness of my stance? Here's a little food for thought. A few years ago, a couple of Québécois whom I had common friends with sincerely converted to Sikhism... they grew their hair all over their bodies and wore the clothes. Now... do you honestly believe they would enter the parliament building in Ottawa as easily with a kirpan as any other Sikh?
2011/02/09
2011/02/08
Mon pays, ce n'est pas Vancouver!
In the words of Pample the Moose: "I had to shake my head in amused bewilderment in reading Vancouver Olympics CEO John Furlong's whining in his memoirs about how the issue of French in the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies was criticized by people like Graham Fraser and James Moore..."
Click here to read the whole entry.
Note: I simply couldn't have written it better myself.
Click here to read the whole entry.
Note: I simply couldn't have written it better myself.
2011/02/06
Linguistic immersion
Someone had a good idea at Marianopolis College and Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf. Next year, both institutions will launch a student exchange program that will have interested students spend their last semester at the other CEGEP in an effort to improve their language skills.
I like it and the initiative hasn't stirred much controversy. OK... no news here... let's move on... except that... while both the Bloc and the Parti Québécois haven't commented on the initiative, some people see politics into it.
In the story published by La Presse [Google translation], Michel April, general manager at Brébeuf, is quoted saying it is a nice opportunity for Québec society to think things over. "Une belle piste de réflexion pour la société québécoise", he says. Of course, some people need this type of initiative to think things over, but Québec society? Gimme a break!... Québec's population is already the most bilingual in Canada. Yep!... even more bilingual than New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province in the country.
The Gazette and the CBC also see some politics into it. They both emphasize the apparent contradiction between this initiative and the Parti Québécois' discussions about banning Francophones and Allophones from attending English-language CEGEPs. Both media also conveniently omit that these discussions provide for institutions wanting to launch immersion programs to be able to do so [Google translation]. Which is exactly what both CEGEPs will be doing! Like I wrote above... no news here... but you have to wonder about the journalistic integrity of the authors involved at The Gazette and the CBC.
Someone had a good idea at Marianopolis College and Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, but it's no revolution. Many French-language elementary schools already have these types of immersion programs.
I like it and the initiative hasn't stirred much controversy. OK... no news here... let's move on... except that... while both the Bloc and the Parti Québécois haven't commented on the initiative, some people see politics into it.
In the story published by La Presse [Google translation], Michel April, general manager at Brébeuf, is quoted saying it is a nice opportunity for Québec society to think things over. "Une belle piste de réflexion pour la société québécoise", he says. Of course, some people need this type of initiative to think things over, but Québec society? Gimme a break!... Québec's population is already the most bilingual in Canada. Yep!... even more bilingual than New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province in the country.
The Gazette and the CBC also see some politics into it. They both emphasize the apparent contradiction between this initiative and the Parti Québécois' discussions about banning Francophones and Allophones from attending English-language CEGEPs. Both media also conveniently omit that these discussions provide for institutions wanting to launch immersion programs to be able to do so [Google translation]. Which is exactly what both CEGEPs will be doing! Like I wrote above... no news here... but you have to wonder about the journalistic integrity of the authors involved at The Gazette and the CBC.
Someone had a good idea at Marianopolis College and Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, but it's no revolution. Many French-language elementary schools already have these types of immersion programs.
2011/01/20
About Canada
With its 33,759,742 people Canada is the 36th largest country in the world by population. It is the 2nd largest country by area with 9,984,670 square kilometers.
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
The land now occupied by Canada was first inhabited approximately 16,000 years ago by aboriginal peoples. Starting in the late 15th century the British and French explored and settled along the eastern seaboard. The 19th century saw a rapid influx of European immigrants as the westward push that characterized the continent's development continued.
The beginning of the 20th century saw Canada's early involvement in World War I due to British control of its foreign affairs. In 1919 Canada joined the League of Nations independently of Britain taking control of its own foreign policy. Canada declared war on Germany during World War II three days after Britain, with the first Canadian Army units arriving in Britain in late 1939.
Today, Canada is characterized by its socially democratic programs such as universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, and Canada Student Loans. In 2006, The Economist ranked Canada the third most democratic nation in its Democracy Index, ahead of all other countries in North and South America.
Excerpt from IfItWereMyHome.com.
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
The land now occupied by Canada was first inhabited approximately 16,000 years ago by aboriginal peoples. Starting in the late 15th century the British and French explored and settled along the eastern seaboard. The 19th century saw a rapid influx of European immigrants as the westward push that characterized the continent's development continued.
The beginning of the 20th century saw Canada's early involvement in World War I due to British control of its foreign affairs. In 1919 Canada joined the League of Nations independently of Britain taking control of its own foreign policy. Canada declared war on Germany during World War II three days after Britain, with the first Canadian Army units arriving in Britain in late 1939.
Today, Canada is characterized by its socially democratic programs such as universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, and Canada Student Loans. In 2006, The Economist ranked Canada the third most democratic nation in its Democracy Index, ahead of all other countries in North and South America.
Excerpt from IfItWereMyHome.com.
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