[lg policy] Canada: PQ suppresses English instead of promoting French

[Harold Schiffman]

Letter: PQ suppresses English instead of promoting French


Montreal Gazette September 12, 2012


Re: “Many PQ policies are misunderstood outside Quebec” (Opinion, Sept. 12)

Alexandre Thériault-Marois totally misunderstands what it is like to
be an English-speaking person in Quebec. PQ policies are designed to
eliminate the use of English in order to “protect the French
language.” There are ways to protect the French language other than
fining store keepers whose English signs might not be as large as ones
in French.

Having been born in the Laurentians in 1951, I have lived in Quebec
many more years than Mr. Thériault-Marois has. In all my years in
Quebec, I have never heard of the PQ going on a province-wide campaign
to promote French — only that it wants to suppress English. I have yet
to hear of the PQ developing a province-wide program to offer free
French language and literature training to anyone who wants to learn
French. I have never heard of the PQ offering free French newspapers
and books to anyone who wants to learn French. I have never heard of
the PQ offering free evenings of French poetry all around the province
designed to welcome people who are not predominantly French speakers.

Instead what we experience as anglos is a petty anglophobic attitude
toward the English language. Sorry, but as a francophone Québécois,
Mr. Thériault-Marois has no idea what it is like to live as an
anglophone in Quebec. His article only serves to prove the extent of
how unconscious the PQ are of the oppressive impact of their policies.

Instead of writing articles about PQ policies, why doesn’t he go out
on the street and talk to Anglo-Québecois people about what their
experiences are like living in Quebec. Maybe then he will write
something that is closer to real life, rather than simply political
philosophy and policy.

Simcha Raphael

Pierrefonds

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Letter+Macpherson+anglo+leader/7230472/story.html#ixzz26MXN0Fla



-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents.
Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal,
and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message.
 A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman,
Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************

_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list