Tag Archives: François Legault

Quebec’s Elections and Notes on Ozias Leduc

10 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by in Canada, Quebec, Sharing

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Le Jeune Élève d’Ozias Leduc, 1894 (Musée des beaux-arts du Canada)

Leduc-Chasse-aux-canards-par-un-matin-brumeux2-Huile-sur-toile-11-x-15-85-000

Chasse aux canards par un matin brumeux (Hunting for Ducks on a Foggy Morning), Ozias Leduc (Galerie Michel Bigué)

I added a paragraph to my last post, after it was published. By and large, posts are not read twice. I am therefore publishing what you haven’t read.

One paragraph in Wiki2.org’s entry entitled Official Language Act (Quebec) seems reassuring. Quebec’s Language Laws, Bills 22 and 101, do not take rights away from English-speaking Canadians. Their children may attend an English-language school. But the children of immigrants, are required to attend a French-language school. All signs, such as traffic signs, must be predominantly, if not entirely, in French. I remember mentioning in a post that a Quebec café or restaurant owner was required to remove the letters WC from the door to a public toilet room. WC (water closet) may be used in France, but not in Quebec. Stop signs are called arrêts in Quebec. In short, Quebec insists on looking French. Traffic monitors and advertising displays are in French.

Concerning ‘unilingualism’ in Quebec, it is useful to read the entries entitled Official Language Act (Quebec) (Bill 22) and Charter of the French Language (Bill 101). (Wiki2.org.)

I did not quote the introductory paragraph but quoted the paragaph following it.

That English was an official language in Quebec as well, was declared on July 19, 1974, by McGill University law faculty’s most expert counsellors, disputing Bill 22. The testifiers were Dean Frank R. Scott, John Peters Humphrey, chief planner of the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights, Irwin Cotler and four additional legal teachers:

Section 1, which provides that French is ‘the official language of the province of Quebec,’ is misleading in that it suggests that English is not also an official language in Quebec, which it is by virtue of Section 133 of the BNA Act and the federal Official Languages Act. … No legislation in the National Assembly proclaiming French the sole official language in the province can affect these bilingual areas protected by the BNA Act.

(See Official Language Act [Quebec], Wiki2.org.)

Although this paragraph is reassuring, to my knowledge, when Premier Robert Bourassa said that the province of Quebec would be unilingual (French), he meant ‘officially’ unilingual. Given that Canada’s official languages are French and English, why would Premier Bourassa say that Quebec would, henceforth, be a unilingual province, i. e. ‘officially’?

In other words, the rights of English-speaking Canadians are respected under the Official Languages Act of 1969, as per the paragraph I quoted. One difficulty arises for French-speaking Quebecers. After the age of 11, children are unlikely to acquire native fluency in a second language, but there are exceptions. Some individuals speak eighteen languages by the age of 18. They may make mistakes and they may have an accent, but… However, a large number of French-speaking Quebecers find ways of teaching English to their children. English is a North-American reality.

I have two students who mastered French. My star student is Gillian Pink, from Antigonish. Gillian is working at Oxford University.

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Candlelight Study, Ozias Leduc, 1893 (Google)

Language Bills, Referendums, and Sovereignty

Let us return to Bill 22 and Bill 101. I have noted that there was an exodus from Quebec when Bill 22 was passed. In my opinion, Bill 22 was seen as a step in the direction of sovereignty. So have Bill 101 and the two referendums (1980 and 1995).

Quebec’s new Premier, François Legault, has stated that there would not be another referendum, but he and members of Coalition avenir Quebec will be seeking greater autonomy for Quebec. What does he mean? Quebec Premier René Lévesque did not sign the Constitution Act of 1982, and none of his successors have done so. The fact remains that I’ve been in the midst of an identity crisis for sixteen years, or since I left Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

My Quebec Health Insurance Card does not cover the cost of appointments with a doctor in provinces other than Canada. Yet, I am a Canadian, but a French-speaking Canadian living in Québec, whose mother tongue is French, who loves French literature, but who speaks English fluently and feels Quebec is safer as a province of Canada, than a country.

I believe that all Canadians are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but the Constitution Act of 1982 enshrines the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is entrenched in the Constitution Act of 1982, which Quebec has not signed. Usually, Ottawa, the federal government, rescues Quebecers. It may have found a niche for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or the Charter may exist separately. The BNA Act may be more permanent legislation.

However, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires all provinces to provide primary and secondary education to their official-language minorities at public expense.

(See French Language in Canada, Wiki2.org.)

Conclusion

Would that Quebecers had not elected a party advocating greater autonomy for Quebec. Quebecers have to protect their language, but greater autonomy for Quebec suggests distancing Quebec from other Canadian provinces.

May all Canadians live in peace and harmony. Culturally, I am French. But home is also Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where I owned a lovely blue house, across the street from the campus of St Francis Xavier University and St Ninian’s Cathedral.

Ozias Leduc

Ozias Leduc (8 October 1864 – 16 June 1955) is my featured artist. His subject matter is often religious. But his art is nevertheless diverse and still lifes seem a favourite subject. Well-known artist Paul-Émile Borduas was one of his students. I am embedding a video. It is a French-language video with a lyrical ambiance. A couple is getting on a raft that will take them to Ozias Leduc’s house. It may be the smaller house.

Ozias Leduc’s house (Google)
Ozias Leduc’s house (Google)

 

St Ninians’ Cathedral, Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Closer to me, is St Ninian’s Cathedral, in Antigonish. Paintings in our Cathedral were the work of Ozias Leduc. I was in Antigonish when they were restored.

Love to everyone 💕

St. Ninian’s Cathedral, Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Leduc’s Boy with Bread, 1892-99, National Gallery of Canada (Wiki2.org.)

© Micheline Walker
10 October 2018
WordPress

Premier Legault’s Caquiste Quebec

05 Friday Oct 2018

Posted by in Canada, Coalition avenir Québec, Liberal Party of Quebec, Quebec history

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legault

François Legault (Photo credit: Le Devoir)

“The door to sovereingty remains opened.”

https://wiki2.org/en/Quebec_general_election,_2018

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Diversity in Canada

There are several political parties in Quebec, but I am told that in this part of Quebec, the Eastern Townships, most Quebecers support sovereignty for the Province of Quebec. Monsieur Legault is a former member of the Parti québécois. The PQ has been home to Quebecers seeking sovereignty: les Péquistes. As the statement above indicates, les Caquistes, members of Coalition avenir Québec, support increased sovereignty. So does Québec solidaire and other parties. You may remember that, when Pauline Marois was elected Premier of Quebec, someone tried to shoot her. The person who jumped forward to stop the gunman was killed. (See 2012 Montreal Shooting, Wikipedia.) The shooter was an Anglophone.

Quebec problems

Quebec has language laws, which, enforced rigidly, are stifling. More importantly, these language laws cannot fully protect French-speaking Quebecers. They may, in fact, lull French-speaking Quebecers into thinking their language is protected. Well, their language, my mother tongue, isn’t and cannot be protected unless there is sufficient emphasis on learning to speak and write French correctly in Quebec schools and in Quebec homes.

Moreover, I wonder if Quebecers are taught Canadian history. If so, it seems lessons prepare students to believe that we, “poor French-speaking Canadians,” have been persecuted by English Canadians.

Yes, Orangemen prevented French-speaking and Catholic Canadians from going to Western Canada and being educated in their language. They killed Louis Riel, and, after his death, French Canadians living west of Quebec had to enroll their children in English-language schools. But a few French-speaking communities survived, and, in September 1969, the Official Languages Act came into effect. Matters have been corrected.

It is not true, at least not altogether, that the Rebellions of 1837-38 opposed the English and the French. The Rebellions took place in both Lower and Upper Canada. Lower Canada’s Louis-Joseph Papineau and Upper Canada’s William Lyon Mackenzie did not want Britain to help itself to their money. Responsible government is what both Canadas, Upper and Lower (down the St. Lawrence river) wanted. Again, matters have been corrected.

However, the arrival in Lower Canada of United Empire Loyalists, people who fled the recently independent United States, was perturbing for the French-speaking citizens of Lower Canada. They had viewed Lower Canada as their Canada. A party was born, le Parti canadien, and its members, not all, referred to themselves as patriotes. Welcoming United Empire Loyalists was not a ploy aimed at hurting French-speaking Canadians. It was history unfolding and a change in demographics that did not benefit French-speaking Canadians.

We must differentiate the two events: the Rebellions and the arrival of United Empire Loyalists.

Les P’tits Canadas

Several of these United Empire Loyalists settled in the Eastern Townships. In the villages of the Eastern Townships, such as Cookshire, where my father was raised, French-speaking Canadians lived in p’tits Canadas. For a long time, they called themselves Canadiens, as in the “Canadiens” hockey club. Those who spoke English were les Anglais. Beginning with the Révolution tranquille, the 1960s, French-speaking Quebecers, started referring to themselves as Québécois/Québécoises.

Canadians & Quebecers/Québécois

But what is very frustrating is dealing with a double identity. Quebec is a Canadian province. No referendum has granted Quebec a mandate to separate from Canada. But it is doing so, bit by bit. Quebec has not signed the Constitution Act of 1982.

So, the health-card used by Quebecers is not valid outside Quebec. It does cover the cost of a stay in a hospital. However, if one needs to be treated by a specialist, during a stay in hospital, he or she will send you his or her bill. I realize that Education and Health are provincial legislation, but to what extent, may I ask. Moreover, I pay taxes to both the Federal Government and Revenue Quebec. I am a Canadian whether I live in Quebec or in Nova Scotia. Unilingualism may be a way of promoting autonomy for Quebec, but it may also chase people away from Quebec.

The notwithstanding clause

  • anti-immigration
  • secularism

But it gets worse. I now live in an anti-immigration province. Marine Le Pen is happy that Quebecers have elected an anti-immigration Premier. When Marine endorsed monsieur Legault, Premier Legault dissociated himself immediately from Marine Le Pen. The fact remains that, for the next four years, the government of Quebec will be an anti-immigration government.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1127582/marine-le-pen-alliee-embarrassante-pour-premier-ministre-designe-francois-legault

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the notwithstanding clause ‘should only be used in exceptional cases.’ (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/justin-trudeau-francois-legault-caq-secular-1.4848823

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/quebecs-secularism-reigns-supreme/article36727839/

Then comes secularism, or laïcité. There is, of course, laïcité and laïcité. Under its new Caquiste government, laïcité in Quebec will not allow the wearing of clothes and jewellery that reveal one’s faith: no little cross worn as a pendant. No veil. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly stated that women had the right to dress as they pleased. But Premier Legault plans to use the notwithstanding clause.

Quebec’s immigrants cannot break the law. The mutilation of female genitalia is forbidden in Canada, which includes Quebec. But forcing first generation immigrants from the Middle East to take off their veil may be imprudent. One must realize that first-generation immigrants are vulnerable. They have lost their country. Should they also feel unwanted? Canada has its first nations, its two founding nations, but people from all over the world live in this country and all of us must build the road to the future together, which means respecting differences. If we start building walls, we are lost.

Conclusion

I suspect that, during Premier Legault’s tenure, the parking fee will be higher. I also suspect the poor will be poorer and the rich, richer. We know that Monsieur Legault plans to give further autonomy to Quebec, which means, as mentioned above, that Quebec’s new Premier is unlikely to sign the Constitution Act of 1982, nor, for that matter, care for French-speaking Canadians living outside Quebec. He and his team will invest time and energy in providing greater autonomy for Quebec, which may lead to an exodus from Quebec. Quebec needs its immigrants and its taxpayers, but I dare not speak further…

Dr Couillard has resigned

Quebec Premier, Dr Phillipe Couillard resigning (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-quebec-liberal-leader-philippe-couillard-retires-from-politics-after/

New Quebec premier, Philippe Couillard, an intellectual and unabashed federalist

Quebec had an excellent Premier, Dr Philippe Couillard. In no way did he and members of his cabinet deserve this slap in the face. Former Premier, Dr Couillard, will no longer lead Quebec’s Liberals.

Love to everyone 💕

I made some changes to my post. In an earlier version, I repeated myself (the Constitutional Act). Moreover I want to investigate Quebec’s unilingualism further. I don’t like it. It’s a danger to car drivers, it may be vindictive as well as impolite and petty. Yet, I am a former President of the Canadian Association of University and College Teachers of French: l’APFUCC (l’Association des professeurs de français des universités et collèges canadiens). 

Léo Delibes: Lakmé – Duo des fleurs (Flower Duet), Sabine Devieilhe & Marianne Crebassa

Picasso Peace Dove Canvas Print

© Micheline Walker
5 October 2018
updated 5 October 2018
WordPress

 

 

François Legault, Premier of Quebec

02 Tuesday Oct 2018

Posted by in Coalition avenir Québec, Québec Art

≈ 4 Comments

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Image result for francois legault photos

François Legault, Premier Ministre du Québec (Photo credit: La Presse)

Yes, Quebecers voted, and it was a landslide victory, 74 out of 125 seats, for François Legault the leader of a party named Coalition avenir Québec. “Avenir” means future. The moment I entered the voting room, I was told by a young couple that we had no choice. We had to elect François Legault, they said. I was voting for the Liberal candidate.

In other words, Dr Couillard was ousted. I have long supported the Liberal Party. Voting for the Liberals means opposing separatist Parti Québécois and supporting our precious social programmes. A Parti Québécois victory could mean division in Canada. Having lived in every part of this country, I want Canada to stretch from coast to coast: A Mari usque ad Mare.  Coalition avenir Québec has ties with the Parti Québécois, but it is not planning to leave the Canadian Confederation. Is this something I should believe?

—ooo—

I’m sad to see Dr Couillard leave us. I agree that changes are needed. We have an example: the parking fee at hospitals, hospices, and CLSCs, Centre local de services communautaires or public clinics. Will they go up or will they be abolished? They may go up.

The Parking Fee

As you know, the citizens of Sherbrooke must pay a substantial parking fee if they go to a hospital or to a CLSC. You may remember that I cried as I stood in one of several queues of people who had to pay parking fees using machines they could not operate. It was a terrible day.

Let me give you an update.

A few weeks ago, I read that elderly patients living in hospitals or hospices were not being looked after properly. A little later, I read that members of the staff of Sherbrooke’s hospitals and hospices were leaving their position at an unexpectedly rapid rate. So, I thought, could it be the parking fee?

When my mother went into an institution, my father and other members of the family helped her eat her dinner, the noon meal. For my part, I visited after 3 pm (15 hours). We talked, and I helped her eat an early supper and then helped get her ready for the night.

There was a lot to do. She had to be suspended in a net hanging from the ceiling while the bed was changed. I used to tell her that she was lucky to be in an airplane. “Is that an airplane?” she would ask. “Of course, mother. You are in mid-air, like a bird, while the rest of us have to stand on the ground.” She was then put into a fresh gown. “Would you believe mother that I have to get dressed all by myself?”

Maman, je t’aime…

Given the current parking fees, are families helping mothers, fathers and their sick relatives who are in an institution? If the staff is quitting, I suspect that families no longer visit once or twice a day. They probably visit once or twice a week, perhaps less. Many Quebecers and Canadians are poor. They cannot afford to spend several hundred dollars a month in parking fees.

My brother will be going back and forth from a hospital bed to his home. Members of my family will therefore be feeding those machines a significant amount of money and our contribution to the “Foundation” will not be tax-deductible. But think about the mothers, fathers, the disabled and other patients who will seldom see their family because of the parking fee.

Shame on those societies that have allowed the cost of living to rise to a point where one can say that life is literally “unaffordable.” Are we being told no longer to have children? The large red-brick house of my childhood did not have hot water, and we had to feed an old furnace. But the house belonged to my father’s employers, it came with the position, and we did not have to pay rent. We were secure.

I know very little about monsieur Legault, but I hope he realizes that the humble among us need help and that the sick and the elderly who are confined to a bed for years require the support of their family. We saw my mother twice a day, seven days a week for the three years she spent in an institution hoping she could go home. The day she died, her lips had to be kept moist. I told the staff that I could do this and that I would not leave until she died. She was going home.

Will mothers die alone?

A Threat?

According to Alexandre Taillefer of the Huffington Post, monsieur Legault is a threat to social peace: “une menace à la paix sociale.”

https://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/08/12/francois-legault-menace-paix-sociale-alexandre-taillefer_a_23500873/

Monsieur Legault’s House

I have also looked at pictures of monsieur Legault former house.  It was on the market in 2015. I think his house is the first house we are shown.

https://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/09/francois-legault-vend-sa-maison-pour-49m-photos_n_8111638.html?ncid=other_trending_qeesnbnu0l8&utm_campaign=trending

https://www.ledevoir.com/francois-legault?page=1

https://www.cbc.ca/news

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-coalition-avenir-quebec-wins-historic-majority-as-voters-soundly/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video

Artist Robert Savignac

To keep us close to the ground, I have inserted art by Robert Savignac. My niece Marie-France and Robert’s brother are a couple. They have four children, now young adults. Robert paints happy and sunny environments.

 

Love to everyone 💕

Image result for robert savignac artiste peintre

Image result for robert savignac artiste peintre

Robert Savignac

© Micheline Walker
2 October 2018
WordPress

 

 

 

 

 

Parti québécois elected: one person killed, one critically injured

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Canada

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Ship in the Stormy Sea, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1887)

Photo credit: museumsyndicate.com 
 

Everybody voted and Madame Pauline Marois, the leader of the Parti Québécois, is Quebec’s new Premier.  Shots were fired as the Parti Québécois was starting to celebrate, so madame Marois was quickly removed from the stage by bodyguards.  One person was killed and one critically injured.

Earlier today I interviewed several individuals.  I asked these persons to give me one reason why they voted for an indépendantiste party, but no one could provide me with my one reason.  One person told me he had at least fifty reasons, but he added that he did not have the time to give me his reasons.  Name one, I asked.  He repeated that he was too busy.

Whom will they kill next?

The News

The National Post:  http://www.nationalpost.com/index.html
 
Micheline Walker©
September 5th, 2012
WordPress
 
composer: Beethoven (baptized 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827)
piece: Sonata “Appassionata,” (no.23, op.57) 3rd movement
pianist: Sviatoslav Richter (20 March 1915 – 1 August 1997)