Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[P'tit Renard]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In fairness, Carney has agreed to participate in both consortium debates, one in English and one in French.

True, though TVA's debate tends to be the only one that's Quebec centric. Judging from my in-law's reactions, they're viewing this as a complete betrayal, another indignity suffered for being ruled by Ottawa. Carney is the perfect foil to boast the PQ at this point.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by P'tit Renard

True, though TVA's debate tends to be the only one that's Quebec centric. Judging from my in-law's reactions, they're viewing this as a complete betrayal, another indignity suffered for being ruled by Ottawa. Carney is the perfect foil to boast the PQ at this point.

Sure. The TVA debate is also more highly-rated than the Radio-Canada debate.

[le calmar]

The election could not come fast enough for Carney. A misstep or two won't matter too much, but at this rate he'll add a few more over the next few weeks.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by P'tit Renard

Blanchet blasting Carney in reasonably fluent English for lacking courage was the highlight of the day:

https://x.com/cbcwatcher/status/1904285400379936811

I would say this video is a sign of the erosion of French in Québec. There is no Francophone politician in Europe that could speak English so well, except perhaps Christine Lagarde. In fact, except for traces of accent here and there, you could almost confuse him with an Anglophone North American politician. That shows the immense influence of English inside the pockets of Francophone speakers in North America, and how totally immersed in the Anglophone world they are.

On a site note, we have a Blanchet in the French National Assembly too, from Normandy: https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/deputes/PA719024

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I would say this video is a sign of the erosion of French in Québec. There is no Francophone politician in Europe that could speak English so well, except perhaps Christine Lagarde. In fact, except for traces of accent here and there, you could almost confuse him with an Anglophone North American politician. That shows the immense influence of English inside the pockets of Francophone speakers in North America, and how totally immersed in the Anglophone world they are.

On a site note, we have a Blanchet in the French National Assembly too, from Normandy: https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/deputes/PA719024

So not a Canadian perspective. Elements of Captain Obvious with a dash of je ne sais quoi.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by P'tit Renard

Blanchet blasting Carney in reasonably fluent English for lacking courage was the highlight of the day:

https://x.com/cbcwatcher/status/1904285400379936811

If Carney can't face Québécois, how can he stand up to Trump face-à-face?

It's too bad there aren't more Montreal Anglophones like Mayor Jeremy Levi:
https://x.com/jerlevi/status/19042965836...%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Not a fan of Levi because he's legitimately wacko, but on this I agree with him.

I also agree with Yves-François Blanchet that Quebec's best interests would be served by the Bloc holding the balance of power, particularly during negotiations with the United States. Otherwise, it won't be pretty.

Also, leave it to a Quebec separatist to best embody Canada's bilingual ideal.

It's going to be Bloc this time around.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zeej

Not a fan of Levi because he's legitimately wacko, but on this I agree with him.

I also agree with Yves-François Blanchet that Quebec's best interests would be served by the Bloc holding the balance of power, particularly during negotiations with the United States. Otherwise, it won't be pretty.

Also, leave it to a Quebec separatist to best embody Canada's bilingual ideal.

It's going to be Bloc this time around.

For you (1) or for most Quebecers (2)?

Because while only you control (1), it looks like a lot of the (2) are willing to give Mark Carney a shot, nose-holding and all. At least for the moment. Still over a month to go.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by Acajack

For you (1) or for most Quebecers (2)?

Because while only you control (1), it looks like a lot of the (2) are willing to give Mark Carney a shot, nose-holding and all. At least for the moment. Still over a month to go.

Bloc for me, but I anticipate a swing back to the Bloc in general. Carney doesn't have much more room for error in my opinion.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zeej

Bloc for me, but I anticipate a swing back to the Bloc in general. Carney doesn't have much more room for error in my opinion.

I have mentioned a few times that the (admittedly) impressive numbers for Mark Carney in Quebec may be the softest political support we've ever seen.

But it's a short campaign, and if he's lucky he still might be able to ride on it for long enough and pull it off.

He has been making quite a few missteps already (like referring to Concordia instead of Polytechnique yesterday) none of which taken individually are much of a big deal but eventually they may start to add up.

For sure, he and his team really wish that today was April 26 and not March 26.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zeej

Also, leave it to a Quebec separatist to best embody Canada's bilingual ideal.

.

This actually isn't as big a contradiction as it appears to be at first glance.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by Acajack

He has been making quite a few missteps already (like referring to Concordia instead of Polytechnique yesterday) none of which taken individually are much of a big deal but eventually they may start to add up.

For sure, he and his team really wish that today was April 26 and not March 26.

We're on day 4? He'd better clean things up fast.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zeej

We're on day 4? He'd better clean things up fast.

He still hasn't debated anyone yet either. The French one will be a total minefield and even the one in English will be challenging. Both Poilievre and Singh are very experienced at political jousting.

[P'tit Renard]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I would say this video is a sign of the erosion of French in Québec. There is no Francophone politician in Europe that could speak English so well, except perhaps Christine Lagarde. In fact, except for traces of accent here and there, you could almost confuse him with an Anglophone North American politician. That shows the immense influence of English inside the pockets of Francophone speakers in North America, and how totally immersed in the Anglophone world they are.

Blanchet's fluency in English has more to do with his previous career. He's best known as the manager for Éric Lapointe, but his artist management and record label Diffusion YFB also had artists who released albums targeted for the Anglophone market. So naturally he'd need to be fluent in English to deal with industry insiders outside of Quebec.

On a related note, it was amusing to hear this week from Montréal colleagues that they were getting Teams calls from the Paris office to practise English, because the French there felt a bit intimidated speaking in front of Anglophones.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I would say this video is a sign of the erosion of French in Québec. There is no Francophone politician in Europe that could speak English so well, except perhaps Christine Lagarde. In fact, except for traces of accent here and there, you could almost confuse him with an Anglophone North American politician. That shows the immense influence of English inside the pockets of Francophone speakers in North America, and how totally immersed in the Anglophone world they are.

On a site note, we have a Blanchet in the French National Assembly too, from Normandy: https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/deputes/PA719024

Because of our history, location and size when it comes to this stuff we are never going to be like the French (or the Germans, Italians or Spaniards).

Our destiny is to be more like the Nordics in this and a few other ways.

In no way are we any less "our own selves" as a result. Au contraire.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by P'tit Renard

On a related note, it was amusing to hear this week from Montréal colleagues that they were getting Teams calls from the Paris office to practise English, because the French there felt a bit intimidated speaking in front of Anglophones.

Sorry, WHAT?

On a side note, my first business phone call in English (to the director of sales at Ford Motor in Detroit as it were) was in front of the stupid director of the French-Mexican Chamber of Commerce, sitting in front of his desk in his office (like I couldn't make an international phone call from my own phone and had to use his!). It cannot be more intimidating than this! The guy then had the gall to "correct" my English after the phone call, despite the fact I spoke English infinitely better than him!

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In no way are we any less "our own selves" as a result. Au contraire.

Dunno. I always feel more reassured when I see a Pauline Marois struggling in English. The more Pauline Marois you have, the better the liveliness of the French language in North American I'd say.

[New Brisavoine]

Meanwhile...

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

In fact, except for traces of accent here and there, you could almost confuse him with an Anglophone North American politician.

Traces of accent here and there? He has a very strong accent and sounds nowhere near an Anglophone politician.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Traces of accent here and there? He has a very strong accent and sounds nowhere near an Anglophone politician.

I thought English speakers supposedly didn't pay attention to accents and were more "tolerant" than French speakers in this respect? We would have been lied to then?

Does your government house leader Arielle Kayabaga have "a very strong accent and sounds nowhere near an Anglophone politician", or is the jab reserved for Québécois politicians specifically?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I thought English speakers supposedly didn't pay attention to accents and were more "tolerant" than French speakers in this respect? We would have been lied to then?

Does your government house leader Arielle Kayabaga have "a very strong accent and sounds nowhere near an Anglophone politician", or is the jab reserved for Québécois politicians specifically?

Being tolerant of accents, as Canadians generally are, does not render one deaf. Of course one hears accents. Blanchett's accent marks him clearly as a Quebecker. Kayabaga is a bit different - many would not hear an accent or might think she is second generation. If you listen very carefully, you begin to hear some things that are not standard Anglo Canadian, but again, nobody cares.