Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[flar]

Originally Posted by JHikka

No, NB really should have the ON model of regionalized language services rather than the very blanket measures they have today which are provincewide. The equivalent of requiring full bilingual proficiency in Sarnia and Chatham. I haven't done any reading in the past few years but i'd be curious if NB could alter its Languages Act to provide that regionalized service without contravening the Constitution Act.

Side note, there are actually some French communities near Chatham and stretching around the south shore of Lake St. Clair into Essex County, Pain Court being the most prominent. There is even French signage in some of those communities and fully French schools (not immersion).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Some of my France-French friends (saying that out loud is odd) living in Canada are some of the most anti-French I know. Some others try very hard to hide the fact they are from France. While MolsonEx’s analysis is accurate, you will occasionally stumble upon those anti-French people, but the funny thing is, most if not all of them come from France. Maybe Tg11 is a Seine St-Denis transplant who enjoys his new life in the 6ix very much?

Well, the way he writes almost does seem like an English version of Verlan...

[MonctonRad]

Interesting article about a proposal by the NB Nurses Union president to merge certain services at the Moncton (English) and Dumont (French) hospitals in Moncton in order to deal with chronic staffing shortages. The president of the Vitalite (French) RHA has even raised the possibility of hiring unilingual English nurses at the Dumont Hospital because of the crisis. Not surprisingly this has gone over like a lead balloon with the Acadian Society.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...gers-1.6034583

This is the most upvoted comment on the CBC comment section regarding this article:

If Quebec is suddenly allowed to open the constitution to change things, it's time for NB to get in on that act as well and fix this issue in NB and get rid of duality. It has always been said that majority of provinces need to agree on opening the constitution but suddenly with Trudeau, Quebec can do what they want.

LeGault's unilaterality on the constitutional issue, and Trudeau's apparent acquiescence could have serious consequences on the linguistic truce as it currently exists in Canada.

[whatnext]

LOL, only from the land of extreme linguistic insecurity. Talk about ridiculous regulation. Dust off those Roch Voisine cassettes!

On hold or in an elevator? The music you're hearing should be made in Quebec: minister
90% of the songs with lyrics used in this new initiative, which only applies to government establishments, must be in French.
Author of the article: La Presse Canadienne
Publishing date: June 21, 2021

Any music you hear when you call a government phone line or are in a government building should be made in Quebec, the province’s culture minister announced on Sunday.

“The era of royalty-free elevator music is over,” Nathalie Roy said at a news conference.

The new measure, which comes after the minister discovered there was no policy encouraging the sharing of Quebec music in such contexts, will take immediate effect and apply to all ministries and government agencies....

https://montrealgazette.com/news/loc...ster-announces

[Acajack]

As usual and as appropriate, criticism from the society that gave us CanCon will be taken with a grain of salt.

[JHikka]

Feels very 1984 that music played in an elevator or on a wait line should be government-approved and regulated.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Feels very 1984 that music played in an elevator or on a wait line should be government-approved and regulated.

When it's a government agency?

(As usual when it comes to Quebec, the facts get all distorted in order to fit a certain narrative.)

[Acajack]

And geez guys, I never knew Anglo-Canadians had a national fondness for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-SIManm_Qo

I'd likely to sincerely apologize for depriving you of this listening pleasure, if ever you happen to call a Quebec government agency and get put on hold.

[MonctonRad]

We could make everyone unhappy and issue a government edict that only Nickelback can be played on elevators in government buildings.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Acajack

When it's a government agency?

(As usual when it comes to Quebec, the facts get all distorted in order to fit a certain narrative.)

It indicates the Elevator Music Diktat will apply to all organizations (excluding events and concerts?).

[kwoldtimer]

I don’t see the problem. Quebec produces Muzak-worthy tunes in abundance.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

And geez guys, I never knew Anglo-Canadians had a national fondness for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-SIManm_Qo

What a great jam... I'm going to blast this in the backyard

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by whatnext

It indicates the Elevator Music Diktat will apply to all organizations (excluding events and concerts?).

From the article you quoted:

which only applies to government establishments

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by whatnext

LOL, only from the land of extreme linguistic insecurity. Talk about ridiculous regulation. Dust off those Roch Voisine cassettes!

On hold or in an elevator? The music you're hearing should be made in Quebec: minister
90% of the songs with lyrics used in this new initiative, which only applies to government establishments, must be in French.
Author of the article: La Presse Canadienne
Publishing date: June 21, 2021

Any music you hear when you call a government phone line or are in a government building should be made in Quebec, the province’s culture minister announced on Sunday.

“The era of royalty-free elevator music is over,” Nathalie Roy said at a news conference.

The new measure, which comes after the minister discovered there was no policy encouraging the sharing of Quebec music in such contexts, will take immediate effect and apply to all ministries and government agencies....

https://montrealgazette.com/news/loc...ster-announces

Why are you all upset about that ? How does that affect you anyway ? It's completely legitimate for the Quebec government to ask its own agencies to play home-grown music (and pay rights to Quebec artists), instead of playing music from American musak companies. I don't understand the problem... it's a great idea.

[Hali87]

To be fair I think the City of Ottawa (and probably some other jurisdictions) has similar policies already. I don't see anything wrong with this - from an arts perspective it's a great move - and honestly I'd hope to see other provinces follow suit. At worst it would make being put on hold marginally more interesting.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I don’t see the problem. Quebec produces Muzak-worthy tunes in abundance.

Alternate evil-government plan:

One can only listen to 'My Heart Will Go On' so many times while on hold before you hang up and use the internet to communicate with government. Just like they blare awful music as psychological torture.

I fully expect Nickelback to become the official hold music of the Province of Alberta. Then in a few days, Jason Kenney can lay off all the people who used to do the job as call volumes crater. Win-win!

[MolsonExport]

I'd rather hear Quebecois artists (well, except for Celine Dion) than Nickelback or "Noo Country" horribleness (the sort of crap they play at Walfart). In fact, I would rather hear a jackhammer than Nickelback or "Noo Country" horribleness.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Why are you all upset about that ? How does that affect you anyway ? It's completely legitimate for the Quebec government to ask its own agencies to play home-grown music (and pay rights to Quebec artists), instead of playing music from American musak companies. I don't understand the problem... it's a great idea.

Strange world we live in where people would prefer government money sourced from people's taxes go to huge multinationals that produce packaged schlock (and have to listen to it) as opposed to local artists.

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Strange world we live in where people would prefer government money sourced from people's taxes go to huge multinationals that produce packaged schlock (and have to listen to it) as opposed to local artists.

Yeah, I don’t get it. And to equal that to linguistic insecurity is beyond absurd. The new program allows for english as well as indigenous music and songs… as long as they are by Quebec artists. It’s a total win-win.

[Franco401]

The only downside of this is that it shuns the wonderful world of royalty-free music, many parts of which are beautiful and fascinating.