FYI Quebec... should this be happening?

Question

Okay a little history - lived in Quebec my whole life and I'm an Anglo "English speaking" (I actually find it funny when I travel outside on Quebec and they say "Wow, for a Quebecer your English is amazing!" - kinda cute)

Not many people are aware of a little thing that happens in Quebec and I want to know if you know about this and if you agree / disagree with it.

In Quebec French is predominate and the English language is viewed as inferior. Stores MUST have French signs displayed and if English is on the sign... the French wording has to be at least TWICE the size of the English.

We actually have "police" (paid by taxpayers) that go around and hand out fines to stores/bars/restaurants etc if they violate this law. (can actually be a few THOUSAND dollars)

When working in retail, you must address the customer in French before English. (there are SOME not all French speakers that demand that they are only served by employees fluent in French.)

Is this extreme?

English children are forced to take French classes starting basics in kindergarten while French speaking children normally learn basic English around grade 5.

Just a response to "Walkers"
We are REAL Canadians, please don't confuse the "Separatists" with the rest of the population that wants to stay a part of Canada. As frustrated as I am with the Language Laws, there shouldn't be only ONE language. There are a few Quebecers that hate Canada - note the ENTIRE province.

And there are HUNDREDS of Tim Hortons EVERYWHERE in Quebec, believe me!

It's not like the French Language will go extinct!!

Answer 1

YES! I have always found it extreme. The Quebec government should know from basic world history that you can't shove a language down ppl's throats! I'm from the Maritimes and the Acadian culture is alive and well, without ANY support from anyone. There are tiny little communities like Cheticamp, NS, which have managed to keep French alive despite 400 yrs of being surrounding by non-French speaking ppl purely through resilience and determination. I most definitely understand the need for protection of language and culture, especially in this English-dominated world.... but French should be *encouraged* to be spoken and used, not forced on ppl. They are taking it too far. It's one thing to love your culture and heritage and want to protect it, it's another to think you are above everyone else. I cannot stand the attitude of separatists believing that the rest of "Canada" is "English" just b/c we SPEAK English. We are all of different descents, and I would say a good percentage of our ancestors spoke something OTHER than English before they came to this country. I am also offended by their views towards Acadians. If they even acknowledge them, the sentiment is usually leaning towards the belief that they allowed the British to walk all over them and therefore look down their noses at the entire Acadian culture. I find the separatist attitude very racist and bigoted and they don't allow for other cultures within Quebec b/c they don't fit the separatist agenda. I get really angry when I hear separatists bragging that Remembrance Day isn't really celebrated in Quebec etc. as if that's something to be proud of. I just want to shout at them THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY! You ARE this country! The idea of Quebecois wanting to be "separate" b/c they think they're different from the rest of us is the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard. Natives are different from the French which are different from the Gaels which are different from the English, Ukranian, Italian etc. which are all the different cultures that make up this country. We need to celebrate these differences yet know when to set them aside in order to thrive as a prosperous country. We also have our regional differences. Let me tell you, Eastern Canada is not the same as Western Canada, or Central, Northern etc. yet we all come together under one nation. I find the French separatist movement infantile. If a person was bullied for either being of French descent or for speaking French in their youth, that is a terrible injustice. However, It is an injustice that occurred within Quebec's borders. It should not have anything to do with the rest of this country.

Answer 2

I have a few points to pick with your post. First I want to state that I am a Quebecer, and a French one at that, but you'll notice from my English that I took the time to learn it well. And for the record, I do not hate English, or the rest of Canada.

First of all, English is not viewed as an inferior language by anyone I know. The reason why it is given a smaller importance in signs, is because we are trying to protect our French language, because let's face it, in a linguistic fight beteween French and English, we'd lose pretty quickly, being outnumbered. We had to pass those laws in order to keep what was ours, and what had been given to us as a freedom when Canada was made a country. The right to speak French, to teach our children French, and to practice Catholicism.

Second of all, English children learning basics of French in kindergarten makes sense to me: You live in a province that has an 80% French-speaking population, you want your children to be able to communicate with people outside your family. Second of all, English has been taught to French children in school starting in grade 4 (not 5 as you said) for at least thirty years. Five years ago that was pushed down to starting in grade 3, and starting this September, French children will be taught English in schools starting in grade 1. Teaching ESL myself, I'll agree they still don't get as much as I'd like, but we're doing a lot better than we could if we were as narrow-minded as some people think.

You might want to research your claims a bit better before you start hitting on French quebecers. I agree, not all of us are nice to the rest of Canada, but it can be said the other way around as well. Respect us, we'll respect you.

Answer 3

As an anglo Montrealer myself, yes I know about it.
I think the language laws are generally well-founded but sometimes they take the measurements to silly extremes (and I like when the Gazoo prints pictures of restaurants in Chinatown that have no French signs at all).

I think all kids should be "forced" to learn the second language from kindergarten on though. (It's grade three for ESL now.) My sister sends her kids to French school and by now they're pretty darn bilingual--though my nephew has a hard time keeping a straight face in English class; his teacher's English is quite under par.

Answer 4

WHOA WALKERS - Jesus buddy take a breath

Tim Hortons are everywhere here in Quebec so before you go ranting and raving - check your sources.

I HATE the language thing here. Drives me crazy actually and I personally can't wait to leave Quebec. There are only a few followers that want Quebec to leave Canada - and a majority of French don't want to split apart from our great country.

However just a little note, Montreal and Quebec City are HUGE tourist attractions, and people come here from all parts of the world, and not all of them speak French. They love this Province cause of it's history and beauty and don't let the language barrier interfer.

(But I still can't wait to leave!!!)

Answer 5

ahhhhhhhhh, welcome to not only a system of government where you have Federal and Provincial laws, but also a country that has two official languages. (I'm sure what I'm going to tell you isn't news to you as a Canadian, but I want to provide details for anyone else reading this question who might not know the background on this issue.)

In Canada, people have the right to access to service in both English and French. Most provinces primarily conduct life in English, so any bilingual signs are English first. When shopping in Ottawa, for example, I am usually greeted in both languages, but always English first. It doesn't matter that there is a population of Franco-Ontarians for whom French is their first language - English still comes first.

Quebec, given its history and culture, is the opposite. There is an undercurrent of feeling that the English Canadians are out to eliminate French and assimilate all French Canadians, making them abandon their rich traditions, culture, and language. Many French Canadian, especially in Quebec, feel offended and threatened by this trend and react by being very deliberate in their use of French.

The province as a right to chosing French as its official language and making sure that it is used. It feels a bit extreme, but imagine how French Canadians living in, say, Alberta feel about everything around them being in English, even though their country also has French as an official language.

Answer 6

No, it is not extreme. As an English speaking visitor I find it all reasonable and as expected. I also understand the reasons behind it. Quebec was losing its identity as a unique culture as it was losing French as the dominant language. This was a way to help protect it. Sounds like the Police you speak of are paid by the fines, not the taxpayer. I would love in my country to be served by someone who was fluent in English so I understand where these folk are coming from. I will be in Quebec in early October to enjoy the colors and the culture. And no, I don't speak any French and have never found that to be a problem.

Answer 7

I am an anglo Quebecois. I was brought up in english only, in a sea of french. My education excluded Quebec's history, geography, litterature, cinema, music, political goals. I've come to realize that denying even the existance of that which surrounds you is myopic, ignorant, and contemptuous. I later ardently learned french, and now can fully enjoy the vibrant culture that Quebec offers.
Cultural and linguistic diversity must be protected, just as biodiversity must.
People who live in Quebec, but think they live in the Rockies, and who only take in anglo culture, and only live in their tiny anglo bubbles, ignoring everything that's around them, are somewhat schizophrenic, just as I was.
Language POLICE? No. Language INSPECTORS. Pretty tame at that.
Problem?

Answer 8

Woah there 'walkers', someone needs to relax for a second... just chill. Your comments are rude and insulting. Would you like to be stereotyped as being a mullet-wearing redneck if you came from a certain place? I live in Québec, born and raised, and while I am a 'québecoise' I am first and foremost a Canadian, and damn proud of it. As for the language laws, I understand the reasoning behind them but I do find them a tad extreme. People should be able to conduct their business in any launguage they wish, and I think that if one language wasn't dominating the other, maybe they would co-exist more amicably. As for the Tim Hortons remark, walkers, I live in walking distance from 3 of them... no Timmy's in Québec.. HA. They are on every corner. J'aime le Canada!

Answer 9

I completely agree with you, I am from Montreal and these laws are getting rediculous.
There is actually one bar I know of called Tavern, they were actally threatened to be closed down or be heavily fined if they didnt add an E at the end to make it Taverne (french).
I used to work at Home depot, and we actually had to remove all tools made byt he company Kline becasue the instructions (on a screwdriver) were only in english and spanish....but these tools are made in the U.S, what do they expect.
About the schooling, well I think it is a good and bad. The good part is that many Anglos learn french at an early age, which is fine, but they might also have a harder time regurgitating most of it later on....if they do lets say history in french, they may not be able to find the right english term later on.
The french kids in Quebec are the ones losing out, and you know what good for them! I hate the mind set of french quebecers who believe that they are in their own tiny universe and there is nothing going on around them. Separtists dont want to learn english, then fine stay in quebec and dont do anything else with your life. I know many stor clerks even who cant speak a word of english, that is because they feel like they shouldn't have to well....then dont.
Even people in France dont understand quebec french anyways... Quebec french is like slang almost....they try to turn things "quebec" by making up stupid words or by making soem english spin off, like Hotdugg, well thats how they pronounce it, but there is actaully a french word for it, but they dont ever use it. Did you know that Quebec is the only place on earth that has stop signs that say "Arret" even in france, the signs say "stop"

I do enjoy living here, but that is because I am now bilingual, but still I think the whole Quebec mentality is just not up to par!

Answer 10

I believe it's extreme.

While in any other part of the country, you find our signage in both our official languages...and in a lot of cases, one or more languages listed under that! I'm not offended by it, and I realize that it's important to show them both.

It does bother me in Quebec when the choice is removed from me. I am fluent in both languages, but choose to stay away from Quebec because of the superior attitude.