About the painting over of English language signs in Mount Royal, if it is so offensive to have English signs in the province of Quebec by law, should not all the English-speaking provinces of Canada ban Joual (French patois) signs too? Surely what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander too, and Quebec's Bill 101 or not, should have absolutely no bearing on the issue at all.
If all immigrants to Quebec must by law study in Joual-speaking schools, then all immigrants arriving in English-speaking Canada should by law, also study in English-speaking schools. This includes, all those immigrants who hail from former French colonies in Africa or anywhere else, which are loosely called members of La Francophonie. Because immigrants coming from former British colonies and Dominions, like Australia and New Zealand, and speak English, are not permitted by Quebec's Bill 101, to go to English language schools in the province of Quebec. Thus there must be no privileges for immigrants arriving in Canada, including those who come from La Francophonie. If they settle in Quebec, they go to Joual language schools. If they come to English-speaking provinces in Canada, they must go to English language schools.
There must be a sense of equality for all immigrants who come to English-speaking Canada, and there must be no excuses or special federal governments grants for the teaching of Joual in English-speaking Canada, because none exists for the teaching of English in Quebec. In fact, when Quebec's first language law Bill 22, was passed in June 1974 by the Bourassa Liberal government of Quebec, Canadien Prime Minister Pierre-Elliott Trudeau stated that LANGUAGE was a provincial jurisdiction. If that be the case the federal government cannot fund any language schools, because language is a provincial matter. As it now stands, only Quebec is permitted a special status vis-à-vis language laws. Therefore English-speaking provinces must suspend privileges for all immigrants, including those from La Francophonie. No double standards for anyone. If Quebec has laws on the language of instruction in Joual, federal government only wants multiculturalism to apply in English-speaking Canada, and not in Quebec, then English-speaking Canada has to have equity, and apply those same rules to immigrants arriving in their provinces. That way, there are no privileges for anyone who comes here out of choice. Besides this, no transfer payments should be made to Quebec for the teaching of English, since the funds received for the teaching of the English language only goes into the provincial coffers to pay civil servants, and not for the teaching of English.
The other point is how different is the present Quebec Liberal government of John (Jean) Charest from the Parti Quebecois governments in the area of language? Apparently there is no difference in their policy of harassment of English-speaking suburbs, businesses etc. in Quebec. So why do English-speaking voters in Quebec support the Liberal Party, if there is no difference?
Remember that John (Jean) Charest is a man of many coats, and has switched from Conservative to Liberal in order to further his own ambitions. Is it not possible that John (Jean) Charest might switch to the Parti Quebecois should the occasion arise?
Finally, Quebec's language policy should be emulated by English-speaking Canada. All signs in Joual (French patois) in English-speaking Canada should be painted over forthwith. The second point I raise is that English-language schools in Quebec must have a much larger Joual (French patois) sign, above the English sign and name of the school, because this is standard Quebec language law policy. So it would be fitting to copy and enforce this policy in Ontario and other English-speaking provinces of Canada. To put MUCH LARGER signs in ENGLISH in Joual-language schools, universities, hospitals, etc. In the case of Ontario, this should be no problem at all, since English is the only OFFICIAL Language in Ontario.
Kenneth T. Tellis
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
