picard102
Senior Member
You're quite literally mad at something you've made up.
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- Thread starter King of Kensington
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gabe
Senior Member
Montreal is great, never had issues, but I have stayed at a hotel outside of Quebec City, we went to a bar nearby, i asked for a English menu, the bartender just rudely threw at me, never spoke a word of English, we were largely ignored entire time we were there.
Quebec is a strange place, oppressive language laws, cultural head coverings laws ( hijab ban) We have a thread on it. It's truly a wacky and fascinating culture.
Will Toronto benefit from the Quebec Charter of values fisaco?
Will Toronto get more immigrants, french Canadians, business from it?
Northern Light
Superstar
As one would expect
So not within a major city.
Did you ask for it in French? That would be considered a minimal courtesy. The same way you ask Bonjour, parlez-vous Anglais? If you would like someone to speak English to you.
Puis-je avoir un menu en anglais, s'il vous plaît ? I don't think is hard to learn.........but really, you could just start at 'un menu' (same word in both languages)
When I go to Italy, many people speak English, but fewer than in Quebec, regardless, I always begin with a greeting in Italian, then you ask if someone speaks English.
Buongiorno, c'è qualcuno qui che parla inglese?
Or Germany.
Guten Tag, spricht hier jemand Englisch?
Its just good manners.
Seriously, I think that some effort is expected almost everywhere.
Except they aren't.
There is no law of that type. The hijab is legal. What is restricted, and one could certainly argue against it, is the wearing of religious symbols of any type, conspicuously, in a public facing, public service job.
It affects teachers, judges, prosecutors, people in counter jobs in Quebec gov't offices etc.
I'll happily accept that this is of dubious value, and while nominally it discriminates against all faiths, it certainly was aimed at Muslims, I think that's a safe statement.
Worth noting, Quebec is heavily influenced by France, which did completely ban the Niqab (face covering) in all public places except a mosque or private car. They also did ban the hijab and all other conspicuous religious symbols from schools., that includes on students, something Quebec did not do.
Agree or disagree w/Quebec, that context is important.
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Edit to Add: How do you think Francophones find it when they ask for a menu in French, in French, in suburban Toronto? Just wondering.
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81-717
Active Member
I did plenty of times actually, last time in 2018 with a group, and clearly remember the organizer explaining to us that while you'd be fine communicating in English in Mtl, Q. City is "very French" in that regard.
picard102
Senior Member
Seems like this tourist had an easy enough time in Quebec City. But he wasn't acting like a spoiled anglo who made up some draconian laws he has to follow in his own head.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Posts like these are why the the citizenship test should be mandatory to graduate high school.
1) Only businesses operating in Quebec are obligated to serve the public in French.
2) The only officially bilingual province in Canada is New Brunswick.
3) Companies are free to operate exclusively in English in 8 of 10 provinces and 3 territories.
4) If your sector is federally regulated, you must have the ability for customers to be served in their first official language. This doesn't mean every employee has to be bilingual. Just one person able to serve the customer. This is why airlines have at least one bilingual flight attendant for example.
None of this impacts you in any noticeable way. You just want to whine about it, because you're ignorant of how the country works, and what the legal obligations on business are.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Again. You seem to not understand the difference between federal and provincial.
Quebec implements bilingual signage in all areas of federal jurisdiction. They have only French signage on things in provincial jurisdiction. The signage you see that is only French is under provincial jurisdiction.
Put it this way. How much French signage do we have in the Toronto Public Library or TTC? Do you know why the signage isn't bilingual?
lenaitch
Senior Member
We've done a number of bike trips in and through Quebec and and only occasionally had difficulty communicating, mostly off the beaten path. I've never experienced hostility, although have heard that the Saguenay region can be a bit of an anti-Anglo hotbed. Quite frankly, the only time we received pushback for speaking English was in Hawkesbury . . . Ontario. In Quebec we were tourists and represent regional income. Most servers and retail employees were appreciative for us at least trying with our high school French. In restaurants, the availability of English meus varied. The would produced upon asking, or a host/server realizing we were Anglais. In a few places, it took a while to unearth the single menu, but they tried.
In terms of labour mobility under the heading of removing internal barriers, I think it is a tougher nut, at least at the non-corporate, non-government level. A carpenter or electrician wanting to bid on a contract across the river would potentially need to understand technical drawings in French (also, Quebec trade unions are particularly insular). A friend is a veterinarian and temporarily in Quebec (3 years, military spouse) and the only way she could practice was to pass a regulatory exam, in French. Understanding technical or medical terms or concepts is different that trying to order poutine. The reality is a Quebecer is much more likely to know English than the other way 'round and, being a linguistic and cultural island in North America they are understandably going to want to protect it, but I think it is going to always being a limiting factor to mobility.
In terms of labour mobility under the heading of removing internal barriers, I think it is a tougher nut, at least at the non-corporate, non-government level. A carpenter or electrician wanting to bid on a contract across the river would potentially need to understand technical drawings in French (also, Quebec trade unions are particularly insular). A friend is a veterinarian and temporarily in Quebec (3 years, military spouse) and the only way she could practice was to pass a regulatory exam, in French. Understanding technical or medical terms or concepts is different that trying to order poutine. The reality is a Quebecer is much more likely to know English than the other way 'round and, being a linguistic and cultural island in North America they are understandably going to want to protect it, but I think it is going to always being a limiting factor to mobility.
Towered
Superstar
I spent a week in Quebec City once. Stayed in a nice hotel right downtown. Explored the historic centre thoroughly. I don't recall having any issues, and my French is non-existent (despite 9 years of French class throughout grade school).
gabe
Senior Member
I worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade. I have served people from all over the world, i have encounter many many customers who can't speak English. Did i throw a menu at them and act like total dick for not speaking English? Nope! I helped them the best i could with a smile and friendly manner. I helped a young gentleman at Pearson airport recently, he was looking for the taxi line, he couldn't speaking English. he used his phone. I guided him into the right direction. He gave me a fist pump and the thumbs up.
If the rest of Canada tried this, they'd be rightly called racists!
Montreal woman allegedly denied service in English by paramedic
A Montreal woman is speaking out after a paramedic in Côte Saint-Luc allegedly told her in French, “We’re in Quebec, we speak French.” Lana Mastromonaco had asked a paramedic to clarify a detail in English while overseeing her friend’s 91-year-old mother who was being treated by paramedics at...
montreal.citynews.ca
T3G
Senior Member
I don't think that one individual's actions are sufficient grounds on which to judge all Quebecers.
gabe
Senior Member
Anyways........
I didn't think i would ever agree with Fox new's nut job Geraldo Rivera!
I didn't think i would ever agree with Fox new's nut job Geraldo Rivera!
Except he is resigning and not running
gabe
Senior Member
Yep. Which is too bad. The PM has helped closed the gap in the recent polls. Hopefully who ever the next Liberal leader is can continue. I have my doubts.
Canada’s Liberals bounce back after years of decline. What’s going on?
Polls show Liberals closing gap with opposition Conservatives as Trump’s threats, Trudeau’s resignation shake things up.
lenaitch
Senior Member
It could equally be argued that his potential incumbents closed the gap. The existence of the gap was a result of him in the first place.
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