# The great, ongoing Canadian current events and politics thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059 "2011-05-16T03:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/101 "2011-06-15T03:06:48Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > As for Libya, once Ghadaffi falls there will need to be some boots on the ground and I bet they’ll be Canadian boots. (As an aside, all this talk of boots on the ground ignores the fact that there are already some there- Green Berets and SAS and the like who are teaching the rebels how to point their AKs at the enemy instead of shooting them in the air. Hence the rebels now winning battles instead of getting their asses handed to them. But no scandals attached yet… odd.) 70 years later, and the SAS is back where they began. A tip of the hat to David Sterling. Too bad he is private operation to take out Ghadaffi when Ghadaffi took power was shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/102 "2011-06-16T02:08:52Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You aren’t Canadian? I thought you were. What I meant was this: I’d like it if Quebecers were as proud as other Canadians. Canadians have never been as proud of themselves as today (you of all people, **Cat Whisperer** , should see this) but in Quebec we still have this idea that we’re a lesser people. > [@](#): > > No problem - just quit asking for extra money to do it. 🙂 I’m definitely not asking for money from anyone. (Well, I’m making scholarship/grant applications, but those are open to all Canadians.) And under the Canadian federal framework there are rules about how money (coming from the taxes of all Canadians) is transferred to the provincial governments, with all provinces trying to get the most possible deal in it. > [@Uzi](#): > > I live in Hong Kong now. Oddly enough, I hear other languages spoken far more than English here. It doesn’t bother me. Really, understand that no one cares what language you speak. Well, [post=12598739]this Albertan[/post] for one seemed to care. (And my mother can confirm that this idea that speaking French is rude because the anglos around don’t know if she’s talking behind their back or not is actually pretty common.) > [@](#): > > There are online translators that do translating on the fly. It probably isn’t as much of a big deal as it once was. Please do not use online translators to produce official documents. You get nothing but Engrish (or the equivalent) out of them. It’s a sure way to get people to lose all respect for your organization. You’d be better not translating anything. > [@](#): > > But maybe those people all speak English as well as their own language? Why bother spending the money on them then? Address the need. Sure, but despite the fact that I don’t expect anyone in English Canada to accommodate the fact that French is my first language, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I had a stroke or another major health issue while I was there. I can speak English fluently, but would I be able to do so under intense pain, or in a state of confusion? So that’s one case where I’d say having people on hand who can speak a wide variety of languages may be useful. > [@](#): > > That is a principle that constitutional law is based upon? If you think that then you must accept that you are being given special treatment. I don’t. If tomorrow every French speaker decided to give it up for English, there is no law that would stop them. And vice versa. It is the whole idea behind Canada as a country, and as a federal country, yes. Canada’s definitely not an exception in this regard. Plenty of other countries base their constitutions on the fact that they hold multiple nationalities, each of them a majority or at the very least a minority with some cultural protections in some part of the country. > [@](#): > > You mean that there are people who don’t understand that a smaller number is less than a greater number? Or is it the term ‘minority’ that you don’t like being applied to you? You feel because you are ‘minority’ you are treated less than those in the ‘majority’? Could it be because you yourself and your culture looks down on those in the minority? Rather than saying you are a Canadian and in Canada you are the majority? I’m definitely not part of an ethnic minority. When I’m in Quebec, all around me are people culturally similar to me. If I moved to Ontario or Newfoundland, or if I decided to stay here in Italy, then yes, I’d be part of an ethnic minority, and I’d have to accept this status and integrate. I don’t think there is a “Canadian” identity, so how could I say that as a Canadian, I am part of the majority in Canada? It really depends on where I am in Canada. > [@](#): > > I don’t expect a region where French is the primary language to have people catering to me in English. Why would you think I would? I am sincerely surprised by this. > [@](#): > > Who wants to be treated better? I don’t know who wants to be treated better, but what I meant is that I expect that an English Canadian, even unilingual, visiting Quebec would have a much easier time than a francophone Quebecer visiting the rest of his supposed country. Now as to who treats his neighbours the best, I admit that I don’t know the answer to this question. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/103 "2011-06-16T03:10:41Z")
What if they had a postal strike and nobody showed up? I find it really striking, actually. Err. Remarkable, rather. Time was, a postal strike damn near shut down the country. Now it seems no one cares. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/104 "2011-06-16T04:28:28Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > Well, [post=12598739]this Albertan[/post] for one seemed to care. (And my mother can confirm that this idea that speaking French is rude because the anglos around don’t know if she’s talking behind their back or not is actually pretty common.) Well that proves it then… Rather than acknowledge the fact that the only reason the rest of Canada offers any services in French is because someone complained (probaby someone who spoke French) that they couldn’t get French services somewhere other than Quebec. Did this woman cause the speaking of English to become mandatory in the commercial sector, like French is pretty much mandatory if you want to progress to higher levels within the Federal public sectors? No? Then it is just some ignorant self-entitled woman. > [@](#): > > Please do not use online translators to produce official documents. You get nothing but Engrish (or the equivalent) out of them. It’s a sure way to get people to lose all respect for your organization. You’d be better not translating anything. If the translation is enough to know what the opening hours are, then that might well suit the need. If it is about selling your house, probably not. > [@](#): > > Sure, but despite the fact that I don’t expect anyone in English Canada to accommodate the fact that French is my first language, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I had a stroke or another major health issue while I was there. Rather than the higher population of Chinese speakers who may exist in a particular region who won’t have the option because their language wasn’t enshrined in the constitution, but are as much a citizen as any other person. You shouldn’t expect special treatment for any reason that someone else doesn’t receive. > [@](#): > > It is the whole idea behind Canada as a country, and as a federal country, yes. What would be the point of having a country declare itself to be multi-lingual if no one speaks other languages. Should the government force people to learn languages that aren’t used? > [@](#): > > I’m definitely not part of an ethnic minority. When I’m in Quebec, all around me are people culturally similar to me. You are part of a language minority in Canada. You make the mistake of thinking that culturally there is any difference between you and any other Canadian, though. > [@](#): > > I don’t think there is a “Canadian” identity, so how could I say that as a Canadian, I am part of the majority in Canada? It really depends on where I am in Canada. Which is why I never could figure out why we bother. The cultural difference between a person from BC, from Quebec, or from NFLD, is no bigger than if I substituted any other province or state between the arbitrary countries of Canada and the US. I can’t figure why there are two instead of one. > [@](#): > > I am sincerely surprised by this. That I expect you to speak a language you never learned? Or that you’d think I expect to be served in my language of choice where ever you go in the world? I can understand cereal box French. That is it about it. No other reason for me to do any more than that. I had a discussion with my poli sci prof one day in class. His argument was that you should learn French because you’ll miss out on interacting with all the people in your country who speak it. My argument is that rather than spend time learning a language that a few million spoke in my country spoke or a few 100 million around the world, I’d make better use of my limited time on this planet meeting the billions around the world who spoke the language I spoke. I expect mature people to try to communicate the best they can. I definitely would have a problem with you expecting service in your primary language, expecting those people in the area to pay for it, when you actually speak the language of the area fluently. > [@](#): > > I don’t know who wants to be treated better, but what I meant is that I expect that an English Canadian, even unilingual, visiting Quebec would have a much easier time than a francophone Quebecer visiting the rest of his supposed country. So? If you went to that part of almost any city designated ‘Chinatown’ would you be upset that it was harder to be served in your language of choice? If the business wants to only speak the Upper Old Swahili language to cater to a few customers rather than the millions of other people around them, then it should face the consequences of that decision. So, if the angry Albertan lady wasn’t provided service in the language of her choice that is the business’s business to lose her trade. Sorry for the rambling, I’m multitasking at the moment (badly, I might add). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/105 "2011-06-16T05:05:42Z")
So, anyone else watching the riots in Vancouver? What’s up with that? They can’t just all run out onto the streets drunk and flash their boobs? ---
**Author:** ![mehgs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@mehgs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mehgs)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/106 "2011-06-16T05:30:47Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > So, anyone else watching the riots in Vancouver? What’s up with that? They can’t just all run out onto the streets drunk and flash their boobs? I wish you had suggested that before the riots. That would have been awesome. As it is, I am ashamed of my city. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/107 "2011-06-16T05:47:33Z")
> [@mehgs](#): > > I wish you had suggested that before the riots. That would have been awesome. We did. Happened a few years ago because of some local sports event or another. On all the news. Fat chicks flashing their boobs for their moment of fame, people honking horns, parties (not riots) in the streets. Local tighwads with their panties in a bunch about the state of our youth, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/108 "2011-06-16T10:29:42Z")
I remember in the other thread leading up to the election about how hypocritical Harper was in appointing Senators. Yet, he still wants to reform the senate. 9 year limits and have the provinces elect senators for the PM to appoint. No changes to the constitution needed. [Link](http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110615/tory-senate-110615/) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/109 "2011-06-16T18:05:30Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > What if they had a postal strike and nobody showed up? > > I find it really striking, actually. Err. Remarkable, rather. Time was, a postal strike damn near shut down the country. Now it seems no one cares. I care, because I’m waiting for a chequebook and I really need to write a couple of cheques out of a particular account for the dragon boat team I manage. I _could_ transfer the money to my personal account and write the cheques that way…I may have to…but I really don’t want to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/110 "2011-06-16T20:27:27Z")
Here’s an interesting [link](http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/1009514--cbc-an-economic-boon-study-says) about the Deloitte-Touche study examining the economic impact of the CBC. > [@](#): > > Robin Cohen, a senior analyst in Deloitte’s U.K. division, said that if CBC was a commercial operation, not funded by tax dollars, the nation’s economy would suffer to the tune of $1.3 billion a year. That’s music to my ears… Maybe we can get CBC Radio 2 to go back to a classical music format while we’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/111 "2011-06-16T21:31:17Z")
I do have to admit, I love the CBC documentaries. I watched a “20/20” episode last week (even started a thread about it here), and it was _so bad._ I’ve been spoiled on the good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/112 "2011-06-16T23:18:14Z")
I don’t ever watch the CBC. Not even for hockey - can’t stand Don Cherry and Ron MacLame and besides, hockey is better in French anyways! Then again, I don’t watch most tv stations either, other than movie on TMN and hockey/football coverage. I’ll read CBC news online, but usually only when it comes up as a suggested headline on Google News. I suppose it is the first place I go if I’m looking for something specific and not using Google to find it. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/113 "2011-06-16T23:33:19Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I don’t ever watch the CBC. Not even for hockey - can’t stand Don Cherry and Ron MacLame and besides, hockey is better in French anyways! Dumb question, but isn’t it Radio-Canada that carries the game in French in Québec? It certainly is in Ontario, if you want to watch the Habs. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/114 "2011-06-17T00:06:57Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Dumb question, but isn’t it Radio-Canada that carries the game in French in Québec? It certainly is in Ontario, if you want to watch the Habs. Nope, Radio-Canada hasn’t had the contract in years. It’s RDS that has exclusive rights to the NHL regular season and playoffs, and rights to every single Habs game, pre-season, regular and playoffs. TSN has an English-language contract to air Habs games in some Ontarian markets on Bell and (Shaw?/ Rogers?). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/115 "2011-06-17T01:26:00Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I care, because I’m waiting for a chequebook and I really need to write a couple of cheques out of a particular account for the dragon boat team I manage. I _could_ transfer the money to my personal account and write the cheques that way…I may have to…but I really don’t want to do that. The bank branch can give you some cheques to get by until the ones your ordered arrive. Also consider looking into Interac via email, and wire transfer. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/116 "2011-06-17T01:38:38Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > What if they had a postal strike and nobody showed up? CBC Radio called me to ask how the strike was affecting my law practice. Aside from it raising the cost of service on self-represented parties, which is passed on to my clients, it really does not have much of an effect. They went instead with an interview of a person who runs a mail order business. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/117 "2011-06-17T01:58:54Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > The bank branch can give you some cheques to get by until the ones your ordered arrive. > > Also consider looking into Interac via email, and wire transfer. No bank branch - it’s ING Direct! The event/club organization for dragon boating isn’t quite sophisticated enough to have email or wire money transfer, nor would I want to pay any fees that are likely to occur for that. Although I use the account only for the team, it _is_ linked to my personal account because that’s just the way ING works, and transfers to that account are free. I just don’t want to pay with personal cheques when I’ve ordered some for the team, and I wanted something to complain about with regards to the postal strike 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/118 "2011-06-17T02:32:39Z")
If it makes you feel better, I have a parcel on its way to me with a couple hundred bucks worth of hobby-related product that I won’t see till this is resolved. But it’s entirely likely it hasn’t cleared Customs yet anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/119 "2011-06-18T15:57:55Z")
There was an interesting [article](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/why-are-so-many-young-quebecers-still-sovereigntists-its-cooler/article2056812/) in the Globe and Mail about the current state of Québec sovereignty. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/120 "2011-06-18T20:06:26Z")
Hey, and some of the Vancouver rioters [are being identified.](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/06/17/calgary-vancouver-riot-athlete.html#.Tfz6sWUhDJY;facebook) Maybe some of the Calgary Dopers could do the world a favour and glue this arse-wipe to a tree in December… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059.md?page=7)