[PRCo] Re: PRCo] Re: Europa (Foreign Languages)

[Joshua Dunfield]

Fred Schneider wrote:
> I can't help but wonder if the the regulations on this side of the  
> border which Canada has been forced into going along with haven't in  
> some small way lead to that ... example converting the "hello, what  
> is your citizenship, have a nice day" border crossings into a two  
> hour ordeal with passports.   I know it's intended to find terrorists  
> or perhaps to make the average person feel more comfortable but I  
> doubt that we would recognize a terrorist if we fell over him.   Take  
> is bomb or gun away and he probably looks just like you and me.

Well, I don't know what it was like before 9/11, but now that I'm a
Canadian resident (albeit a "temporary worker"), the Canadian officials
on the _Adirondack_ have no trouble with me at all (as soon as they get
a look at my work permit) while the Americans seem befuddled that I'd
move to Canada away from my wife.  OK, that part befuddles me sometimes
too, but I don't really see why I should get questioned for trying to
enter my own country.

> The U. S. A. has also done a lot of minor things to infuriate  
> Canadians without even knowing we've done it.   Little things like  
> chopping off the television weather maps at the Canadian border.    
> Pretending in our news programs that Canada doesn't even exist.    
> Calling Canadian currency "funny money."   I heard that last one in a  
> restaurant in Buffalo.

It really is the world's longest one-way mirror, isn't it?  I discovered
a couple of years ago that Canadian news websites were not only more
interesting, but you still get all the big US news stories.  Canadians
know plenty about the US but Americans know nothing about Canada.

[...]
> On Nov 9, 2007, at 7:24 PM, Bill Robb wrote:
> 
> > Quebec also has a very severe intolerance of virtually any  
> > minority.  Not only does Quebec have language laws, but it is  
> > proposing "Quebec citizenship".

The *Parti Quebecois* is proposing Quebec citizenship.  The PQ is in
third place in the legislature now; it can't even pretend to speak
for Quebec (which doesn't stop it from trying).  Of course, Quebec
does have its silly arrangement with the federal government on
immigration -- thankfully, my job at McGill University is in an
"exempt category" and I didn't need a "CAQ" from the Quebec
immigration office.

-j.