The Quebec Question
 

Okay,
The fact is I have a feeling this thread will die now I've moved it here, but I really do find it fascinating, firstly, to hear the impressions that u.s. citizens have of canada and canadians, and likewise, the mixed sentiments of people within this country.
It was really interesting that the Quebec seperatist issue was brought up by an American as an issue of race. The reality is that he is in many ways correct. I suppose the oddity in Canada is that the movement does have a great deal of support in this country, and that it is also a minority movement that has enough strength to pose such a threat. I guess how much of a threat actually present is a matter of opinion and discussion.
I think it would be intersting to start a political discussion on this topic in this forum to get people's views and opinions on the topic. I definately have my opinions, as ALWAYS!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif .

Leslie

I'm not even sure what the whole separatist thing is about. I've met a few Quebecians, and they were also Jewish. I have to say they were really interesting, and they spoke every language, it seemed like.

The only real experience I have with Canadians is Snowbirds, the old retirees that head south when the weather gets cold. I have to admit, they kinda piss me off when they drove slowly or badly and when they park their cart in the middle of the Walmart isle. But, that is just the way some old people are, and they all piss me off. So it isn't just Canadians.

You are a Socialist nation, right? I am totally opposed to Socialism - I am a shameless Capitalist. So regarding that, I would have trouble living in Canada.

What do you guys think about us bratty Americans. I know just about everyone in the world hates us! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Allie http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

I think maybe they are angry because Canada is still in the Commonwealth of Nations, and considers the Monarch of Britain as their sovreign (sp?) and the French people kinda take that as a "srew you froggie" because they are not British, and don't like having a British Sovreign (sp??)

Okay. I have a few things to say in response. Although, I will need the other Canadians to back me up here cause I spent all my efforts studying American History in school and precious little time focused on Canadian. First of all, Canada is its own independant nation. We are a commonwealth of Britain only on paper. We are a soverign nation and have been for about 130 or so years.

As far as the whole issue with socialism goes, we are a democratic/socialist society. The reality is that when it all comes down to it, when you look at our health care system versus your's, I wouldn't trade our's for the world. everyone in this country is entitled to the most basic health coverage. you never have to pay to visit your family doctor and you never have to pay to visit emergency (unless you need an ambulance, but that's another story).

My parents were both born in New York and ALL my relatives are American. I've seen the benefits and detriments of both systems. There is much to be said for the involvment our governmnet has in the lives of the citizens here. There are many things about our government that I can't stand also. It's a love hate relationship here in the 'ol frozen north.

Allie, I am curious to know what the reference to the people from Quebec who you met being Jewish was. Just wondering....

As for how we feel about Americans....MMMM.....well, seeing as how all my relatives are American, I don't have much to say that's negative. I think it's a great country with a great history. I'd be lying if I said I felt as safe walking around the streets in the cities there as I do here. That's a reality few people will dispute. It is a lot safer here. But I think Americans are great. Some of my favorite people in the world live on the other side of the border.

Anyhow, I'll leave the other Canadians who might be a bit more educated on this topic to answer some of the more political questions that have been posed.

Hope I've offered a little insight. Although knowing me, I've just made things a whole lot more confusing http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif .

Leslie

SOCIALIST !!!!! Oh god no we aren't socialists in Canada http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif. We are capitalists. We are a democratic country based on British government. Plus we belong to NATO. We may lean a little more to the left, but not really. Actually I'ma right winger when it comes to politics.



[This message has been edited by Siobhan (edited March 06, 2001).]

Ummmm what?! Where did you come up with these comments? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif

Allie, I have to agree with Siobhan, we're not a socialist country. We are taxed more, but that is because the gov't has stronger state involvement in education and healthcare. If you want a comparison, I would say we're inbetween Sweden and the U.S.
We are Capitalist country http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif
Canada's foreign direct investment is the highest now than it's ever been, and we are among the G8 nations, right?

As for an individual comparison I gotta relate back to american/canadian comedian John Wing - we're identical to americans except we don't carry guns http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I don't have any problems with the americans I've met, I noticed you guys vary by region, like us. The only thing I can't stand is the general ignorance some americans have.
Even If i drive a few hours south of the ontario-new york border, I find that many americans are unable to even name our prime minister. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

okay, Lil_G, you've just inspired a fun rant that I concidered opening a new thread for but, it'll be fun to do it here. The following for all Americans here, are myths about our country. Now, I hope that no one is offended by the following list, but I SWEAR i've been presented with each and every of the following by people I've met in the States. And i'm talking about smart people. I swear, Jay Leno should do a Jay Walking episode on this.

1)We have our OWN currency. We do not use american dollars and we do not use british pounds.

2) We DO NOT live in igloos and we drive cars, not huskey drawn sleighs.

3) it's you americans who say dollar and out and about funny. NOT US.

4) we have a prime minister, no president, and provinces, not states.

Other Canadians can feel free to add to this list. i was gonna go on but i realized i was about to start to sound like that AMAZING 'I am Canadian' commerical. That sums it up nicely.

But thanks for the political additions guys. I think i'd end up sounding like an idiot if i tried to get into that stuff. I know some things, but not much...

Leslie

OK! Not Socialist. Sorry! That is just what someone told me! About the Jewish Quebecians - I was just amused that little ole me was working with some Jewish, native French speakers who talked to each other in French and Hebrew (and Spanish and German and Czech - I'm not kidding) and to me in English. I was the only American-born person there - and I learned a lot from them. It was just a bit of a culture difference and not what I expected. They were really great people though.

Sorry if I came off sounding odd.

Allie http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

back to the Quebec question.
I' ve been to Montreal a couple of times and met some Quebequois. My impression is that those people that are heavily into the separatist movement are more the ones from the rural areas.
It is probably the old anxiety of losing ones cultural identity being surrounded by English speaking provinces and countries. Just my guess.
If you look into the economy I am not sure if an independent Quebec could survive if the northern part of the province would decide they wanted to stay with Canada. As it is, PQ is an incredible enrichment for North America.


[This message has been edited by matthewg (edited March 06, 2001).]

Ohhhh! This is such a fun topic. I think we should also talk about the stereotypes. I find them so funny sometimes. Like many other Canadians, I do not mind americans at all, in fact my aunts, uncles and cousins live in the States. I guess the lack of knowledge about Canada drives me up the wall sometimes. Like as soon as you cross the boarder you're knee deep in snow - where I live it snows maybe 4 days of the entire year. And not knowing who are PM is, or thinking it's Wayne Gretzky. Hmmm... Anyways my fave thing is This Hour Has 22 Minutes: Talking to Americans. Especially the one where the people of Iowa (or was it Ohio?) were congratulating us on just swtiching to the 24 hour clock - they believed we used to be on a 20 hour clock - I laughed soooo hard.

One of the funniest things though was one year when I went to my sorority convention and our delegate from Montreal convinced some of the Southern girls that in Canada our Fraternity houses are made out of Igloos.

"What's the difference between a Canadian and an American: A Canadian is an American with health care and without the gun http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Okay, so I was down in Florida visiting my Grandparents one blistery Toronto winter (aren't they all!). And my grandparents introduced my brother and I to some of their friends. Some of the things that came out of their mouths astonished me. This one sweet kind lady asked me, since i live in CANADA, if i knew her niece Sarah. To humour her, I asked where she lived. She wasn't sure. She was serious. She thought there was a chance I would know her niece Sarah. I tried to explain that Canada is a big country. Very big. Huge infact. Lotso people up in these here parts.

I have a good friend who lives in Queens New York. She's a sweet girl and very smart. We were on the phone about a year ago and we were discussing my pending visit that was to take place 2 weeks later. I told her what a hassle it was going to be to get my money chaged at the bank because I was working full time. She was all confused. "why do you have to change your money?" she asked innocently, "don't you have the same money as us?." I tried to explain but gave up, because she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that we called our money dollars too, and yet, it was different than her dollar http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif .

But, she's a great girl, and I love all you Americans. I just had to add my stories for some comic anecdotal relief http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

Leslie

p.s. siobhan, hilarious joke. i must use that one!

p.p.s. Sorry Allie, LOL, they're quebecers or quebequoi. Quebeqians sounds sooooo funny http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif . They wouldn't take kindly to that http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif! hehe.

[This message has been edited by gphi2k (edited March 05, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by gphi2k (edited March 05, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by gphi2k (edited March 06, 2001).]

All I was saying is that maybe, even its only on paper, that it angers some French people knowing that Canada is based on the British system of government.

Quebec issues have nothing to do with Canada's government being based on British government (France's political system is a combo of Brit, Fr, and Amer). For starters Quebec has a different legal system based on the French legal system - Civil Law. While all other provinces have criminal law. Basically what they don't like is that everything is in english (which it isn't). Everything in Canada is bilingual, cereal boxes, shampoo, all government orgs. They have a special law in Quebec (Bill 101), that all signs must be in French and if there is going to be a sign in english, there has to be a french sign above it (and larger too!). They can't complain about the lack of French outside Quebec because those provinces weren't settled by the French. I barely speak any french eventhough I've had to take it since I was 5. No one speaks it in BC. (well not no one, but the general language is english). My personal view on the whole Quebec thing: they will never separate because the referendums will always be way too close and this issue will go on for hundreds of more years - hell it's just part of being Canadian http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif


And on the size of our country - we my dad first moved to Vancouver (he's from England), my grandmother was telling him that her neighbours daughter lived in Toronto and if he knew her. You just to have to laugh. To put it in perspective, Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world - you'd think after the fall of the USSR we'd be biggest - but no Russia is still bigger than us http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif
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Delta Phi Epsilon
Delta Gamma Chapter
University of British Columbia
Sigma 1996

[This message has been edited by Siobhan (edited March 06, 2001).]

Oh, okay. I just thought that maybe that is why they were/are angry.

Okay, where the hell are all the Canadians?
These threads would be a lot better if more than 3 of us could offer opinions.