Here we go again!

[judy]

I didn't even know the Canadian government had been overthrown! This is why I got a NY Times top news app on my Ipad! The news here is just silliness at this point. I know all about Charlie Sheen, but didn't know about Canada.

I am sorry that you have to be caught up in this. It does sound like the same political nonsense we have here. All those ads and fliers in the mail...boo!

[Lindsey]

Only 3 weeks to go! Last night we watched the leaders debate. I was surprised that even Scott got into it. He doesn't know much about politics so it was nice to educate him a little, and know he'll be voting and making an informed decision in a few weeks!

Tonight's debate will be in French, and the Bloc Quebecois leader says it will focus more on Quebec's sovereignty. Last night in the debate, he kept referring to "Quebec and the provinces", and later said he felt the other leaders aren't seeing Quebec as it's own nation... uhh... because it's NOT its own nation, it's a province of Canada just like every other province.

I am getting annoyed with my facebook friends putting all their political propaganda in their statuses and links all over the place. One friend said if you live in blah blah riding and you vote for blah blah, you might as well delete her because she's not your friend anymore, and if you want to keep being her friend, check out blah blah who is her good friend and is very into issues that she cares about. Well, let's just say I'm lucky I don't live in that riding, or I might lose a friend This is what I hate about elections, everyone gets all riled up and against each other. So far, I am biting my tongue!

[Lindsey]

It's a great day to be Canadian! We have a majority government again, for the first time since 2004! The Liberals, who had a hold on Canada for YEARS, were totally blown out of the competition in this election! They had majority government through the 90's, and a minority government from 2004-2006, and then the Conservatives have had minority since then. The Liberal leader was soooo cocky during this election, at the leaders debate even telling the NDP leader "You don't have to worry about anything because you'll never have any power anyway!" Well, history was made last night, because it is a majority Conservative government with NDP opposition (for the first time ever), and the Liberals far, far behind!

Woohoo! No more federal elections for 4 years, guaranteed!

[judy]

It sounds like our government to a point. I'm assuming the Conservatives have a similar philosophy to our Republicans, and the Liberals to the Democrats???

I was wondering what they were talking about on the news yesterday. I kept hearing about Quebec, but not about all of Canada.

Anyway, I am happy for you that your favorite party is the majority!

[Lindsey]

You know, I would have been happy with ANY party having majority! Things get DONE in a majority government. When it's a minority, there's a lot of tip-toeing around issues so everyone agrees and the government isn't overthrown. The conservatives now have the power to do the things they've wanted to do, such as abolish the long-gun registry, and they also want stricter sentences for criminals (our system is way too lenient!) and increase some funding for military (I believe that's really important right now). Those are what I absolutely agreed with.

I think the Conservatives and Liberals might be close to Rebublicans and Democrats, but I think I would side more with Democrats! I always have, watching American politics.

But in any case, I don't agree with ALL of what any party had to say. I like our health care just as it is. I want to see some money going into our side of the country for once (everyone knows, Toronto is the "center" of Canada, and we're quite far from Toronto lol). There are scandals with whichever party is in, but I think Stephen Harper led us through the recession with barely an impact, and in fact my province's economy GREW during that time. If he can keep us stable through a global crisis, why not see what else he can do? I just don't think he's been so terrible, and "better the devil you know, than the devil you don't"

You were probably hearing about Quebec, because it seems this is close to the end of the Bloc Quebecois. They want to seperate from Canada, and have always had the majority of Quebec in their favor. Then Jack Layton of the NDP went there and did a big campaign in Quebec, and ended up almost sweeping the board! The Bloc is left with just FOUR seats in parlaiment! This is what really pushed the NDP to opposition status. It was a totally transforming election for the country. I think it's a great change! It really sucks to have a province that considers themselves a different country!

[judy]

Quebec is foolish, it seems! Do they have enough money to support themselves as a country? What about a military, etc., etc.?

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by judy

Quebec is foolish, it seems! Do they have enough money to support themselves as a country? What about a military, etc., etc.?

A lot of Canadians just want to say, fine, leave, and take your debt with you! It all goes back to England vs France for control of Canada England won, the French got their portion (now Quebec), and they feel like they're not a part of us anyway. They want to be culturally different from the rest of English-speaking Canada, and therefore they want to be their own nation.

It seems petty to me. Canada is known for being multi-cultural and having two official languages. In the rest of Canada, any label is written in English, and in French. No, nobody speaks French here, but it's still written on labels and forms and taught in school. In Quebec, it's French only (I think!). They don't want to assimilate into English-speaking Canada.

[lynne b]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

A lot of Canadians just want to say, fine, leave, and take your debt with you! It all goes back to England vs France for control of Canada England won, the French got their portion (now Quebec), and they feel like they're not a part of us anyway. They want to be culturally different from the rest of English-speaking Canada, and therefore they want to be their own nation.

It seems petty to me. Canada is known for being multi-cultural and having two official languages. In the rest of Canada, any label is written in English, and in French. No, nobody speaks French here, but it's still written on labels and forms and taught in school. In Quebec, it's French only (I think!). They don't want to assimilate into English-speaking Canada.

I have no clue what you are talking about in most of this thread, but in this post it reminds me of here in America, where you are talking about the labels. Here everything is labeled in english and spanish due to so many spanishe speaking people are coming to America, i feel if they are coming into our country they should learn to speak and read english, same if we went to their country we would be expected to speak/read their native tounge. It is so sad to be in a store and you see the children doing the business or speaking for the parents.

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by lynne b

I have no clue what you are talking about in most of this thread, but in this post it reminds me of here in America, where you are talking about the labels. Here everything is labeled in english and spanish due to so many spanishe speaking people are coming to America, i feel if they are coming into our country they should learn to speak and read english, same if we went to their country we would be expected to speak/read their native tounge. It is so sad to be in a store and you see the children doing the business or speaking for the parents.

Is Spanish an official language of the USA? I thought that it was just English.

Here it is federal law that everything be in both English and French because they are our two official languages, and I really don't mind that at all. We learn French in school, and I am not fluent but I know enough French that I could get by, as with most Canadians. However, say you are a Quebec store owner, and you put up an English sign in your store... you get FINED. If you have any English showing at all, you have to have French first, and bigger, and more visible. They are just threatened by the English language. About 40% of people in Quebec know English, especially around Montreal, but they are worried that it will take over.

We have French Canadians and English Canadians but in the end we are just all Canadians and I think we should embrace our multiculturalism and multilingualism. Our leaders speak both English and French, debates are done in both English and French, and our national anthem is sung with both English and French verses during sports like the Olympics. It just bothers me that they think since they are French, they are different than us, and they don't want to be a part of our country.

[judy]

It really sounds like they are snobs about being French! It is a very pretty city, but they really should get over themselves! They sound silly to me. There are so many more important things to think about!

English is the only language of America. We have Spanish on just about everything to accommodate the Spanish speaking people who have come to live here. This practice started about 20 years ago (???)

I studied French from 7th through 12th grade, and I loved it. It is nice that you are bilingual.

[Lindsey]

I would love to go to Montreal and Quebec City someday! I haven't been to the east much.

It's funny, I never noticed Spanish on anything in the USA, but of course I probably wasn't looking either! Do you find you pick a lot of it up by just using every day products? I think that's how I know the names of so many fruits, vegetables, shampoos, soaps, etc. in French It sticks in my head more than just learning it in school!

I don't consider myself bilingual because I probably can't have a real conversation with a French person lol. It's so tough to pick up because they talk so quickly and I can't tell where one word is supposed to end and another start! I know the basics, bonjour, au revoir, s'il vous plait, merci, comment ca va, je m'appelle... and most importantly: parlez vous anglais? (Do you speak English?) Lol!

J'aime mes amis!!! (see, I can put some words in sentences!)

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

I would love to go to Montreal and Quebec City someday! I haven't been to the east much.

It's funny, I never noticed Spanish on anything in the USA, but of course I probably wasn't looking either! Do you find you pick a lot of it up by just using every day products? I think that's how I know the names of so many fruits, vegetables, shampoos, soaps, etc. in French It sticks in my head more than just learning it in school!

I don't consider myself bilingual because I probably can't have a real conversation with a French person lol. It's so tough to pick up because they talk so quickly and I can't tell where one word is supposed to end and another start! I know the basics, bonjour, au revoir, s'il vous plait, merci, comment ca va, je m'appelle... and most importantly: parlez vous anglais? (Do you speak English?) Lol!

J'aime mes amis!!! (see, I can put some words in sentences!)

Wow! I studied French all through high school, and I thought I forgot it all as I never use it now, BUT, I knew everything you wrote in French!!!

[judy]

I know what you mean! I took French from 7th through 12th, and could read books in French. But, I got to France, and asked directions of a gendarme. I had no idea what he said! A driot, a gauche, so fast!! I never tried that again!

[gja1000]

Oh Judy, I NEVER knew enough French to read French books! LOL! You WAY surpassed me!

[judy]

If you met my HS French teacher, you would know why! She was so strict! She called home if she caught you wearing make up! She was a tiny thing, but it was her way, or the highway!

I love that teacher to this day! She taught me a beautiful language, and worked so hard with all of us.

I also had a cousin who had lived in Montreal for a few years. She came to live in my building with my Grandmother when I was in 10th grade. We spoke to each other only in French. She was fluent, and I was learning.

So, I had a lot of advantages and learned it well.