Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!ubc-cs!eric!handel!durham
From: durham@handel.mpr.ca (Paul Durham)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: Canada: one, two (or many) cultures?
Summary: Getting it straight
Message-ID: <1728@eric.mpr.ca>
Date: 28 Jul 89 04:23:38 GMT
References: <3190@uwovax.uwo.ca> <1989Jul27.092203.16418@xenitec.uucp> <28025@watmath.waterloo.edu>
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Reply-To: durham@handel.UUCP (Paul Durham)
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In article <28025@watmath.waterloo.edu> rwwetmore@grand.waterloo.edu (Ross Wetmore) writes:
>
>  Also, remember that not all francophones live in Quebec. While language
>is a nice visible weapon it is a mistake to assume that it can be used to
>line up the sides, or to fall for a Quebecer's claim he/she is fighting for
>French Canadian rights. Some of the most telling comments in this 
>discussion have come from francophones that deserve every bit of support
>that can be mustered - in most cases they have already matured to the point
>where they can live with the rest of the country and preserve their culture 
>at the same time, just like the Ukranians, Italians and all the rest.
>
Yes, the Ukrainians have done a good job of getting along with the rest of
the USSR ( there are even a few in the politburo ) and preserving their 
culture. But the Italians are the majority in their country - what are you
talking about ?.....

OH, you mean _Canadians_ of Ukrainian and Italian origin ! Well, Canada has
two official languages, French and English, a fact which is known to every 
immigrant. That is, it is the responsibility of immigrants to fit in to
one of the official language groups, although of course they are perfectly
free to speak, eat, worship etc. as they please. 

The right of French-Canadians to their own language and institutions has
been officially recognized since 1763. To compare the French-Canadian
nation ( and I use this word without any connotation of sovereignty ) with
immigrant groups shows a lack of understanding which is all too common
among English-Canadians.


P. Durham