Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!xenitec!edhew
From: edhew@xenitec.uucp (Ed Hew)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: Canada: Minority rights
Summary: is the media portraying this correctly?
Keywords: signs, rights, minorities
Message-ID: <1989Aug6.084019.8250@xenitec.uucp>
Date: 6 Aug 89 08:40:19 GMT
References: <632@philmtl.philips.ca> <262@ccu.UManitoba.CA>
Reply-To: edhew@xenitec.UUCP (Ed Hew)
Followup-To: can.general
Distribution: can
Organization: Xenitec Consulting Services, Kitchener, ON
Lines: 35

In article <262@ccu.UManitoba.CA> ndonald@ccu.UManitoba.CA (Nick Donaldson) writes:
>In my opinion, many Canadians get the image of Quebec ignoring minority
>right because of the sign issue. Regardless of what the situation is Quebec
>is, most people see it as, correct me if I'm wrong, Quebec not allowing english
>signs to be visible on store fronts. This is just the image that many people
>have, regardless of the facts. At least, many of the people I have talked to
>see it this way. Anyone care to comments?

The gist of what I have heard on the media suggests that we are being told
that it is a punishable offence to post non-French signs in the Province
of Quebec, and those lucky enough to be merely charged and prosecuted
might escape being firebombed by the fanatics.  I'm sure that there is
more to the (media) debate, but that's probably the ordinary (non-Quebec)
citizen's information summary.  This point is open to debate.

I must comment that I personally wouldn't be offended if my neighbour
wanted to embed a *French* (or Chinese, Ukrainian, German, or even
hexadecimal) forsale on his front lawn.  He should be allowed to advertise
as he pleases.  If he owns a business, he should be allowed to do the same.
I don't know of this being illegal in Ontario, so why should it be in
Quebec?

Can someone comment if this *is* the case in Quebec, and if what I personally
would consider to be appropriate minority language rights are respected in
this scenario?  The answer should clarify who's oppressing whom, if anyone.

>        Nick Donaldson
>Internet: Ndonald@Ccu.UManitoba.CA or Ccm.UManitoba.CA
>BITNET:   Ndonald@UOfMCC

  Ed. A. Hew             Technical Trainer             Xeni/Con Corporation
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