Xref: utzoo can.politics:2096 can.francais:128
Path: utzoo!mnetor!micomvax!ncc!myrias!dre
From: dre@myrias.UUCP (Duane Eitzen)
Newsgroups: can.politics,can.francais
Subject: Re: Bourassa and Bill 101
Keywords: Quebec, constitution
Message-ID: <762@myrias.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jan 89 20:13:23 GMT
References: <88Dec21.113818est.9269@ois.db.toronto.edu> <2541@looking.UUCP> <836@mannix.iros1.UUCP> <17099@onfcanim.UUCP>
Distribution: can
Organization: Myrias Research Corporation
Lines: 39

In article <17099@onfcanim.UUCP> dave@onfcanim.UUCP (Dave Martindale) writes:
>On the other hand, I think that Quebec, as a whole, can decide to
>trade away some of its guaranteed rights in order to gain something
>else if it so chooses.  If there had been a well-worded referendum
>on the topic, or even a single-issue election, preceded by debate
>that allowed people to discuss the longer-term effect of a reduction
>in rights, then we would have an indication of how the majority of
>Quebec felt.  If the concensus was that bilingual signs were, in the
>balance, undesirable, then I think the government would be justified in
>changing the law as it has.

/**********
PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH. IT IS FOR
RHETORICAL PURPOSES ONLY
*********/
On the other hand, I think that *CANADA*, as a whole, can decide to
trade away some of its guaranteed rights in order to gain something
else if it so chooses.  If there had been a well-worded referendum
on the topic, or even a single-issue election, preceded by debate
that allowed people to discuss the longer-term effect of a reduction
in rights, then we would have an indication of how the majority of
*CANADA* felt.  If the concensus was that *FRENCH* signs were, in the
balance, undesirable, then I think the government would be justified in
changing the law as it has.

/* back to what I believe */

Your general principle doesn't sound so good when the majority party
and the minority party change languages, does it? I think the problem
is that you confuse rights and privileges. A privilege is something
you are given or allowed, typically by the appropriate authority.
A right is something which can not (morally) be taken without consent,
no matter what the majority says, no matter what you think is right.
Is the ability to post signs in your language on the outside of your
shop a right? You may argue that it isn't. The Canadian constitution,
the UN declaration of human rights and me say it is. That doesn't make
me correct. But it would explain why I find a position such as yours
repugnant.

dre.