Do the right thing, before it becomes law
Dear Editor,
I don’t like to complain, unless I have some inkling of a way out of the plaintive situation. But here we are, sliding slowly into a comfortably numb world, and I come up short of ideas how we can safely redirect the glacial movement of government. I’ve seen how councils work, and the responsibilities they face, with limited resources and recourse. The abiding interests of municipal councils are; road maintenance and snow clearance, supporting the local volunteer firefighting team, and dealing with waste material.
Each month, new requirements are presented, meaning that council has to squeeze more money out of a finite tax base. “It’s ok,” we are told, “We can get a grant to help with that.” We do recognize, don’t we, that grants from the provincial government come from provincial taxpayers, and that is us? So the government collects taxes (non-negotiable) and sets out new directives, with which municipalities and MRCs are required to conform (non-negotiable). Grants are provided to aid in the implementation, but the grants are never 100 per cent of the cost of doing this or that in the way regulators have remotely ordained. The majority of Quebecers live in cities or suburbs, and that’s where legislators get their votes, so the laws and regulations have no flexibility to adjust to rural situations.
Compliance is mandatory, but implementation and oversight are the burden of local bodies, ill-equipped to police the countryside seeking out crimes that used to be just how people did things.
Wait; I just came upon a bumper sticker’s worth of wisdom on this situation; “Do the right thing, before it becomes law.” I hope this helps.
Robert Wills
Shawville and Thorne, Que.
Stop Bill C-13
Dear Editor,
Bill C-13, brought to you by the Federal Trudeau Liberal party, aims to amend Canada’s Official Languages Act. No longer will the Federal Government be obligated to protect English speaking rights in Quebec. Bill C-13 would recognize Quebec’s Charter of the French Language Act, and Quebec’s Bill 96 as supreme to override and eliminate Canadas “Official Language Act” which has been the law for over 50 years.
They got a plan baby, and it does not include young English speaking families moving here. Bill 96 makes French the only language of Quebec, making this province exclusively for the French speaking individual.
The tragedy of the whole thing is that the English speaking population has so much to contribute to Quebec society, instead it’s value is placed between very little and none at all.
Just look at the injustice suffered by Boutique Shawville Shooz with Quebec’s CAQ government adding $100 million dollars of our tax money for more language police in an attempt to freeze us out. How did it get this bad? The threat of separation I supppose.
The leaders of Quebec’s nationalists parties no longer need to use that threat, the separatists get what they want and let us know anytime Quebec is being insulted.
A few months back when it came to light that the CEO of Air Canada, based in Montreal, didn’t speak a word of French, the nationalists were insulted. He apologized up and down and said that he would look into French lessons. Every person uses that line as the best way out. Just once could we hear “I have no interest in taking French lessons, I would rather spend the time practicing my harmonica.” Or, “If its got that bad, maybe Air Canada should look into moving its headquarters out of Quebec.”
Stop Bill C-13, keep Canada’s Two Official Languages Act. Contact our Federal MP Sophie Chatel and tell her how you feel. She has an office at 110 rue Front in Campbell’s Bay, 819-648-2138.
Quebec government policy Bill 96 would rule the day and smash Canada’s Official Languages Act. Let us not be deprived of our basic human right – Speaking the language of our choice!
Eugene McGuire
L’isle-aux-Allumettes, Que.
