The Acadian flag is said to represent the Acadians. It was chosen at the 1884 Acadian Convention in Miscouche, PEI, on Aug. 15. The Acadians are descendants of the first French settlers in an area corresponding roughly to the Maritime Provinces of Canada and Eastern Maine, USA. Britain took over the area for a final time in 1713. From then on, any Acadian born in the area would automatically be a British subject, but the British decided to ignore that and consider them enemies on British soil. In 1755, British authorities began the process of deporting these British subjects, without trial or any finding of guilt in court, and then proceeded to replace them with protestant colonists, most of them English speaking. When Acadians returned to their former land, they were generally unwelcome and second-class citizens.
Rather than just assimilate into the English-speaking majority, Acadians chose to live in isolated areas and maintain their language and customs. Today, New Brunswick’s population is 33 percent French-speaking and Acadians are a powerful political force. It is the main reason why New Brunswick today is officially bilingual.
But there are always people who disagree with some government policies. Official bilingualism led to enough discontent in some areas to foster the creation of the New Brunswick Association of English-speaking Canadians in 1984. The main impetus for this group was the decision to celebrate the Acadian flag’s 100th anniversary by flying it on government building flag posts. However, the group spent most of the time contesting the Poirier-Bastarache Report, which called for, among other things, greater access to government jobs for the French population. The group disbanded in 1986, but the discontent took a new form in the eventual creation of the provincial wing of the Confederation of Regions (CoR) Party. When CoR bit the dust, another organization took up the “cause,” the Anglo Society of New Brunswick.
The Acadians chose Aug. 15 as their national holiday, which was Assumption Day on the Catholic calendar, a nod to their patron saint, Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The Anglo Society decided to choose a date more in keeping with English conquest over the French: Sept. 18, the day New France fell to British forces. No doubt: this was war!
Ever since its inception the Anglo Society has tried to have its flag flown in different areas of New Brunswick – especially in the capital city of Fredericton. The request has been turned down many times. Ever since, the group has since made a point of showing up every Aug. 15 at City Hall to make their feelings known during the annual “tintamarre.”
The Anglos say they have nothing against bilingualism per se, but oppose “forced bilingualism.” They add that they have nothing against the French per se. Yet, the signs they use at their protests would seem to tell a different story:
- “Politicians dancing to Acadian fiddle.”
- “Help Wanted. Province of New Brunswick. Unilingual English need not apply.”
- “Is New Brunswick Quebec’s Branch Office?”
- “Acadians represented. English rejected.”
- “Minority control a reality in N.B.”
- “Bilingual today means French tomorrow.”
- “English doctors in N.B. need not apply.”
For a better view of many of these signs, click here.
Earlier this month, we learned that the City of Bathurst, almost half of which is francophone, had agreed to fly the Anglo flag on Sept. 18 of this year. Reaction from francophones and their supporters was quick and negative. Even the province’s Official Languages Commissioner and the Deputy Premier had weighed in on the issue, hoping Bathurst City Council would reconsider its decision. About a week later, the previous decision had been rescinded.
Various reports say the Anglos hadn’t planned on attending Fredericton’s tintamarre this year, but changed their minds following the flip-flop in Bathurst. Their target is supposed to be the mayor of Fredericton, Brad Woodside. We’ll see. Meanwhile, the Anglos also intend to hold a protest at Bathurst City Hall on Sept. 18.
Obvious from your article that you know nothing about the bilingual policy and what these “metis”/French individuals are up to. My suggestion to you is read a few books. The tragedy of Quebec, His pride our fall, The monstrous trick... Learn what the ultimate goal of these “French” bigots is and see if you are willing to discuss the truth instead of the spin you wrote. You have no idea what the hell is going on this country but the quotes below will give you an idea.
ReplyDeleteQuote from "Enough" by J. V. Andrew: "While writing this book, I became acquainted with a retired very senior French Canadian civil servant. This gentleman had held jobs in Ottawa and Quebec that absolutely guaranteed that he knew what was going on in the inner circles of the Trudeau regime. In one discussion we had about what was being done in Canada, I told him what I had seen and that I had a pretty good idea that the Trudeau government was providing agitators to incite French Canadians across Canada to hatred for English-speaking Canada with the ultimate goal of a French Canadian takeover." "I asked him how these people were organized and in an unguarded moment, he said, "Yes, it's true. They are working out of the offices of Health and Welfare, run by Marc Lalonde."
Quote from Serge Joyal, Trudeau's last secretary of state: "...everything we undertake and everything we are doing to make Canada a French state..." "the ambition of making Canada a French country both inside
and outside Quebec..."
He stated what many English-speaking Canadians believed, that the singular goal of the Trudeau government and of French Canada as a whole since Trudeau came to power in 1968 has been to make Canada a French-speaking nation from coast to coast. Official bilingualism was the method to do this, making all government jobs bilingual and then filling them with French-Canadians since not many Canadians outside Quebec spoke French or ever had the need to. Once the jobs were made bilingual and French-Canadians moved to various areas in Canada, the agitators took over to demand services in French where numbers didn't warrant.
I wonder if people realize what’s going on in this country. Quebec has spent the last 5 decades wiping out the English language and culture from the province with racist, anti-English language laws such as bill 22, 178, 101…This is a fact. Racism, intolerance, bigotry, ethnic language cleansing and human rights violations still going on in the province of Quebec.
Ya, Quebec, where the English, Scottish, Irish, United Empire Loyalists… built up the province of Kebec (original native spelling) since 1763. Yes, the same province of Kebec where the Union Jack and Red Ensign flew until 1950. Again, just the facts…This lie, this hoax, this revisionist nonsense that Quebec is a French province and that Canada is bilingual is just that, an outright lie. Fact: We have been part of the British Empire since 1763.We were officially an English speaking country for over 200 years, again just the facts.
Almost 1 million people have been forced out of the province of Kebec due to this type of hatred/lie/spin… While all this is going on in Quebec they are forcing the French language outside Quebec in every province. Everything and anything the French demand they are getting across this entire country. They call it bilingualism (another lie never clearly defined on purpose). What are they really up to? “First Quebec, then we take over the rest of the country, one step at a time…through bilingualism…” PT, “How to take over a country through bilingualism…” SD. That’s what’s really going on. Wake up, people!
Ask yourself a simple question. Why are we not teaching our real BNA history? Why are we not teaching our proud UEL history in our schools any longer?
Seems to me that your example of the Anglo society having nothing against the French except what is written on the signs is really the opposite of your argument. The slogans printed on those signs suggest to me that it is the French who have something against the English. I think that is their point and it is not lost on me that you have tried to bastardize it.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the "almost" half French/Acadian population of Bathhurst had the clout to bring down an Anglo flag also suggests that their power is disproportionate to their numbers. Then you drill the point home that Anglos are indeed powerless, by showing that the "almost" half French/Acadian population's anger at a display of Anglo pride was supported by the OLC and Deputy Premiere.
It is rather ironic, (perhaps even intentional reverse psychology?) that in your attempt to sully the Anglos of New Brunswick's name and reputation, you have inadvertently proven their case.
I really don't get your point. The Anglos printed those signs and displayed them. How is this indicative of what the French think of the English?
ReplyDeleteYou say the fact Bathurst reversed its decision concerning the flag shows the "clout" of the Acadians. I prefer to think it shows the clear-mindedness of councilors who, when presented with all the facts, choose to do the right thing.
Care to try again?
P.S. -- “The slogans printed on those signs suggest to me that it is the French who have something against the English.”
ReplyDeleteI reread the comment from Anonymous and I think I now see the point they were trying to make. They wouldn’t have written a comment of that kind unless they believe the Anglo signs, and therefore the Anglo claims, are true. If he or she is reading this, perhaps they could move on to the following post: http://gerry-4e.blogspot.com/2010/08/tintamarre.html.
I didn't see the FIRST comment, dated Aug. 30, until I looked through the spam filter. It's up now. This apparently comes from a transcript "kept" by somebody. I'd love to see the rest of the speech for context. I'd like to see the ORIGINAL copy. Anybody can take notes and claim they are accurate, but there's nothing like the real thing. So far, the only people who have used that quote are people who are opposed to bilingualism anyway. It's like saying the Bible trumps the theory of evolution because I was there when god created the earth, and he told me so.
ReplyDelete