Anacortian said:
s69-5 said:
Anacortian said:
I, too, have lived in Canada. For all their talk of a multi-culture, they are a poly-culture. The difference is that the cultures stay divided and stay in conflict. Quebec (the archetypal example) is at a constant state of odds with Anglophonic Canada. The Asians which settled in British Columbia are at odds with the more native population there. All of the above have serious complaints both to and from the most Native people. I have lived their, you are misdiscribing your own country to a humorous extent.
If two cultures live in peace and proximity with one another, they will begin a process of cultural diffusion. Both will lose their identities to join in one identity. This process can be arrested by either keeping them apart by law (Canada and Nazi Germany give two different examples of this.) or trying to compel them together by law (the United Kingdom still see themselves as separate nations under one state.) The melting pot works, but only if you let it melt and don't watch the pot. Just let people be people.
Hm, how short-sided to make assumptions on a country based on extremist views. While yes, there are elements of the francophone community that do bear a resentment toward the anglophone community, they are not the majority and have been rabble-roused by former French Prime Minister Charles De Gaulle's unwarranted meddling in Canadian affairs. Also, this is due to being treated as second class citizens by Anglophone Canada in the past.
Frankly though, this is not as bad as you make it seem. As with most things, it tends to be sensationalized in the media.
My background is that of a French Canadian (family arrived in the 1600's) with Scottish and Native roots as well (Louis Riel is within my family tree). Some of my best friends are 1st generation immigrants from, Brittain, Croatia, Togo, Lebanon and Romania. My wife is 1st generation Japanese and spent her high school years with a Polish family who escaped Communism (and are pseudo-in laws to me).
And frankly, I'm quite offended that you would place Canada and Nazi Germany in the same sentence! My Grandfather fought in Holland, France and Germany itself to defeat the Nazis and would probably punch you in the face (he was a miner, VERY STRONG) for that comment.
First, while all such things are sensationalized by the media, it is an historical fact that Quebec actually had a vote to leave the Dominion of Canada. Furthermore, while a majority was not reached for secession, the numbers were not as far in the majority to support saying it was but media hype.
As to your personal experience, whenever one talks about people, they have to begin with "generally speaking." This means that exceptions are bound to happen. I would, however, based on your obvious understatement of the Quebecer secession problem, have to say that you are speaking from an extremely atypical point of view or you are living in self-imposed delusion. If you live in Canada and are apparently unaware of the Bloc Quebecois, you have not been as circumspective as you ought be. Oblivious would be a very good word.
Secondly, my statement of the similarity between Canada and Nazi Germany was only in the field of legally keeping peoples separate. That is where it ends. I would even say that they keep peoples separate for very different reasons and with very different methods. This was not to imply the Canada was evil like the Nazis. Lots of governments share things with the Nazis. Here are some other things Canada shares: socialized medicine, latitude, and a red field on their flag. To be complete, here are some things the US share: a powerful military, a flag culture, a Manifest Destiny, being an independent nation-state, and a really good national highway system.
In short, I did not place Canada with the Nazis to say they are evil like the Nazis. I did so to show two very different ways to apply the same idea (legal separation of peoples). If you are going to cry every time your country is seen to be like unto the Third Reich, life is just going to suck for you. But if you must, let me blow your mind: Canadians and Germans also share humanity. Sorry to burst your bubble, but both of you are equally human. Hence you are always going to find similarities. I am sorry if your common humanity offends you.
The high persentage of "yes" votes in the Quebec referendum was in a large part due to the question posed:
"Acceptez-vous que le Québec devienne souverain, après avoir offert formellement au Canada un nouveau partenariat économique et politique, dans le cadre du projet de loi sur l'avenir du Québec et de l'entente signée le 12 juin 1995?"
(or in English)
"Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Québec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?"
A poll released just weeks before that vote showed more than 28% of undecided voters believed a "Yes" vote would simply mean Quebec would negotiate a better deal within confederation, meaning that they would continue to use Canadian passports and elect members of parliament in the Canadian House of Commons. And this doesn't even address the spoiled vote controversy (which also served to inflate the "yes" side).
Learn Canadian history before you attempt to quote it off.
Also, your argument about the Francophone "problem" in Canada is under the incorrect assumption that all French people live in Quebec. Hi, I was born in Ontario's second largest Francophone community, Sudbury. New Brunswick in particular and the maritimes in general have very large Francophone communtities.
Frankly, it IS because Canada is multi-cultural that a party such as the Bloc, or the "Parti Quebecois" can exist.
Basically, it's quite strange that you believe the only way to have cultures live side by side, is to have one absorb the others. That's not "living side by side". In Canada, people are free to keep their heritage and traditions. This is celebrated.
