One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
catering to Francophones.

http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...in-french.html

I suppose Dave must speak French. I don't see how
you could be a cop in Canada without speaking French,
otherwise you'd be violating the rights of every
Francophone you pulled over.

On 15/07/2011 5:17 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> catering to Francophones.
>
> http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...in-french.html
>
> I suppose Dave must speak French. I don't see how
> you could be a cop in Canada without speaking French,
> otherwise you'd be violating the rights of every
> Francophone you pulled over.

Enough to get by.
Some people are just natural born shit disturbers. I read this story in
several sources and one of them quoted him as saying that he was
disappointed that the settlement was not bigger considering his previous
awards. The guy is so hurt by not being able to get what he wants when
flying Air Canada that he keeps flying with them. I don't know if he is
actually travelling with them or if he just wants to sue them for not
kissing his ass in French. One might expect that the court would look
at the repeated complaints and simply recommend that he fly with a
different carrier. They should put him on their no fly list.
Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got a Coca
Cola when I ordered Molson Golden.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
m...
> Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got a Coca Cola
> when I ordered Molson Golden.
>
You can tell the difference? {;-)
Graham

"Mark Thorson" > ha scritto nel messaggio

> One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> catering to Francophones.
>
> http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...in-french.html

I think people like this eventually create a situation in which the majority
says "take a hike, francophones." Sensitivity to their rights was the right
thing, but exploitation over a name is another.
Names are names. 7 Up is 7 Up, you don't say the name in French! If your
name is Bouvier and you present yourself to an English person, do you
translate it into English?

Mark Thorson > wrote in news:4E20AE78.AF755F84
@sonic.net:

> I don't see how
> you could be a cop in Canada without speaking French

And yet it's done every day.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

Dave Smith > wrote in
m:

> Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got a
> Coca Cola when I ordered Molson Golden.

Good thing you didn't order a Canadian and they brought you a
Laurentide instead ;-)

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

Dave Smith > wrote in news:if2Up.53236
:

> They should put him on their no fly list.

You're just asking for trouble...

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

"graham" > wrote in
:

>> Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got
>> a Coca Cola
>> when I ordered Molson Golden.
>>
> You can tell the difference? {;-)

A Coca-Cola in Québec has more taste.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

"Michel Boucher" > wrote in message
...
> "graham" > wrote in
> :
>
>>> Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got
>>> a Coca Cola
>>> when I ordered Molson Golden.
>>>
>> You can tell the difference? {;-)
>
> A Coca-Cola in Québec has more taste.
>
But people who drink C-C have no taste! {:-)
Graham

"graham" > wrote in news:bToUp.70216$8G4.32042
@newsfe17.iad:

> But people who drink C-C have no taste! {:-)

Neither have people who drink Molson Golden.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

On 16/07/2011 7:26 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:

> I noticed that too. How does bringing a Sprite
> when a 7up was requested translate to discrimination
> against Francophones? I'd guess they didn't have 7up
> and Sprite is what they had. Sort of like bringing
> Pepsi when somebody requests a Coke. And if you're
> a professional asshole, looking at you the wrong way
> is discrimination against Francophones.

Considering the guy keeps flying with the carrier that provides a
service that he finds unsatisfactory, and that he sues over something as
trivial as the wrong soft drink, we are talking about a complete asshole.

Giusi wrote:
>
> "Mark Thorson" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> > One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> > catering to Francophones.
> >
> > http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...in-french.html
>
> I think people like this eventually create a situation in which the majority
> says "take a hike, francophones." Sensitivity to their rights was the right
> thing, but exploitation over a name is another.
> Names are names. 7 Up is 7 Up, you don't say the name in French! If your
> name is Bouvier and you present yourself to an English person, do you
> translate it into English?

I noticed that too. How does bringing a Sprite
when a 7up was requested translate to discrimination
against Francophones? I'd guess they didn't have 7up
and Sprite is what they had. Sort of like bringing
Pepsi when somebody requests a Coke. And if you're
a professional asshole, looking at you the wrong way
is discrimination against Francophones.

On 16/07/2011 2:14 AM, Giusi wrote:

> I think people like this eventually create a situation in which the majority
> says "take a hike, francophones." Sensitivity to their rights was the right
> thing, but exploitation over a name is another.
> Names are names. 7 Up is 7 Up, you don't say the name in French! If your
> name is Bouvier and you present yourself to an English person, do you
> translate it into English?
>
>



My old neighbour's surname was Cote. His family was from Vermont and
they did not speak French. He pronounced his name Coty, like Buffalo
Bill. His wife was from Quebec and she pronounced it the French way, Cotay.

Dave Smith > wrote in
news
> His wife was from Quebec and she pronounced it the French way,
> Cotay.

I met a woman in Boston who had the name Côté. It turned out we
were related as her Côté relatives came from the same village as my
Côté relatives (Sainte-Croix). I'm probably related to this fellow
too. Québecois of French ancestry account for more than 40 million
people in North America. And we're all related, distantly but
close enough to call each other cousin.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

On 16/07/2011 7:46 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:

> I met a woman in Boston who had the name Côté. It turned out we
> were related as her Côté relatives came from the same village as my
> Côté relatives (Sainte-Croix). I'm probably related to this fellow
> too. Québecois of French ancestry account for more than 40 million
> people in North America. And we're all related, distantly but
> close enough to call each other cousin.
>


I just found a list of the most common surnames in North America. Smith
is number two and Brown, my mother's maiden name is number 5. Iwas
surprised to see that first place is Li and third is Lamb. Cote is
number 15.

Maybe we are related, my great great great great grandmother was French
Canadian by the name Choisy.

On Jul 15, 11:14*pm, "Giusi" > wrote:
> "Mark Thorson" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> > One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> > catering to Francophones.
>
> >http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...7/good-thing-h...
>
> I think people like this eventually create a situation in which the majority
> says "take a hike, francophones." *Sensitivity to their rights was the right
> thing, but exploitation over a name is another.
> Names are names. *7 Up is 7 Up, you don't say the name in French! *If your
> name is Bouvier and you present yourself to an English person, do you
> translate it into English?

But in Quebec you must ask for a chien chaud or an Hambourgeois. Why
not a Sept Haut or whatever?

On Jul 15, 2:17*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> catering to Francophones.
>
> http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...7/good-thing-h...
>
> I suppose Dave must speak French. *I don't see how
> you could be a cop in Canada without speaking French,
> otherwise you'd be violating the rights of every
> Francophone you pulled over.

In the Prairie Provinces you must also speak Ukrainian.

On 7/15/2011 5:17 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> One thing we don't have to envy the Canadians about is
> catering to Francophones.
>
> http://marginalrevolution.com/margin...in-french.html
>
> I suppose Dave must speak French. I don't see how
> you could be a cop in Canada without speaking French,
> otherwise you'd be violating the rights of every
> Francophone you pulled over.

That "we officially need to speak French" thing is why I will never
spend $0.05 in Quebec. Montreal isn't a far ride from here. I have been
to numerous foreign countries and have never been faced with that sort
of nonsense (the expectation that you should be totally fluent in a
language just to visit a place) anywhere else especially in a situation
when you are trying to give someone your money.

On Jul 16, 3:26*pm, Michel Boucher > wrote:
> Dave Smith > wrote . com:
>
> > Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got a
> > Coca Cola when I ordered Molson Golden.
>
> Good thing you didn't order a Canadian and they brought you a
> Laurentide instead ;-)
>

What do you get when you order "un gros Mol'"?

On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:52:17 -0400, George >
wrote:
>
> That "we officially need to speak French" thing is why I will never
> spend $0.05 in Quebec. Montreal isn't a far ride from here. I have been
> to numerous foreign countries and have never been faced with that sort
> of nonsense (the expectation that you should be totally fluent in a
> language just to visit a place) anywhere else especially in a situation
> when you are trying to give someone your money.

We did a car trip up Quebec City a few years ago and stayed at the
Hyatt in old town. We were out driving one day and got lost in spite
of having a map to guide us, so we stopped at a gas station where we
conducted a conversation in *English* with the attendant about how to
get back to where we were headed. Later that day, we stopped at a
shopping center where I bought a coat (I wasn't prepared for such cool
weather). Anyway, the first sales person I dealt with either wasn't
willing to speak English or wasn't comfortable speaking in English -
but she was *not* rude. She brought over a co-worker who completed
the sale in English. I wasn't ignored and being handed off wasn't a
problem for me. I bought my coat and went on my merry way.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Jul 16, 6:43*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:52:17 -0400, George >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > That *"we officially need to speak French" thing is why I will never
> > spend $0.05 in Quebec. Montreal isn't a far ride from here. I have been
> > to numerous foreign countries and have never been faced with that sort
> > of nonsense (the expectation that you should be totally fluent in *a
> > language just to visit a place) anywhere else especially in a situation
> > when you are trying to give someone your money.
>
> We did a car trip up Quebec City a few years ago and stayed at the
> Hyatt in old town. *We were out driving one day and got lost in spite
> of having a map to guide us, so we stopped at a gas station where we
> conducted a conversation in *English* with the attendant about how to
> get back to where we were headed. *Later that day, we stopped at a
> shopping center where I bought a coat (I wasn't prepared for such cool
> weather). *Anyway, the first sales person I dealt with either wasn't
> willing to speak English or wasn't comfortable speaking in English -
> but she was *not* rude. *She brought over a co-worker who completed
> the sale in English. *I wasn't ignored and being handed off wasn't a
> problem for me. *I bought my coat and went on my merry way.
>

You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.

On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

> On Jul 16, 6:43*pm, sf > wrote:
> > On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:52:17 -0400, George >
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > That *"we officially need to speak French" thing is why I will never
> > > spend $0.05 in Quebec. Montreal isn't a far ride from here. I have been
> > > to numerous foreign countries and have never been faced with that sort
> > > of nonsense (the expectation that you should be totally fluent in *a
> > > language just to visit a place) anywhere else especially in a situation
> > > when you are trying to give someone your money.
> >
> > We did a car trip up Quebec City a few years ago and stayed at the
> > Hyatt in old town. *We were out driving one day and got lost in spite
> > of having a map to guide us, so we stopped at a gas station where we
> > conducted a conversation in *English* with the attendant about how to
> > get back to where we were headed. *Later that day, we stopped at a
> > shopping center where I bought a coat (I wasn't prepared for such cool
> > weather). *Anyway, the first sales person I dealt with either wasn't
> > willing to speak English or wasn't comfortable speaking in English -
> > but she was *not* rude. *She brought over a co-worker who completed
> > the sale in English. *I wasn't ignored and being handed off wasn't a
> > problem for me. *I bought my coat and went on my merry way.
> >
>
> You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.

Whatever that means.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Jul 16, 9:37*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > On Jul 16, 6:43*pm, sf > wrote:
> > > On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:52:17 -0400, George >
> > > wrote:
>
> > > > That *"we officially need to speak French" thing is why I will never
> > > > spend $0.05 in Quebec. Montreal isn't a far ride from here. I have been
> > > > to numerous foreign countries and have never been faced with that sort
> > > > of nonsense (the expectation that you should be totally fluent in *a
> > > > language just to visit a place) anywhere else especially in a situation
> > > > when you are trying to give someone your money.
>
> > > We did a car trip up Quebec City a few years ago and stayed at the
> > > Hyatt in old town. *We were out driving one day and got lost in spite
> > > of having a map to guide us, so we stopped at a gas station where we
> > > conducted a conversation in *English* with the attendant about how to
> > > get back to where we were headed. *Later that day, we stopped at a
> > > shopping center where I bought a coat (I wasn't prepared for such cool
> > > weather). *Anyway, the first sales person I dealt with either wasn't
> > > willing to speak English or wasn't comfortable speaking in English -
> > > but she was *not* rude. *She brought over a co-worker who completed
> > > the sale in English. *I wasn't ignored and being handed off wasn't a
> > > problem for me. *I bought my coat and went on my merry way.
>
> > You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
>
> Whatever that means.
>

Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.

On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:47:08 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

> On Jul 16, 9:37*pm, sf > wrote:
> > On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> >
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
> >
> > Whatever that means.
> >
>
> Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.

Oh, okay. Thanks. We figured that if we had gotten a blatant snub
from anyone, it would have been the guy that we asked directions from
at the gas station in an "I don't speak English, I just pump gas" sort
of way.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"Michel Boucher" > ha scritto nel messaggio

I'm probably related to this fellow
> too. Québecois of French ancestry account for more than 40 million
> people in North America. And we're all related, distantly but
> close enough to call each other cousin.

You are likely related to me, as well. Ayotte dating from 1500s.

Dave Smith > wrote in
news
> Maybe we are related, my great great great great grandmother
> was French Canadian by the name Choisy.

I don't have a Choisy among my ancestors, but there is no doubt we
are related. I have even found a tenuous family link with a very
old friend of mine who is French from France. Not paternal, but
among the 5000 families that came to Nouvelle-France.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

"Giusi" > wrote in news:98fhkhFk33U1
@mid.individual.net:

> You are likely related to me, as well. Ayotte dating from 1500s.

Anybody with French-Canadian ancestors is my cousin inasmuch as
somewhere in the past we will have common ancestors (going back 13
generations sometimes).

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

spamtrap1888 > wrote in

..com:

> On Jul 16, 3:26*pm, Michel Boucher >
> wrote:
>> Dave Smith > wrote
>> innews:if2Up.53236$hP.40227@
> unlimited.newshosting.com:
>>
>> > Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got
>> > a Coca Cola when I ordered Molson Golden.
>>
>> Good thing you didn't order a Canadian and they brought you a
>> Laurentide instead ;-)
>
> What do you get when you order "un gros Mol'"?

Nothing...nothing at all...because it's "une grosse Mol"
(feminine). I don't drink beer so I don't know. Obviously a
Molson something or other.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

spamtrap1888 > wrote in

..com:

> But in Quebec you must ask for a chien chaud or an
> Hambourgeois. Why not a Sept Haut or whatever?

Because chien chaud and hambourgeois are not trade marks, 7-Up is.

--
"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

spamtrap1888 > wrote in news:40913b2c-3808-
:

>> > You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
>>
>> Whatever that means.
>
> Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.

Could have been a scout for the oppressors posing as a tourist :-)

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

On 17/07/2011 1:03 AM, sf wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:47:08 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> > wrote:
>
>> On Jul 16, 9:37 pm, > wrote:
>>> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>>>
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
>>>
>>> Whatever that means.
>>>
>>
>> Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.
>
> Oh, okay. Thanks. We figured that if we had gotten a blatant snub
> from anyone, it would have been the guy that we asked directions from
> at the gas station in an "I don't speak English, I just pump gas" sort
> of way.
>


My French is admittedly rusty. I have heard horror stories about rude
treatment of tourists in Quebec and have come to the conclusion that it
had more to do with the way they acted and that they probably get rude
treatment everywhere. It certainly never happened to me. I always have
very friendly service, despite my fractured French.

I had similar experiences in Paris. People often talk about how rudely
they were treated in Paris but, with the exception of a middle aged
waiter at a sidewalk cafe, everyone was kind and courteous. I can
understand a 40 year old who has never risen above the position of
waiter having a chip on his shoulder.

On 7/17/2011 9:36 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 17/07/2011 1:03 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:47:08 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Jul 16, 9:37 pm, > wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>>>>
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
>>>>
>>>> Whatever that means.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.
>>
>> Oh, okay. Thanks. We figured that if we had gotten a blatant snub
>> from anyone, it would have been the guy that we asked directions from
>> at the gas station in an "I don't speak English, I just pump gas" sort
>> of way.
>>
>
>
> My French is admittedly rusty. I have heard horror stories about rude
> treatment of tourists in Quebec and have come to the conclusion that it
> had more to do with the way they acted and that they probably get rude
> treatment everywhere. It certainly never happened to me. I always have
> very friendly service, despite my fractured French.

I have traveled to numerous countries and know all about the so called
for a good reason "ugly Americans" and I am definitely not one of them.
The only time I have ever experienced snobby arrogance when trying to
spend money as a tourist was in Quebec. It isn't universal but happens
enough to simply draw a line through Quebec as a possible destination.

>
> I had similar experiences in Paris. People often talk about how rudely
> they were treated in Paris but, with the exception of a middle aged
> waiter at a sidewalk cafe, everyone was kind and courteous. I can
> understand a 40 year old who has never risen above the position of
> waiter having a chip on his shoulder.
>
>

On Jul 17, 6:10*am, Michel Boucher > wrote:
> spamtrap1888 > wrote
> .com:
>
> > On Jul 16, 3:26*pm, Michel Boucher >
> > wrote:
> >> Dave Smith > wrote
> >> innews:if2Up.53236$hP.40227@
> > unlimited.newshosting.com:
>
> >> > Perhaps I should have sued the time I was in Quebec and got
> >> > a Coca Cola when I ordered Molson Golden.
>
> >> Good thing you didn't order a Canadian and they brought you a
> >> Laurentide instead ;-)
>
> > What do you get when you order "un gros Mol'"?
>
> Nothing...nothing at all...because it's "une grosse Mol"
> (feminine). *I don't drink beer so I don't know. *Obviously a
> Molson something or other.
>

If you know dick about Canadian beer, then why are you pontificating
on it?

spamtrap1888 > wrote in

..com:

>> Nothing...nothing at all...because it's "une grosse Mol"
>> (feminine). ÿI don't drink beer so I don't know. ÿObviously a
>> Molson something or other.
>
> If you know dick about Canadian beer, then why are you
> pontificating on it?

You consider saying that they could bring you a Laurentide if you
ask for a Canadian is pontificating? Are you sensitive about beer
labels? Did you cry when they retired the stubby?

I didn't say I knew dick about beer, I said I don't drink Molson.
Steamwhistle, Beau's Lager, mostly microbrewery stuff. RotM beer
is unappealing but I am not entirely unaware of it.

I should have said "that beer". I was in a hurry. So sue me.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

On 7/17/2011 8:36 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 17/07/2011 1:03 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:47:08 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Jul 16, 9:37 pm, > wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:59:15 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
>>>>
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> You were not a maudit Anglais, merely an Ameri-con.
>>>>
>>>> Whatever that means.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Not an oppressor, merely a tourist.
>>
>> Oh, okay. Thanks. We figured that if we had gotten a blatant snub
>> from anyone, it would have been the guy that we asked directions from
>> at the gas station in an "I don't speak English, I just pump gas" sort
>> of way.
>>
>
>
> My French is admittedly rusty. I have heard horror stories about rude
> treatment of tourists in Quebec and have come to the conclusion that it
> had more to do with the way they acted and that they probably get rude
> treatment everywhere. It certainly never happened to me. I always have
> very friendly service, despite my fractured French.

We had terrible treatment in Montreal. I speak some French and never
failed to use a bon jour (monsieur/madame), pardonez moi s'il vous plais
(I spell as badly in French as I do in 3 other languages) as I know that
it is proper in French culture to offer a greeting and apology before
asking a question.

We were maltreated to the point of terror at the border entry into
Quebec Province. I will never spend another tourist dollar in that
province of Canada again. The other provinces ( I have visited in every
one and the Yukon Territory)were filled with friendly and helpful
people. This also goes for the French-speaking towns in New Brunswick,
where people were helpful and friendly. We have many Canadian friends
and all of them continue to apologize for Quebec and try to get us to
understand that they, themselves, have the same problems we do with Quebec.
>
> I had similar experiences in Paris. People often talk about how rudely
> they were treated in Paris but, with the exception of a middle aged
> waiter at a sidewalk cafe, everyone was kind and courteous. I can
> understand a 40 year old who has never risen above the position of
> waiter having a chip on his shoulder.
>
>

I was expecting a similar experience to Montreal in Paris and the people
in Paris were also friendly and helpful. I was amazed as I had been
warned that Parisians were rude. I think I had the same waiter <g> In
fact, I found London to be just about the rudest place we have ever
traveled and we have traveled a lot of places.

We get French-speaking Canadians here in the winter. The New Brunswick
people are lovely, the Quebecois are earning themselves a reputation
among locals and other winter Texans and it isn't a nice reputation at that.

One group of Quebecois at an RV park (my friend was working there when
it happened so I know it's true) demanded that the manager close the
single swimming pool to non-French speaking campers one day a week. The
manager agreed as long as they stayed out of the pool for the other 6.

Of course they backed off, but this is indicative of the behavior we see
here in Way-south Texas. I have also seen the same kind of things in
South Florida where the majority of the winter guests in an RV park are
Quebecois. They take over the recreation programs and only permit French
to be spoken at the programs that are supposed to be for *all* paying
guests. Many of the RV parks that cater to Quebecois pay interpreters
to assist their French-speaking guests. Usually these are
English-speaking Quebecois who get their RV site for free and a small
cash stipend.

Perhaps if the province gave residents lessons on how to be a good
tourist in the US, non-French speaking Americans would be more forgiving
when we travel there. Presently, I think most of us see it as "attitude"

Texans are pretty mannerly people. We "sir" and "ma'am" everyone. Even
here on the border, we all know how to say excuse me in English and
Spanish. We are not used to being pushed aside by loud-voiced
French-speakers who don't have the manners to say "excuse me" in their
own language.

I can't just be me, because a few years ago the Province of Quebec was
running ads on New York TV stations that were aimed at marketing how
"friendly" they were. IF they weren't trying to clean up their
reputation they why the "friendliness" oriented ads?


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

Janet Wilder > wrote in
eb.com:

> They take over the recreation programs and only permit French
> to be spoken at the programs that are supposed to be for *all*
> paying guests.

So basically you are saying that they want something they value for
their tourist dollar when they go to Texas just like you do when
you go to Montreal. Maybe, just maybe they learned from you that
this is the way to behave when you are tourist in the other
country...wave money around and complain you can't get no respeck.
Tit for tat, I say.

--

"War is the terrorism of the rich and powerful and
terrorism is the war of the poor and powerless."

Peter Ustinov

On 17/07/2011 1:06 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
tesy. That courtesy is *not* reciprocated by Quebec.
>
> There are language police paid by the provincial government who go
> around and make sure that any signs that have any language other than
> French on them have the font for the French words double the size of the
> second language.
>


My son had hassles with the language cops. He was working in an Irish
pub and they complained about some English only posters that were
basically Irish travel posters. He told then to take a hike and never
heard from them again.

Stop signs in Quebec had Arret written on them, unlike France where they
say Stop.

On 17/07/2011 1:01 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:



>
> We get French-speaking Canadians here in the winter. The New Brunswick
> people are lovely, the Quebecois are earning themselves a reputation
> among locals and other winter Texans and it isn't a nice reputation at
> that.


There are lots of people around here with French roots and they tend to
dislike Quebecers. We had one guy working with us who was our bilingual
guy. He was born and raised in New Brunswick and he hated Quebers, as
did a friend of mine who was born in Quebec but raised here in Ontario.

>
> One group of Quebecois at an RV park (my friend was working there when
> it happened so I know it's true) demanded that the manager close the
> single swimming pool to non-French speaking campers one day a week. The
> manager agreed as long as they stayed out of the pool for the other 6.

Good for him.

>
>
> Perhaps if the province gave residents lessons on how to be a good
> tourist in the US, non-French speaking Americans would be more forgiving
> when we travel there. Presently, I think most of us see it as "attitude"


They don't even make good visitors in their own province. My son worked
in an upscale hotel in Old Montreal when he first moved there. One day
there were a couple women there who were complaining to each other about
how disgraceful it was that they did not have French person on the
desk. Sure his French was not great, but he had only recently moved
there and was learning. He is now fluently bilingual. Next thing you
know, they are asking him for favors. Yeah, like he is going to forget
how they had been insulting him a few minutes earlier.
>

>
> I can't just be me, because a few years ago the Province of Quebec was
> running ads on New York TV stations that were aimed at marketing how
> "friendly" they were. IF they weren't trying to clean up their
> reputation they why the "friendliness" oriented ads?

Some people think that if you spend enough money on advertising it will
make them forget reality. I had to wonder when I saw some posters for
VIA rail and the trip from Calgary to Vancouver. I had just returned a
trip to the west coast and had taken that rail trip. The scenery was
incredible but I have nothing good to say about the food or the service,
We were ran into several unscheduled stops to delay the trip.
Basically, there treated us like they treated us like we passengers
were a major inconvenience for them. If they had just treated us better
on the trip they would not have had to spend money on advertising.

On 17/07/2011 12:49 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:

>>
>> If you know dick about Canadian beer, then why are you
>> pontificating on it?
>
> You consider saying that they could bring you a Laurentide if you
> ask for a Canadian is pontificating? Are you sensitive about beer
> labels? Did you cry when they retired the stubby?
>
> I didn't say I knew dick about beer, I said I don't drink Molson.
> Steamwhistle, Beau's Lager, mostly microbrewery stuff. RotM beer
> is unappealing but I am not entirely unaware of it.
>
> I should have said "that beer". I was in a hurry. So sue me.
>


Just a reminder of past posts:

"graham" > wrote in news:bToUp.70216$8G4.32042
@newsfe17.iad:

> > But people who drink C-C have no taste! {:-)
Neither have people who drink Molson Golden.

and:
Nothing...nothing at all...because it's "une grosse Mol"
(feminine). I don't drink beer so I don't know. Obviously a
Molson something or other.


So you can see why someone might be confused.

Janet Wilder > wrote:

>We had terrible treatment in Montreal. I speak some French and never
>failed to use a bon jour (monsieur/madame), pardonez moi s'il vous plais
>(I spell as badly in French as I do in 3 other languages) as I know that
>it is proper in French culture to offer a greeting and apology before
>asking a question.

That's unfortunate. We had good experiences on our two visits
to Montreal, one of which included a side trip deeper into Quebec,
up into a "Reserve Faunique".

>We were maltreated to the point of terror at the border entry into
>Quebec Province.

Canada border control can be very unfriendly. The same is true of U.K.
I am not sure why this is.

Steve