This is a nice thing to know:
When pressed by reporters as to who qualifies as Québécois, Ms. LeBreton suggested it had a broad meaning. “I know anglophone Quebeckers who call themselves Québécois,” she said.That was a bit of genius, that motion. A cabinet minister quits and the separatists are stronger. Thanks. And just note this snippet of comment from Harper's original comment, called so brave by some and posted in full by Paul Wells:But when asked whether the motion applied to all residents of Quebec, Mr. Cannon said: “No, it doesn't.”
...You know we should never forget, because English is the language of the majority, we often forget that it was French-speaking Canadians that founded Canada. It was French-speaking Canadians who were the first people to call themselves Canadians; the first group of people who had a vision of a country from coast to coast...Who was here first? Acadians maybe? Who first used Canada? Mohawk or Algonquins perhaps? Who had that first vision? Where the heck does that come from? The Scots explorers? The Cree?
Comments
Gordo - November 28, 2006 12:13 pm
Let's not forget the Vikings. They were the first old-world explorers.
Alan - November 28, 2006 1:04 pm
Needless to say, the Tories have avoided this controversy in PEI by starting another one.
Gordo - November 28, 2006 3:18 pm
Look! Over there! A UFO!
WCG - November 28, 2006 5:43 pm
The funny part is that the French were only here to exploit the land, at <i>first</i>. They didn't get along with the English settlers because those folks were here to, er, settle and farm, and farming drove out the pelts. Er, I mean beavers. Also, the French brought the seigneurial system with them, which stifled initiative and kept their entire non-aristocratic peasantry poor and hungy. Then, when the English took over after the Treaty of Versaille and the 5000 French aristocrats left Canada (and left peasants to fend for themsleves) that was pretty much the beginning of the end. Firsts my ass.
Paul in Kingston - November 29, 2006 10:16 am
Well easily the first nations were first. The English were second and that makes the french the third nation.
I would like hear Mr. Duceppe stand up and declare proudly and loudly that Quebec is the Third Nation, and that all Qubecers should be proud to be Third, and that being Third makes them distinct (he has to say it in english to make the point though). :)
Alan - November 29, 2006 10:20 am
Such ranking is not quite helpful. But the pre-1500s Breton fisherman who opened Newfoundland for the English were the first Europeans to over-winter in a continuous way tied to us. The Vikings were something of an earlier unconnected event.
Paul in Kingston - November 29, 2006 11:31 am
Alan - it's all about the accent!
cm - November 29, 2006 12:29 pm
I've always liked that the United States was settled on high moral principles (or so it seems) and Canada was settled on the high price of beaver pelts.
Alan - November 29, 2006 12:29 pm
Quebec Premier Charest has a very big umbrella compared to the Parliament of Canada.