As the dust begins to fall on the most impressive expression of national emotion that we have experienced in a long time, we must now ask ourselves what will be done with the gift that Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau has just given us.
Because this affair is a powerful revealer of a situation going far beyond the case of an English speaker on whom it is easy to type, if only because his rejection of French seems pathological.
What this revealed is that the problem results at least as much from a part of the Francophones, some denatured, even servile, others defeatist, when they have not become sowers of despair.
It remains to be seen whether the other Quebecers who are in a position of power will finally decide, beyond empty words, to act for the benefit of French while there is still time.
Because, obviously, there is still time.
What assholes!
The fact that we are THE founding Canadian people in terms of identity, as former Prime Minister Stephen Harper himself recognized, that Canada is historically built on the conquest of what we are, cannot make us forget that the latter included elements favorable to Quebec power as I pointed out in The Quebec challenge 30 years ago.
The great failure of contemporary Quebec was not not to gain an independence that the descendants of former Canadians did not really want, but not to have been able to overcome the unhealthy elements of our relationship with the rest of the country.
Too many Quebecers have kept a conquered mentality, undoubtedly the most blessed conquerors on the planet, but conquered all the same, with the atavisms of submission that this implies.
This is what the recent editorial by Stéphanie Grammond suggested.1 recalling that what was actually worse than Mr. Rousseau’s speech in English was that the business community unanimously applauded him: “Among the 320 people who took part in the luncheon, not a cat did not stand up to denounce Michael Rousseau. ”
Not one…
It’s like this courageous president of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal who, by accepting that the CEO of Air Canada address only in English to the members of his prestigious organization, embodied this colonized mentality explaining how we can live 14 years in Montreal without learning French.
Sowers of Despair
That said, it would be too easy for some nationalists to play the victim by shirking their responsibility in this affair by their incredibly defeatist side. Even before the fighting is over or even fought, they never propose anything in a system which they have convinced themselves is totally closed to Quebec power.
The alarmist message they send to the younger generations about the future of French in Quebec has come to be an important part of the problem. What young Quebecer will want to bet on a language which we keep telling him that it has no future?
Certain sovereignists – not all, fortunately – seem to have become sowers of despair to the tune of “We told you so!” »As if Quebec did not deserve to live since it did not achieve an independence of which the least we can say is that it is not for tomorrow.
This is to forget, among other things, North American geopolitics, the fact that independence would not constitute a magic solution to the vulnerability of French, that of Ireland not having prevented the disappearance of Gaelic.
And the others…
And there are all the others, who are neither servile nor denatured, defeatists or sowers of despair. Who believe that French must remain clearly predominant in Quebec, while not adhering to the absurd discourse on Montreal, already an English-speaking city.
Among them, there is first and foremost Prime Minister François Legault, whose bill on French is sorely lacking in force, but who has so far refused to apply Bill 101 to CEGEPs. If he believes that there are other ways to give Bill 96 the structuring heart that it lacks, say so and implement them, it’s time or never.
And in Ottawa there is Justin Trudeau, the heir of the man who constitutionalized, 40 years ago, the equalization of French and English in Canada. Between two genuflections in front of the indigenous leaders, we would like to know what this “proud French-speaking Quebecer” proposes, as he likes to call himself, to repair his shameless betrayal of his father’s heritage by appointing someone who does not speak. French as head of state of the country.
1. Read Our editorial “Let the bosses rise up for French! ” What do you think? Express your opinion