FELDSTED: Identity Politics is a strong signal for us to fight back from being dragged into an Ontario - Quebec feud that has its roots in the 1759 battle on the Plains of Abraham
'We have fewer rights':
Franco-Ontarian youth protest by living proudly. At a French improv tournament, students
criticize Doug Ford's cutbacks in services
Jaela Bernstien ~~ CBC News ~~ Dec 07, 2018
In Prescott-Russell
county, about 500 kilometres east of Queen's Park, signs of pride colour the countryside. In most towns, the Ontario flag
is flown next to its green-and-white Franco-Ontarian counterpart, decorated
with both the fleur-de-lis and trillium.
This is the riding of
Amanda Simard, who left her own party in protest of Premier Doug Ford's cuts to
French services. And while the government has made attempts
at concessions since then, it's done little to quell the fury among
these French-speaking communities….
CLICK HERE for the full
story:
Let’s get a couple of things straight:
- there is no such thing as a Franco-Ontarian. We are all Canadians. If you reside in Ontario, you can describe yourself as an Ontarian. Describing yourself as English-Ontarian, Franco-Ontarian, German-Ontarian, Mandarin-Ontarian or Yiddish-Ontarian is identity politics
- our constitution requires that we will provide services in both English and French language in our parliament, provincial legislatures and courts
- the Charter section on Official Languages sets out where and how minority language services will be provided
In 1840, the British Parliament created the
Province of Canada consisting of what is now Ontario (Upper Canada) and Quebec
(Lower Canada) with equal political representation for each. Resulting from
that, the Province was ungovernable from 1840 until confederation, a quarter
century later.
Representatives from the two political identities
could not agree - on anything. No political party could find enough support
from both groups to create a working majority government. Elections were held
in 1841, 1844, 1848, 1851, 1854, 1858, 1861 and 1863. The deadlock was finally
broken with the 1867 confederation of four provinces. However, the fierce
rivalry between Ontario and Quebec continued.
The Official Languages Act (OLA) was passed into
law in 1969, 102 years after confederation, and is an enormously expensive
accommodation to the French speaking population, estimated at over $2.4 billion
annually (2006-07 figures for combine provinces and federal
government spending). Ontario spent the largest share estimated at over $623
million or $1,275 for each minority member. Quebec, in comparison, spent $50.5
million annually or $85 for each minority member.
What is frightening is that these figures are now
12 years out of date. Costs will have risen substantially over more than a
decade. Using a modest 2% annual increase in costs, they would exceed $3
billion today.
Battle on the Plains of Abraham |
Every taxpayer, irrespective of native language, or
ethnicity, is dragged into paying a portion of this subsidy to French speaking
people living outside Quebec. The vocal minority in Ontario, screaming that
they have a right to subsidies from non-French taxpayers, is a strong signal for us to fight back from being dragged into
an Ontario - Quebec feud that has its roots in the 1759 Battle on the Plains of
Abraham.
Despite substantial concessions to the French speaking population
in the 1774 Quebec Act, the feud rages on.
The Official Languages Act must be repealed and
replaced with legislation that provides for French language services in
accordance with Sections 16 through 22 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
There is nothing therein that prevents provision of minority language services
through qualified translators. The notion that government officials and
employees must be bilingual is nonsense. Our civil service must be populated
based on competence, not language.
We forget that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
exists to protect us from our governments. The opening paragraph of the Charter
reads:
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and
freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law
as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
The Official Languages Act cannot be construed as
demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. The French language is
solidly protected under our constitution. The Official Languages Act overrides
the equality rights of non-French citizens and cannot stand as written.
Since there is no such thing as ‘enough’ in this
feud, it is time for English speaking people to declare the level of subsidy
they are willing to accept … and pay for. The constitution (which embodies the
charter) spells out the terms and they must be adhered to.
Language is not a tool to promote French use in
English Canada.
John Feldsted
Political Consultant
& Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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