There aren't a lot genuinely pan-Canadian institutions. The CFL should be one of them, and the absence of French signage at the Grey Cup is a massive fail.
There are probably more people in Hamilton that speak Italian, Polish and even Spanish than French. Expand this to include the greater GTA and you would find other languages, Chinese, Punjab and others spoken more frequently than French. Why should a very minority language predominate over other languages which have more speakers where the game was played. French is the language of Quebec while the rest of Canada's common language is English. The Grey Cup game was played in Canada, not Quebec. It is time that French not be forced onto English Canada. Possibly we treat French in Canada the same manner as English is treated in Quebec.
Because Canada is a bilingual country of French and English. And the GTA is not reflective of the entirety of Canada. All provinces have French-speaking communities. Sometimes I think people's dislike for taking French in school has made them biased about language. It doesn't matter if your neighbor speaks Chinese and your other neighbour speaks Arab. National events should still be bilingual.
It is time we discard the myth perpetuated by the Government of Canada. Canada is NOT a bilingual French / English country. Where as all provinces may have French communities, which are declining, most provinces have Chinese, Ukrainian, Punjabi and other language communities within their borders. The common feature throughout Canada, including Quebec, is the common language of communication, English. If Quebec wishes to continue to be isolated from the rest of the northern half of North America, that is their choice and Quebecers should both fund and suffer the results of this decision, i.e., economic decline, as businesses and English speaking employees look elsewhere to put their economic activities and monies. If the government of all Canada wishes to support a secondary language, such a French, then let the citizens of Canada decide where this spending is to be placed, i.e., language instruction of their choice, Chinese, Ukrainian, Italian and so on.
Canada has two official languages, and they are official languages from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
There are strong contemporary and historic reasons for this policy. The trope you've repeated, about unofficial heritage languages, is just that.
And let's be honest here. Most of the second- and subsequent generation Canadians who speak the heritage languages you cited do not speak them with anything near the fluency and facility of French-language speakers in Quebec, New Brunswick, Eastern and Northern Ontario, parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta.
An officially bilingual country is different than a bilingual country. If using French made sense outside of Quebec, it would happen without government policy. Instead Canada suffers under fake bilingualism which is really a discriminatory affirmative action policy that unjustly favors people who speak French for federal jobs, federal contracting, political office and recently, the Supreme Court.
If Quebec wants to damage its economy and demographics with authoritarian imposition of language, that is its right to do so. The other provinces should not be obligated to accommodate French unless that choose to do so. Nor should the federal government be obligated to compensate Quebec (ex. equalization, supply management, false equivalency of cap and trade vs. federal carbon pricing backstop), for its self imposed economic damage.
These complaints about "discriminatory affirmative action" and allegations about federal jobs, contracts and even Supreme Court appointments (that they "unjustly favour" Francophones) are based on, what, exactly?
Where are the studies or analyses that would back up such assertions?
If jobs are classified as bilingual when that skill has no relevance to the job, it is affirmative action. Why does a Supreme Court judge who reviews briefs prepared by their staff, who in turn prepare their briefs based on briefs prepared by their staff need to speak French?
We are officially bilingual for federal services. Only one province is officially bilingual: New Brunswick. I suppose if the Grey Cup were held there, it would have to be done in two languages. We could save so much money if we stopped official bilingualism. Who needs cereal boxes in two languages? Who needs French cooking instructions slapped over top of the original packaging of noodles and sauces imported from Asia?
First of all, yes - way too much ado about nothing.
Second, as a French francophone who has lived in ON for the better part of two decades (ask me why I never chose Québec), this take is hypocritical in light of the fact that the Québecois will not miss an opportunity to do the exact same in reverse in their belle province. They will make sure of that every time. Heck, they even treat non-Québecois francophones with disdain.
As an outsider with no dog in this fight, we either care about this issue and get rid of the double standards or we don't because unlike Andrew, I don't think a nationwide sports league is really that important of an institution to matter, except to a small group of Canadian gridiron fans - I never met one personally.
Lastly, I don't think that making everything Canadian reflexively (or legally) bilingual is necessarily productive anyway and in many cases creates situations where all Canadians are objectively worse - remember the baby formula shortage? It makes way more sense to let the market decide where and when there is a need for things to be one language or another - or both as appropriate.
Divide, divide, divide. Honestly Andrew, what a depressing, juvenile take.... basically the ROC hit me first so Quebecers hit back. Pathetic and very unhelpful. The league apologized. The player apologized. So Andrew decides to amplify the differences. How original. Canada will continue to be at odds with itself as long as articles like this pour gasoline on the divisive fires between English and French Canadians, exploiting and magnifying Quebec and ROC stereotypes and caricatures.
I've visited Montreal, Quebec City, and rural Quebec. I am a unilngual anglophone born and raised in rural Alberta. I read and speak and understand just enough French to make myself look foolish at the attempt. My Quebec friends and aquaintances over the years take my efforts as they are intended, as a sign of respect for them, their language, and their culture.
My wife (also unilngual anglophone) and I put all four of our children through French immersion for the first 9 years of their education. This FI program at our rural Alberta school has been teaching many of our students French and sharing French and Quebec culture and history since 1987. Since Nineteen Eighty-Seven!!! Many of them have visited Quebec and France and they and their families have formed lifelong friendships as a result, based on cultural and linguistic cross-pollination.
Two of my children were fluent enough to travel to France for a three month exchange, living with host families and attending French school when each of them were 15. Their French hosts marveled at their proficiency in their language, while good naturedly laughing at their Quebecoise accents, phrases, and references. The French exchange students who reciprocated by living with our family for three months and attending school here appreciated the chance to learn the English language with a Western Canadian rural cultural influence. We good naturedly teased those kids for their occasional English slip ups as well, while appreciating their willingness to learn and laugh while doing so. More people should do this. It has enriched our family, and given our children a gift of wider cultural and linguistic understanding for their entire lives.
There are several thriving French communities in Alberta. I've visited them as well. They are proud of their language and culture and respectful that they live in an overwhelmingly English province.
Canadians need to visit each other's provinces and experience each other's local communities much more than they do. If I were in charge, I'd make the costs of these visits tax-deductible in an effort to strengthen national unity. When Canadians meet each other, work together, and break bread and share drinks together, all the stupid divisions are revealed as pointless.
Politicians and media commmentators that continually inflame these divisions do an ongoing and deeply damaging disservice to Canada. It's tiresomely stupid.
Andrew...be better. I know you can write something more insightful than this as an Anglophone Quebecer. It's child's play to amplify the voices of the boringly ignorant...why not amplify the voices of those Canadians of both solitudes that seek to understand and grow from each other's different perspectives?
Surely this is satire. Why should Quebec bother? They don't!! What they bother to do is suppress English at every opportunity from restricting who can immigrate into Quebec to limiting health care access for anglophones. Another whiny "poor us" article that infuriates rather than accomplishing any positive result.
The bilingual experiment has never really worked, despite multi-billions spent on it. I'm a westerner, and frankly I feel more in common with France, or England, or Washington state than I do Quebec. I'm happy to see the Parti Quebecois surge in the polls lately. I hope they win the next election and take Quebec to independence. It will be better for all. For as long as Quebec is part of Canada, there will always be the eternal strife trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
The Maritimes might actually do better as part of the US or on their own. Currently it is the poorest part of Canada/USA, it can't get any worse if they decide to change things up.
How would being part of the US or being on their own help? They would be the new Mississippi of America. Maritimers remind me of Black American who think the Democrats/Liberals are working for their interests. Parties have nobody's best interest beyond their own power.
When is the last time you actually analyzed the economies of the Atlantic provinces? Perhaps some figures to support your assertions would be in order here.
I don't think that Quebec is indivisible. If Quebec ever votes to separate, I'd suggest holding separate referendums in the north of Quebec with its large indigenous population and the south with Montreal.
I recall one fellow saying that the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence seaway is deemed 'international', so traffic cannot be blockaded. In essence then, the Maritimes would still be connected to Canada.
Haha yes! I also think the ROC should have Bloc representation so that we can vote for separation. Quebec leaving, then coming back on more palatable terms would serve the country well.
There's a reason for that.....the ROC is sick to death of Quebec and it's special status and tax breaks.....Quebec voted down the the joint Conservative/NDP motion to extend carbon tax breaks to all heating fuels while it enjoys unlimited cheap hydro power.......name a single tip of the hat Quebec has given to the ROC.....its take, take, take and complain some more.
Plus, they pay the lowest carbon taxes in Canada (now that the Maritimes got a pass). The Feds levy higher charges on On, Sask, and Alberta even though PQ is below the national benchmark. Can't jeopardize those seats either.
By all reports the Grey Cup was an an unmitigated success. The half-time show featuring Green Day was brilliant. The CFL knows it's audience is ageing and in an appeal to a younger audience they pulled it off.
As to the lack of French signage, Montreal has had 3 crowds this year of 20k, one being the Grey Cup. The city does not support the team or the league.
The game was telecast in French and radio broadcast as well. The French language was well accommodated given the effort exhibited by the residents.
Maybe just move the Alouettes to Halifax and be done with it. If the city doesn't care about the team why should the ROC?
Perhaps you'll want to take a look at the Grey Cup parade from yesterday and the number of people who attended. You might also want to check out the TV ratings on RDS and TSN and then tell me again that the city "doesn't care".
English is language of choice everywhere else in Canada.
Why are the different native tongues not acknowledged in Canada?
Why does Quebec think the rest of Canada is a part of Quebec and not that Quebec is a part of Canada. Why do Quebecers think they are special?
Because of Quebecers and our Indians, Canada will never be a unified country. They both think they deserve more than other Canadians, that they are in someway shape or form, "special"?
Everyone in this country is an immigrant from somewhere...
Andrew, I hear ya but. Having lived in Ottawa where French has been very over accomodated in health care and government (we lived in Orleans) I just don’t sympathize. Adjust the “equalization” scheme and maybe earn some respect for that “unique nation” between Ontario and New Brunswick. Oh, and Quebec is now a unilingual province so there’s that too.
I think that's a huge miss. Optics matter. I think official bilingualism is a waste of time and money, that hasn't satified anyone, but when one of the teams competing is from Quebec.....with players born in Quebec....
Yes, that was another own goal from the CFL. The commissioner has an annoying habit of deflecting (to many of our "leaders" do this) when he should have bloody well apologized and just said "We blew that one and it won't happen again." But no, he will just allow that to fester. Say what you will about Doug Ford, he knows when he screws up and he'll apologize and the problem goes away. Doug's problem is that he never learns!
Randy's problem is that he won't apologize and the problem festers so that instead of the CFL celebrating a home run for the great game and experience, we get columns over how "Bush" the CFL is!
Ahh, the comment section did not disappoint. I don't really understand why so many people have such strong bias against French as a language.
It's no wonder that Quebec takes issue with Canada when so many people in Canada have a general FU attitude towards them. Which came first - the chicken or the egg? I can't answer that question - but I can say that the dislike for QC certainly doesn't do anyone any favours. Many of the arguments sound like a 2 yr old announcing they're going to take their toys and go home because they don't want to respect the other person.
Anyways... I have no opinion about CFL and how bilingual it is or isn't but I think it's poor taste to omit an official language when one of the team's playing could legitimately have players on it who don't speak English. It's exclusionary at best, and discriminatory at worst. Kindness is free - we'd all do well to treat our fellow Canadians with kindness without thinking about where they live.
I'm in AB and even here, towns with high percent of French-speaking residents have bilingual signage. So if towns do that in a prairie province, you'd think the CFL might've thought this out a bit better.
I agree that the CFL/LCF blew it. But, I don't think people have a strong bias again French as a language, I think they have an issues with Quebec's total disrespect for its Anglophones while demand the ROC implement full bilingualism.
My empirical observation of the anglo/franco relations in this country (as a native French and adopted anglo) is that anglophones really don't give a shit about Québec and QC cares way more about what the rest of Canada thinks about them.
I'm not judging here, just observing. The French (both of the QC and French kind) love to think they are truly special and deserve more than what they're given. I'm not sure if it's a language thing or something else... But it's observably true.
A bit like your highly neurotic cousin with rampant megalomania.
The CFL knows its market better than do journalists, politicians or other would be commentators. If French signage would increase profits, the CFL would have made the effort.
I'll go out on a limb and assert that contrived national institutions are worse than no national institutions.
Andrew:
There are probably more people in Hamilton that speak Italian, Polish and even Spanish than French. Expand this to include the greater GTA and you would find other languages, Chinese, Punjab and others spoken more frequently than French. Why should a very minority language predominate over other languages which have more speakers where the game was played. French is the language of Quebec while the rest of Canada's common language is English. The Grey Cup game was played in Canada, not Quebec. It is time that French not be forced onto English Canada. Possibly we treat French in Canada the same manner as English is treated in Quebec.
Because Canada is a bilingual country of French and English. And the GTA is not reflective of the entirety of Canada. All provinces have French-speaking communities. Sometimes I think people's dislike for taking French in school has made them biased about language. It doesn't matter if your neighbor speaks Chinese and your other neighbour speaks Arab. National events should still be bilingual.
Ice Skater:
It is time we discard the myth perpetuated by the Government of Canada. Canada is NOT a bilingual French / English country. Where as all provinces may have French communities, which are declining, most provinces have Chinese, Ukrainian, Punjabi and other language communities within their borders. The common feature throughout Canada, including Quebec, is the common language of communication, English. If Quebec wishes to continue to be isolated from the rest of the northern half of North America, that is their choice and Quebecers should both fund and suffer the results of this decision, i.e., economic decline, as businesses and English speaking employees look elsewhere to put their economic activities and monies. If the government of all Canada wishes to support a secondary language, such a French, then let the citizens of Canada decide where this spending is to be placed, i.e., language instruction of their choice, Chinese, Ukrainian, Italian and so on.
I take it you've never been to British Columbia or Southern Alberta then.
Canada has two official languages, and they are official languages from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
There are strong contemporary and historic reasons for this policy. The trope you've repeated, about unofficial heritage languages, is just that.
And let's be honest here. Most of the second- and subsequent generation Canadians who speak the heritage languages you cited do not speak them with anything near the fluency and facility of French-language speakers in Quebec, New Brunswick, Eastern and Northern Ontario, parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta.
An officially bilingual country is different than a bilingual country. If using French made sense outside of Quebec, it would happen without government policy. Instead Canada suffers under fake bilingualism which is really a discriminatory affirmative action policy that unjustly favors people who speak French for federal jobs, federal contracting, political office and recently, the Supreme Court.
If Quebec wants to damage its economy and demographics with authoritarian imposition of language, that is its right to do so. The other provinces should not be obligated to accommodate French unless that choose to do so. Nor should the federal government be obligated to compensate Quebec (ex. equalization, supply management, false equivalency of cap and trade vs. federal carbon pricing backstop), for its self imposed economic damage.
These complaints about "discriminatory affirmative action" and allegations about federal jobs, contracts and even Supreme Court appointments (that they "unjustly favour" Francophones) are based on, what, exactly?
Where are the studies or analyses that would back up such assertions?
If jobs are classified as bilingual when that skill has no relevance to the job, it is affirmative action. Why does a Supreme Court judge who reviews briefs prepared by their staff, who in turn prepare their briefs based on briefs prepared by their staff need to speak French?
We are officially bilingual for federal services. Only one province is officially bilingual: New Brunswick. I suppose if the Grey Cup were held there, it would have to be done in two languages. We could save so much money if we stopped official bilingualism. Who needs cereal boxes in two languages? Who needs French cooking instructions slapped over top of the original packaging of noodles and sauces imported from Asia?
First of all, yes - way too much ado about nothing.
Second, as a French francophone who has lived in ON for the better part of two decades (ask me why I never chose Québec), this take is hypocritical in light of the fact that the Québecois will not miss an opportunity to do the exact same in reverse in their belle province. They will make sure of that every time. Heck, they even treat non-Québecois francophones with disdain.
As an outsider with no dog in this fight, we either care about this issue and get rid of the double standards or we don't because unlike Andrew, I don't think a nationwide sports league is really that important of an institution to matter, except to a small group of Canadian gridiron fans - I never met one personally.
Lastly, I don't think that making everything Canadian reflexively (or legally) bilingual is necessarily productive anyway and in many cases creates situations where all Canadians are objectively worse - remember the baby formula shortage? It makes way more sense to let the market decide where and when there is a need for things to be one language or another - or both as appropriate.
Excellent points.
Divide, divide, divide. Honestly Andrew, what a depressing, juvenile take.... basically the ROC hit me first so Quebecers hit back. Pathetic and very unhelpful. The league apologized. The player apologized. So Andrew decides to amplify the differences. How original. Canada will continue to be at odds with itself as long as articles like this pour gasoline on the divisive fires between English and French Canadians, exploiting and magnifying Quebec and ROC stereotypes and caricatures.
I've visited Montreal, Quebec City, and rural Quebec. I am a unilngual anglophone born and raised in rural Alberta. I read and speak and understand just enough French to make myself look foolish at the attempt. My Quebec friends and aquaintances over the years take my efforts as they are intended, as a sign of respect for them, their language, and their culture.
My wife (also unilngual anglophone) and I put all four of our children through French immersion for the first 9 years of their education. This FI program at our rural Alberta school has been teaching many of our students French and sharing French and Quebec culture and history since 1987. Since Nineteen Eighty-Seven!!! Many of them have visited Quebec and France and they and their families have formed lifelong friendships as a result, based on cultural and linguistic cross-pollination.
Two of my children were fluent enough to travel to France for a three month exchange, living with host families and attending French school when each of them were 15. Their French hosts marveled at their proficiency in their language, while good naturedly laughing at their Quebecoise accents, phrases, and references. The French exchange students who reciprocated by living with our family for three months and attending school here appreciated the chance to learn the English language with a Western Canadian rural cultural influence. We good naturedly teased those kids for their occasional English slip ups as well, while appreciating their willingness to learn and laugh while doing so. More people should do this. It has enriched our family, and given our children a gift of wider cultural and linguistic understanding for their entire lives.
There are several thriving French communities in Alberta. I've visited them as well. They are proud of their language and culture and respectful that they live in an overwhelmingly English province.
Canadians need to visit each other's provinces and experience each other's local communities much more than they do. If I were in charge, I'd make the costs of these visits tax-deductible in an effort to strengthen national unity. When Canadians meet each other, work together, and break bread and share drinks together, all the stupid divisions are revealed as pointless.
Politicians and media commmentators that continually inflame these divisions do an ongoing and deeply damaging disservice to Canada. It's tiresomely stupid.
Andrew...be better. I know you can write something more insightful than this as an Anglophone Quebecer. It's child's play to amplify the voices of the boringly ignorant...why not amplify the voices of those Canadians of both solitudes that seek to understand and grow from each other's different perspectives?
Surely this is satire. Why should Quebec bother? They don't!! What they bother to do is suppress English at every opportunity from restricting who can immigrate into Quebec to limiting health care access for anglophones. Another whiny "poor us" article that infuriates rather than accomplishing any positive result.
and double tuition if you want to go to Anglophone universities in Quebec.
Give me a break since when does Quebec show any respect for the english language
The bilingual experiment has never really worked, despite multi-billions spent on it. I'm a westerner, and frankly I feel more in common with France, or England, or Washington state than I do Quebec. I'm happy to see the Parti Quebecois surge in the polls lately. I hope they win the next election and take Quebec to independence. It will be better for all. For as long as Quebec is part of Canada, there will always be the eternal strife trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Better for the Maritime's?
If Alaska can work as part of the USA I’m sure that the Maritimes would find a way to carry on when Quebec ultimately achieves its self determination.
Interesting analogy...I hadn't thought of that.
The Maritimes might actually do better as part of the US or on their own. Currently it is the poorest part of Canada/USA, it can't get any worse if they decide to change things up.
How would being part of the US or being on their own help? They would be the new Mississippi of America. Maritimers remind me of Black American who think the Democrats/Liberals are working for their interests. Parties have nobody's best interest beyond their own power.
Mississippi actually has a higher annual GDP per capita than some of Maritime provinces. Economically, they could only hope to do so well.
When is the last time you actually analyzed the economies of the Atlantic provinces? Perhaps some figures to support your assertions would be in order here.
I'm using Trevor Tombe's piece in The Hub for reference.
https://thehub.ca/2023-06-15/trevor-tombe-most-provincial-economies-struggle-to-match-the-u-s/
I don't think that Quebec is indivisible. If Quebec ever votes to separate, I'd suggest holding separate referendums in the north of Quebec with its large indigenous population and the south with Montreal.
Wouldn't that be an internal Quebec matter though?
I recall one fellow saying that the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence seaway is deemed 'international', so traffic cannot be blockaded. In essence then, the Maritimes would still be connected to Canada.
Haha yes! I also think the ROC should have Bloc representation so that we can vote for separation. Quebec leaving, then coming back on more palatable terms would serve the country well.
There's a reason for that.....the ROC is sick to death of Quebec and it's special status and tax breaks.....Quebec voted down the the joint Conservative/NDP motion to extend carbon tax breaks to all heating fuels while it enjoys unlimited cheap hydro power.......name a single tip of the hat Quebec has given to the ROC.....its take, take, take and complain some more.
Plus, they pay the lowest carbon taxes in Canada (now that the Maritimes got a pass). The Feds levy higher charges on On, Sask, and Alberta even though PQ is below the national benchmark. Can't jeopardize those seats either.
To be fair, Quebec has never bothered.
By all reports the Grey Cup was an an unmitigated success. The half-time show featuring Green Day was brilliant. The CFL knows it's audience is ageing and in an appeal to a younger audience they pulled it off.
As to the lack of French signage, Montreal has had 3 crowds this year of 20k, one being the Grey Cup. The city does not support the team or the league.
The game was telecast in French and radio broadcast as well. The French language was well accommodated given the effort exhibited by the residents.
Maybe just move the Alouettes to Halifax and be done with it. If the city doesn't care about the team why should the ROC?
Perhaps you'll want to take a look at the Grey Cup parade from yesterday and the number of people who attended. You might also want to check out the TV ratings on RDS and TSN and then tell me again that the city "doesn't care".
I guess it proves Montrealers like a parade and celebrate a winner, albeit after the fact.
It doesn't alter the facts. The city doesn't support the team.
Retired and tired of the lack of unity in Canada.
English is language of choice everywhere else in Canada.
Why are the different native tongues not acknowledged in Canada?
Why does Quebec think the rest of Canada is a part of Quebec and not that Quebec is a part of Canada. Why do Quebecers think they are special?
Because of Quebecers and our Indians, Canada will never be a unified country. They both think they deserve more than other Canadians, that they are in someway shape or form, "special"?
Everyone in this country is an immigrant from somewhere...
"Everyone in this country is an immigrant from somewhere..."
Surely you don't seriously believe this ahistorical nonsense?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-oldest-north-american-settlements-found-180962750/
Ahistorical?
Who do you think we're the 1st inhabitants in Canada.
Andrew, I hear ya but. Having lived in Ottawa where French has been very over accomodated in health care and government (we lived in Orleans) I just don’t sympathize. Adjust the “equalization” scheme and maybe earn some respect for that “unique nation” between Ontario and New Brunswick. Oh, and Quebec is now a unilingual province so there’s that too.
Much ado about nothing?
I think that's a huge miss. Optics matter. I think official bilingualism is a waste of time and money, that hasn't satified anyone, but when one of the teams competing is from Quebec.....with players born in Quebec....
Yes, that was another own goal from the CFL. The commissioner has an annoying habit of deflecting (to many of our "leaders" do this) when he should have bloody well apologized and just said "We blew that one and it won't happen again." But no, he will just allow that to fester. Say what you will about Doug Ford, he knows when he screws up and he'll apologize and the problem goes away. Doug's problem is that he never learns!
Randy's problem is that he won't apologize and the problem festers so that instead of the CFL celebrating a home run for the great game and experience, we get columns over how "Bush" the CFL is!
Ahh, the comment section did not disappoint. I don't really understand why so many people have such strong bias against French as a language.
It's no wonder that Quebec takes issue with Canada when so many people in Canada have a general FU attitude towards them. Which came first - the chicken or the egg? I can't answer that question - but I can say that the dislike for QC certainly doesn't do anyone any favours. Many of the arguments sound like a 2 yr old announcing they're going to take their toys and go home because they don't want to respect the other person.
Anyways... I have no opinion about CFL and how bilingual it is or isn't but I think it's poor taste to omit an official language when one of the team's playing could legitimately have players on it who don't speak English. It's exclusionary at best, and discriminatory at worst. Kindness is free - we'd all do well to treat our fellow Canadians with kindness without thinking about where they live.
I'm in AB and even here, towns with high percent of French-speaking residents have bilingual signage. So if towns do that in a prairie province, you'd think the CFL might've thought this out a bit better.
I agree that the CFL/LCF blew it. But, I don't think people have a strong bias again French as a language, I think they have an issues with Quebec's total disrespect for its Anglophones while demand the ROC implement full bilingualism.
My empirical observation of the anglo/franco relations in this country (as a native French and adopted anglo) is that anglophones really don't give a shit about Québec and QC cares way more about what the rest of Canada thinks about them.
I'm not judging here, just observing. The French (both of the QC and French kind) love to think they are truly special and deserve more than what they're given. I'm not sure if it's a language thing or something else... But it's observably true.
A bit like your highly neurotic cousin with rampant megalomania.
The CFL knows its market better than do journalists, politicians or other would be commentators. If French signage would increase profits, the CFL would have made the effort.
I'll go out on a limb and assert that contrived national institutions are worse than no national institutions.
I love the CFL but you give it way too much credit in terms of the CFL necessarily making good business decisions.
Agreed, but business always knows its self interest better than would government