16:38 on 2012/09/06 Reply  

• walkerp 17:55 on 2012/09/06 Permalink

  They are right. However, the french media is just as culpable and the political parties even more so.

  Here is the idiocy heard on CBC television last night: “Language tensions are as common in Montreal as warm bagels.”

• Ephraim 19:43 on 2012/09/06 Permalink

  No. Can’t be. The SSJB is a welcoming group. I love the Anglo float in the parade every year.

• jeather 20:29 on 2012/09/06 Permalink

  Yes, how dare they call out xenophobia. If we just pretended it didn’t exist, no one would notice it and we’d all be happy and no one would ever murder anyone.

• Jack 20:40 on 2012/09/06 Permalink

  The SSJB is an organization that has a good media game and the same tired band of greyheads reliving their RIN glory days.I mean seriously who could possibly take anything they say seriously.I am always amazed how many independence related groups they have spawned with exactly the same membership and PO box.One thing I am curious about is how they get their money, anyone know?

• joie de vie 21:05 on 2012/09/06 Permalink

  As an anglophone who reads the Gazette every day I have to concur – the editorials and especially the unregulated comments are just over the top – so much paranoia and anglo angst.

• Fred 08:11 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  Same pattern (however much much much less overtly violent!) as in Northern Ireland, or the Basque country, or Israel-Palestine. Extremists on both sides are fueling each other, and engulfing everybody else with them. Ironically they’re each other’s best friend! Without the other, they wouldn’t have any reason to exist…….

• Kate 08:12 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  joie de vie: I don’t agree. There’s a line here that the SSJB is wilfully ignoring. The anglo media are entitled to criticize the “national project” without later being blamed for any and all violence committed in the name of les anglais. The guilt for the death of Mr. Blanchette is on the head of the shooter alone.

• dwgs 08:15 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  I’m much happier since I stopped reading the Gazoo at all several years ago. I’ll occasionally pick up a copy left in a resto or bar and give it a once over but it certainly doesn’t represent the views of this anglo montrealer.
  Which is not to say that I condone the SSJB in any way.
  I wonder what the Gazette will do when their aging demographic dies off?

• willie granger 08:17 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  I’m with Kate on this. BTW, nice to see that people still attack older people for having a viewpoint, very reassuring.

• dwgs 08:26 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  I’m not attacking older people in the least, I just feel that the Gazette’s editorial slant is more in line with the old school angry anglos rather than the younger generation, which has a greater tendency to be bilingual and sees things in a less confrontational way. They don’t represent most of my anglo peers and I’m 46, not exactly young any more.
  Also, where did I say that people aren’t entitled to a viewpoint?

• walkerp 08:31 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  Criticizing the national project is one thing, but sending out a constant message of fear by reducing the complex political situation to one simplistic and contentious issue that is not even realistically on the table is another. It’s journalism whose goal is a certain political agenda (but keeping it hidden) and increased consumption and has nothing to do with distributing the truth or educating the populace on the issues. The Gazette is far from alone in this. And it gets worse the farther outside of Quebec one gets.

  When you have idiots from Nova Scotia tweeting things like “So now if I want to drive from Halifax to Toronto, will I have to bring my passport?” and then the CBC airing that on national television as if it is a valid piece of information, then you pretty much know the media is not here to inform the public.

  The shooter is a psychologically-broken person. If you want to blame anybody, my guess is his real anger is at the government bureaucracy that he was fighting with over expanding his business. However, much of the anger and negativity that has come in the wake of his actions is on the media.

• Kevin 08:52 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  At least no francophones take the SSJB seriously anymore.
  First comments I saw from French pundits said the SSJB telling anyone to calm down is the pot calling the kettle black.

• Steve Quilliam 10:13 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  I read the Gazette on a daily basis (at work) and I am fed up of them using the word ”xenophobic” in just about every political article related to the PQ, Marois or the sovereignists. This word, or similar words, is too often used by some of their columnists, way to often in the opinion letters and even sometimes in the editorials. It’s a shame !

  Even yesterday Macpherson couldn’t restraint himself, for once, to use it. One would have thought that he would have been a little shy about it. but no, not at all. He went for it again. Enough is enough is enough.

  They are not responsible for what happened at the Metropolis but they are certainly partly responsible for promoting words that are inflammatory and that doesn’t apply at all to the situation in Montreal. As a matter of fact, I don’t feel any hate or even agressiveness on the streets of Montreal, this seems to exist mainly in the media and on some peoples mind. Keep this hate out of our streets, please !

  On the other hand, I have been a member of SSJB in the 90′s as they used to promote historical events/dates that are important to some quebeckers. They did a good job giving pride to some quebeckers about their history but nowadays they mainly go after anything that is too english and i’m also fed up of that. Criticizing Lavalin for their english CEO, going after small businesses because the owners aren’t speaking french enough ou because some stores have english signs etc… This is bogus and it only hurts Montreal.

  They haven’t learn to accept that Montreal is a multicultural city with many languages spoken including a positive strong presence of anglophone and this is one thing that makes Montreal unique and/or….a ”Société distincte” . The SSJB should use their ressources and other fundings at teaching french to newly arrived immigrants and helping homeless get back on their feet by teaching them how to read and write and maybe some of them would participate in the cultural life of the city, which can only be a plus !

  Now they’ll know why i am not a member of them anymore.

  Stop harming my city please !

  There i said it !

• Doobs-is-on-acid-and-listening-to-Mogwai 21:01 on 2012/09/07 Permalink

  My all-time personal favourite float at the SSJB parade is that of the visible minority fire-fighters. ‘Tis a thing of beauty indeed.

• Jack 16:07 on 2012/09/08 Permalink

  I really feel strongly about calling some of the PQ’s identity wedge issues what they are. I think anyone who is sentient can understand what the PQ was doing this election. I do however agree that being polite and empathetic are part of a code that every decent human being should share. I’ll try harder.

Reply Cancel reply

Required fields are marked *

Name *

Email *

Website