Canadians and Americans differ

Re: “Quebec as others see us: Quebecers should speak French, or resign themselves to becoming American in the worst sense of the word” (Opinion, June 23)

In response to the article by John-Jean Ofrias, I would like to say that, first, most young Quebecers are bilingual, which means that they do speak French.

Furthermore, I don’t know of anyone who believes that we shouldn’t speak French, which seems to be what good professor Ofrias is suggesting.

Second, all Canadians, including Quebecers, are influenced by American culture. That hardly makes us “U.S.A. Light.”

Still, we complain that our health-care system doesn’t work well enough, not that it’s been forced down our throats, and even our most right-wing conservatives aren’t vowing to repeal it!

And while we may have a Tim Hortons on every corner, we don’t have a gun shop on every corner.

I would suggest to Ofrias that, far from Canadians becoming “Americanized,” he is a long way from being “Canadianized.” Edward Uzenko

Brossard

John-Jean Ofrias’s opinion piece in Monday’s Gazette was a lamentable, nonsensical commentary on a subject he seems to know little about.

Ofrias beseeches us to “Parlez Bleu” before we all go to hell in a handbasket. Well, I say to Ofrias, “mêletoi de tes affaires; tu ne sais pas de quoi tu parles.”

Cynthia Jarjour

St-Lambert