I’m déçu in Ford’s gauche lack of savoirfaire
Plan to slash French services is an assault on minority language rights across Canada
Bonjour, Premier Ford. (That means “hello,” in case you don’t know). This is Josh in Quebec, a charter member of a new group called Anglos who Support French Rights in Ontario. Your stingy behaviour toward Ontario’s French-speaking population is causing anger and hurt here in your neighbouring province. By dumping Ontario’s French Language Commissioner and cancelling plans for a French university, you’ve become a cause célèbre in Quebec — and no, that doesn’t mean you’re a celebrity. A Le Devoir headline said “Doug Ford sacrifices Ontario francophones.” Le Journal de Montréal called it a “sad day.” The Montreal Gazette denounced “A bitter setback to Franco– Ontarians,” while Ottawa’s Le Droit called it a “black day for francos.” Cleverest was La Presse columnist Patrick Lagacé, who wrote his column entirely in English — to make sure he got through to Ontarians and their English media how much this issue means to francophones everywhere. You’ve angered an entire province and insulted 620,000 Ontario French-speakers, Premier Ford. I’d like to think it’s just a faux pas (that’s a social blunder) — but it’s probably just that you’re gauche. (That literally means you’re “left-handed,” but it’s too complicated to explain). The only good news is that you took my mind off Donald Trump for one day. But sadly, you did that by becoming a mini-Trump and playing to your base, while hurting a vulnerable minority. The world is a mean enough place lately without you adding to it. Trump is closing down the U.S. border with Mexico to block his imaginary “caravan of gang drug dealers” — while attacking U.S. courts who disagree with him. Europe’s in an anti-immigration fervour and turning to bullying leaders who puff themselves up by belittling others. Even long-tolerant England is ravaged by Brexit Disease, which was partly infected by xenophobia. To me this all just leads to a huge cul-de-sac, which we know too much about here in Montreal Construction Hell. Yet overall, Canada has been spared most of these terrible world problems. We’re lucky to live in a tolerant county that still works well, though you seem to take that for granted, Mr. Ford. You aren’t bashing immigrants like Trump, you’ve been bashing one of our founding peoples. French-Canadians explored and opened our country more than 450 years ago, alongside First Nations People. They fought in two world wars and helped create a bilingual nation that’s since become perhaps the most successful multicultural country on Earth. There are eight million francophones in Canada, including a million outside of Quebec — that’s almost 25 per cent of our population. It’s because of their long battles that minority rights for all language groups are enshrined in our constitution and embedded in Canada’s DNA. That’s why francophones in Ontario threaten to fight you in court Premier Ford, with our prime minister beside them — ready to go mano a mano. (OK, that’s Latin). Even worse, after years of sovereignty battles, most Quebecers have rejected that movement and begun embracing Canada as their country, especially young francophones who eagerly travel our land to visit and work. How terrific! And how sad and stupid for you to tell them it’s not their country, that we aren’t the officially bilingue homeland they believe. That we’re unilingue like you. Yet you caused all this division just to save a mere $3 million on an Ontario budget line. If anyone should sympathize with Ontario’s French minority, it’s us anglo-Quebecers. We’ve spent much of our lives rightly complaining about our language rights when certain PQ governments attacked our English apostrophes, English services and Italian pasta menus. So how can we not stand with Ontario francophones when their language services are attacked? We are all minorities of some kind here, and our fates are linked. If your decisions stand Premier Ford, they will re-surface in future battles here in Quebec, when anglo services are under budgetary siege. We will hear how well we have it compared to Ontario francophones and unfortunately it will be true. It will be déjà vu all over again (that means déjà vu). In contrast to you, Premier Ford, Quebec’s Premier Legault has acted quite admirably and tried to have a gentle tête-à-tête with you to defend Ontario’s French — but you preferred to butt heads. When Legault was asked if he might strike back at anglo rights here, he dismissed the idea out of hand. Instead he’s even keeping the English Secretariat the Liberals created for anglos — trying to make us feel more at home with his government. He’s a conservative like you, Premier Ford, but a humane one. He’s showing savoir-faire (the opposite of gauche). That you choose to slash Toronto’s city council in half is your province’s business, but this is our business, too, as you’re damaging our country’s historic French Connection and hurting national unity. Like many Quebecers, I was ecstatic when Quebec narrowly chose not to separate from Canada. But at the moment I feel like separating from you and your ideas, Premier Ford. Adieu — though that’s probably Greek to you. P.S. Premier Ford: Shortly after filing this column I discovered you issued a statement Friday night that says you’re backtracking on some cuts and trying to save the French Language Services Commissioner by moving it elsewhere in your government. Details are still sketchy, but if this eventually proves true, thanks for listening at last — and merci.