The Esprit Triathlon was held on the island in the St Lawrence river inMontreal. It's at the race track that is beside the '76 Olympic rowing venue, and their major casino is right next door. It's a hub of tourist destinations. I vividly remember seeing a row of flag poles with flags from all sorts of nations. All very PC, welcoming etc.
However, when I was riding 41 laps of the race car circuit to get my 180km ride done, my wife went into the large cafeteria hall place to get some food for breakfast. There were people from all over North America and Europe too. Even some Aussies that year. Being Quebec, everything was written in French only (english and other languages is banned in Quebec,even tho Canada is legally bilingual). My wife (a good South Island Kiwi girl) speaks no French and reads even less. The only thing she recognized was Hot Dog. Not really suitable as a breakfast. After trying to make herself understood for quite some time, finally an Aussie dishwasher came out from the back, on his own volition, to see if he could help. He explained to my wife that they all understood and spoke English, but being Quebecer's were being dickheads about it. He kindly offered to get food for my family.
That was how the entire trip to that race went. We got out of Quebec as quickly as possible.
The French lost the war on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec many years ago. Foolishly, the English decided to save the cost of shipping the small French population back to France and it's cost Canada squillions ever since. Worst mistake the English in Canada ever made.
My brother ended up marrying a French girl (France, not Quebec) and even she thought the Quebecers were arrogant FK's and that's saying something!
I remember when the Francophone separatists lost the last referendum about 20 years ago. They lost 49% to 51%. Their alcoholic premier was asked why they lost the vote and he replied (in French obviously) that is was "the ethnic vote". Asked to explain, he slurred "the Blacks and the Jews". I won't give you a Quebec history lesson, but there are large populations of freed slaves and also Jews living in Montreal. According to the premier, it was their vote that cost them the victory. In the morning, he woke up with a roaring hangover and read in the paper what he'd said, and wisely resigned that day. It's clear that his comments were just the comments of the 49%.
What a sad, miserable, backward place Quebec is. Quebec City has some nice old buildings and the scenery is pretty nice (but so is neighbouring Northern Ontario, Vermont, New Hampshire etc)
Even more than ever, English is the world language. Like it or not, it's a fact, and to ignore it or fight against it, is just hiding in the basement so to speak. I pity the Quebecois.......
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
However, when I was riding 41 laps of the race car circuit to get my 180km ride done, my wife went into the large cafeteria hall place to get some food for breakfast. There were people from all over North America and Europe too. Even some Aussies that year. Being Quebec, everything was written in French only (english and other languages is banned in Quebec,even tho Canada is legally bilingual). My wife (a good South Island Kiwi girl) speaks no French and reads even less. The only thing she recognized was Hot Dog. Not really suitable as a breakfast. After trying to make herself understood for quite some time, finally an Aussie dishwasher came out from the back, on his own volition, to see if he could help. He explained to my wife that they all understood and spoke English, but being Quebecer's were being dickheads about it. He kindly offered to get food for my family.
That was how the entire trip to that race went. We got out of Quebec as quickly as possible.
The French lost the war on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec many years ago. Foolishly, the English decided to save the cost of shipping the small French population back to France and it's cost Canada squillions ever since. Worst mistake the English in Canada ever made.
My brother ended up marrying a French girl (France, not Quebec) and even she thought the Quebecers were arrogant FK's and that's saying something!
I remember when the Francophone separatists lost the last referendum about 20 years ago. They lost 49% to 51%. Their alcoholic premier was asked why they lost the vote and he replied (in French obviously) that is was "the ethnic vote". Asked to explain, he slurred "the Blacks and the Jews". I won't give you a Quebec history lesson, but there are large populations of freed slaves and also Jews living in Montreal. According to the premier, it was their vote that cost them the victory. In the morning, he woke up with a roaring hangover and read in the paper what he'd said, and wisely resigned that day. It's clear that his comments were just the comments of the 49%.
What a sad, miserable, backward place Quebec is. Quebec City has some nice old buildings and the scenery is pretty nice (but so is neighbouring Northern Ontario, Vermont, New Hampshire etc)
Even more than ever, English is the world language. Like it or not, it's a fact, and to ignore it or fight against it, is just hiding in the basement so to speak. I pity the Quebecois.......
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"