I am bilingue

[Speakeasy]

For anyone wishing to practice their French: I am bilingue – Patrick Lagacé – LaPresse.ca
Patrick Lagacé is one of my favourite editorialists at LaPresse. He is professional, remarkably well-informed, level-headed, and articulate. He is known for his moderate views and, at times, for his mordant commentaries on current events. He is NOT a radical.

I do not wish to spark yet another pointless debate of Canada’s “Two Solitudes”; nevertheless, I thought that some members might appreciate the irony of the latest mini-drama à la canadienne (please note: Patrick is not responsible for this drama, any more than I am). While the linked editorial could conceivably be classified within the realm of a political discussion, I would ask members to exercise an unusually high degree of self-restraint in any comments that they might wish make concerning this bizarre little farce. From my perspective, the debate (should there actually be one) is not just anachronistic, it is not just self-defeating, it is absolutely hilarious! Seriously, this would fall in the "you just can't make this stuff up" category.

EDITED:
Typos

[lavengro]

For anyone wishing to practice their French: I am bilingue – Patrick Lagacé – LaPresse.ca
Patrick Lagacé is one of my favourite editorialists at LaPresse. He is professional, remarkably well-informed, level-headed, and articulate. He is known for his moderate views and, at times, for his mordant commentaries on current events. He is NOT a radical.

I do not wish to spark yet another pointless debate of Canada’s “Two Solitudes”; nevertheless, I thought that some members might appreciate the irony of the latest mini-drama à la canadienne (please note: Patrick is not responsible for this drama, any more than I am). While the linked editorial could conceivably be classified within the realm of a political discussion, I would ask members to exercise an unusually high degree of self-restraint in any comments that they might wish make concerning this bizarre little farce. From my perspective, the debate (should there actually be one) is not just anachronistic, it is not just self-defeating, it is absolutely hilarious! Seriously, this would fall in the "you just can't make this stuff up" category.

EDITED:
Typos

Curse you Speakeasy! It is simply not Canadian polite to leave such a tempting opening, and then ask for restraint.

I will hold on as long as I can, but ya gotta know a comment about Jean Chrétien (a hero of mine, by the way) is already loaded up on deck and ready to go....

[Speakeasy]

…I will hold on as long as I can, but ya gotta know a comment about Jean Chrétien (a hero of mine, by the way) is already loaded up on deck and ready to go....

If he fires one, I'll FIRE ONE

One’s away, sir!

The Bedford Incident John Wayne would not have hesitated.

[lavengro]

The Bedford Incident John Wayne would not have hesitated.

I'm going to have to watch that at some point! For the time being, I am surprised to learn that I have more restraint than The Duke.

But if I had been inclined to accept your invitation not to hesitate, I might have been inclined to say that Patrick Lagacé is surely wrong when he says "Le premier ministre du Canada n’est pas obligé de parler français. Je ne dis pas : « pas obligé d’être bilingue », car on n’imagine pas un PM ne parlant pas anglais" when one considers the lengthy time served as premier ministre by Jean Chrétien, who they say was unable to speak either of Canada's official languages. And then if I were inclined to continue not to hesitate, I would likely have linked to something pepper related just 'cause it's fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWf2LLaHkM0.

Oops, looks like I do not have a greater ability to hesitate than John Wayne!

[Speakeasy]

… Oops, looks like I do not have a greater ability to hesitate than John Wayne! …

There was only one Duke. He lived in an era before PC. As Elexi recently reminded me: “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” (L. P. Hartley, 1953).

Thank you for the link to the Jean Chretien “mace” video, it has the beneficial effect of turning this discussion into one of accents and their possible effects on a speaker’s ability to “truly communicate” with their audience.

In spite of his very noticeable (signature) accent, not to mention the lasting effects of Bell's palsy from which he suffered, and the derisive mischaracterizations of him by his political opponents, Jean Chretien came across as an honest, trustworthy, well-intentioned, ordinary guy. His comical-to-some accent never impaired his ability to “communicate”: he was elected Prime Minister of Canada a record three times.