| The government of Ontario and the federal government paid $1 million to bring an American talk-show host, Conan O'Brien, in Canada. You'd think right-wing Canadian bloggers would be all over this. Our governments are so addicted to subsidizing that they even subsidize American talk-show hosts.
Alas, no. The Smug Canadian finds this funny, Debbye cheers while Damian seems mildly amused. Why? Because Conan bashed Quebec. They'd never let a boondoggle stand in the way of French-bashing. Only Autonomous Source even noticed this was funded through taxpayer money. I can't fathom how the three other fiscal conservative bloggers managed to be completely blind to this factoid. I don't know, maybe with hundreds of millions being wasted in HRDC or sponsorship scandals and a gun registry now totalling $2 billion, they just can't care anymore about a million being wasted here and there. You want to know why the Conservative party has less support in Quebec than the Marijuana party - even though the right-wing third party ADQ won 20% of the vote in the provincial elections? Just look at these bloggers. As soon as French-bashing is on the table, any limited government principles, any talk about responsible use of taxpayer money, goes out of the window (along with the taxpayer money). Even Alexa McDonough - Alexa McDonough - scores higher on fiscal responsibility on this one: Alexa McDonough, a legislator for the left-leaning New Democrats, described the program as "racist filth" and "utterly vile" and demanded the government seek the return of the C$1 million subsidy.Not every Conservative is this oblivious to the consequences of this story. Stephen Harper - yes, that poster child of culturally sensitive political correctness - is slamming Conan over his comments and calling them "completely unacceptable". You know why? Because it is simply too easy in Quebec to accuse English-speaking Conservatives of being anti-French bigots. And you know what? These bloggers give me nothing - nothing, even when the only thing needed was to stand by fiscal conservatism - to counter these charges. They are doing such a good job for the Liberals. Keep up the good work, you sure seem to relish being in the Opposition. UPDATE 21h14: Damian Penny finally realizes the NDP has outflanked him on fiscal conservatism. UPDATE 2004-02-14: CanadianComment is another Conservative who's a born-again socialist when government funds French-bashing. | Le gouvernement de l'Ontario et le gouvernement fédéral ont payé 1 million pour amener un animateur de talk-show américain, Conan O'Brien, au Canada. On s'imaginerait que les bloggeurs canadiens de droite seraient en furie. Nos gouvernements sont rendus tellement friands des subventions qu'ils vont jusqu'à subventionner des aminateurs américains.
Hélas, non. Le Smug Canadian trouve ça drôle, Debbye applaudit tandis que Damian semble légèrement amusé. Pourquoi? Parce que Conan a craché sur le Québec. Ils ne laisseraient jamais un gaspillage de fonds publics bloquer la voie à du French-bashing. Seul Autonomous Source a même remarqué que c'était financé par les payeurs de taxes. Je ne peux pas comprendre comment les trois autres bloggeurs conservateurs sur le plan fiscal ont pu réussir à ne rien voir du tout. Je ne sais pas, peut-être qu'avec des centaines de millions gaspillés dans des scandales de commandites ou au DRHC et un registre des armes à feu ayant maintenant englouti 2 milliards, ils ne peuvent tout simplement plus prêter attention à un million gaspillé ici et là. Vous voulez savoir pourquoi le parti Conservateur a moins d'appuis au Québec que le parti Marijuana - même si l'ADQ de droite a obtenu 20% des votes aux élections provinciales? Regardez simplement ces bloggeurs. Dès qu'on les met en face de French-bashing, tout principe de gouvernment limité, tout discours sur l'utilisation responable des fonds publics, sort par la fenêtre (avec l'argent des payeurs de taxes). Même Alexa McDonough - Alexa McDonough - fait mieux ici sur le plan de la responsabilité fiscale: La députée Alexa McDonough, du Nouveau Parti démocratique, a qualifié l'émission de "saleté raciste" et de "complète ignominie" et a demandé au gouvernement de réclamer le remboursement de la subvention d'un million de dollars. "Certains se demanderont s'il s'agit d'une atteinte à la liberté d'expression, mais il n'y aucune atteinte à refuser d'utiliser des fonds publics pour ce genre d'incitations à la haine vicieuses et infectes", a indiqué la député aux journalistes.Ce ne sont pas tous les Conservateurs qui restent aveugles aux conséquences de cette histoire. Stephen Harper - oui, ce modèle de politiquement correct culturellement sensible - rabroue Conan pour ses commentaires et les considère "complètement inacceptable". Vous savez pourquoi? Parce qu'il est trop facile au Québec d'accuser les Conservateurs anglophones d'être des bigots anti-francophones. Et vous savez quoi? Ces bloggeurs ne me fournissent rien - rien, même si la seule chose nécessaire était de rester fidèle au conservatisme fiscal - pour réfuter ces accusations. Ils font un si bon travail pour les Libéraux. Continuez comme ça, vous semblez tellement aimer être dans l'opposition. MISE À JOUR 21h14: Damian Penny réalise finalement que le NPD lui a damé le pion sur le conservatisme fiscal. MISE À JOUR 2004-02-14: CanadianComment est un autre Conservateur qui se découvre une fibre socialiste quand le gouvernement finance le French-bashing. |
I agree with you Laurent. This and last weeks Don Cherry incident both reek to hell, and it has absolutely nothing to do with `censorship`.
When Conservatives react in this way, you know they aren`t serious about getting the govt off our backs or upholding any kind of consistent set of principles. They just want `their` people running the show.
Écrit par: Jay à février 14, 2004 08:30 PMIt was a plastic dog, don't take yourself so serious. You can post some jokes about dumb maritimers if you want and I'm not going to get my underware in a bunch. As for Don Cherry, he is an idiot but that's why he is on the air. You can't have him and not expect him to say something dumb then cry about it after.
Écrit par: Bob à février 14, 2004 08:39 PMYou know, I'm not really upset about this plastic dog per se. What I'm upset about is the taxpayer funding of this plastic dog and about conservatives excusing or glossing over this taxpayer funding. (Though, I must say your CanadianComment blog was not a big offender, I may have over-fumed by putting you in the list)
I'm especially upset at Conservatives being completely unable to shore up any significant amount of support in Quebec. The Bloc Québécois are tired failures - there is loose talk here about them being useless pushovers - and the same can be said of the Chrétien-Martin Liberals. The main thing that stands in front of significant Quebec support for Conservatives is their current image as anti-Quebec bigots. However, when this story finally landed in the Quebec media, it was Alexa McDonough of the NDP who made the sensible point that taxpayers shouldn't fund this - not a Conservative MP - even though as Damian pointed out McDonough simply believes the funding should have gone to PCier-than-thou ventures while a Conservative could have made a principled opposition to this.
That's what I'm upset about. The Conservative Party still has over its head the cloud of the "no more Quebec politicians" from the 1997 elections. An opportunity to shore up Quebec support while defending conservative principles can't be missed.
Écrit par: Laurent à février 14, 2004 09:50 PMFair enough but I'm sure the government of Ontario didn't know about all the content that was going to be on Conan's show. I don't imagine Conan had to OK anything he was gonna do. They paided him to bring some exposure to the city of Toronto and that's what they got. A little to much like Janet Jackson exposure but exposure all the same.
Écrit par: Bob à février 14, 2004 10:33 PMAs for tax money, what can I say governments like to spend way to much of it on stupid things. This will not be the first or the last waste of tax dollars. God bless Canada!
Écrit par: Bob à février 14, 2004 10:35 PMThe government shouldn't be funding either hockey or Conan's show. National/Regional/Provincial governments have much better things to be spending their money on than entertainment. Regardless, governments will spend money on such foolishness so I've got to accept it. But I'm still of the opinion that people are over-reacting to both Conan's antics and Cherry's rants.
My question to you is: Are you offended by the statements themselves or the fact that a particular level of government is directly/indirectly funding them?
In regards to the Conservative Party and Quebec, I agree that alot more has to be done. But such challenges can be overcome. Conservatives in all parts of the country have spent more time complaining about each other that directing their energies at the Liberals. Conservatives from the Western/Ontario/Quebec/Maratime regions have had difficulties cooperating over the last decade which simply proves that none of this is unique to Quebec.
Écrit par: Dana à février 15, 2004 01:18 AM"My question to you is: Are you offended by the statements themselves or the fact that a particular level of government is directly/indirectly funding them?"
Well, I have no problems with most of Conan's comments, since they are mostly schoolyard taunts. However, "You're in North America; learn the language" are fighting words in Quebec. Which means it is akin - to use an hyperbole - to tell an African American to "go pick up some cotton" or - to use an even more dramatic exemple - to tell one's wife "I think you've gained weight lately".
I support free speech and I would not have made a stink out of it if that were the end of the story. However, I fumed when I saw conservatives fall in the leftist trap of equating free speech with taxpayer funding of free speech.
Écrit par: Laurent à février 15, 2004 05:27 PMI agree. The learn the language thing may be a bit much but like anything else, the comment must be put in context. That being, it is coming from a sock puppet. Now if it was a politician then I would be fuming too.
Anyways, you've got a good site here. I'll be sure to check it out regularly. Careful, we'll be watching you...
;-)
Écrit par: à février 15, 2004 06:00 PMSorry if you thought I was cheering; I wasn't, I've been in disgust mode since they first brought this notion up but my reactions were primarily personal so I avoided the whole thing until the dog flap erupted.
What bright light thought bringing Conan up here would address the "root" causes for American absence in Toronto? It's degrading.
Sorry to be so late responding to you, but it's hard for me to write when I feel personally about some event in Canada that elicits negative feelings (not you, but the whole situation) and I've actually had to respond to email from people who didn't believe it was actually discussed in Parliament.
I like your blog, by the way. You put out twice the effort of the rest of us.
Écrit par: Debbye à février 18, 2004 09:45 AMSorry for misinterpreting you.
I think this affair is typical of Canadian politics. Some bright light thinks up a plan that's supposed to bring peace and friendship and ends up offending everybody across the board.
Écrit par: Laurent à février 18, 2004 10:34 AMAnd by the way, I like your blog too (and CanadianComment's) ;-)
Écrit par: Laurent à février 18, 2004 10:36 AMNo problem, I was unclear. I was trying not to express how I felt because I don't like writing negatively about Canada, but I realize now that I should have just blasted the Feds to begin with.
Guess this proves one thing: we all get along better when our governments don't interfere.
Come to think of it, a lot goes a lot better without government interference.
Écrit par: Debbye à février 20, 2004 09:36 AMThe recent events are not realy good to sell the idea of one country to the Quebecers.
Is there only the Cherry, O'brien cases that hurts???
I heard a lot of canadian accusing us (Quebecers) to be corrupted and other bad words because of the sponsorship scandal. Dont you think that some Quebecers can be realy realy upset of this things??? Personaly I am because I want that Canada recognize Quebecers culture and let us do things how we want it, instead of that, what we have??? Propaghanda for Canada paid by our taxes against this wish!!! So they accusing Quebecers of trying to convince Quebecers to stay in Canada??? So for me the scandal is the sponsorship program itself like the "canadians love campaign" in Montreal before the 1995 referendum, its was a violation to the Quebec electoral law and mind!
What we want, its to be able to do things our ways and to be recognize as what we are, a distinct society but the assimilator dont want it!!!
The hate and the anti-francophone speech is nothing new in Canada, now its O'brien and Cherry, not a long ago its was Mordechai Richler and who will be the next?
Why I'am upset...As a canadian francophone there's a lot of reason to be...
Just to relate you some historical facts:
I remember the royal proclamation: The governor received an order, to assimilate the Quebecers,to change their language, their laws and their culture. In brief, destroy what we are.(1763)
I remember that the governor Craig (under pressure of the clergy and the British) closed the francophone newspaper LE CANADIEN and arrested his redactors.(1810)
I remember the patriots and the heavy repression of the canadian army who had burn entire village and left kids and women alone just before the winter.(1837-38)
I remember the Durham report who said we must be assimilate.(1838)
I remember the execution of 12 Patriots(1839)
I remember the union act where the high-canada transfer his debt to low-canada, in consequence Quebec paid for the developement of the west.(1840)
I remember that the english speaking person burnt the Montreal Parliament because the governement offer money to the Quebecers to compensate the burnt houses. The parliament never return in Montréal. (1848)
I remember that in New Brunswick, the Common School act supress the catholic and french teaching in the first grade(1871)
I remember that in the Prince Edwards Islands they abolish french class(1877)
I remember the death of Louis Riel and the racist words of his executors John A. Macdonald who said "He shall hang, though every dog in Quebec bark in his favour". (1885)
I remember that in Manitoba the english closed all french class.(1890)
I remember Trudeau and his arrogance in front of the french quebecers.(1968)
I remember the war measure act.(1970)
I remember that under Trudeau, Quebec who was a founding people is now a minority like other else, thanks to Trudeau.(1971)
I remember that the federal violate the Quebec election law during the referendum. (1980)
I remember the unilateral patrition (1982)
I remember the fiasco of Meech and Charlottetown(1984-1992)
I remember when some people from ontario walk over a quebec flag(1989)
I remember when the federal closed the last french military school(1994)
I can continu because there is more to say...
For me, I remember its not just a thing written on a car licence plate!!!
And when I analyze the recent events in perspective of the history, the only conclusion its that Ottawa most respect that Quebecers are different and think differently and give us the mean to do things our way or else we might leave this country who dont want to accept us the way we are!!!
Sorry for my bad english but if you can read french my words would be much clearer!!!
Écrit par: Frédéric Pageau à février 23, 2004 11:30 PM