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OTTAWA — Apparently exasperated by feedback from two witnesses advocating for the safety of French in Quebec, Liberal MP and franco-Ontarian Francis Drouin made it clear — in French — what he considered their arguments, describing each males as being “plein de marde” (“stuffed with s–t”).
“You have got phrases which are fairly extremist,” the MP mentioned on Monday afternoon because the standing committee on official languages met to review the financing of post-secondary anglophone establishments in Quebec and of francophone establishments elsewhere within the nation.
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Drouin’s remark was made after Frédéric Lacroix and Nicolas Bourdon, respectively an impartial researcher and a professor with the Regroupement pour le cégep français, informed the committee that attending an anglophone college or CEGEP in Quebec considerably elevated the chance of residing one’s life in English.
Drouin’s tone grew extra extreme after Lacroix requested whether or not “extremist” constituted “parliamentary language.” The MP replied: “Mr. Lacroix, should you’re right here to waste my time, I’ve no endurance together with your feedback (“M. Lacroix, si vous voulez me niaiser ici, je n’ai pas de endurance avec votre discours”).
That led Bloc Québécois language critic Mario Beaulieu to say: “That is unacceptable, to name (the witnesses) extremists. You can be referred to as an extremist. This isn’t language that results in logical and rational dialogue.”
Drouin, who has described himself as an “ardent Ontario defender” of Quebec’s Constitution of the French Language, then defined that as president of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, he has seen that even France is anglicizing: “Do you actually assume the large downside with Quebec anglicizing is McGill and Dawson Faculty?”
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“What we’re seeing is that Statistics Canada, maybe an extremist group in your view, has proved that bilingual establishments have a really, very massive affect on the anglicization of francophones and allophones in Quebec,” Lacroix mentioned. “All of the statistics level on this route.”
Visibly attempting to keep up his composure, Drouin retorted that Lacroix’s evaluation was off the mark, “insulting” and “lacked mental respect for the truth of what’s occurring on the worldwide degree.”
“Excuse me, however you’re stuffed with s–t. I’ll withdraw my remark. However you might be manner off base (‘Scuse-moi, mais vous êtes plein de marde. Je vais retirer mes propos, mais vous êtes dans le champ),” Drouin mentioned earlier than being referred to as to order by the committee chair.
Beaulieu accused Drouin of intimidating the witnesses. “Elevating his voice, telling invited (witnesses) they’re stuffed with s–t, what he’s doing is ‘Quebec bashing.’
“It’s what we see so typically from the Liberals. If we wish equitable funding, we’re attacked or we’re extremist.”
Lacroix informed the committee that his analysis discovered that Ottawa’s funding to McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s universities is about 4 occasions better than their demographic weight and that francophone establishments had been receiving “considerably” much less.
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Bourdon mentioned that English is taught as a second language in French-language faculties “from Grade 1 to CEGEP.”
“To say that we’re partaking in an extremist discourse is fake,” he mentioned.
Conservative MP and committee member Joël Godin and his NDP counterpart Niki Ashton deplored the style through which Drouin had posed his questions and burdened that it was necessary for MPs to hearken to all factors of view, even these with which they don’t agree.
Committee chair and Liberal MP René Arseneault mentioned he had by no means seen such conduct on the committee since he joined it in 2016 and urged members to undertake “a extra civilized strategy.”
Drouin left the assembly quickly after making his feedback. His Liberal colleague Annie Koutrakis, whereas noting Drouin’s tone was not the way in which to specific one’s self, added that “generally tempers flare.” She additionally famous that Drouin had withdrawn his remarks however not apologized for them.
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