Originally Posted by pdarwin

Lived here in Ottawa the past 14 years and don't speak French and have no degrees, etc. Never had a problem finding IT jobs and am now in a management position. Maybe it's the British accent they fall for. Always sounds more sophisticated than you really are.

Originally Posted by plasticcanuck

A Geordie, Scouser, Glasgow etc, etc accent sounds sophisticated??? I think not. Is there really such a thing as a British accent?

Originally Posted by ExKiwilass

no, because it's not really a bilingual country. the centre can keep telling the rest of us it is, but in reality it's not. it just a form of discrimination which directly favours those born around toronto/ottawa etc, which is imo basically a different country than where i live in vancouver. why the **** should anyone be paid for bilingualim in french in vancouver with it's microscopically small francophone population who all speak english anyway cos they have to to survive, except the ones sucking off the federal government teat? you know who you are.

where is the large french speaking market in vancouver of hundreds of thousands to require so much money spent on these bilingual federal services? there isn't one. and it just takes money from the rest of us to prop up the myth that the rest of canada outside that centre bit is bilingual. that should be a hint right there. Just checked wikipedia - ooh look it's a whopping 6% of the population of vancouver that is francophone! wow! let's throw MORE money at those underfunded people!

it's stupid. it's bs imo.

western separation fwiw!

or even better, quebec separation.

sorry for the thread hijack aqua, i hope you enjoy vernon.

Originally Posted by ExKiwilass

no, because it's not really a bilingual country. the centre can keep telling the rest of us it is, but in reality it's not. it just a form of discrimination which directly favours those born around toronto/ottawa etc, which is imo basically a different country than where i live in vancouver. why the **** should anyone be paid for bilingualim in french in vancouver with it's microscopically small francophone population who all speak english anyway cos they have to to survive, except the ones sucking off the federal government teat? you know who you are.

where is the large french speaking market in vancouver of hundreds of thousands to require so much money spent on these bilingual federal services?

Originally Posted by a northern soul

Oh please don't mention separation, I'm fed up to the back teeth of hearing the solidarity brigade banging their pots and pans about it, hence my need to escape from Quebec to live in the real Canada.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Nice rant KWL but your premise and most of your conclusions are wrong. Canada IS a bilingual country...it's in the Constitution and is not something imposed on the extremities by central Canada at all.

I can't quite see how it advantages people born around Toronto, but whether or not it does, Toronto is in the same country as Vancouver, irrespective of how you feel is concerned.

I wonder if you can substantiate that it costs a significant amount to provide bilingual federal services in Vancouver? I imagine Toronto must be much worse off since the city provides municipal services in over 50 languages.

Originally Posted by a northern soul

I am living in Ndg and I also agree to disagree with the leftys but I just cannot get a break in the job market hence my decision to move west. I speak some French and I just dont care enough about this province and all its solidarity to want to stay.

Originally Posted by a northern soul

ErrrrOn paper Ndg is but in reality it isn't. Nudge nudge wink wink, know what I mean.

Originally Posted by a northern soul

I am living in Ndg and I also agree to disagree with the leftys but I just cannot get a break in the job market hence my decision to move west. I speak some French and I just dont care enough about this province and all its solidarity to want to stay.

Originally Posted by Shirtback

Well, then, fairy 'nuff. & sincerely good luck with your move. I do agree that Qc isn't everyone's cup of tea; it's taken me a while to adapt . I had a good giggle at your description of the Separatists as lefties !

NDG probably isn't westerly enough to qualify as *really* Anglo today, Novo. However, I do have unilingual friends who work in that area.

S

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

I bow to your more recent and much more extensive experience.

Originally Posted by Shirtback

Well, then, fairy 'nuff. & sincerely good luck with your move. I do agree that Qc isn't everyone's cup of tea; it's taken me a while to adapt . I had a good giggle at your description of the Separatists as lefties !

NDG probably isn't westerly enough to qualify as *really* Anglo today, Novo. However, I do have unilingual friends who work in that area.

S

Originally Posted by rivingtonpike

Back to a post a way back, but don't French road signs also say "STOP" and not "ARRET"?