BetterMost, Wyoming & Brokeback Mountain Forum
BetterMost Community Blogs => Our Daily Thoughts - The BetterMost Community Blog Network => My "Great White North" => Topic started by: Sheriff Roland on February 13, 2010, 06:37:32 am
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I was offended at the tokenism that was paid to the francophone elements of Canadian culture in last night's opening ceremonies of the 21st Olympics.
By tradition (law?), all announcements at Olympic events are made in french and english and they did that, but when you're dealing with a who's who of Canadian icons, the organizers of yesterday's Vancouver 'games' had one single francophone artist (Garou) in a 3 hour show.
The flagbearers included three francophones, an astronauts, a military man and a race car driver. None of them spoke, of course.
The athlete taking the plege of fairness was anglo, the judge was franco.
Of the 5 sports icon that were involved with the lighting of the flame, not one was francophone - like they don't exist or sumptin.
Francophones are (again) being marginalised in Western Canada, and not a single report can be found on this gross neglect in the dailies this morning.
Google News (Canadian French) are merely posting about the ceremonies in their Sport section this morning. Last night I couldn't even get THAT much!
Yea, I'm quite disappointed with these olympics, culturally speaking.
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Seems I'm not the only one who noticed ...
Déception chez les observateurs
http://vivezvancouver.radio-canada.ca/vivezvancouver/CultureSociete/2010/02/12/004-francais_place.shtml
Grand Témoin de la francophonie aux Jeux olympiques de Turin, Lise Bissonnette montre du doigt le Comité international olympique (CIO) pour la faible présence du français lors des jeux en général.
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I remember hearing a couple of speeches in French. The woman who officially opened the Olympics and the IOC President Jacques Rogge.
What percentage of the Canadian population speaks French, Roland?
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I remember hearing a couple of speeches in French. The woman who officially opened the Olympics and the IOC President Jacques Rogge.
What percentage of the Canadian population speaks French, Roland?
25%
But that's not the (only) point. This is an officially bilingual country - with two founding nation, French and English.
That 'woman' is our Governor General, Queen Elizabeth's representative in this country. Of course she would speak in French as she is Haitian born. She would have had to speak in both languages even if she wasn't of french-language origins (as the Queen herself always does every time she visits Canada). And Rogue is Belgian - the IOC's biggest bigwig - therefore not a representative of the French people of Canada. His use of French is the same no matter what nation hosts the games..
I can't think that just those two represent equitably the two-founding-nations principle. This is a FRENCH country too, but you'd hardly think so from last night's francophobic display.
The more I think of it, the more disgusted I get.
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I handled the communications for a conference in Montreal once and EVERYTHING had to be published in French as well as English. At the conference little earbuds were very popular into which an interpreter whispered the English of everything that was being said. It was a very interesting experience. I enjoyed using my rusty high school French again to order food and give the taxi driver directions. The French language is very beautiful to hear. But I must confess that I OD'd after a while because all of Montreal, if not the entire province of Quebec, seemed to be about one thing and one thing only--speaking French!! They really are passionate about it!!
I can't see where a large heterogenous country like Canada or China could design a performance that doesn't leave out big chunks of their culture. Imagine what the First Nations people are saying about the Olympics today too! And those tribes have several distinctive cultures. One thing that stood out for me as being a unifying force is the Canadians' altruism. That really shone through in the ceremonies and got me excited about the games coming up.
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Of Montréal and Québec ...
Montréal is the only really anglophile city in La belle province with roughly 40% of it's population being anglophone while the province as a whole in 90% francophone. If you think it was too french for you, you would be disappointed at the rest of the province, as the greatest majority of Ango-Québecois live in Montréal. In the rest of the province, they cater to english speaking tourists in a way that virtually no other province caters to francophone tourists, but the people ARE francophones!
But this is not what my complaint's about. Vancouver should showcase it's local stars (Furtado, Adams, Nash and even Terry Fox's mother), but they should have done a fairer representation of what CANADA is about, and in my opinion they failled miserably.
Canada will end up winning the most medals, not just Vancouver or just the anglophones.
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I was expecting a LOT more French as well. It's traditional for the Olympics and of course, Canada is a bilingual nation, one of the languages being French.
But what offended me the most was the haphazard way the First Nations tribes were put on display. Some have no idea what their traditions used to be, and so showed up in jeans and suede fringed vests, women were out there dressed in silky white shawls - stuff you find in tourist shops - and they just kind of faked it in their dance routines.
Now on another board I go to, someone is very offended at me for posting this, her opinion is that the First Nations are doing the best they can and thus cannot be open for criticism. I replied that no native descendant in any of the shows or displays I go to in the SW or Central American countries ever try to claim blue jeans as their traditional dress and I guess it's just a matter of how much pride they have in themselves.
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But what offended me the most was the haphazard way the First Nations tribes were put on display. Some have no idea what their traditions used to be, and so showed up in jeans and suede fringed vests, women were out there dressed in silky white shawls - stuff you find in tourist shops - and they just kind of faked it in their dance routines.
Now on another board I go to, someone is very offended at me for posting this, her opinion is that the First Nations are doing the best they can and thus cannot be open for criticism. I replied that no native descendant in any of the shows or displays I go to in the SW or Central American countries ever try to claim blue jeans as their traditional dress and I guess it's just a matter of how much pride they have in themselves.
I think you're point is well taken, Del, but I also think you're being a little hard. I think I'd like to have more information. And who are you blaming, the tribes, or the producers, or both? I think it's sad if a group of native peoples have lost their heritage--very sad--but I also think it's a little harsh to blame them for losing it.
As for the paucity of French, I'd also be interested to know if it was a mere oversight--which would be pretty appalling--or if it was deliberate, and if so, why, and if the international TV audience had anything to do with it.
I don't mean to defend or to excuse anybody here, I just have questions.
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I was offended at the lack of French representation as well. Garou is a big name and a good choice but the fact that he was basically the last performer made me think that he was an afterthought - ["Oh yeah, we'll need a frenchie don't we? Call Celine." "What!? She can't make it because she's getting inseminated? Now what do we do?" "Well, there's this guy who's supposedly famous in Quebec...Our aupair loves him." ]
It was nice to see two out gay performers though: Bad-boy fiddler Ashley McIsaac and KD Lang (Is she still a vegetarian? Man has she blown up good, lol! :o And what was with that ill-fitting suit with the eighties shoulders? I noticed a lot of peeps were wearing them, yuck!)
All in all I thought the opening ceremonies were pretty good. Loved the acrobatic From Both Sides Now sequence! Didn't think much of the dub-poet guy, or whatever he is, who went on about Canadian identity, that was weak. It reminded me of the I AM Canadian beer commercials from a few years back.
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Bad-boy fiddler Ashley McIsaac
Dang! How did I miss him!?!?! >:( He's hot!
And, oh, yeah, he's a great fiddle player, too. ... ::)
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After hosting 3 Olympics (one summer, in Montréal and 2 winter, in Calgary and Vancouver), Canada FINALLY wins it's first gold medal at home during an Olympic competition.
It was achieved moments ago by a Québecois in men's mogels.
And by the way, two of the 3 other French Canadians to compete tonight finished just out of the medals - in 4th & 5th spot.
This is not just an English Canadian Olympics, in spite of the organizers!
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After hosting 3 Olympics (one summer, in Montréal and 2 winter, in Calgary and Vancouver), Canada FINALLY wins it's first gold medal at home during an Olympic competition.
It was achieved moments ago by a Québecois in men's mogels.
And by the way, two of the 3 other French Canadians to compete tonight finished just out of the medals - in 4th & 5th spot.
This is not just an English Canadian Olympics, in spite of the organizers!
Yay!! or ... formidable!!
Loved the acrobatic From Both Sides Now sequence!
Moi, aussi!!
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Congratulations to Canada!
Yesterday, I caught two different events on TV. Both times, the cheering crowd was so loud that you could barely hear the reporters from the sidelines, making interviews and such. I loved their enthusiasm :D. Go Canadians!
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Yes go Canada! I love your country!
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Finally 3 days later ... (and I had to dig it up ... it wasn't among the headline google news)
Political bigwigs and languages commissioner decry lack of French at Games
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=n122017321
"They were not what I had been led to understand would be the case. I don't think they represented an appropriate reflection of Canada's linguistic duality or the fact that English and French are the official languages of the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games," said the (Official Languages) Commissioner Graham Fraser.
Fraser said even anglophones have been complaining to his office about the lack of French on Friday night.
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Bad-boy fiddler Ashley McIsaac
Dang! How did I miss him!?!?! >:( He's hot!
And, oh, yeah, he's a great fiddle player, too. ... ::)
August 1997
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tIT8VuZ92c[/youtube]
;D
February 18, 2007
(http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2007/02/18/macisaac-cp-2503552.jpg)
Ashley MacIsaac (right) kisses partner
Andrew Stokes in Halifax on Saturday.
They were married on stage just after
midnight Sunday.
;D
April 09, 2008
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7vDu47u_gg&feature[/youtube]
:)
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=326838&sc=145
Last updated at 11:49 PM on 14/02/10
Ashley MacIsaac surprised mom
with performance at Olympic opening ceremonies
ERIN POTTIE
The Cape Breton Post
PORT HAWKESBURY— Ashley MacIsaac ’s kilt-clad, foot-stomping performance during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games was so top secret that even his mother didn’t know about it.
Carmelita MacIsaac, who lives in Port Hawkesbury, said her son couldn’t tell anyone about his historic gig seen by billions of people worldwide on Friday.
As someone who regularly watches Olympic opening ceremonies, MacIsaac said her son knew she’d be glued to the television set and offered no hint of his involvement.
“I had a funny feeling because he was going out there a couple times,” she said Sunday of her son’s recent trips to Vancouver. “What I know now is it was for dress rehearsal.”
The 34-year-old Creignish fiddler delivered a high-energy performance during the lavish show, which included Canadian aboriginal dancers, acrobats and performances by pop superstar Nelly Furtado and singer k.d. Lang.
“His father and I were pretty excited. We must of got 300 phone calls, people were so proud of him representing Cape Breton,” said MacIsaac. “It was just unbelievable.”
The fiddler was suspended about 45 feet in the air before being brought down to the stage where he performed his tune Devil in the Kitchen as part of a tribute to the Canadian fall. As soon as the performance had ended, MacIsaac called his mom to ask what she thought of the show.
According to Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, the live coverage of Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony was the most-watched television event ever in Canadian history. On average, 13.3 million Canadians watched the 3 1/2-hour ceremony.
“I’ll take that to the grave with me because that was an amazing, amazing thing for us to see, our son on the Olympics,” MacIsaac said.
The Cape Breton Post was unable to reach Ashley MacIsaac on Sunday. His mother said he while he normally lives in Windsor, Ont., the fiddler was still in Vancouver as part of his Olympic appearance.
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Yes go Canada! I love your country!
Yay!! or ... formidable!!
Moi, aussi!!
Photographed in the windows of:
Argosy Bookstore (http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID907/slideshows/ArgosyFront1.jpg)(http://images.nymag.com/listings/store/argosybooks.jpg)
115 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022 ("Since 1925") on Friday, February 12, 2010
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j174/jmmgallagher/CanadaUnlimited.jpg)
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I've just seen the entire opening ceremonies @ http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/collections/collectionid=40427/index.html
(live feed on Saturday night sucked big time - only got to watch about half the show)
And I have these additional comments about the English Canadian Olympics.
In spite of the inclusiveness of intent, the truth is in the tasting. There was even less french 'speach' than I had imagined.
First, the Aboriginal introduction: did they have to tag along a simple 'bienvenue' after having spoken in their native language and in english? Couldn't at least one of the four nations have made their welcome in their native tongue and french with a simple 'welcome' instead? (BTW, looking at the faces, I fully believe that those were original Natives, Métis and Inuits - in their most attractive and representative garbs and dance mouvements)
The president of the Vancouver Games used three occasions to speak in French, never using more than 3 words each time and never adding anything new in terms of ideas, unlike Rogue, who actually added some additional 'message' when speaking en français.
As for Garou, (whom the english announcer couldn't even pronouce correctly), he's many rungs bellow Céline Dion's celebrity status (though he was a good fit for the show). One does not adequately compensate for the other. They needed to at least have a cast of francophone celebrities if they were to limit french to a single song - which I still can't accept as being adequate. I liked Garou's interpretation, but did they have to have the text of his song translated in both languages on all screens? Did they do that for any of the English songs? - Tokenism at it's worse.
I'm not done, but I'll continue in another post.
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I think you're point is well taken, Del, but I also think you're being a little hard. I think I'd like to have more information. And who are you blaming, the tribes, or the producers, or both? I think it's sad if a group of native peoples have lost their heritage--very sad--but I also think it's a little harsh to blame them for losing it.
As for the paucity of French, I'd also be interested to know if it was a mere oversight--which would be pretty appalling--or if it was deliberate, and if so, why, and if the international TV audience had anything to do with it.
I don't mean to defend or to excuse anybody here, I just have questions.
I don't blame them for losing their traditions, but I do wonder at their lack of pride for adopting dress of the local people's and trying to pass that off as 'their traditional' dress.
You don't see that happening south of the border.
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I saw the Both Sides Now segment & though it a bit long but I love the song (if not THAT particular interpretation).
k d lang definitively took the show with what I've often said has been the best english 'new song' of the past quater century.
The Vancouver location is the reason Furtado and Nash and Adams were there. A little too much of a local look-a-us in my opinion. The Canadian anthem was masacred by an anglo-québecois (and I'll never accept that version - it includes a mere one quarter french lyrics - even though it's origins are french-canadian).
The poet was great, but again - just an english poet? Where's the french content?
They really NEED to improve their outlook for the concluding ceremonies.
Four anglos to light the flame? (Gaëtan Bouchard could have easily been invited to replace Nancy Green or Steve Nash.) When Canada was made a bi-lingual country, the francophones were in the majority. Now that we are 1/4 of the population, we still expect to be represented abroad as a bilingual country. The organizers of the Vancouver games failed miserably in that department
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k d lang definitively took the show with what I've often said has been the best english 'new song' of the past quater century.
I agree! Several people I´ve talked to over the last few days have said the same thing, even though many of them hadn´t heard of her before.
I had a k.d Lang evening last night, watching a dozen or so interviews. She is gorgeous and what a voice.
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(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j174/jmmgallagher/CanadaUnlimited.jpg)
Love this poster!
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k d lang definitively took the show with what I've often said has been the best english 'new song' of the past quater century.
I agree! Several people Ive talked to over the last few days have said the same thing, even though many of them hadn't heard of her before.
I had a k.d Lang evening last night, watching a dozen or so interviews. She is gorgeous and what a voice.
Juno Awards, Winnipeg, 2005
k.d. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE&feature[/youtube]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah_(Leonard_Cohen_song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen
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I've just seen the entire opening ceremonies @ http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/collections/collectionid=40427/index.html
(live feed on Saturday night sucked big time - only got to watch about half the show)
And I have these additional comments about the English Canadian Olympics.
In spite of the inclusiveness of intent, the truth is in the tasting. There was even less french 'speach' than I had imagined.
First, the Aboriginal introduction: did they have to tag along a simple 'bienvenue' after having spoken in their native language and in english? Couldn't at least one of the four nations have made their welcome in their native tongue and french with a simple 'welcome' instead? (BTW, looking at the faces, I fully believe that those were original Natives, Métis and Inuits - in their most attractive and representative garbs and dance mouvements)
The president of the Vancouver Games used three occasions to speak in French, never using more than 3 words each time and never adding anything new in terms of ideas, unlike Rogue, who actually added some additional 'message' when speaking en français.
As for Garou, (whom the english announcer couldn't even pronouce correctly), he's many rungs bellow Céline Dion's celebrity status (though he was a good fit for the show). One does not adequately compensate for the other. They needed to at least have a cast of francophone celebrities if they were to limit french to a single song - which I still can't accept as being adequate. I liked Garou's interpretation, but did they have to have the text of his song translated in both languages on all screens? Did they do that for any of the English songs? - Tokenism at it's worse.
I'm not done, but I'll continue in another post.
I like Garou and I don't consider him several rungs below the wailing Celine, lol! He may not be as well-known internatinally as she is, but then, who is?
This is pretty pathetic, VANOC is so arrogant and clueless (I was right about the Celine Dion thing, LOL!)
Source: http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=41449.html#vanoc+defends+french+content+opening+ceremony
VANOC defends French content of opening ceremony
The Globe and Mail
By Rod Mickleburgh, The Globe and Mail Posted Sunday, February 14, 2010 4:28 PM ET
VANCOUVER - Olympic organizers rushed Sunday to defend the francophone content of Friday's opening ceremonies, after strong criticism by Heritage Minister James Moore, who said bluntly that there should have been more French in the three-hour show.
Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser joined in the criticism, saying he had the impression he was watching a performance, despite its stunning visual impact, "that was conceived, developed and presented in English, with a French song at the end."
But VANOC spokeswoman Renée Smith-Valade said the organization had made "a very deliberate focus and effort to ensure a strong celebration of Quebec culture and language."
Producers of the spectacular, multimillion-dollar extravaganza had also tried to increase the French share of the show by asking Quebec's celebrated Céline Dion to participate, but Ms. Dion declined, Ms. Smith-Valade disclosed.
The world-famous singer was in hospital at the time of the ceremonies, for treatments to help her conceive a second child.
"Céline Dion was thrilled to be asked, and she was disappointed not to be able to come, and we would have loved to have her," Ms. Smith-Valade said.
Two other top-flight Quebec artists, whom she refused to identify, also turned VANOC down, citing scheduling difficulties, she added.
But three of the eight Olympic flag bearers were from Quebec, stunning acrobatics during the ceremonies were performed by École national de cirque from Montreal, two of the show's chief producers were Québécois, and the final spotlight before the arrival of the Olympic torch went to Quebec singer Garou, she pointed out.
Ms. Smith-Valade acknowledged that perhaps VANOC had not done a good enough job communicating with the federal government about the elements in the gala production that highlighted the French culture and language.
In an interview with the CBC, Mr. Moore said he was proud of the spectacular production "with this one caveat. ... There should have been more French. Full stop. Period. ... I was disappointed there wasn't as much French as we were expecting, and as we were told there would be."
The minister added the government has made it clear to VANOC that they expect better at the ceremonies to close the Olympics, Feb. 28.
Mr. Moore declined to elaborate on his comments to CBC, but spokeswoman Deirdra McCracken said: "We voiced our concerns directly to VANOC. We did so immediately."
Mr. Fraser echoed Mr. Moore's disappointment, particularly given the steps VANOC had taken to ensure signage, volunteers and all announcements are bilingual at the Games. "French could be seen at the ceremonies, but it wasn't what I expected after all the work we've done [with VANOC]."
He noted that even a quotation from 19th-century Québécois poet François-Xavier Garneau was read out in translated English, rather than its original French.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, interviewed while taking in an Olympic speed skating event, said he wondered at the lack of French content during the ceremonies, as well. "I think the francophone culture was short. It was a little bit of a letdown."
Asked about the same issue moments after the ceremony concluded, executive producer David Atkins referred to the long segment of Acadian fiddling and the song, Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin, performed by Garou "at the penultimate moment of the ceremony ... Should one be ruled by quota or significance?"
Ms. Smith-Valade also reminded reporters that Mr. Atkins had felt the overall atmosphere created during the ceremonies was more French than English, because it was more intimate [making it more French].
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An English (Québecois) newspaper's response to Canada and, in particular, the offensive opening ceremonies ...
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/arrogant+nationalism+were+sport+Canada+would+gold/2568915/story.html
If arrogant nationalism were a sport, Canada would win gold
Although the organizers bent over backward to give an appropriate place to Canada's native people, their blind spot in regard to French Canada was staggeringly disrespectful. You'd almost think a sovereignist mole had staged the whole ceremony to stoke Quebec's resentment.
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They're a week late and only angry by half, but the 'Olympic Network' is finally talking about the gaff of the Opening Ceremony ...
Opening ceremony reignites bilingualism debate
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=47481.html
Games CEO John Furlong, an Anglophone, faced personal criticism for his almost-totally English speech at the Opening Ceremony and has defended the Games' bilingualism.
...
French is both an official language of Canada and the Olympic Games, but there was only one French song performed, and certainly international viewers with little knowledge of Canada could be forgiven for thinking Aboriginal culture dwarfs French culture in this country.
...
Adele Mercier, a professor of philosophy specializing in language at Queen's University, says that the Opening Ceremony did an excellent and "respectful" job at highlighting the diversity of Canada. However, she says it made a significant misstep by treating French as "just another subculture" and not as one of Canada's founding nations.
"As a representation of the ideals of Canada, I thought it was great," Mercier told CTV.ca in an interview. "I think the problem is that the French were treated . . . as just another subculture that Canada has, that we are all happily tolerating.
"This is irksome for official and historical reasons...It strikes a chord among French Canada because French Canadians have a historical memory...the first colonists' approach to French Canadians was to try to assimilate us and this was almost as good a representation of the fact that it has succeeded."
Promises of improving the french content for the Closing Ceremonies won't repair the damage done. As a francophone born, raise and living my entire life outside of the province Québec, I feel I have been ignored, a voice just pissing in the wind. Unless Québec reacts, apparently I'm just an old dotting fool.
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I understand that this is just a reader's comment, but it's worth sharing:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Speak+both+languages/2584718/story.html
Speak both languages
"If the Olympics had been in Quebec City and this had been the case, I doubt very much that these critics would have been as accepting of the dominance of one official language over the other official language."
Imagine the furour if the CEO of the "Québec" Olympics had used as little english as the Vancouver Game's CEO used french.
And the outrage of having experienced a single anglo song at the Opening Ceremony where about a dozen numbers were performed ... and just tagging it as the last song before the end of the show.
I don't usually listen to talk radio, but my favourite radio station (AM740) has a two hour phone in talk show 5 days a week. On the first Monday after the Opening Ceremony, callers were actually complaining that there had been to much French at the Games.
Disgusting ...
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And from Calgary ... another reader's comment ...
C'est la vie
http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/C'est+la+vie/2591118/story.html
I have to think that the official languages commissioner wasting money to investigate the lack of French in the opening ceremony is one of those things that makes anglophone Canadians furious about what Quebec deems fair. There was a whole song in French. If that is not enough French content (along with one of two official languages being French) then what is? This is Vancouver's Games. Not Montreal's.
Is there any wonder that I don't stop reacting?
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And from Calgary ... another reader's comment ...
C'est la vie
http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/C'est+la+vie/2591118/story.html
I have to think that the official languages commissioner wasting money to investigate the lack of French in the opening ceremony is one of those things that makes anglophone Canadians furious about what Quebec deems fair. There was a whole song in French. If that is not enough French content (along with one of two official languages being French) then what is? This is Vancouver's Games. Not Montreal's.
Is there any wonder that I don't stop reacting?
The Calgary Herald of course. Is it any wonder we view Albertans as rednecks?
And there I thought the Games were Canada's. But then, considering how badly received they are internationally, Vancouver can have them.
There was a poll on MSN asking if the amount of French at the Olympics is Not enough, Just Right or Too Much! (Exclamation point included). You can just imagine which choice was ahead by an overwhelming margin. I can't find the poll now, they probably dropped it out of embarrassment.
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Even conservative columnist Lysiane Gagnon was offended:
The big snub tarnishes Quebec gold
Many Quebeckers watched the Olympic opening ceremonies with pride. And then they realized they weren't invited to the party
Two things are missing from the Winter Games: snow (a useful ingredient for winter sports) and French (the other language of an officially bilingual country).
No one expected Vancouver, where French is far less spoken than, say, Mandarin, Punjabi or even Tagalog, to put on a bilingual face. But the city and local organizers of the Games made a tremendous effort to accommodate French speakers. Quebec reporters were happily surprised to be greeted in French at the airport.
“I don't remember another Olympics where French was as prominent,” wrote La Presse columnist Pierre Foglia. “The biographies of the athletes, the schedule of the events and explanations about them, everything is in excellent French. In fact, at the two sites [I went to], we've had more French than English.”
It went wrong with the opening ceremonies, which were a blatant insult to francophones – the first people of Canada of European origin whose descendants still form a quarter of the Canadian population. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper likes to say, Canada as we know it was born in French.
The Vancouver Organizing Committee, which had more than six years to prepare for the Games, subcontracted the conception of the opening ceremonies to an Australian artistic director. And no one at VANOC seemed to notice that the show virtually excluded any reference to Canada's French culture, even though VANOC had been criticized a year ago for having mounted a basically unilingual event to mark the beginning of the countdown to the Games.
Continues: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/the-big-snub-tarnishes-quebec-gold/article1475096/
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Let's just tally up just how french the medal hall these english olympics actually have been, so far ....
G = Gold S = Silver B = Bronze French Red
G Alexandre Bilodeau Men's Moguls Feb.13
S Jenn Hei Women's Moguls Feb. 13
B Christina Groves Speedskating 3 000m Feb. 14
B Mike Robertson Snowboard Cross Feb. 15
G Maëlle Richer Snowboard Cross Feb. 16
G Christine Nesbitt Speedskating 5 000 Feb. 18
G Jon Montgomery Skeleton Feb. 19
S Christina Groves Speedskating 1 500m Feb. 21
G Moir/Virtue Figure Skating Dance Feb 22
G Ashleigh McIvor Ski Cross Feb. 23
B Clara Hughes Speedskating 5 000m Feb. 24
S three of four speedskaters Women's 3 000m Relay Feb. 24
G Humphries/Moyse Bobsleigh Feb. 24
S Upperton/Brown Bobsleigh Feb. 24
G Women's hockey Feb. 25
B Joannie Rochette Figure Skating Ladies' Singles Feb. 25
S Cheryl Bernard crew Ladies' Curling Feb. 26
G Charles Hamelin Speedskating 500m Feb. 26
B François-Louis Tremblay Speedskating 5 000m Feb. 26
G all four speedskaters Men's 5 000m Relay Feb. 26
S Marianne St-Gelais Ladies' 500
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Best I can make so far, 7 of 21 medals (33%) are from francophone athletes, one is mixed (hockey is mostly english, but a francophone {Marie-Philip Poulin} did score the only two goals in the final match) and the rest are (mostly) non-french (Maëlle Richer is bilingual).
3 of the 10 gold medals were from francophones.
Of course it's not over yet with mostly english athletes (curling and men's hockey assured a medal) yet to come.
Is that what you heard from the artists at the opening ceremonies? There were 5 of 5 anglophone athletes lighting the flame!
When it suits them, they're all Canadians of course, introduced to the world in English.
And don't expect a proportial amount of French at the closing ceremonies ... though they are assuring us that there will be an improvement (yea, right!)
You become cynical after years of this!
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Speaking of the closing ceremonies,
Céline Celine Dion was spotted in a Vancouver boutique hotel so there are rumours she might be performing. She'll probably sing in English. ::)
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Here in Toronto, they're saying the most blatent omission from the opening ceremony was Shania Twain's absence. So she's a likely performer for the closing ceremonies as well. (I believe she too has been seen in Vancouver these past few days ... but then, so has Neil Young.)
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CTV Olympic internet poll asks:
"Who do you think should be the flag bearer for Canada at the closing ceremony "
Curently responses are:
Joannie Rochette 41%
Alexandre Bilodeau 40%
Both Québecois.
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Closing ceremonies doubled the french cultural content of the opening ceremonies, but STILL catered to American awareness.
It also appeared to celebrate assimilation with both Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne (both of French ancestry and no longer considered francophone) highlighted while Québec was represented by one English artist and one French artist.
Virtually all the cultural artists (actors and singers) presented are ex-patriots.
I give it a D grade. (a failing mark in this province.)
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I liked Michel J. Fox's bit (speaking to the athletes ..."Ok, you've been in Canada long enough ... you're all considered Canadians now.")
But Catherine O'Hara's humourous bit felt flat to me, 50% of the time.
Shatner? Nweh...