Author Topic: The English Canadian Olympics  (Read 34277 times)

Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #30 on: February 27, 2010, 03:24:39 am »
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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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #31 on: February 27, 2010, 03:44:54 am »
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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Offline oilgun

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #32 on: February 27, 2010, 10:00:52 am »
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. ::)

Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #33 on: February 27, 2010, 12:09:41 pm »
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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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #34 on: February 27, 2010, 03:15:06 pm »
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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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #35 on: March 01, 2010, 07:41:06 am »
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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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The English Canadian Olympics
« Reply #36 on: March 01, 2010, 07:48:52 am »
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...
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