Boisclair refuses to apologize for remarks about Asians

[dark_faerie87]

South East Asia is Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, etc ... basically SOUTH...... East Asia. Japan, Korea, and most of China are East Asia.

South Asia is India, etc.

Oh okay, that makes sense.

[Pierre the Great]

See, you just proved my point for me. There's a significant difference between resigning and getting dumped on your ass.

How? The Party wouldn't want him to stick around because the party would get the brunt of the backlash. If he said this instead of Boisclair yeah he wouldn't resign but he'd be 'forced' to quit.

In your system of government you can't vote for the Premier you vote for the party basically. But your view of the party is based on its leader. So in short if Campbell made this statement the BC Liberals would be afraid of backlash in the lower mainland.

He'd be forced to resign at the yearly convention and they would have a confidence vote. If Gordon stays the party gets destroyed in the upcoming election. If he goes they could change their image.

[smon]

Well, this is what wins votes in Quebec right now.

That and the whole pick on little girls wearing hijabs.

Quite the climate, eh?

[KoZed]

I strongly disagree. Unless your talking about rural america people in this country at least say 'asian' over a racial slang word like slanted eyes. To me this shows that Quebec is in another century in terms of racial sensitivity.

ROFLMAO

Quebec was the first place in N-A to grant Jews the right to vote and run for elections. And last time I checked, Quebec weren't the ones riding on horses with white hoods lynching people.

Boisclair probably thought of "yeux bridés", which is physical trait about as generic and neutral as, I dunno, "dark skin" or "curly hair".

... and now I can't believe I've just defended Boisclair. I feel so dirty. It's all your fault!!!

[Pierre the Great]

ROFLMAO

Quebec was the first place in N-A to grant Jews the right to vote and run for elections. And last time I checked, Quebec weren't the ones riding on horses with white hoods lynching people.

Boisclair probably thought of "yeux bridés", which is physical trait about as generic and neutral as, I dunno, "dark skin" or "curly hair".

... and now I can't believe I've just defended Boisclair. I feel so dirty. It's all your fault!!!

uh that was the 1950's almost 60 years ago.

(And I can't believe I'm defending the US )

Quebec to me has always come off as chauvinistic. That might be a french stereotype but this Boisclair incident proves the stereotype.

[smon]

Parizeau was famed for blaming their referendum loss on the "ethnics".

The pure laine ones have no problems with French-speaking immigrants...they dislike the rest though.

[shortcat1]

uh that was the 1950's almost 60 years ago.

(And I can't believe I'm defending the US )

Quebec to me has always come off as chauvinistic. That might be a french stereotype but this Boisclair incident proves the stereotype.

the 'pures laines' have a tendency of being chauvinistic... with a slight touch of the fascist philosophy of the racial ideal...

GO :hlogo: GO!

Edited March 18, 2007 by shortcat1

[Jean]

YEUX BRIDÉS HAS NOT THE SAME MEANING THAN SLANTY EYES

Yeux bridées hold absolutely *ZERO* pejorative or racist connotation

The one who should get hell for this is not Boisclair but the moron who made the translation yeux bridés -- slanty eyes

[JLP]

YEUX BRIDÉS HAS NOT THE SAME MEANING THAN SLANTY EYES

Yeux bridées hold absolutely *ZERO* pejorative or racist connotation

The one who should get hell for this is not Boisclair but the moron who made the translation yeux bridés -- slanty eyes

Was Boisclair speaking in French? I assume he was, so then yeah good point the translation could be a problem. If someone said that at their university sports club most of the people were "blacks," and that was translated as "negroes" or some such.

[simonus]

uh that was the 1950's almost 60 years ago.

(And I can't believe I'm defending the US )

Quebec to me has always come off as chauvinistic. That might be a french stereotype but this Boisclair incident proves the stereotype.

Boisclair might be conforming to the stereotype but he is not proving the stereotype.

[KoZed]

Quebec to me has always come off as chauvinistic. That might be a french stereotype but this Boisclair incident proves the stereotype.

Funny, a majority of Quebecois and French feels the same about Americans. Which, in the end, is nothing but a replicate of the centuries old love-hate relationship between Francs and Anglo-Saxons.

Was Boisclair speaking in French? I assume he was, so then yeah good point the translation could be a problem. If someone said that at their university sports club most of the people were "blacks," and that was translated as "negroes" or some such.

Which is what a good spindoctor in Boisclair's entourage should have pushed on the wire when the controversity popped up. Instead they tried to played the sympathy card by pinning Boisclair as a victim of a payback attempt over an old grudge. Bad bad call because Boisclair was already seen as weak and lacking the "bon père de famille" aura Quebecois loves to have in their PM.

[shortcat1]

Funny, a majority of Quebecois and French feels the same about Americans. Which, in the end, is nothing but a replicate of the centuries old love-hate relationship between Francs and Anglo-Saxons.

Which is what a good spindoctor in Boisclair's entourage should have pushed on the wire when the controversity popped up. Instead they tried to played the sympathy card by pinning Boisclair as a victim of a payback attempt over an old grudge. Bad bad call because Boisclair was already seen as weak and lacking the "bon père de famille" aura Quebecois loves to have in their PM.

funny, but i'm a québec-born (témiscamingue) french-canadian who essentially grew up in an ontario border-town (about a mile from the border and in the same parish as témiscamingue) so, i'm not coming from an anti-québécois bias at all... this is my community as well

i simply recognize that there has been, for a while, within a portion of the québécois community, a chauvinistic attitude that didn't even recognize other french-canadians (outside québec, that is...) as social & cultural equals

i will advance the idea that a good part of it is due to a need to survive in the north american (and global, for that matter) linguistic sea...so i do sympathize, in a way, with the need to keep a cultural/linguistic distance. nevertheless, it (the chauvinism) is there

GO :hlogo: GO!

[Bacchus]

Boisclair probably thought of "yeux bridés", which is physical trait about as generic and neutral as, I dunno, "dark skin" or "curly hair".

Yes, and in parts of asia whites are called "big noses", because they think we have big noses. However, it is insulting, and just because there are people out there who are insulting doesn't mean that it is a justification to be insulting ourselves. Like calling an anglo a block ... square head .. it is insulting.

I mean, in Darfur they kill people ... it is just a thing that we humans do ... rape, pillage ... its not meant to be offensive.

But it is! And he ought to appologize ... or else you cannot be mad if french people are called frogs ... because your ancestors did eat frogs ... and it is just meant as a joke.

[smon]

On that subject I recall several seasons back Patrice Brisebois accused Vaclav Prospal of calling him a frog.

[Dirty Harry]

Patrice Briesbois was king frog. Remember that time he went to france while he was on the disabled list?

[smon]

Well, Breezer did have some upside. He played very well for one season and turned that into a big fat contract, which along with that France vacation totally turned the fans against him. Still, he didn't deserve the amount of abuse he got.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

I'm sorry but this is completely wrong.

A Montreal race relations group is calling on Parti Quebecois Leader Andre Boisclair to apologize for a remark he made about Asians.

But Boisclair refused to apologize Thursday for having referred to Asian students as having "slanting eyes.'

"I have no intention of apologizing,'' he replied when asked what he meant by his choice of words.

"When I was in Boston, where I spent a year, I was surprised to see that on campus about one-third of the students doing their bachelor's degrees had slanting eyes.''

The Action democratique du Quebec ditched a candidate for saying Quebecers should have more children to avoid being overrun by "ethnics.''

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...0315?hub=Canada

It's the PQ. I'm not surprised. They need a leader who isn't a loon which is how Boisclair is looking like right now.

Parizeau said that the referendum loss was due to "ethnics and money".

Sovereignty can only be achieved by attracting other cultures for their dreams to come true.

Dumb

Edited March 18, 2007 by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN

[JoeLassister]

I'm sure Boiclair wanted to say : "yeux bridés". In french, "yeux bridés" is not disrespect and even less racist.

This whole story was made up by someone who didn't take time to ask mr. Boiclair what he wanted to say in french. When you hear people saying "slanting eyes" and then you ask what it means, they will automaticaly stretch the corner of their eyes. It's just normal that you consider it means "yeux bridés" and then translate it as "slanting eyes".

Point of vue of a french Canadian who heard (actually read) the words "slanting eyes" for the first time this week and just think it means "yeux bridés" as Boiclair might have done.

Parizeau was famed for blaming their referendum loss on the "ethnics".

The pure laine ones have no problems with French-speaking immigrants...they dislike the rest though.

so wrong... what a dumb opinion

Edited March 19, 2007 by JoeLassister

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Still a mistake. The last thing one wants in an election is this type of contraversy. Even if he was misquoted, why even go near it?

Jacques Parizeau (someone I can respect) had excellent english. He wouldn't have made this error.

[JoeLassister]

I just watch a video on Cyberpresse.ca and they report the story. I learned that mr. Boiclair didn't say "slanting eyes", his speech was in french.

Ok now i see everybody takes on Boiclair because he said "yeux bridés". I'm sorry, but i have to take position on Boiclair side because "yeux bridés" is absolutely not an expression of any disrespect sense and even less racist. This just means they have "les yeux bridés" as the majority of Asians have.

Maybe, the expression "slanting eyes" in english are pejorative in some ways, but in french, the langage Boiclair did his speech in, it's not. He just said a 1/3 of students had " les yeux bridés" instead of saying 1/3 of students come from east Asia.

Everybody knows that in Québec, majority of immigrants vote for the Parti Libéral. I wouldn't be surprised if the complaint against Boiclair was for political purposes.

And don't take on me, I work in English most of the time, I have 1 friend frow Rwanda, 1 from Maroc and got a really nice relation with the Chinese owner of my favorite dépanneur ("7/11") here in Montréal.

This is just about usage of some words in different languages and politic.

Edited March 19, 2007 by JoeLassister

[KoZed]

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070318...acheid=20070318

Patrick Lagacé nails it right on the head.

Sorry Bacchus and smon, looks like you're both busted here.

[JoeLassister]

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070318...acheid=20070318

Patrick Lagacé nails it right on the head.

Sorry Bacchus and smon, looks like you're both busted here.

[Bacchus]

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070318...acheid=20070318

Patrick Lagacé nails it right on the head.

Sorry Bacchus and smon, looks like you're both busted here.

Just because some journalist defends him doesn't mean he is right. And just because it is acceptable in Quebec to speak that way, doesn't mean it is right.

Ever here of an Uncle Tom? It is what black folk called other black folk who kissed the white man's ass in the south when discrimination against blacks was rampant. And if you pointed to me and said, look there, that is proof that the way whites were treating blacks in the south was alright ... we'll I'd say that one smillin' fool don't make the case.

Now, I know plenty of Asisan people who object to being called Slanty eyed. You know there are actual asians who have almond shaped eyes. Some have really wide open eyes. There is a whole diversity out there ... and defending it because some ignorant fools like to pull on the side of their eye lids and go ching-ching-ching ... means that that person is an ignorant fool.

Now if you are defending ignorant fools, well that is your own cross to bear. And I'd suggest that you don't get offended in the future if you get called frog, pepper, jean guy patate, poutine ... because lots of people say that sort of thing, there are lots of people called Jean-guy in Quebec, many francophones eat poutine .... and I'm sure a few of you eat peppers. Not to mention, Pepsi, maywest!

Anyway, had enough of this .... we disagree. Just be carefull if you ever make it to Asia ... you call the locals slanty eyed and you will not impress anyone.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

I still believe that the PQ leader must possess stronger english. It is not nor should it be necessary for French Quebecers to learn it. But a leader of a political party with the aim the PQ does must be prepared for these types of attacks and worrys. Having a leader strong in both languages is a good start.

Jacques Parizeau and Levesque were both very proficient in english. It's just the nature of the job IMO.

No harm here I guess but this should serve as an example that the PQ should try to heal the image issue on this.

[JoeLassister]

Just because some journalist defends him doesn't mean he is right. And just because it is acceptable in Quebec to speak that way, doesn't mean it is right.

Ever here of an Uncle Tom? It is what black folk called other black folk who kissed the white man's ass in the south when discrimination against blacks was rampant. And if you pointed to me and said, look there, that is proof that the way whites were treating blacks in the south was alright ... we'll I'd say that one smillin' fool don't make the case.

Now, I know plenty of Asisan people who object to being called Slanty eyed. You know there are actual asians who have almond shaped eyes. Some have really wide open eyes. There is a whole diversity out there ... and defending it because some ignorant fools like to pull on the side of their eye lids and go ching-ching-ching ... means that that person is an ignorant fool.

Now if you are defending ignorant fools, well that is your own cross to bear. And I'd suggest that you don't get offended in the future if you get called frog, pepper, jean guy patate, poutine ... because lots of people say that sort of thing, there are lots of people called Jean-guy in Quebec, many francophones eat poutine .... and I'm sure a few of you eat peppers. Not to mention, Pepsi, maywest!

Anyway, had enough of this .... we disagree. Just be carefull if you ever make it to Asia ... you call the locals slanty eyed and you will not impress anyone.

I can sure you that here in Québec, 90% of Asians we met in the streets, business or anywhere, have almond shaped eyes. And THIS IS OUR DEFINITION OF "yeux bridés" who's been translated "slanting eyes" by the anglo medias. Because Boiclair never said slanting eyes, he said "yeux bridés".

I still believe that the PQ leader must possess stronger english. It is not nor should it be necessary for French Quebecers to learn it. But a leader of a political party with the aim the PQ does must be prepared for these types of attacks and worrys. Having a leader strong in both languages is a good start.

Jacques Parizeau and Levesque were both very proficient in english. It's just the nature of the job IMO.

No harm here I guess but this should serve as an example that the PQ should try to heal the image issue on this.

Boiclair spend 1 year studying in Harvard, Boston, and succeed. Well, I think his english level might be good enough to potentially lead a frenchies majority province.