Do you remember what happened on November 16, 1987?
The City of Montreal has announced that Dorchester Boulevard will henceforth be called René-Lévesque Boulevard.
“BRINGING ANGLOS AND FRANCOS TOGETHER”
Why did you choose to give the name of the former PQ premier, who had just died two weeks earlier, to Dorchester Boulevard?
Why not another prestigious artery?
For three reasons.
One, because the former Prime Minister had worked as a journalist at Radio-Canada (which was enthroned on Dorchester Boulevard).
Two, because he had worked for the nationalization of hydroelectricity (Hydro-Québec’s head office was located on Dorchester Boulevard).
And three, because in the words of city councilor Kathleen Verdon, “it seemed desirable that the street identified be in an east-west direction, in order to underline the rapprochement between the French-speaking and English-speaking communities”…
In short, the choice was logical.
And then, between you and me, there was something symbolic in giving the name of the founder of the PQ to a boulevard that paid homage to the second governor of the “Province of Quebec”.
A way to inscribe in concrete and asphalt that Quebec is a French-speaking province.
END OF NON-RECEPTION
However, this decision by the City of Montreal was perceived as a real insult by the Anglophones of Westmount.
Result: the capital of the old Anglophone bourgeoisie chose not to follow the City of Montreal and to keep the old name of Dorchester for the portion of the boulevard located west of Atwater.
As if Westmount was not part of Montreal or Quebec.
Remember that Montreal East also refused to change the name of Dorchester Boulevard, but it was not for political or “epidermal” reasons.
More by what one might call bureaucratic laziness. And because it made it possible to distinguish Montreal East from Montreal.
ANGLOPHONE POOR
When we look at what is happening today in the English-speaking communities of Montreal, we have the impression of playing in Back to the Future.
As if the last 35 years were just a big parenthesis.
We resume the game where we left off.
However, it cannot be said that Law 96 is particularly severe.
If English-speaking CEGEP students are all perfectly bilingual, as we have been told for years, what is the problem of having them take three courses in (or in) French?
They should all take these courses with their fingers in their noses, right?
They are more bilingual than French-speaking students, we are told!
Well no. This timid law is perceived at best as a provocation, at worst as a racist attack aimed at violating the “inalienable right” of allophones who choose to settle in Quebec and blend into the English-speaking community.
Because you see, Anglophones are a minority in Canada. They must be helped to anglicize the new arrivals, otherwise their culture and their language will disappear, the poor…
The reality is that English speakers have never digested Bill 101.
And that all it takes is a little jolt for the bile to rise in their throats.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com