This is what it's like to be a Canadian

Chantez le Chanson des Smarties!

Quand vous mangez des Smarties,
Gardez-vous les rouges pour le fin?
Les sucez-vous lentement,
Les croquez-vous vivement?
Mangez tous des Smarties,
Mais répondez-moi bien,
Quand vous mangez des Smarties,
Gardez-vous les rouges pour le fin?


Sing the Smarties Song!

When you eat your Smarties,
Do you eat the red ones last?
Do you suck them very slowly,
Or crunch them very fast?
Eat that candy-coated chocolate,
But tell me when I ask,
When you eat your Smarties,
Do you eat the red ones last?

I think only Canadians will get that.

I still think it's wierd going to the US and seeing something besies french on the other side of things.

I kept turning around the cans for the English side. There was no English side.

Dur dur d'être bébé, dur dur d'être bébé
Viens ici, touche pas ça,
Reste assis, va pas là,
Fais comme ci, fais comme ça, patati e patata.
Pourquoi ci, pourquoi ça, pourquoi c'est comme ci,
Pourquoi ci, pourquoi ça, pourquoi c'est comme ça,

English Version

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.




English Translation of the French Version of the National Anthem

O Canada! Land of our forefathers
Thy brow is wreathed with a glorious garland of flowers.
As in thy arm ready to wield the sword,
So also is it ready to carry the cross.
Thy history is an epic of the most brilliant exploits.
Ch.
Thy valour steeped in faith
Will protect our homes and our rights
Will protect our homes and our rights.

http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/anthem_e.cfm#a3

Boy is THAT a lie

They think that they won.

sizzle!

Them's fighting words! ;-)

Quebec happens to be part of Canada.
I assume that you mean it is just a matter of how many more referendums until there is no Quebec problem.
If not perhaps you could explain what you mean.

Think way back, Plains of Abraham back.

I don't want Quebec to leave, I'm just weary of the debate. It seems to me that there will be referendums until 'we get the vote right.' Enough already.

I didn't mean of offend.

That you agree with Trudeau's definition of Canada as a bilingual country?

I was at the beach this summer and I overheard 7 different languages. Officially, on a federal level we have 2 languages.

What are you getting at?

Please explain to me, what is "the Quebec problem".

is not happy with the status quo. My whole life there has been talk of separation. It's not good for the country. Can't we all just get along?

To me as a vocal minority.
OK. Put aside the misinformation that came up everywhere.
I would not call Quebecers a vocal minority in Quebec.
If you don't want to accept a concept that was put forward by Trudeau then perhaps you could look at his nemesis, Rene Levesque. His concept might be more appealing to you.
Just look at what Harper is putting forward today.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/10/20/harper041020.html

If you don't think that a wish can be achieved at the ballot box then unfortunately you are requiring another Plains of Abraham.
I would ask you to consider yourself in the opposite shoes and consider what your concept of your society would be then. Not what you think it should be living on the edge of the country.

After the "Quiet Revolution" things started changing.

http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/readings/lesage.htm

It was a breath of fresh air.

So, in summary: I do not think there is a Quebec problem.
There is a problem in Quebec and the ROC.

Until the two can be joined it does not help The Country.

First, this thread started with the Smarties song - it was meant to be light hearted.

Second, I was a kid when Trudeau was in power. To be truthful, I don't remember what concept he put forward. Please elaborate.

Third, I think Canada would be a lesser country if Quebec left, but if you want to go - go. Just take your fair share of the national debt.

Fourth, I was trying to be funny. Clearly, you did not find me so. I'm sorry to have touched on a sore spot.

I live clear across the country, and frankly, the issue is out of sight, out of mind here.

What exactly do you find so offensive about my views? You may have thought I was being flip about Trudeau. I think you assumed I knew exactly what you were talking about, which I didn't. I frankly, am not even sure of your opinion.

How do I define the Quebec problem. Quebec isn't happy. Now I realize there isn't just one Quebec. Just like our friends to the south, about half of them will be bitterly disappointed no matter who wins on November 2nd. I see that some of you want your own country and some of you want to stay in Canada. Is that simplistic. Sure. Either way, it's not going to radically change my life. I do have a preference in the outcome, but what will be will be. I have spent about 1 hour in Quebec sitting in a plane at Mirabel.

If you heard that Alberta was considering separation, would you drop everything and dedicate yourself to making Alberta happy? Correct me if I'm wrong (as I do not want to be presumptuous), but I think that you (or at least more Québecois .. in fact I don't even know if you are Québecois) would probably not think about it much, or if you did you would find it annoying that those westerners were always clamoring for attention.

The beauty and the problem with Canada is that it is damn huge. As such, there are people in the west who never, ever go east and never see Quebec and therefore can never have a true understanding of the internal strife there in regards to its sovereignty. They can never understand WHY so many Québecois feel the way they do. But on the same token, many Québecois feel the same about westerners and stereotype them just as badly. There is ignorance everywhere. We can't sit around bashing each other if we want to get anywhere.

Frère Jacques
Are You Sleeping

Traditional
Written By: Unknown
Copyright Unknown

Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques,
Dormez vous?
Dormez vous?
Sonnez les matines,
Sonnez les matines,
Din, din, don!
Din, din, don!

English Version:

Are you sleeping,
Are you sleeping?
Brother John?
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing,
Morning bells are ringing,
Ding ding dong,
Ding ding dong.


It makes me laugh that even the bells ring in two official languages.

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette, je te plumerai.

Je te plumerai la tête,
Je te plumerai la tête,
Et la tête, et la tête,
Alouette, Alouette, Aaaah...


Alouette, gentille Alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
Je te plumerai le bec,
Je te plumerai le bec,
Et le bec, et le bec,
Et la tête, et la tête,
Alouette, Alouette, Aaaah...


Alouette, gentille Alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
et le nez... et le dos... et les jambes...
et les pieds... et les pattes... et le cou.




Translation (my own): (an alouette is a lark but it is just too weird to translate that word)

Alouette, nice Alouette,
Aloutte, I will pluck you.

I will pluck the feathers from your head,
I will pluck the feathers from your head,
And the head, and the head,
Alouette, Alouette, Aaaah...

Alouette, nice Alouette,
Alouette, I will pluck you.
I will pluck the feathers from your beak,
I will pluck the feathers from your beak,
And the beak, and the beak,
And the head, and the head,
Alouette, Alouette, Aaaah...

Alouette, nice Alouette,
Alouette, I will pluck you.
and the nose... and the back... and the legs...
and the feet... and the legs... and the neck.


LOL, it sounds very weird in English. I guess when you know a song from the time you're a child you can sing it without really thinking about what it means at all, but when I translate it it is bizarre!