Don Phillipson Of course, Canada was officially bilingual to begin with. That's different than people just elbowing their way in and then demanding -- DEMANDING -- that they be accomodated according to their ways. We're getting there -- and I don't like it. I'm not a native English-speaker myself -- NY bred if not born -- but it just strikes me as absurd that newcomers demand to change things...I'm not talking about some process of gradual influence and mutual respect, I'm talking about these "nationalists" who blast their "culture" whether you like it or not. In the case of bilingualism, they sue hospitals and schools for not having bilingual staff. Interestingly, bilingual ed has produced folks who are not competent in either language, and thus perpetuates itself, since it's year after year. These are school dollars that should be spent on much more productive academic disciplines. Canada is "nicer" 'cause it can afford to be. Wait 'til y'all are swamped with this "latin" (how the hell these mixed-breed bastards are "latin" when even the Italians don't call themselves that I don't know) machismo crap culture of theirs which bullies itself into your sensibilities like a fart at dinner!
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