NationStates Jolt Archive


An advantage of living in a bilingual country, specifically Canada

Willamena
01-04-2006, 23:44
If any federal service confronts you (the RCMP, for instance) you can request them to address you in English or French.

So if you are English, request French. There is no legal requirement for you to understand what they say.

"Eh? What's that you say?"

...And if they switch to English, you say, "No, no... in French, please."

Evidently you can keep this up for hours.
Fass
01-04-2006, 23:45
I think you're a bit confused.
Mariehamn
01-04-2006, 23:46
Doesn't work in Finland...
Kyronea
01-04-2006, 23:46
If any federal service confronts you (the RCMP, for instance) you can request them to address you in English or French.

So if you are English, request French. There is no legal requirement for you to understand what they say.

"Eh? What's that you say?"

...And if they switch to English, you say, "No, no... in French, please."

Evidently you can keep this up for hours.
And then eventually they arrest your ass! Everybody WINS! :D
Willamena
01-04-2006, 23:46
I think you're a bit confused.
Typo fixed. :)
Ladamesansmerci
01-04-2006, 23:46
That did not make sense...what are you talking about? besides, the RCMP will probably arrest you anyway for being an a-hole.
Disturnn
01-04-2006, 23:47
If any federal service confronts you (the RCMP, for instance) you can request them to address you in English or French.

So if you are English, request French. There is no legal requirement for you to understand what they say.

"Eh? What's that you say?"

...And if they switch to English, you say, "No, no... in French, please."

Evidently you can keep this up for hours.

good point

but I still hate it(French, the language)
Willamena
01-04-2006, 23:48
That did not make sense...what are you talking about? besides, the RCMP will probably arrest you anyway for being an a-hole.
Well, it was funny when the guy on the Comedy Network said it... ;p
Ladamesansmerci
01-04-2006, 23:49
good point

but I still hate it(French, the language)
What's wrong with French? It's nice to be exposed to cultures other than your own, or else i wouldn't be surprised if Canada turned into a downsized version of the US.
Willamena
01-04-2006, 23:50
What's wrong with French? It's nice to be exposed to cultures other than your own, or else i wouldn't be surprised if Canada turned into a downsized version of the US.
Haha... well, since we're officially bilingual, French is as much "our" culture as English. :)
Fass
01-04-2006, 23:50
Doesn't work in Finland...

I still think it's nice that such a small minority can be so demanding. Go Finland Swedes!
Mariehamn
01-04-2006, 23:52
I still think it's nice that such a small minority can be so demanding. Go Finland Swedes!
We do our best.
Willamena
01-04-2006, 23:52
Doesn't work in Finland...
Well, why not, then? gosh darn it...
Iztatepopotla
01-04-2006, 23:53
good point

but I still hate it(French, the language)
I don't get why so many people in Canada hate the other language. Francophones who hate English, and Anglophones who hate French. It's just another language. What would these people do in India?
Mariehamn
01-04-2006, 23:55
Well, why not, then? gosh darn it...
Well, assuming that we can request stuff in Finnish or Swedish, we'd get the most in Finnish (with the exception of Åland at times). Then, if we did the, "No, no, Swedish/Finnish please (unless of course speaking to Finn that can Swedish (which is rather rare in my experience) or a Finland Swede (that can usually both, with the exception of the inhabitants of Åland (which of course leads to more exceptions, due to the parents of the Åländing in question))..." The person would bust out English. *sigh*
Mariehamn
02-04-2006, 00:01
It's just another language.
Swedish is the tongue of the former imperiaist oppressors. - somebody from Oulu
Finnish is just another "world language". - bunches of Åländingar
Thus, why its not "just another language". There's history behind it, as well as practicality, what the person wishes to do, the background of the person in question, et cetera. However, this has nothing to do with French and English in Canada.
Posi
02-04-2006, 00:03
That did not make sense...what are you talking about? besides, the RCMP will probably arrest you anyway for being an a-hole.
You got the RCMP all wrong. About 6 RCMP members will take you into Stanley Park, and beat your ass down.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 00:06
You got the RCMP all wrong. About 6 RCMP members will take you into Stanley Park, and beat your ass down.
so if you were arrested in PEI, you would get your ass dragged all the way to vancouver to get beat up? sweet, free trip!
Disturnn
02-04-2006, 00:25
What's wrong with French? It's nice to be exposed to cultures other than your own, or else i wouldn't be surprised if Canada turned into a downsized version of the US.

I'd rather be exposed to Italian or Chinese culture(or perhaps bring in my own German culture! ya!)
Posi
02-04-2006, 00:30
so if you were arrested in PEI, you would get your ass dragged all the way to vancouver to get beat up? sweet, free trip!
OK, maybe it is just Van City's RCMP that takes you Stanley Park to beat you. I suppose other detatchments could use their local parks, but they would be stealing the idea from us.
Sel Appa
02-04-2006, 00:31
And then eventually they arrest your ass! Everybody WINS! :D
You sound like my pessimistic, conformopacifist, partly-cynical friend.
Iztatepopotla
02-04-2006, 00:36
I'd rather be exposed to Italian or Chinese culture(or perhaps bring in my own German culture! ya!)
You have access to all those in Canada.
Mariehamn
02-04-2006, 00:36
You have access to all those in Canada.
Also in the US of A, since we're advertising here and all.
Dobbsworld
02-04-2006, 00:39
What would these people do in India?
Stay home a lot.
Disturnn
02-04-2006, 00:46
You have access to all those in Canada.

I mean, instead of French as a second language, and naturally the second dominating culture in Canada, I would rather Italian, Chinese(or German hehe) be the second language/second dominant culture in Canada.
Mariehamn
02-04-2006, 00:47
I mean, instead of French as a second language, and naturally the second dominating culture in Canada, I would rather Italian, Chinese(or German hehe) be the second language/second dominant culture in Canada.
Back in the day, we had that in the US of A. Oh, yeah!
Dobbsworld
02-04-2006, 00:48
I mean, instead of French as a second language, and naturally the second dominating culture in Canada, I would rather Italian, Chinese(or German hehe) be the second language/second dominant culture in Canada.
Well, tough-o. Might as well make the best of what you've got.
Posi
02-04-2006, 00:51
I mean, instead of French as a second language, and naturally the second dominating culture in Canada, I would rather Italian, Chinese(or German hehe) be the second language/second dominant culture in Canada.
Outside of French class, French Culture doesn't have much affect here. Chinese culture would probably be the second most dominant (naturally following Marijuana Culture).
Iztatepopotla
02-04-2006, 00:54
Stay home a lot.
I guess. Just imagine, here you take a box of something and one of the sides has the French copy, you turn it and there's the English copy. What do they do in India? Does cereal come in dodecahedrons?

I mean, instead of French as a second language, and naturally the second dominating culture in Canada, I would rather Italian, Chinese(or German hehe) be the second language/second dominant culture in Canada.
Well, it could happen one of these days, you never know. But I don't think it'll be soon.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 01:17
Outside of French class, French Culture doesn't have much affect here. Chinese culture would probably be the second most dominant (naturally following Marijuana Culture).
Actually, Marijana Culture the *THE* most dominant culture where I live. Screw English culture, we Hippievillians will legalize pot one day. Wow...chinese culture and weed culture really isn't a good combo...
Posi
02-04-2006, 01:22
Actually, Marijana Culture the *THE* most dominant culture where I live. Screw English culture, we Hippievillians will legalize pot one day. Wow...chinese culture and weed culture really isn't a good combo...
What part of Canada do you live in?

Also, I don't forsee much problems combining the Chinese and Marijuana cultures. Maybe we would be so mellow that we wouldn't mind it when someone does 3 Km/h in a 90 zone.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 01:29
What part of Canada do you live in?

Also, I don't forsee much problems combining the Chinese and Marijuana cultures. Maybe we would be so mellow that we wouldn't mind it when someone does 3 Km/h in a 90 zone.

Victoria. Explains much?

well, i guess we just won't be able to get anywhere then. oh well.
Posi
02-04-2006, 01:37
Victoria. Explains much?

well, i guess we just won't be able to get anywhere then. oh well.
I'm just outside Vancouver (my town and its neighbour town are considering joining so we could get official city status, and ditch 6 politicians)/.

It's not like you get anywhere's fast anyways. Just the pot would make us find it funny.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 01:43
I'm just outside Vancouver (my town and its neighbour town are considering joining so we could get official city status, and ditch 6 politicians)/.

It's not like you get anywhere's fast anyways. Just the pot would make us find it funny.
*GASP* compared to the people from different places on this forum, I almost feel like we're neighbours!

teehee...but the police will come and arrest you for driving stoned. They're no fun. :(
Posi
02-04-2006, 01:48
*GASP* compared to the people from different places on this forum, I almost feel like we're neighbours!

teehee...but the police will come and arrest you for driving stoned. They're no fun. :(
Well, its hard to tell if someone is driving stoned around here. Because of all the dumbfucks that think every car accident is deserving of a photo spread, the average speed of many highways does get down to under one kilometer an hour at times. At those speeds, a stoner is just going to blend in.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 01:53
Well, its hard to tell if someone is driving stoned around here. Because of all the dumbfucks that think every car accident is deserving of a photo spread, the average speed of many highways does get down to under one kilometer an hour at times. At those speeds, a stoner is just going to blend in.
*shudder* Vancouver driving scares the shit out of me. As a pedestrian, i always feel like i'm going to get hit, and as a driver, I also always feel like i'm going to get hit.
Posi
02-04-2006, 01:57
*shudder* Vancouver driving scares the shit out of me. As a pedestrian, i always feel like i'm going to get hit, and as a driver, I also always feel like i'm going to get hit.
And yet,China is reluctant to trade with us. Wonder why?

Although, I have heard they may put the expansion to the Prince George/Rupert harbour to good use.
Ladamesansmerci
02-04-2006, 02:04
And yet,China is reluctant to trade with us. Wonder why?

Although, I have heard they may put the expansion to the Prince George/Rupert harbour to good use.

wonderful. More canadians will lose jobs now. China's reluctant to trade with us? since when?
Posi
02-04-2006, 02:11
wonderful. More canadians will lose jobs now. China's reluctant to trade with us? since when?
Since it is more reliable to ship the products to the US then truck them over the boarder. I probablyshould have said trade directly with us. Canadians are losing jobs now because it is much easier to shiptothe US then to Canada because Van's infrastructure is so fucked. I mean,the Trans-Canada highway is only two lanes wide at some points. OMGWTF, it is at least eight lanes in Toronto (granted, Toronto ismuch bigger).