1.  Below: Questions on Daoust & Schmid articles.  I think it's best to read Daoust before Schmid, and to read both articles before the websites.

2.  Interesting websites:

        ** Quebec coffee shop bombed for signs in English: http://cbc.ca/news/indepth/language/.  Supposedly the French
                     Self Defence Brigade was responsible.

     ** A few comments from a person who sees a need to support the French Self Defence Brigade but not violent tactics:
                       http://pub23.ezboard.com/favenirquebecfrm16.showMessage?topicID=33.topic

        ** People write hate e-mail to the Office de la Langue Francaise for trying to regulate Internet sites:
                   http://www.efc.ca/pages/media/calgary-herald.16jun97.html

            Some people call this office the "French Language Police"

        ** A businessowner critiques the Office's Internet policies:  http://www.michelsoucy.com/olf.html

        ** A law professor defends the Office's Internet policies:
                             http://www.legamedia.net/column/2002/02-06/0206_geist_michael_quebec-language-law.php

        ** Office quebequois de la langue francaise:  Straight from the cheval's mouth.  Of course, not available in English,
                      but the businessowner's webpage (above) translates portions of it. http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca/

        ** "The Rednecks who run the Parti Quebeqouis:" A very opinionated editorial.  http://www.vigile.net/00-4/francis.html

        **  Canada's Supreme Court declines to hear case about size of English letters on sign:
                    http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/bu/Acanada-quebec.RKBU_CDC.html

        ** "Angloquebecer," a group that wants "to expose to the world... how the Government of Quebec is trying to eradicate
                     the English language within its territory, under the guise of promoting the French language."
                   http://members.tripod.com/~angloquebecer/
 
 

1) Explain how the Quebequois are “simultaneously a majority and a minority” and how this affected the birth of the Charter of the French Language.  Note that this promotion and defense of the French language sought to promote not just the linguistic but also the political, social and economic interests of the Francophones.

2) French was declared the language of legislation, justice, and public institutions under the jurisdiction of the Quebec government.  Give five examples of items that must be in French under this provision.

3) Summarize who receives primary education in French and in English in Quebec.  Keep in mind the important role the author feels that immigrant ethnic groups will play in the linguistic evolution of Quebec (mentioned in the conclusions).

4) French was declared the language of work, commerce and business.  Give five specific examples of what this includes.  Keep in mind the difference between a corporate individual and a real individual.

5) Describe a “certificate of Francization” and how it is obtained.

6) What are the main activities of the Quebec Bank of Terminology?

7) What kind of study do you think would be necessary to understand what the de facto language policy in Quebec is like today?

Schmid

1) The author claims that the status of French in Canada was influenced by three major factors:

        A.  Demographics.  Explain.

        B. Policies of colonial authorities.  How were the French in Quebec treated differently than the Spanish-speakers in New Mexico?

        C.  Nationalism and connection between religion & language.  Explain the differences in values held by the Francophones and the Anglophones and some of the antagonisms that took place.

2) What changes began taking place among Francophones in the1930s?  What combined with this to promote a sense of Quebequois nationalism?  Note that this nationalism was not confined to Francophones in Quebec, but to Francophones all over Canada.

3)  Describe the Quiet Revolution, particularly the Quebec sovereignty referendum and the responses of the Federal government to the “legitimacy crisis” it was facing – the creation of the B & B Commission; the passing of the Official Language Act of 1969; etc.

4)  Contrast the Switzerland territorial principle and the Canadian personality principle.  Note that according to the author, the majority of Canadians today, both inside and outside of Quebec, “would prefer a Swiss solution with extensive provincial autonomy within a federal framework” (p. 119).

5)  Trudeau tried to separate language and culture by saying that Canada was simply composed of some individuals who spoke English and others who spoke French. The Francophones did not agree and were becoming increasingly nationalistic, promoting a Quebequois identity instead of a pan-French Canadian identity.  Note that it was during this period (1977) that the Charter of the French Language was passed.  This is the bill described in the Daoust article.

6) Describe the three factors involved in the resurgence of Quebec nationalism in the late 1980s.  Also note some interesting facts such as, what percent of Canadians overall are bilingual in French and English?  The O'Malley & Bowman article (one of the links listed above) tells you how many Quebequois speak French at home.

7) Describe the results of the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum and more recent sentiments toward separatism.

8)  Schmid cites arguments that Canada and the U.S. are really both melting pots with regard to the cultural and linguistic maintenance of immigrant groups and overall economic opportunities.  However, there are some major differences between the two countries that you should understand, including:

            Group vs. individual rights
            Official acknowledgement of bilingualism
            The role and structure of public schools
            The status of French vs. Spanish
            Federal spending on language programs

9) What does Schmid mean when she says that the example of racial inequality in the U.S. disproves the argument that language homogeneity equals domestic peace?