Chrétien to step down - Page 2

KrazyHorse · August 22, 2002, 03:10

Groan.

KrazyHorse · August 22, 2002, 03:10

I wonder what PET's pet name for him was.

Loif · August 22, 2002, 03:13

I don't get it. I didn't say pet as a joke. Me no comprende.

notyoueither · August 22, 2002, 03:16

Past Prime Minister.

French for an action devoid of social tact.

notyoueither · August 22, 2002, 03:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Frogger
I wonder what PET's pet name for him was.

Cretin?

Loif · August 22, 2002, 03:18

Thanks. I don't speak a word of French.

notyoueither · August 22, 2002, 03:19

http://babel.altavista.com/tr

November Adam · August 22, 2002, 12:01

PET, Pierre Elliot Treadeau. aka that French Bastard, as referred to by many westerners. (The problem isn't that he's french, rather that he was a bastard!)

SpencerH · August 22, 2002, 12:12

Actually Chretien was one of the few ministers I knew (many years back in Trudeaus time) who wasnt an idiot.

Richelieu · August 22, 2002, 12:15

A few thoughts about this.

1- I wouldn't put it past Chretien to try and hold on to power even after Feb. 2004. He's made promises before (remember the GST ?)
2- Martin's an idiot. He had already done half the work and would have beaten Chretien in a leadership race.
3- Anybody wanna bet that Tobin's making a comeback in the next few months ? Manley and Rock are so lame and Martin will be seen as the one who rebelled against Chretien.
4- This is Canada and a Lame Duck prime minister doesn't exist. He has the majority, he'll still do what he wants : who's gonna stop him.

optimus2861 · August 22, 2002, 12:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Goingonit
Meanwhile, he's a lame duck, and can't do anything whatsoever.

I think it will be worse: to solidify his "legacy", Chretien will start looking to throw taxpayer money around like there's no tomorrow (since for him, there isn't), funding crap social program after crap social program. I don't think Manley's got the willpower to refuse him, either (after all, Manley's only where he is because of Chretien!)

Talk about your classic good news/bad news day

Richelieu · August 22, 2002, 12:47

Anyone know if Martin will be brought back to the cabinet ?

November Adam · August 22, 2002, 12:56

Quote:

Originally posted by optimus2861

I think it will be worse: to solidify his "legacy", Chretien will start looking to throw taxpayer money around like there's no tomorrow (since for him, there isn't), funding crap social program after crap social program. I don't think Manley's got the willpower to refuse him, either (after all, Manley's only where he is because of Chretien!)

Talk about your classic good news/bad news day

If I recall Chretien had talked about wanting to create something that would be his "legacy", I don't recall the specifics, I just rember hearing that and cringing.

Loif · August 23, 2002, 02:03

Quote:

Originally posted by November Adam
PET, Pierre Elliot Treadeau. aka that French Bastard, as referred to by many westerners. (The problem isn't that he's french, rather that he was a bastard!)

**slaps self upside the head**

And I call myself a Canuck. I guess I didn't get it because I blocked the image of Trudeau out of my memory very efficiently. The haunting words "National Energy Program" are coming back to me now.

I do remember some things he did very fondly though, such as doing pirouettes behind Queen Elizabeth when he was supposed to be in awe of her. His sweeping statement ""The state has no business in the nation's bedrooms" was important also. Other than that - Pierre who? He wasn't popular in the west. But I digress...

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:06

"In Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada has at last produced a political leader worthy of assassination"

-Irving Layton

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:07

The worst thing he did was call out the War Powers Act in October 1970. He had no justification, he had no need, he had no right.

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Loif
Thanks. I don't speak a word of French.

You're supposed to be able to, if you went to school here...

Tingkai · August 23, 2002, 02:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Frogger
The worst thing he did was call out the War Powers Act in October 1970. He had no justification, he had no need, he had no right.

But the West loved him for that. Keep them damm frenchies in their place.

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:13

I know.

As a matter of fact, I also know someone who was arrested and released ~4 times in the space of 2 days because he was "suspicious" (he had a french accent and was attending an english uni)

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:14

He pissed all over our civil rights and nobody cares. God knows the military presence is what finally solved the crisis.

Tingkai · August 23, 2002, 02:16

Well the West got their just desserts. They did nothing to oppose the suspension of basic rights in Quebec. Then a few years later, the old autocratic decides to take a share of the oil revenues.

Loif · August 23, 2002, 02:28

I took French in grade eight - I don't remember much of it at all to be honest. Most students do take French now, but will they actually use it? I think not. At least not out west. If we have to have a second language, why not Ukrainian? Why French? Because the majority of people who elect the PM are French, that's why.

Frogger, what the heck could the west have done when Trudeau did that? We don't count for much out here in the eyes of the PM. It's always been that way. We have no power at all in Ottawa. Sure enough though, they'll come and take our oil revenues away from us.

after edit: sorry, meant Tingkai, not Frogger.

KrazyHorse · August 23, 2002, 02:30

Quote:

Because the majority of people who elect the PM are French, that's why

The majority of the people who elect the PM live in Ontario.

How about: because Canada has (rightfully) two official languages? Because if you ever want to work for the government you'll have to be reasonably proficient in both of them? Because we're part of the same country?

All are sufficient reasons.

Loif · August 23, 2002, 02:33

Right. Ontario and Quebec have the majority of the voting power. There is a large proportion of French speaking people in Ontario, don't you think? Obviously there is a different mindset regarding politics in the east than there is in the west.

notyoueither · August 23, 2002, 02:45

I do not begrudge the status of French. This country has a history after all, but...

You say the NEP is the West's fault because we didn't rebel when the War measures act was used? Are you trying to be insulting, or are you just a stupid jack ass?

Seeker · August 23, 2002, 06:38

Why should ordinary, non-federally employed British Columbians be forced to study French?

It's not part of their social, cultural, or economic milieu (damn frenchies).

Why not Cantonese? Or some of the East Indian languages?

It's only because of Central Canadian arrogance and imperialism.

Richelieu · August 23, 2002, 07:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Seeker
Why should ordinary, non-federally employed British Columbians be forced to study French?

It's not part of their social, cultural, or economic milieu (damn frenchies).

Why not Cantonese? Or some of the East Indian languages?

It's only because of Central Canadian arrogance and imperialism.

It is part of their social, cultural, or economic milieu (damn frenchies). This is a bilingual country. French and English. Equal. Get it ?
Le pire dans ce genre d'arguments c'est que la plupart du temps je suis celui qui se fait traiter comme si je n'étais pas un vrai Canadien... par des gens qui, non seulement ne voient pas la nécessité d'apprendre le français, mais en plus tentent de faire en sorte qu'en dehors du Québec on ne parle qu'anglais...

Loif · August 23, 2002, 17:00

So why is it then, when one visits Quebec that all signs are in French, not English? Everywhere else in the country signs are in French AND English. Do I sense a little bit of hypocriscy here?

blackice · August 23, 2002, 20:03

On top of that laws which make it illegal to post signs in English...

Tingkai · August 23, 2002, 23:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Loif
Frogger, what the heck could the west have done when Trudeau did that? We don't count for much out here in the eyes of the PM. It's always been that way. We have no power at all in Ottawa. Sure enough though, they'll come and take our oil revenues away from us.

after edit: sorry, meant Tingkai, not Frogger.

It's like that old saying about when they came for the jews I did noting... (although obviously this is an extreme comparison).

When the War Measures Act was enacted, people outside of Quebec made no major objections. They let PET get away with it and they elected back into power. He then put in wage and price controls, and then after another election, the NEP.

Of course, people in Quebec were equally to blame for voting for Trudeau

To say the West couldn't do anything is a cop-out. Westerners can vote just like everyone else.

EDIT: My main point is that when PET enacted the War Measures Act, most people supported him. Quebecers who complained about their loss of liberty were seen as whiners.

The War Measures Act was a warning of what later followed, but the warning was ignored.