Virus vs language politics
It wouldn’t be Quebec if a major story didn’t eventually get entangled with language politics. The Quebec Community Groups Network did a poll that suggested anglos are more “afraid” of COVID-19 than francophones, then François Legault waded in during Wednesday’s presser to blame the Gazette, and specifically Aaron Derfel. I’m not sure what he can pin on Derfel except that he’s been diligently conveying information and analyzing it. Derfel has tweeted that he’ll be responding sometime soon.
Update: Aaron Derfel’s response.
jeather 21:10 on 2020-05-13 Permalink
I don’t read the Gazette and I don’t even follow Aaron Derfel, what do I win?
https://twitter.com/nick_kapur/status/1260645957651185665
Faiz imam 21:41 on 2020-05-13 Permalink
Everyone should follow Aaron. his tweets are fantastic.
Uatu 23:30 on 2020-05-13 Permalink
His articles are the only reason I read the Gazette. Good no nonsense reporting and the only journalist who wasn’t impressed by dr. Porter unlike other members of the media.
Uatu 23:36 on 2020-05-13 Permalink
Also I’m an anglo but I don’t recall asking Geoffrey chambers and the qcgn to speak on my behalf. I mean, who is this guy anyways…
qatzelok 23:37 on 2020-05-13 Permalink
I tried reading the Gazette a few times, but I got insomnia and chewed the fur off my tail and had to wear a transparent cone for a few months and take antibiotics. Now I stick to less hair-raising news sources.
jeather 06:45 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Someone always retweets him, I do fine.
Kate 09:34 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
I don’t know whether it occurs to Legault that anglos might be slightly more likely to read US or UK media too, getting information from these other sources.
Chris 09:49 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Was just going to say what Kate said: the difference will be the US media, not the Gazoo. As is typical with US corporate media, there has been a lot of fear mongering and hype. They aren’t in the news business, they are in the ad business. And scary headlines generate clicks. 🙁
Tim S. 10:26 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
I agree with Uatu on Geoffrey Chambers – I really wish he would stop this ‘speaking on behalf of anglos’ stick. The glory years of Alliance Quebec are done and most of us have moved on.
Tim S. 10:35 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Actually, my comment above still stands for other reasons, but can anyone point to where Chambers got involved in this story? I just see Jack Jedwab quoted.
Uatu 10:41 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
I just mentioned chambers because he’s appeared on the news as the head of the qcgn in the past. I’m sure he’ll appear on TV for another interview speaking for the anglo community and I’ll be asking myself who are you again?
Meezly 11:40 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
I hope there will be a follow up piece analyzing why anglos fear covid-19 more than francophones. Perhaps there are valid reasons related to education, critical thinking, ability to process reliable updated information, an interest in reading up on global media sources (as Kate pointed out), following current events, and a healthy skepticism of incompetent government leadership, which is warranted seeing that Legault is trying to pin blame on a single journalist!
JaneyB 12:37 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Hmmm. Francophones here get plenty of news from France, also a global media source (and perhaps the centre of technocratic govt itself). Also, the most volatile, protest-prone society on this continent is right here in Montreal.
Meezly 13:04 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Sorry I did not mean to offend francophones by implying they are less cognizant than anglos when that is evidently not the case. More like why this click bait study to divide people unnecessarily – only providing data without any context so that readers have to infer something negative, or reinforce bias against anglos? like anglos are more fear-mongering, neurotic, etc. Very frustrating.
Kate 15:40 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
Meezly, I don’t think anyone could’ve been offended by what you wrote.
JaneyB, of course francophones here might read news from France, but France is not an hour from our doorstep, so it’s bound not to have the same impact as reading about e.g. what New York City has gone through.
JP 20:42 on 2020-05-14 Permalink
I definitely think anglophones being more likely to read U.S. or U.K. media is a factor, at least in my case.and that of my friends and family. The first time I really ever began to feel any concern for our safety here in North America was at the end of February when I was out of town and was flipping through American news channels on the hotel TV…CNN, MSNBC… I was out of town, probably for the last time in a long time, and couldn’t wait to get back home after that. I tend to avoid those channels at home because watching them quite frankly can create a lot of anxiety, but I do follow The New York Times and The Guardian, and other American magazines and newspapers. Though that’s not to say i don’t follow any local media.
Jack 12:47 on 2020-05-15 Permalink
With Tim S. and Uatu I am at loss why they would commission that poll?