Le Devoir reviews a new book on the history of Hochelaga‑Maisonneuve, by authors who did a book on Verdun a few years ago.
Updates from January, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
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Kate
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Kate
A property developer wants to put up a condo building on the site of a defunct synagogue in TMR, but has been met with a determined NIMBY effort.
jeather
I spent some time in elementary school there.
Joey
@jeather same here, until grade two. The school I switched to was affiliated with a synagogue that, in 2019, absorbed the TMR synagogue that is now vacant.
jeather
Until grade 4, for me, when I went PSBGM. Sort of weird to imagine it as a condo building.
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Kate
The second instalment of Andy Riga’s report on OQLF activities alleges that it redacts sections of a key report on how businesses use language, blacking out entire pages for an unknown reason.
jeather
“Wednesday: Focus shifts to whether French service is ‘spontaneous’ rather than just available”
Of course, time to move those goalposts because at >97% availability, it’s hard to call that a problem. (It’s unclear to me if “Bonjour-hi” is spontaneous or not.)
Kate
It’s a strange metric.
I’m also wondering whether there are complaints about hearing English spoken at all. I go to several local cafés where the staff often know the linguistic preferences of their regulars, and switch seamlessly between serving people in English or French as required. But are there people who find this offensive, even if the staff are fully compliant in greeting and serving them in French?
I would always speak French if I felt it necessary to keep trouble away from cafés I like.
jeather
I assume there are people who find everything offensive. And it’s clear that, despite what some might wish, they’re legally allowed to serve people in other languages.
Kevin
I’m hoping they get to the number of complaints that are rejected as being invalid. Last time I saw a figure it was around 90%
Nicholas
There was a case a few years ago in Texas where a bartender was accused of serving alcohol to a minor but it turned out the inspector lied under oath, and after filing a false report under penalty of perjury the video from the bar proved the bartender followed the law. Unfortunately the bartender was fired and had to spends thousands on a lawyer and the inspector suffered zero consequences. If I were a business I would consider recording these interactions, with audio, to ensure that people didn’t get in trouble for serving regulars who wanted it in a language other than French. Maybe the regulars should fill out linguistic consent forms.
steph
Anglophones are just going to have to start wearing an arm-band with a scarlet A
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Kate
A new film festival is running this week, the Semaine de la critique de Montréal, a modest noncompetitive fest shown at the Cinémathèque québécoise and the Cinéma Moderne.
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