Arizona

We returned recently from visiting friends in Ontario. While there, we heard all sorts of stories about Americans who do not speak French being treated badly while in Quebec. Is there truth to these stories?

Dale

Mon Dieu!! What kind of shit de bull have people been telling y"all. Quebecers have the same opinion of L'Yanks as the rest of Canadians eh!! <BR>Bring money and we like you.. Keep your imperialist attitude and firearms at home. But we say it in a most friendly way... p.s. Are you keeping Gretsky much longer??? <BR> <BR>p.s. Hope you understand humour...

Bob Brown

To comment on the response about imperialist attitude and firearms. <BR>Can't argue that one, but other aspects of the reply raised some interesting points. <BR> <BR>1. Properly used, y'all is plural. You is singular and indicates that only one person is being addressed; y'all leaves no doubt that the speaker is including the whole group. <BR> <BR>Only those who are not native users of the term affectedly use it in the singular, usually out of ignorance, when attempting to employ it as the prelude to denegration. It usually backfires. <BR> <BR>2. To my knowledge, Gretsky has been free to leave since he arrived. After all, there is no passport checking at the border for Canadians and Americans. <BR>He also was not coerced into leaving Edmonton was he? I think the same applies to Larry Walker, he left Montreal of his own free agent will; and, he can return unless Ottawa has stripped him of his citizenship. <BR> <BR>3. In my travels to Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, I have found Canadians to be helpful, well-educated folks. Occasionally you hear from an exception. <BR>

Ton

Apparently the "Humour" was lost somewhere at the border.

lynne

re: number 2 above: <BR> <BR>Since when is your citizenship not verified when crossing the border? We may have "free trade" but we still don't have a "right" to enter each other's countries without being "allowed in" by Immigration?? Also--rest assured you'll probably always be able to "buy" our great hockey players but they usually remain Canadian citizens...wonder why, EH... <BR> <BR>Now for the answer to the real question: <BR> <BR>Of course Americans are welcome...it's just people with "attitude" who aren't!! I imagine that goes for just about any country...treat people as you would like to be treated and usually it will be returned...

joe

Arizona, To answer your question seriously just think of it this way. If any french speakers want your money (ie., hotels, restaurants, shops) they will speak your language especially if its English. You will have no problem if you stay on the beaten path, If you get off into some very small towns all I can say is Good Luck. I have been to Montreal and Quebec City with no problems. <BR>

BobbyB

Somehow this thread is split in two. I have copied my response from the other half as this half seems to be the prominent one now. <BR> <BR>Before copying it, I have a few comments for Lynne. First, I have never been asked to display any form of ID upon entering Canada or returning to the US. Have been asked but never had to prove it. Secondly, I think that you have to reexamine your attitude evidenced from some of your remarks. BTW, don't hold your breath waiting for Wayne Gretsky to return. He has gone the same route as Bobby Orr. They have both established themselves south of the border. Now what does all of this mean? Absolutley NOTHING of any importance. <BR> <BR>Original posting: <BR> <BR>I am a bilingual American but my second language is Spanish. I worked in the Montreal area for a couple of months and throughly enjoyed it. I spent a lot of the time in the surrounding countryside where nobody spoke English. Nowhere in Montreal or the surrounding area did I have any trouble at all with not being able to speak French. The people were quite friendly and went out of there way to help me understand. <BR> <BR>The only reason that I mentioned the Spanish part is that I met quite a few Spanish speaking people in Montreal. <BR> <BR>The main thing is just be friendly and smile a lot and the people will respond favorably. Remember that the issues in Quebec are political and with English speaking Canada. They don't have any problem with Americans. Just relax and enjoy and you will have no problems. Quebec is a fascinating place. I cetainly prefer Quebec to Ontario where I did encounter some resentement towards Americans.

Bob Brown

On the subject of showing documentation to prove you were from the United States, I would like to add these two comments: (1) when crossing the border by automobile, I have never had to show anything, but (2) when travelling by air from Canada back to the US, I had to show a photo ID and my birth certificate. At the time, we were boarding a flight in Calgary, and the US customs official was firm. My wife did not have her birth certificate, but her voter registration card was accepted as proof. <BR>I do not know what we would have done had we not had a drivers license with a photo on it. Other friends of ours who flew out of Vancouver were given the 3rd degree treatment because they lacked what the immigration official considered to be adequate proof. <BR> <BR>But by car, the usual question is where are you from, and my wife's Southern drawl of "Athens, Georgia" is usually all it takes. Few people could fake that accent convincingly. (I got smart on the first trip and let her do all the talking when we return from Canada.)

lynne

<BR>For Bobby: <BR>You've never been asked your citizenship?? I find that hard to believe? Perhaps you don't understand the purpose of routine questioning at the border? On both sides of the border you are asked a series of questions designed to determine you citizenship, purpose of your trip etc. If you don't reply in a satisfactory manner you can be refused entry (usually after further questioning). Just because you haven't been asked to produce proof of your citizenship doesn't mean that you won't or that you're not required to or that you have a right to enter Canada. We are still separate nations! <BR> <BR>For Joe: <BR>Behave that way and English speaking Canadians won't speak to you in English either! Really...

Bob Brown

My policy when visiting Canada is to keep out of arguments involving the issue of Quebec leaving the Union. We had a great time in Quebec, both city and hinterlands, but I had no comment ever on the separation issue. <BR> <BR>

Paul Rabe

Concerning the original question (are people who do not speak the native language treated badly in Quebec?), I think you will find that in all places where you might visit, people naturally take more kindly to visitors who have the courtesy and intelligence to at least try to speak the native language. I think most Americans will agree that our country is BY FAR the worst major tourist destination in how badly we treat visitors with no knowledge of the main language, so I have wonder about Americans who worry about this when they go to a place where English is not predominate. I've found in my travels that taking a short while to learn a little bit of the language helps greatly in improving relationships with the hosts.

lynne

<BR>For Bobby (again!) <BR>Canada is a Confederation not a Union! The two separate nations remark was with regard to the USA and Canada not Quebec and the rest of Canada. <BR> <BR>Re: Paul's remarks above <BR>Exactly!! Even a few words such as "bonjour" and "merci" would go a long way!

BobbyB

Lynne: <BR> <BR>To set the record straight, Bob Brown and I are not the same person. Bob Brown mentioned union, etc., not I. <BR> <BR>Regarding ID, I always carry my passport with me. I have just never been asked to show any identification. BTW, I cross the US border almost every week.

Bob Brown

<BR>With respect to the confederation versus union rebuke, I have question: how do the two differ? <BR>A union is defined by my dictionary as a combination or confederation of people parties or political entities for mutual interest or benefit. A confederation is defined as a union of persons, parties, or states. So you will have to explain the subtle differences that cause umbrage to be taken when the term union is applied to Canada. Also, my colleague, Dr. Alan Dennis from PEI, uses the term union when we discuss the question of Quebec leaving what ever it is they threaten to leave. <BR> <BR>Perhaps this is one reason I suggested that Americans keep out of any question involving the confederation of Canadian provinces. <BR> <BR>Based on the comments in the post I read am I to presume that provinces were/are confederated but not united?? <BR>And does this mean that the United States are not a confederation? <BR>In this regard I in no way mean the Confederacy of Civil War days.

Arizona

My innocent question appears to have ignited a firestorm. And, for that, I must express regrets. As a matter of fact, I speak fairly fluent French, Spanish, and German -- and use them continously in my volunteer work with tourists in our small town. I had the pleasure recently of using my smattering of Turkish with a visitor from Istanbul. He said it was the first time anyone in America had expressed "welcome" ("merhaba") to him in his native tongue. <BR>My point in asking this simple question was to ferret out the truth or falsehood of ideas expressed to us by Anglo-Canadians during our recent visit. Prejudices, as always, respect no borders.

Bob Brown

For alruth. Hey, you only asked a question. You cannot control the people who respond. Don't feel like you did anything one way or the other. It was a good question. Take the answers that you can use and disregard the rest, or laugh at them as I frequently do. My friend Nancy, who is Canadian by birth but American by marriage and naturalization, warned us of similar propects before our '97 Quebec trip. (Nothing unpleasent materialized.) <BR> <BR>I think you got a lot of good responses. <BR>So don't worry about the collateral sniping that goes on in this forum. If you want to see some really good (or bad) verbal pot shots, take a look at the threads that developed on tacky American tourists and the anti tacky tourist brigade. Those got really funny. People were pelting each other over blue jeans, lycra, bulging fat, and jogging shoes. Winfrey's show has nothing on us!! <BR> <BR>And, above all, don't quit contributing and posting until Fodors shuts us all down.

Arizona

Thanks, Bob. Isn't it a shame that some folks like to look down their noses at innocent questions and make snide comments that can be taken as a putdown? <BR>Well...such is life. Most folks on this web site are great, with worthwhile comments, deep experience, and a willingness to share. Look at the donut, not the hole.

s.fowler

Mon dieu et sacre bleu!!! <BR>What Arizona heard was Canadian reflection of THEIR political issues with Quebec. <BR>A few French phrases never hurt. And there are areas and stores in Montreal where English is in short supply. [As it is in some Hispanic neighborhoods in the US.] The secret is good will. YOu can buy those croissants in a francophone bakery without any French if you smile, hold up the right # of fingers and point. But a "Merci Madame/Monsieur" goes a long way. <BR>If we were treated as badly in non-English speaking countries as we treat non-English speaking tourists here we'd all travel a lot less! <BR>In the spirit of Arizona signing this <BR>--Chicago <BR>

BobbyB

Sr. Chicago. <BR> <BR>I agree with you 100%. I am fluent in Spanish and can certainly relate to your comments about it. As I said before, I worked in Montreal and the surrounding area for a few months and had no troubles at all. Through the use of sign lanuage, pointing and a lot of smiling, I did just fine. I had waitresses, who spoke no English, sit with me and point at things on the menu and plates of food to help me understand. It is all a matter of attitude. If you have a positive outgoing attitude than you will have no trouble. If your attitude is negative that you will get what you deserve. Quite simple really. In any event the fact of the matter is that Montreal is a great city and you should enjoy it thoroughly.

lynne

Skip this is you're not interested.... <BR> <BR>Perhaps you meant "union" and not "Union"? <BR> <BR>confederation (definition from Can. Legal Dictionary) <BR>Canada is often described as a "confederation", and the process of union which culminated in 1867 is often described as "confederation". Outside Canada the term confederation is usually used to mean a loose association of states in which the central government is subordinate to the states. In a confederation in the technical sense the central government is the delegate of the states or provinces; its powers are delegated to it by the states or provinces, who retain the right to resume the delegated powers if they wish. It was a "confederation" which was established by the American colonies by the Articles of Confederation of 1777, because under that arrangement the central government was merely the delegate of the states. After the revolutionary war, the final constitution which was adopted by the United States in 1787 made the federal government independent of the states and coordinate with them. <BR>In Canada the union of the provinces, like the union of the United States, established a central government which was in no sense the delegate of the province. It was independent of the provinces and coordinate with them. <BR> <BR>Hope this clarifies it? It took some digging to find a definition...