Grumpy Cat
09-16-2010, 10:43 PM
Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois says she would like to see more francophone players on the Montreal Canadiens.
Marois told reporters that the hockey team does not reflect the reality in the province, and the lack of a Quebec identity on the Habs ends up serving the federalist cause.
The PQ leader's comments follow the appearance of the party's language critic Pierre Curzi on the popular French-language program Les Francs-tireurs on Sept. 8, when he stated that it was "not by chance" that there are so few francophone players on Quebec's only NHL hockey team.
Curzi toned down his rhetoric Wednesday, saying he did not believe it was a federalist plot to stack the team with English-speaking players, but simply that the lack of francophone players has changed the identity of the Habs.
"The policy about the bilingualism of that team is, for me, clearly more federalist as an option than the clear predominance of the French," Curzi told reporters in Quebec City.
Marois echoed her colleague's sentiments Wednesday, and said she believes many francophone hockey fans also share her view.
"[This team is] a symbol of our pride to succeed in this sport, and I think the Quebecers would like to have more francophones in this team," Marois said, while denying that she believes that the lack of French-speaking players is a federal conspiracy.
Curzi also argued that a possible return of the Nordiques to Quebec City could instil a "nationalist identity" that is lacking with the Montreal Canadiens.
Liberal cabinet minister Line Beauchamp said there is no federalist ulterior motive to the makeup of the team.
"Come on, it's a hockey team that's trying to win the Stanley Cup," Beauchamp said.
Curzi also made headlines two years ago when he denounced Paul McCartney's free concert on Quebec City's Plains of Abraham to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary, saying the star shouldn't be singing in English on the site of a historic battle between British and French troops.
Habs say talent beats language
A spokesperson for the Canadiens said the club has more French-speaking players than any other team in the NHL, with 11 at training camp.
Dominick Saillant said the reason francophone players such as Maxime Lapierre, Mathieu d'Arche and Benoit Pouliot will be skating for the Habs this year is based on talent, not language.
Some fans, meanwhile, don't appear too worried about the language the Habs speak.
"It doesn't matter if they're Quebec or if they're international, as long as the team wins, so I couldn't care who is on the team," Gary Bertleff said.
Another fan, Gabriella Machico, said it's nice to see that the Canadiens are multicultural, like the city, although it "wouldn't be a bad thing to get a few more Quebec players."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/st...#ixzz0zhZQdpFl
Marois told reporters that the hockey team does not reflect the reality in the province, and the lack of a Quebec identity on the Habs ends up serving the federalist cause.
The PQ leader's comments follow the appearance of the party's language critic Pierre Curzi on the popular French-language program Les Francs-tireurs on Sept. 8, when he stated that it was "not by chance" that there are so few francophone players on Quebec's only NHL hockey team.
Curzi toned down his rhetoric Wednesday, saying he did not believe it was a federalist plot to stack the team with English-speaking players, but simply that the lack of francophone players has changed the identity of the Habs.
"The policy about the bilingualism of that team is, for me, clearly more federalist as an option than the clear predominance of the French," Curzi told reporters in Quebec City.
Marois echoed her colleague's sentiments Wednesday, and said she believes many francophone hockey fans also share her view.
"[This team is] a symbol of our pride to succeed in this sport, and I think the Quebecers would like to have more francophones in this team," Marois said, while denying that she believes that the lack of French-speaking players is a federal conspiracy.
Curzi also argued that a possible return of the Nordiques to Quebec City could instil a "nationalist identity" that is lacking with the Montreal Canadiens.
Liberal cabinet minister Line Beauchamp said there is no federalist ulterior motive to the makeup of the team.
"Come on, it's a hockey team that's trying to win the Stanley Cup," Beauchamp said.
Curzi also made headlines two years ago when he denounced Paul McCartney's free concert on Quebec City's Plains of Abraham to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary, saying the star shouldn't be singing in English on the site of a historic battle between British and French troops.
Habs say talent beats language
A spokesperson for the Canadiens said the club has more French-speaking players than any other team in the NHL, with 11 at training camp.
Dominick Saillant said the reason francophone players such as Maxime Lapierre, Mathieu d'Arche and Benoit Pouliot will be skating for the Habs this year is based on talent, not language.
Some fans, meanwhile, don't appear too worried about the language the Habs speak.
"It doesn't matter if they're Quebec or if they're international, as long as the team wins, so I couldn't care who is on the team," Gary Bertleff said.
Another fan, Gabriella Machico, said it's nice to see that the Canadiens are multicultural, like the city, although it "wouldn't be a bad thing to get a few more Quebec players."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/st...#ixzz0zhZQdpFl