Vol. 73/No. 28      July 27, 2009

Most Quebecois learned about the participation of the Lake of Stew, a folk group, and Bloodshot Bill, a rock singer, both of which perform in English, when event organizers announced that they had decided to exclude them from the show. They insisted that Quebec national day must be celebrated in French.

The artists were reinstalled the following day after a general outcry in Quebec. They performed as scheduled without much incident. A small group of Quebecois nationalists tried unsuccessfully to disrupt the performances.

“If English artists want to celebrate with us on our national day, we should welcome them,” said Guy Lepage, who emceed the main event. The June 24 celebration was attended by some 250,000 people in Montreal, where Lepage spoke a few words in English.

Privileged Quebecois use more and more the “defense of French” in and of itself as a tool of self-promotion and defense of their social privileges.

Quebecois workers, on the other hand, are more and more concerned with the combined social impact of national oppression and the economic crisis reflected in their lower standard of living, and lower quality of health care and education. As the crisis deepens they tend more and more to unite with other workers, whatever country they come from, whatever language they speak. Each year more and more immigrants participate in the celebrations.

That’s what lies behind the opening to English artists this year.  
 
 
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