Postscript: Shameless language cops bully small paper

The heavy hand of Quebec's language police has come down on a tiny newspaper in West Quebec and it is shameful.

The Pontiac Journal is one of those vital links for small communities that local newspapers fill so well. A few years back, the English paper began publishing some stories in French and also took on some ads in French. It's a bilingual community so it only made sense. But the language heavies at the OQLF got wind of this and didn't like it one bit.

The Office objected to English and French content together. Nor did it like the fact that any ads in French were not bigger than the ads in English. You know how size matters in this province, particularly with those who may be a little insecure about things.

Said publisher Lily Ryan: “Extremism is being put on the table by an organization that doesn't understand the reality on the ground.”

I guess the OQLF is afraid that putting English ads and copy in an English newspaper too close to French would be contagious and would somehow threaten the so-called fragility of the French language in Quebec.

Bureaucrats are interfering with press freedoms and the ability of a small newspaper to serve its readers in the way they know best. Why? Because more often than not these buffoons and their masters need to justify their existence and they specialize in bullying small businesses and people who have a hard time fighting back.

But usually what happens is that Quebec ends up looking stupid and petty because of anti-English laws which, for the language zealots, are written on tablets that they believe are worthy of the Ten Commandments.

Memo to the OQLF and the language minister and all those who just want to put us in our place: Back off. Just back off. There is whole new generation of confident outward-looking young Quebecers who don't see the world through the optics of language grievance.

PKP and NHL might not mix

It was 20 years ago this week that the Quebec Nordiques loaded up the moving vans and left for Colorado. They left with a whimper.

Now with a new arena, built largely with your money, Quebec City is desperately hoping for another shot at the big leagues. And who wants the team? Our friend, PQ leader and Quebecor press baron, PKP.

CAQ leader Francois Legault is quite right when he said this week that as long as chief separatist PKP is involved the NHL will not pay a return visit to Quebec City. It would be too messy for the NHL.

I hope the fans at the Centre Videotron love junior hockey because that's about the best they are going to get.

Gay on the gridiron a Montreal triumph

I'm glad Michael Sam landed in Montreal. The city that welcomed professional baseball’s first black player will now embrace its first openly gay football player.

Michael Sam came to town this week. With his sense of humour and infectious laugh, you know this guy is going to be a hit here.

“So future athletes who may be straight gay bisexual, they can inspired by what I’m doing and show respect of the game,” he told reporters.

At the end of the day, Michael Sam will be judged by Montrealers by what he does on the field.

The rest, well that will soon be old news in a city which still knows a thing or two about decency, respect for difference and doing the right thing.

Welcome to Montreal Michael Sam.