Harper’s newest Senator attacks bilingualism
For Immediate Release
February 1, 2009
In their own words:
Harper’s newest Senator attacks bilingualism
Harper’s newest Senator attacks bilingualism
Stephen Harper’s newest Senator, Bob Runciman, has some strong views opposing bilingualism and French-language services, including support for the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada (APEC), a notorious anti-French organization that once trampled on and burned a Québec flag.
Runciman’s support for APEC’s campaign against the Canadian government’s policy of official bilingualism:
“Leeds MPP Bob Runciman wrote [APEC] a supportive letter last month ... Runciman will be the English preservation group's guest speaker at its April 27 monthly meeting, according to Garner.” (Kingston Whig-Standard, April 11, 1987)
“It is ‘extremely important’ that the various groups opposed to French-language services ‘pull together,’ said Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Robert Runciman.” (The Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1989)
APEC’s tactics:
“APEC is best known in Quebec for television footage of some of its members trampling on a Quebec flag in Brockville, Ont., last summer.” (Toronto Star, November 21, 1990)
“Some members of the Association for the Preservation of English in Canada trampled on the Quebec flag.” (Toronto Star, June 20, 1991)
“On a platform behind the train station, a Quebec flag was spread out. About half a dozen demonstrators took turns stomping and spitting on the Fleur-de-lis before it was set ablaze.” (Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 1992)
Runciman worked with APEC in opposition to French immersion education:
“The Brockville chapter of APEC successfully opposed a petition to introduce French immersion classes in the Leeds and Grenville school district; not that the school board really needed prodding from APEC to turn down French immersion. Bob Runciman, the local MPP, supports APEC and has addressed a meeting of its Brockville chapter.”
(Kingston Whig-Standard, July 11 1987)
Runciman helped whip up anti-bilingualism sentiment:
“Runciman has apparently helped whip up the anti-bilingualism sentiment in the area, and [APEC] members claimed 1,400 people have joined the cause in Brockville and 10,000 across the province.” (The Toronto Star, Aug 16 1987)
Runciman on federal bilingualism:
A “supreme exercise in social engineering...Pierre Trudeau's social revolution, whose central, inescapable fact is loss of power for unilingual Canadians.” (Bob Runciman, Ontario Hansard, May 21, 1986)
“There are feelings there underneath the surface. There's a lot of lingering resentment over federal bilingualism.” (Bob Runciman, Windsor Star, July 24, 1987)
Runciman opposed French-language services in Ontario:
“‘The way Peterson has been introducing and applying French services is going beyond the intent of most members (who voted in favor of the bill),’ Runciman said. He cited French telephone books and Queen's Park publications as examples of unnecessary measures.” (The Kingston Whig-Standard, Aug 15 1987)
“[Runciman] stands to the right of his Tory colleagues in the degree he thinks bilingual services are needed in Ontario.” (Kingston Whig-Standard, Sep 16 1989)
“Progressive Conservative MPP Robert Runciman today called on Consumer and Commercial Relations Minister Monte Kwinter and LCBO Chairman Jack Ackroyd to explain why the Board intends to hire only 'bilingual' applicants for new jobs at its stores in Cornwall and Ottawa... to require all new employees to speak both languages is preposterous.” (Bob Runciman Press Release, December 16, 1986)
Runciman advocated the shut-down of Ontario’s French-language public broadcaster:
“It's costing us, as taxpayers, something like $35 million a year for the operation of La Chaîne...Why do they need that symbolic gesture out there which is costing millions and millions of taxpayers' dollars and accomplishing virtually nothing?” (Bob Runciman, October 28, 1993)
“They are attempting to appeal to something like 185,000 Franco-Ontarians. That is their audience. ...What we are doing is spending significant sums of taxpayers' money on a network which is really not fulfilling any meaningful need within the province.” (Bob Runciman, Ontario Hansard, October 30, 1991)
Runciman’s support for APEC’s campaign against the Canadian government’s policy of official bilingualism:
“Leeds MPP Bob Runciman wrote [APEC] a supportive letter last month ... Runciman will be the English preservation group's guest speaker at its April 27 monthly meeting, according to Garner.” (Kingston Whig-Standard, April 11, 1987)
“It is ‘extremely important’ that the various groups opposed to French-language services ‘pull together,’ said Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Robert Runciman.” (The Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1989)
APEC’s tactics:
“APEC is best known in Quebec for television footage of some of its members trampling on a Quebec flag in Brockville, Ont., last summer.” (Toronto Star, November 21, 1990)
“Some members of the Association for the Preservation of English in Canada trampled on the Quebec flag.” (Toronto Star, June 20, 1991)
“On a platform behind the train station, a Quebec flag was spread out. About half a dozen demonstrators took turns stomping and spitting on the Fleur-de-lis before it was set ablaze.” (Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 1992)
Runciman worked with APEC in opposition to French immersion education:
“The Brockville chapter of APEC successfully opposed a petition to introduce French immersion classes in the Leeds and Grenville school district; not that the school board really needed prodding from APEC to turn down French immersion. Bob Runciman, the local MPP, supports APEC and has addressed a meeting of its Brockville chapter.”
(Kingston Whig-Standard, July 11 1987)
Runciman helped whip up anti-bilingualism sentiment:
“Runciman has apparently helped whip up the anti-bilingualism sentiment in the area, and [APEC] members claimed 1,400 people have joined the cause in Brockville and 10,000 across the province.” (The Toronto Star, Aug 16 1987)
Runciman on federal bilingualism:
A “supreme exercise in social engineering...Pierre Trudeau's social revolution, whose central, inescapable fact is loss of power for unilingual Canadians.” (Bob Runciman, Ontario Hansard, May 21, 1986)
“There are feelings there underneath the surface. There's a lot of lingering resentment over federal bilingualism.” (Bob Runciman, Windsor Star, July 24, 1987)
Runciman opposed French-language services in Ontario:
“‘The way Peterson has been introducing and applying French services is going beyond the intent of most members (who voted in favor of the bill),’ Runciman said. He cited French telephone books and Queen's Park publications as examples of unnecessary measures.” (The Kingston Whig-Standard, Aug 15 1987)
“[Runciman] stands to the right of his Tory colleagues in the degree he thinks bilingual services are needed in Ontario.” (Kingston Whig-Standard, Sep 16 1989)
“Progressive Conservative MPP Robert Runciman today called on Consumer and Commercial Relations Minister Monte Kwinter and LCBO Chairman Jack Ackroyd to explain why the Board intends to hire only 'bilingual' applicants for new jobs at its stores in Cornwall and Ottawa... to require all new employees to speak both languages is preposterous.” (Bob Runciman Press Release, December 16, 1986)
Runciman advocated the shut-down of Ontario’s French-language public broadcaster:
“It's costing us, as taxpayers, something like $35 million a year for the operation of La Chaîne...Why do they need that symbolic gesture out there which is costing millions and millions of taxpayers' dollars and accomplishing virtually nothing?” (Bob Runciman, October 28, 1993)
“They are attempting to appeal to something like 185,000 Franco-Ontarians. That is their audience. ...What we are doing is spending significant sums of taxpayers' money on a network which is really not fulfilling any meaningful need within the province.” (Bob Runciman, Ontario Hansard, October 30, 1991)
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