Posted on 10/18/2007 3:00:06 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Quebec legislature bans word 'weathervane'
Speaker says its hurtful and a slur after Charest called Dumont a weathervane one too many times
October 16, 2007
THE CANADIAN PRESS
QUEBEC – Politicians in Quebec's legislature will have to come up with a new way to slag their opponents now that the word "weathervane" has been added to the list of unparliamentary language.
Speaker Michel Bissonnet judged the word to be "hurtful" as the legislature resumed Tuesday after the summer break.
Premier Jean Charest has called Opposition Leader Mario Dumont a weathervane on numerous occasions recently, elevating him on Tuesday to "national weathervane" during the legislature session.
Charest made the crack near the end of the heated debate as he reiterated his belief that the Action democratique du Quebec leader is like a weathervane in the wind because he is always changing directions.
Charest said that while Dumont once called for the Caisse de depot et placement pension fund manager to intervene less in Quebec's economy, now he wants the Caisse to buy up large Montreal-based firms whenever foreign investors take an interest in them.
On Tuesday, Charest used the word in discussing infrastructure.
Bissonet decided enough was enough and ruled that the weathervane comment was out of line.
Charest insisted calling Dumont a weathervane is fair comment and tried to just withdraw the word "national" in calling Dumont the ``national weathervane." The premier asked whether the word weathervane is on the list of unparliamentary language.
Bissonett replied that it is now.
"I find that this is unparliamentary and hurtful," Bissonet said.
On the other hand, Pauline Marois used her maiden speech in the legislature as leader of the Parti Quebecois to talk about the type of Quebec she wants to see in the future.
Marois said she will fight for sovereignty, a secular society and the protection of the French language.
She said new immigrants should respect Quebec values, which include the French language, equality of men and women, and the rights of children.
"These are the sorts of values that must be accepted by new arrivals to be members of our family," she said.
Marois noted that "Quebec is not perfect but it is our country."
She said Quebecers do not want violence.
"We don't want to reproduce here the many conflicts that exist between countries, religions and cultures."
Marois, the first woman to be elected PQ leader, said sovereignty is the best option for the province.
Marois and Dumont also criticized Charest on his efforts to help the struggling forestry and manufacturing sector.
Charest said economic development will be his priority in the new session of the legislature.
The premier is leading a minority government with 48 seats, compared with 41 for the ADQ and 36 for the PQ.
Some thinned skinned politician will try to ban the word "flip flop" by saying that this too is hate speech?
Nuts!
Reminds me of my favorite insult of all time - “You look like you play golf”. :o)
Just a “finger” will do.
LOLOL!! Good point, and true. Wonder what the new word will be when you go to buy those the next time if this happens?
Someone took the word “God” out of the new animated film “The Ten Commandments”.
what! you called me a weathervase you $%$%$##!!!
Now what? Should Boston sue Quebec because Eric Gagne’s presence was “hurtful” to the Red Sox Nation?
Don’t like weathervane? How about achene?
The word “God” has been sanitized from the animated film “The Ten Commandments?”
Who made this astoundingly stupid call?
What is the new story line supposed to be? Did the tablets just “evolve” from the mountain by themselves?
Maybe Moses is portrayed more in the likeness of Charles Darwin?
Nuts!
“Don’t like weathervane? How about achene?”
How about pinhead.
Thats been banned too. Please place yourself under arrest.
A paraphrase of weathervane. Much more artistic if not quite as satisfying as pinhead.
-PJ
weathervane! There! I said it!
:^)
Quebec legislature bans word 'weathervane'
Speaker says its hurtful and a slur after Charest called Dumont a weathervane one too many times
Weathervane, weathervane, weathervane!
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