L’avenir de la Francophonie Dans l’Ouest Canadien: Qui Passe Quel Flambeau à Qui?

Cherchez l’outrage

Images simples, simple images. It is reassuring when everyone cheers for the good guy carrying le flambeau and handing it over to the next one. Over and over across the Land, certainty. Kids are gathered and the elderly are watching. It could have been the Queen too, or its representative. All the problems seem to go away. Surely a Kodak moment for one of the last symbol left.

But the real world is not that simple. Like when la Rubrique Française flips over. Or when one billion dollar gets allocated to security while schools and hospitals are getting the chops, nine billions expected return benefits now strangely down to one. Tough if you have not made it under the radar in the areas of community, history, culture or language programs. Public debt must be reduced, the taxpayers can’t take it anymore. And we are then told that these jeux bilingues, the “best ones ever”, are going to help ailing canadian bilingualism. Passer le flambeau, cherchez l’outrage.

Simple images, une caméra citoyenne. La sécurité on Robert Dziekanski in YVR International. It took how long to figure what? Guess what now. The same people with the same mindset and access to technology are now getting more money and hiring. And they still can’t stop a character known for wanting to blow up a plane  from boarding  toward the United States. The same going on. Over and over across the Land, certainty. Passer le flambeau, don’t you feel sécure?

Simple images. Wall Street needs more money. The same people again. Mainstream medias don’t really seem to notice, lost in “les faits divers”. Or don’t see how cover ups apply closer by. Needing more money, cherchez l’outrage.

Think now of this guy having gone berserk that hijacks the biggest fire truck and decides to hose down the flambeau heading into the stadium so that the message or the medium makes it through the noise and reach the party goers desperate to clap for something. Unless some odd camera pointed at the flambeau escapes security and zap la torche before hand.

And then there is monsieur Labrume threatening to get in the way of the camera work. Nil novi sub sole with our medias, particularly over the last couple of years during l’exubérance. The camera missed this suicidal fascist Frenchman wondering on that prominent historical promenade that honors our pioneers. The reason: fog!  La Palabre went on for over three years in the most asian city in North America. But monsieur Labrume missed again.

But don’t worry they will tell us where there is no fog during the Games and where to stay away from. Like they did for who held the flambeau and who it got passed to. The same people with the same mindset indeed got more money and hired more consanguins of Labrume’s pensée unique. Over and over across the Land, certainty, passer le flambeau. If you were ever crazy enough to speak up, first sign up and then show up at the proper free speech location. Cherchez l’outrage.

Simple images: crooked tongues, langues fourchues and the last “treaty” of the Official languages Act. A 40 year anniversary: a huge yawn! Political willpower: are you kidding me? Labrume did not notice again.

Nothing simple though. Some «unprofessional» media then distort things, does not check the  sources, speaks out of order, write in weird formats on the wrong platform with the wrong language, mélange les genres, does not operate under the code of ethics and hinders the “freedom of the press”. Certainly different with all its imperfections. But people are lost and don’t understand: the Canucks game is on and so much easier to cover.

The mainstream media reporter gets assigned to run with le flambeau. Nobody questions what’s going on. The Grand Témoin is sipping le bon vin and does not notice, the Olympics protocol is holding just fine. Someone wonders if used cars salesmen should run too. Cherchez l’outrage.

Meanwhile the native turtles of a nearby lake are threatened by “development” trying to dredge things up, the funding has been gathered as the lake is dying. Radar technology will be used to locate and harmlessly move these turtles getting into hibernation. The outnumbered frogs are scratching their heads, the ducks are flipping over and the camera misses again due to monsieur Labrume. The beavers are wondering about the coal mine workers, the canary, and whose turn is it to go under next. It’s “éclatée”, we are told. Like mon derrière.

And after the photo-op, there is this forum to discuss “l’avenir” only one month away from D day. Just come and play with us, we will then tell you the rules and who are the panelists. Nice wines and “amuse-gueules” will be served during the mascarade part. Simple images. Monsieur Labrume will be the only one to cover once again. The wrapping: la langue de bois extrême on the web now! Just don’t look for anything other than lightweight material, it’s “ludique”. Cherchez l’outrage.

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No need to worry, this will soon all be over! Images simples. Les fleurs reviendront. Les caméras retourneront d’où elles sont venues avec ceux venus nous montrer comment assumer sa francophonie. Le brouillard disparaîtra, le délire prendra fin. Il y aura alors un passé, un présent et un avenir dont on pourra se parler sans ces caméras: le flambeau de la francophonie! Oui, restons ludiques, passons la poque, gardons nos bâtons sur la glace, et patinons allègrement, même si ça joue dur. Bonnes Olympiques, malgré tout!