An absurd situation

I really thought I'd heard it all until this afternoon.

Got a call from a woman moving into a home with an alarm I had installed some years ago, and that had been non monitored for a couple of years. We made an appointment for tomorrow morning to hook it up to the CS, and when I arrived home, my wife said the woman had called to cancel the appointment. So curious as to why, I called the lady and found that she had made an appointment with a large company who promised to send out a French speaking salesman. Now since I knew this company and their rates, I pointed out to her that she was going to have to pay $10 a month more for service, get limited warranty and service compared to my offering, and burden herself needlessly with a three year contract.

Her response to me for why she was going with them was..." you're not a Francophone from Quebec"....!!! Talk about "reverse bias". I get by in French, and my son is fluently bilingual, but her reasoning (if you want to call it that) was that I was not Canadian French from Quebec, so she chose not to deal with me....

For the first time in my life I simply had no answer !! But I couldn't help thinking..."Lady, if you're that stupid that you want to go for that kind of deal simply because I don't come from Quebec, then go for it...."

Gawd, proves the old adage...a fool and his money are soon parted.

RHC

Reply to
R.H.Campbell
Loading thread data ...

Being from Massachusetts, I run into the "Yankee" thing here in Tennessee. One man told me that my grandfather probably fought his grandfather in the civil war and that's why he hated Yankees. I told him it was highly unlikely that my grandfather was in his war because my grandparents were Canadian. People will find a reason to hate if they are filled with hate. Be glad you didn't get this customer.

Bob

Reply to
Robertm

This just goes to show you that it is not always about money, Bob.

I've seen this favouritism from both sides all my life. French prefer French, English prefer English, it will never change. That idiot Trudeau did us NO favours at all with his ill-conceived bilingualism policies, it DID NOT work.

Reply to
mikey

Yeah, seems you could be right for sure! Now there is such a bias in the Federal Government, that it almost seems "French language" comes first, and English comes second, even in areas where French isn't even common. Forget about being promoted unless you are fluent in French; they'll promote a less capable candidate if they speak French over a better qualified one who doesn't speak French. That's how our Armed Forces has become filled at the upper ranks with "armchair warriors".....

I'm all for a bilingual government, but that's definately NOT the way it was supposed to work out in practice.....:((

RHC

Reply to
R.H.Campbell

Your reply to him ........:

Hmmm, Well sir you've just given me a lesson in history. It's now quite obvious to me that the reason you guys lost the war is because you grandfather was just as stupid as you are.

Reply to
Jim

I got the same crap last year when I wanted Michelin tires on my truck from a tech. Seems a lot of people are still ok with buying products from a communist country though.... She probably worked for the Canadian Government....

Reply to
Jackcsg

Now you feel like I feel when I go to the west island of montreal and I am received with these words:

I hope that you can understand English cause I wont speak French to you for no reason..and by the way I asked for an English speaking technician!

when I answer in English that I am good in English and understand it very well I always see the small look like if I was a damn crooks pretending to be a technician...

There are crazy people all over the place..

most of the time when I can feel to much animosity I ask the costumer if they want another tech,and that he will come in a few days.. that usually lower the level to a much cooler state and I can go on with my job..

But dealing with people like that is not worth it..too much trouble for a few bucks more...

"R.H.Campbell" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com...

Reply to
petem

I totally agree with you..

"mikey" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com...

Reply to
petem

"R.H.Campbell" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com...

The same apply here.. If you are not bilingual,dont ever think climbing in the company higher level.. A bozo that can speak english will more likely become my boss then a clever and highly qualified administrator speaking only french or english..

Reply to
petem

I'm afraid it is what is called "social engineering". Those in power really think they know better than the common man how to bring about fairness and equality between cultures. They artifically force the issues through laws and mandates like this that push the country more quickly towards the enviable goal of true bilingualism and full equality for both cultures. Unfortunately in what they see as their "God given" right to exercise power, they forget basic fairness and common decency, and in the process create a whole different level of problems far more serious and far reaching.

I long ago lost faith in government to do anything to really assist people. Government has become a monster that simply feeds and grows bigger with little or no control. And frankly, I wouldn't trust a government weather report if I was standing naked in a rainstorm. Now I'm beginning to think some of these characters in power are truly dangerous

RHC

Reply to
R.H.Campbell

and I with you, Petem. I just read your previous post re the asshole anglais with the "attitude". LANGUAGE PREFERENCE is the way. His account would have had the english box checked, d'uh.

I remember reading about how the Belgians handled two languages in one country and thinking how rediculous and wasteful it seemed. Gov't positions had an english guy and a french guy, both essentially doing the same job but one with english, one with french. How brilliant that seems now.

I run in to the same shit too, Petem, when I try to speak french sometimes to french clients. That's a good retort by the way, another tech in a few days hahaha, good one

Reply to
mikey

news:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH it never occured to me that it could happen the other way around too hahahahahahahahaha, thanks, petem ahahahaha, suffer, buddy.

will more likely become my boss then a clever

Reply to
mikey

Power corrupts.

Reply to
mikey

Yes, and as the saying goes....absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's why our Liberal government is what it is today....

RHC

Reply to
R.H.Campbell

I was reading in our company rag that we have two monitoring centers in Canada: One geared to the French speaking population and one to the English. I now understand why. Seems silly to me, but we'd have no market penetration in South Florida without a spanish speaking staff.

Reply to
J. Sloud

I am not sure how to read your last post Mikey..

was that irony or you just catched up something?

"mikey" a écrit dans le message de news: dMCdnX4AmJ8F95 snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com...

Reply to
petem

My intent was totally good natured kidding around. Philosophical. Some things we have very much in common.

Reply to
mikey

Ok was not sure..

Now i happy that we have at least a few things in common...;-)

"mikey" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com...

Reply to
petem

Someone else said it but it bears repeating. Be glad you didn't "win" her as a customer.

Don't feel too bad. A deserter is in charge of our armed forces.

The funny thing on my side of the border is hearing idiots who can barely read or speak English themselves whine about new Americans who haven't yet mastered it.

Reply to
Robert L Bass

I deal with a lot of professional people on both sides of the border with Quebec. In the Quebec offices of our large corporation, most people speak English. The reverse can't be said for our offices in the rest of the country. It seems that the most fluently bi-lingual (English and French) people originate from Quebec. If you want Indian and English, or Chinese and English, there are other parts of the country that will satisfy that need very well, but this diatribe is limited to the French and English connection. I've even spoken to regular working stiffs and taxi cab drivers who are very good in both languages... usually in La Belle Province.

The shock comes when you take an *almost* fluent person in French, and the native Quebecer switches to English to suit the non-native speaker. So from my experience, a person from Quebec would have a better chance of fluent bilingualism (English and French) than a person from Winnipeg. YMMV.

I'm not even going to try to explain rude behaviour. Just walk away and don't stoop to their level.

Reply to
RF Dude

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.