Land of the Maple Leaf ~ Canadian Club Page 10

Started by Cosmotone8 October 6th, 2012 10:15 AM
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Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
I always enjoy the snow to look at, more than anything. And I don't know if it's just me, but 0° here felt as cold as it did at -20 in Calgary, but I think that has something to do with living closer to the ocean. Obviously -40 is much colder still, but it's still something I'd like to experience one of these days.

And looking through the past number of posts here, it proves the old adage true that Canadians really do enjoy talking about the weather!
Yup.

As much as I always make fun of Southern Ontarians for being wusses when it comes to winter, when we actually get winter, it's so much worse than the prairie provinces. -20~30 in SK has absolutely nothing on even -10~15 in some parts of Ontario. Our proximity to the Lakes means that when it gets cold, we get a wet cold that sticks to you and seriously chills you to the bone. On the other hand, in SK (and AB? Been too long since I've been there for winter) I always remembered it didn't matter whether it was -20 or -30... it always felt the same because it was so dry. I mean, yeah, once you hit the occasional -40 or lower and cars just won't physically start, it's pretty awful, but walking around in that cold isn't bad at all.

Pretty much all of my extended family lives in SK and when one family came to visit once, they almost refused to leave their hotel room during a mild day because the cold was so different and they couldn't stand it. :P


paired with professor plum.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
It was kinda mild out last week when I was shovelling the drive way last. So, I didn't bother putting on gloves. Got a blister from it now XD Should have worn them anyway

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
I had to shovel my mom's driveway while I was there last week. :( It was horrible. I'm so, so glad I live in a townhouse complex where they do all that & salt for me... even if sometimes they do it at 2am (???) and keep me awake.


paired with professor plum.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
I had to shovel my mom's driveway while I was there last week. :( It was horrible. I'm so, so glad I live in a townhouse complex where they do all that & salt for me... even if sometimes they do it at 2am (???) and keep me awake.
My neighbour shovels at that hour. Even if it is in the middle of a snow storm. Like... dude, it isn't going to make a difference by the morning

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
Actually, it's a looot easier to shovel snow several times instead of all at once when it's finished snowing. :( Snow is heavy! I'd much rather shovel a few inches two or three times than a foot all at once much later.


paired with professor plum.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
Actually, it's a looot easier to shovel snow several times instead of all at once when it's finished snowing. :( Snow is heavy! I'd much rather shovel a few inches two or three times than a foot all at once much later.
It was still a foot by the morning. Plus he's old. If he has a heart attack shovelling at 2AM no one is going to notice

That last one I should have shovelled early though yeah. It got icy/slushy/heavy unlike the big snow before that which was lite and fluffy and easy to move around.

Cosmotone8

silhouette of the past

Male
Boston, MA, USA, Earth, Sun Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe
Seen July 22nd, 2016
Posted March 20th, 2013
1,758 posts
11.4 Years
It was kinda mild out last week when I was shovelling the drive way last. So, I didn't bother putting on gloves. Got a blister from it now XD Should have worn them anyway
I had the same problem. :( I get blisters really easily anyway, so it really wasn't smart of me to do that, but whatever.
And I'd rather shovel it all at once, imo its easier to just get all out of the way at the same time.
I'm a silhouette, asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a silhouette, chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home.

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
I'm not very strong so if I don't do it in parts, I sometimes can't do it at all. u_u


paired with professor plum.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
I had the same problem. :( I get blisters really easily anyway, so it really wasn't smart of me to do that, but whatever.
And I'd rather shovel it all at once, imo its easier to just get all out of the way at the same time.
I've shovelled during our last big storm when the snow let up a bit, but was still snowing. A tonne had fallen and I did want to make it easier later.

But, it was day time when I did that. Not night, or 2AM, and not at the start of the snow when there was only like a cm on the ground XD My way makes more sense than my neighbour's.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
The snow is finally getting around to melting here. Only problem is that it's as icy as hell now.
It rained here today and is set to the next couple of days. Mild out. The crystalized snow left in my backayrd shrunk in half today thanks to the rain.

Alakazam17

Long time no see!

Female
Canada
Seen October 27th, 2020
Posted October 24th, 2020
5,639 posts
17.7 Years
Oh, how did I miss this club when I last went through the list?! In any case, I'm joining now!

Username: Alakazam17
Relation to Canada: Born and raised in Ontario; has yet to live anywhere else.
Favourite Province: Newfoundland
Reason for Joining (optional): I am a proud Canadian and would like to chat with other Pokémon-Canadians. :D

And one question, as highlighted above: if this is the Canadian Club, why is the default intro form given in American English? lmao

Cosmotone8

silhouette of the past

Male
Boston, MA, USA, Earth, Sun Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe
Seen July 22nd, 2016
Posted March 20th, 2013
1,758 posts
11.4 Years
Oh, how did I miss this club when I last went through the list?! In any case, I'm joining now!

Username: Alakazam17
Relation to Canada: Born and raised in Ontario; has yet to live anywhere else.
Favourite Province: Newfoundland
Reason for Joining (optional): I am a proud Canadian and would like to chat with other Pokémon-Canadians. :D

And one question, as highlighted above: if this is the Canadian Club, why is the default intro form given in American English? lmao
Give me a break, I've been in America for 8 years now. XD rofl
Anyways, welcome to the club!
I'm a silhouette, asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a silhouette, chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home.

Alakazam17

Long time no see!

Female
Canada
Seen October 27th, 2020
Posted October 24th, 2020
5,639 posts
17.7 Years
I guess that I'm kind of a grammar nerd when it comes to Canadian English, hehe. I remember having to quote Wiktionary to an American friend just to prove that we spell 'yogourt' as such up here, which is something that is even different from British English! =3

On the topic of snow, we just another another coldfront and three centimetres of snow today in Ottawa. It's nothing compared to what we've had, it's just that we weren't expected any more snow. But it'll be melting away soon enough!

Captain Gizmo

Monkey King

Age 29
Male
Canada
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted 2 Weeks Ago
4,842 posts
10.6 Years
How long as been going at it, TF?

Yesterday it started to snow a bit and I was really depressed since it wasn't snowing for a couple of days and the snow was melting away. I went to downtown and when I finally came out of the mall, it stopped snowing and all the snow that was there, melted away. So I was pretty happy :P
♥Plusle bro of Synerjee♥ | ♥Pink Mommy♥
|3DS FC|

Cosmotone8

silhouette of the past

Male
Boston, MA, USA, Earth, Sun Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe
Seen July 22nd, 2016
Posted March 20th, 2013
1,758 posts
11.4 Years
Ok so it's still snowing here. 2 feet later.

Oh and this thread may be relevant to this thread: http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=298287 (If you haven't already checked it out)
That's absolutely ridiculous. I mean, forcing people to learn another language just to use basic public services? Quebec is already the reason that the rest of Canada has to learn French (no offense to those in Quebec), and that's already bad enough, but this is absurd.
I'm a silhouette, asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a silhouette, chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home.

Alakazam17

Long time no see!

Female
Canada
Seen October 27th, 2020
Posted October 24th, 2020
5,639 posts
17.7 Years
We don't really have to learn French, or English for that matter, though it's fun so you should try it anyway. But it seems like Francophones are more pressured into learning English. If anything that's why some want to pressure us into learning French. =/

Cosmotone8

silhouette of the past

Male
Boston, MA, USA, Earth, Sun Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe
Seen July 22nd, 2016
Posted March 20th, 2013
1,758 posts
11.4 Years
It is, although it's not too bad to have a second language anyway. You never know when you'd have to use it.
That's true. Although what's going on right now is taking it too far.
I'm a silhouette, asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a silhouette, chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home.

Captain Gizmo

Monkey King

Age 29
Male
Canada
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted 2 Weeks Ago
4,842 posts
10.6 Years
You know what's worst? Is that the people that works in public transportation here can't even speak English properly for themselves. I'm not talking about everyone ofc. But you think that if you wanna work in the public transportation you should know at least English and french since it's the dominant language here, or you have to force everyone who have to take the public transportation to learn french just to buy tickets and ask for directions?
♥Plusle bro of Synerjee♥ | ♥Pink Mommy♥
|3DS FC|

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
Quebec is already the reason that the rest of Canada has to learn French (no offense to those in Quebec), and that's already bad enough, but this is absurd.
More like pretend to learn. We pay Quebec lip service.

Until Grade 9, my French education consisted of playing Bingo and learning about Bonhomme. I was vastly unprepared for Grade 9 French lol

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
Well, if you're living in an area where the primary language is French, I think it's fair to expect that your typical public worker would only know French. I'm sure there's a number you can call to get instructions for that kind of thing in English. It's not like in any other cities in Canada, any old worker will know how to answer anything in French. I mean, I think it's weird that the Premier would go on the record saying something like that instead of being all veiled and politically correct and politician-y but I don't necessarily disagree with what he's saying... but seriously, if you don't know the native language of an area, it's kind of your own fault (in my opinion) and no one should expect to be catered to. Until all of English-speaking Canada offers that kind of bilingual support, Quebec shouldn't be expected to offer it in reverse. Either everywhere does it, we don't make a big deal when Quebec doesn't do it, or we stop claiming to be a bilingual country.

I wish Canada were better at teaching the opposite language, though. I see people posting on PC from countries where English isn't their first language and even by 13 they're able to communicate quite well on English-language forums and whatnot. Most people finish the entirety of their mandatory French classes without even a basic grasp on how to speak French, at least here in Ontario, despite having to learn it from... what is it, grade 1 through 9? (I wasn't here until grade 7 so I don't know when it starts here... it doesn't even start in NS until grade 4.) :( I feel like the only reason we get by is because French and English are already somewhat close in etymology so it's easy to guess at meanings. If we had better classes and more immersion available, Canada would be closer to a legitimately bilingual country but as it is now, it's a pretty sad claim.


paired with professor plum.

Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 3 Days Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.4 Years
I wish Canada were better at teaching the opposite language, though. I see people posting on PC from countries where English isn't their first language and even by 13 they're able to communicate quite well on English-language forums and whatnot. Most people finish the entirety of their mandatory French classes without even a basic grasp on how to speak French, at least here in Ontario, despite having to learn it from... what is it, grade 1 through 9? (I wasn't here until grade 7 so I don't know when it starts here... it doesn't even start in NS until grade 4.) :( I feel like the only reason we get by is because French and English are already somewhat close in etymology so it's easy to guess at meanings. If we had better classes and more immersion available, Canada would be closer to a legitimately bilingual country but as it is now, it's a pretty sad claim.
I'd have to agree with this. I know that out here in BC, people could care less about French (only 50,000 out of the 4.5 million that live here speak it fluently), so I'd say either teach it right through until graduation, or drop the Official Bilingualism nationally, and have it regulated on a provincial level. I'd prefer if we went with the first choice, though, since having taken French through grade 12, I'd at least be able to order a bus ticket in French if I had to.

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 6 Days Ago
33,049 posts
20.4 Years
I'd have to agree with this. I know that out here in BC, people could care less about French (only 50,000 out of the 4.5 million that live here speak it fluently), so I'd say either teach it right through until graduation, or drop the Official Bilingualism nationally, and have it regulated on a provincial level. I'd prefer if we went with the first choice, though, since having taken French through grade 12, I'd at least be able to order a bus ticket in French if I had to.
They don't even have to teach through to grade 12--they can just actually TEACH French. The fact that we don't really learn any grammar or real sentences until high school in many provinces means the curriculum is just useless. I understand it's way too hard to offer immersion in every school but they could at least teach useful language constructs from the very beginning so kids actually have some way to USE the French they learn instead of just learning holiday vocabulary and doing simple crossword puzzles. <_<


paired with professor plum.

Alakazam17

Long time no see!

Female
Canada
Seen October 27th, 2020
Posted October 24th, 2020
5,639 posts
17.7 Years
I agree with you Lightning, 100%.

Part of why I didn't want to learn French until I was in my twenties is because I felt like they were just trying to force it on us too much. And even then, they sucked at it. We were told to read these short stories allowed, and they gave us tests on spelling and verb conjugation(with words they had forgotten to translate for us...). Though best of all, French teachers at my elementary school were often required to teach us geography and history as well, just in English while using only French maps. xDDD

And in my case I was living only fifteen minutes from the Québec border. I can imagine it being worse further west.

TRIFORCE89

Guide of Darkness

Age 33
Male
Temple of Light
Seen November 25th, 2017
Posted October 21st, 2016
8,122 posts
19 Years
They don't even have to teach through to grade 12--they can just actually TEACH French. The fact that we don't really learn any grammar or real sentences until high school in many provinces means the curriculum is just useless. I understand it's way too hard to offer immersion in every school but they could at least teach useful language constructs from the very beginning so kids actually have some way to USE the French they learn instead of just learning holiday vocabulary and doing simple crossword puzzles. <_<
Yup, that sounds about right. They should do a better job, or just get rid of it.

I just don't see why we need to be bilingual. I understand our history with the colonies and language rights through the constitution, but it just seems too concentrated to one area for the rest of the country to pretend we're bilingual. It'd be like if we all had to pretend-lean Inuktitut as well because of the Northwest Territories.

I think it should be a demographic and demand thing. Like, I live in an area with a large Italian population, so in addition to French my elementary school also offered (not required) Italian. Now, ignoring that that really wasn't a good experience either XD Again, just colouring, crosswords puzzles, and bingo. In the later grades, we got some new teachers and since everyone but me was already fluent and would speak Italian to their parents and grandparents at home, they really upped the difficulty. Tested on language constructs like you were saying... but, I wasn't taught them lol It was just assumed we were all fluent due the area and it being an optional course, so while lessons were still time-killing crossword puzzles, tests were difficult and focused on the language they assumed I spoke fluently at home. :(

Anyway, getting side-tracked. I don't think we're really bilingual. Even with politics, we throw in a one sentence in French into a primarily English speech. It's just lip-service. I sort of view New Orleans as being like America's Québec. But, French isn't their second official language. Actually, Spanish would make more sense as their second language if America had to adopt one given demographics and demand (like I said above), and several places are starting to adopt that unofficially. So, I don't think that sort of thing should really be forced by legislation. That's not how culture should be formed. It should be natural and more self-realizing.

I don't have a problem with people learning other languages. It's a good thing to have. My dad majored in languages (I don't know why I didn't ask him for help in the French and Italian classes XD). I would have loved to haved learned one properly. But, our public schools do a really crappy job and there isn't much of a purpose to it being mandatory.

With all of that said tough, still not a reason to ban non-French speaking people from using public services in Québec. When it comes to front-line public service, I expect them to be able to communicate in both official languages. And if not, they should make every effort to accommodate them because they're the public service and we're the public. If someone from Québec was turned down in Alberta, I think it would be just as bad. And even then, what about tourists? People go to parts of Europe, for example, all the time from all over the world and don't speak the language. They get by because of helpful people offering the services, though I'm sure they're secretly annoyed. But still. I don't see how that concept shouldn't apply to Québec. Not to mention if you're an English-speaking citizen in Québec. You pay taxes that go toward public transit for example, but you wouldn't be able to use it. Makes no sense.