Seniors tour takes backseat to 'redneck wonderland'

The latter has sparked heated debate, but has unfortunately created a redneck wonderland of an opportunity for xenophobes to feel they can air their nonsense in a legitimate setting. On the other hand, the seniors tour, which concluded last week, has had to deal with real and important things affecting people's daily lives; and that many services are already lacking for seniors as our population gets older and older, with baby boomers creeping up to retirement age. While language was brought up at both hearings, the seniors' consultation, with a stop in Dorval last Friday, focused on concerns about access to services in English for seniors. In the reasonable accommodation hearings, there was much hoopla over how current Habs captain Saku Koivu didn't use French in an early-season public announcement before a home game, with noted flip-flopper Guy Bertrand arguing it was an example of how Quebec makes unacceptable linguistic accommodations that threaten the future of French in the province.

Although the seniors tour didn't grab headlines, one hopes the province will listen to the concerns brought to them and deals with them with due diligence. As for the reasonable accommodation hearings, which wrap up in Montreal next week, the province has heard an earful already, from the absurd to thoughtful comments. Some argue the hearings have become a circus of intolerance and have ruined Quebec's reputation. Others argue it is important that prejudices be dealt with openly. However, it is doubtful anything useful will ever come from these hearings. Quebec already has strident language laws protecting French and the Charter of Rights guarantees freedom of religion and free speech. Any bill that undermines these basic Charter rights will be shot down in the courts. All that will come from these hearings will be a political sideshow and posturing.