Bonne St. Jean!

I had a blast this St. Jean Baptiste day.  I have not normally celebrated the holiday, but this year I hit up quite a few events - from the 10th annual bonfire at Westmount park to bar-hopping on St. Denis St. to the much-talked about "L'Autre St. Jean" fest in Rosemont.  Some kind-hearted people even complimented my French!  :)  Here's my report:

Rock and Roll Uproar Chez Nous

It seems that Québec politics and the St. Jean Baptiste holiday are indivisible. This year, language politics collided with rock and roll in Rosemont.  Over at Parc le Pélican, controversy brewed for over a week regarding the inclusion of two English acts in the concert, “L’Autre St. Jean”. 

Organizers removed the English artists from the lineup citing security concerns due to possible protests.  But when the decision generated negative publicity, they were forced to backtrack.

Bloodshot Bill, one of the English acts in question, had this to say in an exclusive interview :  “I got so much positive feedback.  I'd say 99% of letters were from Francophones, yes even from separatists, saying that they were embarrassed by this.  This festival was set up to be different, L'AUTRE St. Jean.   I’m hoping everyone is there to have a good time and there are no bullies.”

In the end, both Anglophone acts performed without incident, although language divisions were raised when local officials addressed the crowd.  The mayor of Rosemont, André Lavaleé, praised the concert’s diversity and said that the holiday should be open to all.  However local MP Bernard Bigras of the separatist Bloc Québécois, took a different stance:  “This holiday is for French Quebecers,” he said.  “One day, we will have our own country!”  Addressing the controversy about the English acts head-on, he said, “When Québec is an independent country, language concerns will cease to exist.”  receiving loud and extended applause.

Audience opinion varied.  Guillaume, enjoying a picnic dinner, said, “It doesn’t bother me at all.  It’s not a Francophone festival, it’s a festival for all of us,”  adding, “We all like alcohol, so it’s fine!”  Michel (a young man wearing a flamboyant fleur-de-lis hat) agreed:  “There are people coming here from all over, and many of them speak English, so it’s important that we make them feel welcome.”

However not all concert-goers agreed.  “It’s an insult to Québec, an affront to our national identity,” said members of the Réseau de Résistance du Québécois (RRQ), who were there to protest the event.  Handing out anti-Canada Day literature, the group members chanted loudly, “Vive le Québec libre!”

Geneviève, a young woman attending with friends, was also unhappy about the English artists.  “This is a festival for Francophones and the French language.  If there is one day all year when we only listen to French music, it should be today.”

At a nearby pub, two young women shared their views on the controversy:  “To me, it’s raciste” said Marie-Audreé.  Seconded her friend Sarah, “The beauty of Québec right now is that we’re all mixed.  Don’t look down on people because they’re English.”

The St. Jean holiday has long been a polarizing event amongst Quebecers, as its nationalist overtones have led to controversy and violence in past years.  Riots have broken out, most famously in 1968, when Pierre Trudeau was pelted with rocks and debris during the annual parade.  However, in recent years many have begun to feel that the holiday is less politicized, and has moved from being an exclusively Francophone celebration to one that includes all Quebecers.  

But, if this concert is any indication, it would seem that amidst the beer and bonfires, old political divisions remain alive and well in la belle province.