December 23, 2005 Archives
https://radio-canada.ca/radio/sansfrontieres/67843.shtml
An interesting documentary about a place in Canada where the Chinese vote counts.
Related: I still can't get over the fact that two Asians are challenging leaders of the political parties running in Montreal. Interpret it like you want, but I think the controversy (interviews of concerned parties in French) is just plain embarassing for the candidate and the BQ (and the community, yo). Not that she had a hint of a chance against Paul Martin.
My take on the ethnic vote is that the sovereigntist learn from their (Jacques Parizeau's) 1995 mistake, and that their strategy is working (from 5% support of cultural communities in 1997-98, to 25-35% among younger people). And that immigrants seek stability in what seemed to be a stable country to have emigrated to. Separation, what the sovereigntists ultimately seek, is a direct contradiction with that stability. My father says, he emigrated to "Canada". I think I like Quebec, everything that's French, but breaking it up from the rest of Canada is not worth it. It's not as if someone in the relationship is being exploited so bad that you need to call for a divorce. So I disagree, and if Canada breaks up, and it could well happen in the next 5-10 years (with the expected election of the PQ in the next provincial election probably in 2007), I wouldn't know what to do, where to go - b/c I am no more attached to Quebec, Montreal, than I am from The Rest of Canada. It's not as if I'd be happier living in Toronto or Vancouver, if one day it wasn't in the same country as Montreal. So going back to China, like HK, melt back into the country my grandparents left for a better life? (Was it actually that hard for them to leave China than it would be for me to try and reintegrate it? So much hypothetical beyond-my-own-life talk/think...)
Before Wee left for Toronto for the holidays (where he will probably be eating Chinese food for the next ten days), we went to eat at "Le Paris", a more traditional French restaurant in an area where French food is the last thing you expect. Located in the quarter adjacent to Concordia University, Le Paris has been a favourite in my family for many years, with its hearty meals and walls decorated with posters of museum exhibits and Paris plays that probably haven't changed since the restaurant opened. If it weren't for the oysters, it would've cost below 30$, for a meal that fills and entertains the palate. So, Le Paris, on Ste-Cath just west of St-Mathieu. Probably one of the best French restaurants I know (of the few I do - and I'm not a very difficult person) - and the other's the pricier Au Petit Extra, on Ontario, somewhat walkable from Papineau metro.
(Details on the food: A lettuce potage in entree (with the temperature, one doesn't order salad). Bavette steak for me in a red wine sauce, and zucchini 'n tomatoes and some extremely buttery mashed potatoes on the side. A pear in "red wine" for dessert. Quality French bread that just keeps refiling itself. :D)
I forgot to mention to the world that I went to see the Habs game on Tuesday. Bought tickets well in advance, b/c we know they're sold out for the rest of the year, gave my ticket away for my cousin returning from Vietnam for the holidays, and eventually got it back b/c my brother's friend couldn't come (and I wonder what so important could make you miss the unmissable Ottawa vs Montreal classic). It was a special game, with the return of Alex Kovalev, who took a 6-week break to recover from an operation, a period of 13 games during which the Habs only won 4, but when he was there at the start of the season, the Habs only lost 3 times in regulation time in 19 games (while standing at the top of the Eastern Conference for like a month)!
The Habs were trailing 3-0 by the middle of the second period (one goal scored by Spezza during the second minute of play b/c the Canadiens player passed from behind his net *on the tape* of the other team's player's stick). Few people mentionned it, but Spezza was out of the game right after the first intermission (and hasn't played yesterday versus the Flyers). And Kovalev stepped up, banked in a 700th assist, got a standing ovation for over a minute, before making another marvelous pass for the second goal, and then scoring the tying goal. The goalie (a French citizen - who could've told a Frenchman would goal for the Habs?) saved the day in third period (with the help of his goal posts) and eventually, the Habs were to win 4-3 in shootout, with the finishing touch by Kovalev, after Dagenais scored and the two Senators, Heatley and Alfredsson were unable to respond. For every un-exciting Canadiens vs a team of the Southeast division, there is a Game 3 of Habs-Bruins series, a Saturday Night versus the Toronto Maple Leafs and a celebration for comeback kid against the single best team in the league.
What a non-category to open... I just thought that I would want to have, not a dark gray detective hat with a long trenchcoat, but rather, a beige hat with a blue stripe to go with a beige or light-coloured suit, and a simple white sleeve shirt. It would look good on a sunny end-of-afternoon Sunday in Miami, or maybe just with Amai Seikatsu playing in the background?