Love et leadership à Montréal

(Mary Pickford: Canada's sweetheart)

Bilingual stop signs used to get painted over in Montreal, so I was pleasantly surprised today to read the following on an anti-bullying poster in the city's Alexis Nihon Plaza:

"Avec ses programmes d'arts médiatiques et de leadership, LOVE: Vivre sans violence donne à nos jeunes..." (Emphasis mine)

I wonder how such tacit recognition of the vitality of Quebec French would go over with zealous linguistic and cultural purists. And, assuming that the dominant English-language influence on Quebec French is likelier these days to be American than British, what does it say about American and Quebecois culture that love and leadership are two of the words that have crossed the linguistic boundary?

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Montreal's McCord Museum of Canadian History offers a special exhibition on Toronto-born Mary Pickford and her role in creating the modern idea of celebrity. Pickford was a pioneer in her field, an Oscar winner, and an entrepreneur (she co-founded United Artists). She was like Madonna, but with talent. And just think: She came from la terre de mes aïeux!

© Peter Rozovsky 2012