Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Canadian embassy in Washington apologizes for controversial Canada Day invite


"Surely someone else likes poutine? While not exactly good for you it really is soul food. jcm"

July 2, 2008

Peter Rakobowchuk, THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL - The Canadian embassy in Washington is apologizing after it sent out a Canada Day invitation which showed Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Quebec City, holding a plate of poutine.

Jean-Paul Perreault, the president of Imperatif francais, a group that defends and promotes the French language, called the embassy's behaviour "contemptuous and unacceptable."

"It's ridiculous, it's a.....lack of respect towards the Canadian identity which proudly includes French-speaking communities," he said in an interview Wednesday.

Poutine is a popular Quebec dish that consists of french fries topped with fresh cheese curds and covered with brown gravy.

"If it was a joke, it was a joke in bad taste which we can't allow as part of the activities of a (Canadian) embassy," he added.

Perreault said several citizens also complained to Imperatif francais about the invitation.

The Canada Day invitation was placed on the embassy's website and about 2,000 people showed up for the July 1 party in the U.S. capital.

Perreault pointed out that this year marks the 400th anniversary of the July 3 founding of Quebec City by Champlain.

The event will be celebrated Thursday with various events in the provincial capital.

Tristan Landry, a spokesman for the Canadian embassy, says the online invite was eventually changed and the plate of poutine was removed from Champlain's right hand.

"It was obviously not intended to offend anybody and we apologize if it offended anyone," he told The Canadian Press.

Landry also said changes would be made internally to the process when invitations are sent out.

Perreault wants Prime Minister Stephen Harper to offer "sincere" apologies nationally and internationally because the invitation appeared on the Internet.

"The way the Canadian government, through its embassy, treats the francophone aspect of Canadian identity has been seen internationally," he said.

Perreault also said Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson and the ambassador in Washington should resign.

"There should also be disciplinary measures towards the employees who created an unacceptable and ridiculous situation on the website," he added.

Landry would not comment when asked if any disciplinary measures are being considered.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

As an English Canadian I am mildly offended on two counts. While it may be OK to trivialize the achievements of the French if you are a stand up comedian, it is in-appropriate to do so if you represent a head of a business or of a government. The offense was obvious at the time so there is no excuse of not recognizing what they were doing. The second way I am offended is in the lousy production values of the "joke" that makes it look like we employ junior-high students in our most important embassy.

That being said Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., should not be required to resign on this alone though I think it is time to think of his replacement for next January 15 when he had better go.

Sadly this once again makes the Conservatives look like they can't handle the job. For the second time in a month Harper basking in the politics of symbolism has somebody close to him put the image of indifference and insensitivity on the podium.

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