Being a Ticat fan in Montreal is great!

Yes it is. I have lived in Quebec for almost nineteen years now. For most of that time, I have taught English as a Second Language to adults. Here are some findings:

  1. You can live and die on Montreal Island and effectively live without knowing a word of French. No witch burnings, no spies who look like Marcel Marceau following you with a loaded baguette...just stating the facts. Fortunately I thrive in franglais. LOL

  2. There are biingual signs in Quebec. The lettering for French content on commercial signs must be larger than the English content, but most can muddle through. Quebecois French borrows extensively from English and much of the vocabulary for goods and services are similar -- gaz is gas, frites are fries, etc. French is the language of business, but to operate globally companies must have a strong English presence. It is what it is.

  3. I have lived here for the greater part of two decades as an English teacher and I can count on one hand the times someone has made me feel uncomfortable for being English-speaking-- and those were the usual alcohol-fuelled knuckle-dragging of young men that one can find all around the world. No biggie.

  4. Quebec as a nation? Well, nationalism is that sticky, gooey thing that is like tacking jello to a wall and seeing what sticks. What sticks in the historical memory of francophones in Quebec is the legacy of conquest as it does with many First Nations across Canada. EVERY settler state on Earth has its history of accomodation, assimilation, genocide, and brutaility, each history being its own unique cocktail. In my experience, I've found it is difficult to lecture folks on what they should identify themselves with, so I try to understand and vive le difference.

I'm 3/4 Scottish and I get misty-eyed when I watch Braveheart. LOL Caca occurs. Nevertheless, I tend to be the guy with the "My Planet Includes Humans" t-shirt and then I work from there. LOL

  1. My fiancee is tres quebecoise, n'est pas? Again, people in Montreal living their own lives find and lose love, lose money, buy drinks, cavort along Crescent Street and Rue St-Denis, and experience life without all the nationalist, wedge-driving nonsense of politicos on both sides of the linguistic divide. Gilles Duceppe's early retirement is but one manifiestation of this current fact...people on the ground are simply not interested in the old politics. Quebec as an economic player on the world stage in many sectors IS where the debates are.

So does an extra sticker on a helmet only really become an issue on ticats.ca when there is relatively little to rip about when the Ticats are actually playing well and winning?

I encourage all CFL fans to come visit Montreal and Quebec and enjoy this part of the world.

One way or another, my team will have deal with the club from La Belle Province to get over the hump and hoist le Coupe Grey in Vancouver this November. Friday night was a sweet start to that mission!

Oski Wee Wee,

Russ
Montreal, QC

:)

If a poll were conducted, I would surmise to say that Hamilton is the #2 club for most CFL fans here in Quebec. Needless to say, I can wear my Ticat merchandise a little prouder after last Friday’s game since it was what cats are supposed to do with birds, non? LOL

Oski Wee Wee,

Russ

You can even wear it with a Kilt with your TC tshirt in Montreal and no one will bat an eye and the chicks will give you a thumbs up.

Russ, I would like to give you the Wiserhood slow clap. That was beautifully and eloquently said.

I have been to Montreal -- I went last year for the game in July -- and while I saw a few knuckleheads, the fans at the stadium were fine. I was chided, but no worse than what I do at games when an opposing team fan sits near me. It was all in good fun.

The city was great, and I plan to go back again. Montreal is one of the true gems in our country. If anyone is given an opportunity to experience it, take it.

And take in a game at Molson Stadium. My God, what a beautiful place to watch a game.

One way I think you and I can certainly relate Russ is that we each live in CFL cities but not the team we cheer mostly for. It creates a very unique situation as a fan of the game. I have lived in Vancouver for 8 years now and although I have grown to love the Lions they will never make it above my #2 team.

One clear advantage you have over me is the Ticats normally go to Montreal twice per year. I only get to see them once in the regular season no matter what. My girlfriend bought us GC tickets so hopefully the Ticats will be here and win it where they won the last one in 99.

Great post and thoughts! Thanks for sharing.

I lived in Toronto for six years, and I still work there, so I have been in the same situation that you guys are. I had to live there when the Cats sucked and when Toronto won their last Grey Cup. Talk about having no ammo in your gun when shots were fired at you. What can you say when your team finishes 3-15 every year and your most hated rival is a Grey Cup contender? Oh it sucked.

I rarely respond to posts on this site any more, not due to lack of interest but because of illness but Russ,

your posts are definitely worth a comment or two.

I truly enjoy your insight, wit and ability to break down a situation and whether I respond or not, please

know that I read all of your posts.

May your comments and analysis continue for years to come.

Super read Russ. :thup: My ex wife, French Canadian from Gaspesie, is a super person (didn't work out, she was attracted to the "other" team) brought me in contact with many super Quebecers, mainly first language French speaking but always accepted me as someone who didn' t know much French. A lovely province, fickle people politically as a group it seems, but so what.

Toronto must be so jealous of Molson Percival Stadium, what a location to die for.

And wasn't aware that bilingual signs are allowed, I stand corrected from what I mentioned in another thread.

I have been to Montreal on a few occasions not to go see any games mind you ( i had to go to the U.S. Consulate there for my visa into the USA ) .

Just before my first visit there people ( like in true Hamilton form ..not everyone is like this but most are) kept telling me how i would have a hard time communicating there if i don't speak french and how rude people will be to me and how i would not understand anything ..

Well they were all wrong about everything .. not only were people friendly you can tell when someone doesn't know your language right away but that didn't matter people were generally cordial and i had no trouble finding what i needed and had a fun time when i decided to go out that evening after my business was done

The only complaint i have is the way they drive there it seems that pedestrians do not have the right of way in that city and when the light changes at an intersection they will run yer arse over if you do not wait for them to go first ( you should never have to run out of the way at a crosswalk in an intersection ..on more than 1 occasion)

Now small towns in Quebec may be different but as far as Montreal goes its a very nice city with some good views if you climb the hill :wink: ( like the escarpment in Hamilton those hills are not mountains no matter what people call em )

Now is it me at the times i went there was there at 3 separate occasions and all 3 times there was some kind of marching protest ( i don't read or speak french so i didn't understand the signs ) but the way the locals acted when i seen it they seemed to not even be phased by it like its just another day .. i was like wow everytime i am in Montreal people banging drums and leading a parade of sign holding protesters with a police escort

I've only had the misfortune of driving through Montreal on my way to the east coast. It seems I have missed a great city. (You can't really experience a city by driving through it on the freeway). My only real experience of la Belle Province is eating a a Ronald's in Levis and buying gas at several different gas stations. Everyone seemed friendly and very understanding of my ignorance of their native language. I'm not sure, if the roles were reversed, how uni-lingual French speakers would be treated in Hamilton. While extremely proud of my home town, unfortunately there are a high percentage of knuckle-draggers in our midst.

Obviously I am poorer for not having properly experienced Montreal. I hope to rectify that failing and a visit is now on Mike's official bucket list.

As a native Montrealer and of course Als supporter, all your posts have been a pleasure to read.
Congrats on the TiCats win and look forward to seeing some of the TiCats jerseys in the stands at McGill.

Driving in Montreal can be dangerous no question and not just because of the drivers! :o

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