It's no wonder there's still animosity between some French and English (but not with me) when we see this kind of foolishness going on... what a waste of taxpayer's money using our court's time over some silly parking tickets when this gentlemen clearly understands English in the first place... last year I got hauled over by the Surete du Quebec about 100 miles north of Quebec City and I still don't know what the officer said to me as he couldn't speak a word of English... I thought I might have had a good defence there but I finally figured it out all on my own and paid the fine and there's a record of that... maybe we could give some French language training to our ticket commissioners to help explain what the tickets are for as it would be cheaper than the upheaval and costs that this case could have on our court system... but it would sure be a great way to take jobs away from young Islanders who weren't bilingual.... if you're missing the Homeland then suck it up and pay the fine with some of those "French francs" or maybe it's Euros now.....Man argues for French in parking ticket fight
Friday, December 4, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
CBC News
A French-speaking Charlottetown man trying to fight eight parking tickets was in provincial court Thursday arguing for a trial in French.
Charles Duguay, who has lived in P.E.I. for 22 years, said the issue is bigger than unpaid parking tickets.
"I say, 'Why do we have to bring, for example, somebody from New Brunswick to hear cases?'"
New Brunswick is an officially bilingual province. But in P.E.I., only people accused of offences under the Criminal Code are allowed to choose English or French for a trial. The option isn't available for municipal bylaw infractions or summary offences under provincial laws such as the Highway Traffic Act.
The parking case is believed to be the first time provincial court on the Island has been asked to hold a trial in French over a municipal bylaw.
At the beginning of Duguay's court appearance, Judge John Douglas said, "Je ne suis pas bilingue," meaning "I am not bilingual."
Duguay then argued — in French — why he thought he should be tried in his mother tongue.
Lawyers from the city and the province observed the proceedings and said there could be serious implications from the case. If Duguay is successful in his arguments, many more people may request trials in French in P.E.I.
This would likely involve bringing in a judge from out-of-province at P.E.I.'s expense.
The case was put on hold until the new year while a transcript is made of Duguay's arguments. City staff will have the transcript translated before making arguments of their own at the next hearing.
A French-speaking Charlottetown man trying to fight eight parking tickets was in provincial court Thursday arguing for a trial in French.
Charles Duguay, who has lived in P.E.I. for 22 years, said the issue is bigger than unpaid parking tickets.
"I say, 'Why do we have to bring, for example, somebody from New Brunswick to hear cases?'"
New Brunswick is an officially bilingual province. But in P.E.I., only people accused of offences under the Criminal Code are allowed to choose English or French for a trial. The option isn't available for municipal bylaw infractions or summary offences under provincial laws such as the Highway Traffic Act.
The parking case is believed to be the first time provincial court on the Island has been asked to hold a trial in French over a municipal bylaw.
At the beginning of Duguay's court appearance, Judge John Douglas said, "Je ne suis pas bilingue," meaning "I am not bilingual."
Duguay then argued — in French — why he thought he should be tried in his mother tongue.
Lawyers from the city and the province observed the proceedings and said there could be serious implications from the case. If Duguay is successful in his arguments, many more people may request trials in French in P.E.I.
This would likely involve bringing in a judge from out-of-province at P.E.I.'s expense.
The case was put on hold until the new year while a transcript is made of Duguay's arguments. City staff will have the transcript translated before making arguments of their own at the next hearing.
6 comments:
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Charles Duguay is a lawyer himself. The whole thing is ridiculous.....parking tickets are parking tickets no matter what language. He should just suck it up and pay them.
Bring in a french interpreter and find this person guilty. Hopefully the judge recognizes this and administers the maximum fine allowed. All the other french "speaking" persons will soon recognize their non-sense is not worth the defense-less battle.
“A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.”
-Vaughnembed
Must be a Bureaucratic as who else would have the time to waste and if not my guess he has kids who need a job so they want to steal some from the English.
I agree Tim...he should pay the damm thickets and move on.
But yet another typical Government Employee it is all about the money. They make more than the rest of us but they can't seem to be happy. Any wonder why this guy is Government Lawyer he wouldn;t survive in the real world.
Government in Canada is like the Army in the USA. In Canada without Government jobs most of tehse people would either starve or be on welfare. In the USA they have the Army without the Amy there the jails would be even more full.
Makes me wonder though why all Government Employees don;t have to speand at least 10 years in the private sector so they can understand what the REAL world is like.
A flashing "0" on your parking meter and a pink piece of paper on your windshield doesn't need to be translated. If this gentleman is that oblivious, I'd be scared to know I was on the road with him the same time he parked his car.
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