"The friends of Pauline"

"PQ leader donates to Jeunes Patriotes du Québec, the sovereignist goon squad"

http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/features/viewpoints/story.html?id=66c7fd76-2e6e-46fa-944e-83e8770b21c7

The source of the threats remains unclear. But any such threats should have been taken seriously, considering the organizations that put pressure on the concert's producer, the C4 agency, to cancel the performances.

These organizations are the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal and the Association culturelle Louis-Hébert de Rosemont/St-Michel, an offshoot of the SSJB-M and a sponsor of the concert.

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Young men prepare to march in the May 18, 2008 parade organized by the Jeunes Patriotes du Québec.

JOHN KENNEY, THE GAZETTE

Both have close ties to the Montreal-based Jeunes Patriotes du Québec, the radical "street sovereignists" known for creating politically motivated disturbances, usually at federalist gatherings but once even at a meeting of the Parti Québécois ...

TSS: A Bloodshot Stew for St-Jean (ewww)

Some victory. Sure, the anglo bands can play L'autre St-Jean in English, but they must be presented in French, as per provincial regulation. Even that has not stopped the whining from the usual suspects.

And don't doubt that some ethnocentric types (JPQ, RRQ) will show up to shout them down anyway (despite the militants' "respectable" beards, like the SSJB), for the temerity to sing in Canada's (and Quebec's) other official language. Or will the sponsors provide adequate security for a welcome change?

Never mind that there is no obvious reason for anglos to play on St-Jean. (Patriots' Day, perhaps). They are likely neither Catholics, French-Canadians, nor sovereignists, the official stakeholders for the commemoration. After all, the holiday is not called Civic Holiday, in English or French, but the National Holiday. Which nation would that be, anyway?

Are they all drunk and lacking in discrimination this far ahead of the party?