Tokasmoka Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Signs should be in English or French. This is the greatest nation in the world that accepts anyone, even you, so the very least you can do is put your dam store sign in a language that the majority can read. Show some flippin respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 At least Richmond City Council had the good sense to overwhelmingly reject this petition out of hand. The city council in Richmond, B.C., has voted not to follow up on a petition, presented to them on Monday evening, asking for a bylaw that would ban "Chinese-only" signs in the city. A group of Richmond residents collected 1,000 signatures supporting their position that the majority of signs in any one area of the city should have at least one of Canada's official languages — English or French. Petitioner Anne Merdinyan spent months taking photos around Richmond to illustrate the prevalence of Chinese-only signs outside local businesses, on restaurant menus and in pamplets (sic) and inserts received in the mail. She presented the photos in a slideshow to council. Merdinyan said Chinese-only signs are doing non-Chinese residents a disservice. "We, the new visible minorities, are experiencing exclusion," she said to a city council chamber packed with Richmond residents. "Maybe I want to do business with them," Merdinyan said. "Why I have to be an outsider? What's the reason?" On Monday, Coun. Chak Au suggested the city investigate the issue further. However, every other councillor defeated the proposal, saying it's up to store owners to decide what kind of signage they want, and it's up to shoppers to decide if they want to go elsewhere. Richmond resident Randolf Richardson was at the meeting and said he was happy with council's decision. "There are also requirements in our charter that require certain government departments and the education system to provide English and French language support because those are official languages in that regard," he said. "But that doesn't extend to imposing those languages on people, private citizens or private property. And what I see these shopkeepers doing is exercising their right to freedom of expression." Coun. Derek Dang said non-English signs are actually quite rare — a recent count only found three Chinese business signs that had no English. Dang said he's afraid the push against Chinese-only signs may be a case of veiled racism. However, he said he thinks those who support mandatory English signs are in a slim minority. "I don't believe that is a common theme throughout our city, and hopefully it's not around the Lower Mainland either," he said. Dang also said Richmond's small business owners should be able to decide how they want to advertise, even if it hurts their businesses in the end. "If they only want to cater to one group of people, [they] are actually doing a detriment to their own business, and I just think it's foolhardy, quite frankly," he said. According to Statistics Canada, about half of Richmond's population speaks only English at home. http://www.cbc.ca/ne...s-richmond.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Signs should be in English or French. This is the greatest nation in the world that accepts anyone, even you, so the very least you can do is put your dam store sign in a language that the majority can read. Show some flippin respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugemanskost Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Let's not fail to omit the thinly failed racism of the sinocentric business owners that want only to cater to one group of people. Specifically their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Signs should be in English or French. This is the greatest nation in the world that accepts anyone, even you, so the very least you can do is put your dam store sign in a language that the majority can read. Show some flippin respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimito Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 It seems a lot of people are worked up over nothing. Or in other words, making a mountain out of a molehole. It is really the businesses who advertise only in Chinese are the ones who suffer because they are losing sales by catering to one group. So why are people so upset? Veiled racism? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The majority of Richmond residents (60%) speak Cantonese or Mandarin as their primary language. When you say "put your dam store sign in a language that the majority can read," guess what...that's already happening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I suppose if you don't look beyond your immediate community of ethnically homogeneous people you can claim to be in the majority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Account Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 When I first read abou this I thought these businesses should have to have English on them if it is even just in smaller letters underneath but now I am thinking screw it just let them lose buisiness from all non-chinese customers because I am sure I wont be going to those places anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodzillaDeuce Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 where'd that post saying MSG is better than vanilla go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovech Trick Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imuzi Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 When I first read abou this I thought these businesses should have to have English on them if it is even just in smaller letters underneath but now I am thinking screw it just let them lose buisiness from all non-chinese customers because I am sure I wont be going to those places anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Bang Boogie Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Business owners shouldn't be forced to have English on their signs. If they are losing out on potential customers because of their Chinese only signs, it is their loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonLever Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Business owners shouldn't be forced to have English on their signs. If they are losing out on potential customers because of their Chinese only signs, it is their loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugemanskost Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 That is basically what Richmond Council decided to do on Monday. No government intervention. It is up to the buiness what they put on the signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Don't worry Deb, the KKK and neo-Nazis are on there way to help you defend your euro-centeric vision of white Canadian culture. EDIT - misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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