# Is HMCS Ville de Quebec still a Francophone unit ?



## chrome1967 (26 Jul 2010)

Does any one Know if  HMCS Ville de Quebec is still a franco unit ? And if so what is the ratio of english to french ? any info would be greatly appreciated. 
 Thank you.


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## Occam (26 Jul 2010)

Oui!

Couldn't tell you what ratio, though....although historically, the anglos are in the minority.


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## Ex-Dragoon (26 Jul 2010)

Occam said:
			
		

> Oui!
> 
> Couldn't tell you what ratio, though....although historically, the anglos are in the minority.



Maybe in name only.....at one point we received message traffic from them in French, nowadays we don't. Their daily pipes used to be in French, now the pipes are in English with the odd one being in French. These days I suspect Francos are the minority.


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## Navalsnpr (25 Nov 2010)

A couple of years ago, I was onboard VDQ for some work and the CSE Dept had about 5 or 6 Franco's in a Dept that had a strength of 30.


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## Pusser (25 Nov 2010)

Keep in mind that even though a unit may conduct its administration in French, if it operates within the NATO umbrella (which HMC ShipsNavires CSM usually do), its *operations* are conducted in English.  This is because the operational language of NATO is English and even the French Navy operates in English in this regard.  Years ago, the Official Languages Commission was breathing down our necks because of our tardiness at translating NATO publications into French.  We apparently asked the French Navy for assistance, but their response was that they had never translated any NATO publication, nor did they intend to because they saw no point in translating anything out of the language in which it was supposed to be used.


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## Pat in Halifax (25 Nov 2010)

Since the new CO took over this summer, VDQ has become a true "Franco" unit - Have a look at their message traffic. As for personnel, last I was on her (in the spring), the majority of the crew seemed to be from Newfoundland and Labrador!!!


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## Navalsnpr (7 Jan 2011)

It appears that VDQ is still manned by a unilingual English crew. Maybe they should post some interpreters onboard!!


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## Stoker (7 Jan 2011)

While having a ship designated as a francophone unit certainly looks good on paper, the reality of having enough crew to fill key positions is not always practical. I believe the Shawinigan was intended to be a franco unit, however never lasted past a few years due to manning.


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## jollyjacktar (14 Jan 2011)

VDQ is one of the ships my team is responsible for and I have started spending most of my days there as of late.  I would say the majority of the crew are Anglo.  There are of course members who are Franco and others who can swing both ways as needed.  

What I have been listening to and it is quite painful to hear is the poor bloody Anglo QM/BMs slaughtering French while attempting to make pipes.  I am afraid my French is very limited but I know nails on the blackboard when I hear it (I can only imagine how much it must grate on the Francos).  I am sure, honestly, I would not sound much better.  But policy is policy and all non emergency pipes are supposed to be in French so I am told.


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## Navalsnpr (14 Jan 2011)

If the Navy was serious about VDQ being a unilingual Franco unit, then all the positions require to be made 'French Imperative' with a C-B-C profile.  Until that time comes, then VDQ will have problems with attempting to have everything done in French. 

As for the message traffic being only in French, what will happen when someone isn't loaded on a career course because the unilingual Franco message traffic was missed by the person in Ottawa/School because (s)he was a unilingual Anglophone. If VDQ is messaging unilingual Anglophone units, then they should be in the language of all addresses.


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## MARS (15 Jan 2011)

Navalsnipr said:
			
		

> As for the message traffic being only in French, what will happen when someone isn't loaded on a career course because the unilingual Franco message traffic was missed by the person in Ottawa/School because (s)he was a unilingual Anglophone. If VDQ is messaging unilingual Anglophone units, then they should be in the language of all addresses.



All of the recent msg traffic from VDQ I have seen was in both languages - French text followed by English text.  Obviously I am not privy to all of their traffic, just the stuff sent to the Fleet.


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jan 2011)

Back in the mid 90s they sent their message traffic in French and at the time it all ended up being shredded as no one spoke French or very little.


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## Navalsnpr (15 Jan 2011)

MARS said:
			
		

> All of the recent msg traffic from VDQ I have seen was in both languages - French text followed by English text.  Obviously I am not privy to all of their traffic, just the stuff sent to the Fleet.



I've seen some recent QL4 qualification messages that were in French only.


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## Pat in Halifax (17 Jan 2011)

VDQ is (un)officially a Franco unit! The only unilingual unit in the CF!
I can't speak for all but for those on the DIN, have alook at halifax.mil.ca message traffic.


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## Pusser (19 Jan 2011)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> VDQ is (un)officially a Franco unit! The only unilingual unit in the CF!



That's not a true statement by any stretch.  There are many unilingual units in the CF.  Languages actually spoken and used in day to day operations aside, all units in the CF are officially designated as English Language Units (ELU), French (FLU) or bilingual (BLU).  For the most part it is mostly headquarters that are BLUs while other units are one or the other.


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## Lumber (7 Mar 2011)

Pusser said:
			
		

> That's not a true statement by any stretch.  There are many unilingual units in the CF.  Languages actually spoken and used in day to day operations aside, all units in the CF are officially designated as English Language Units (ELU), French (FLU) or bilingual (BLU).  For the most part it is mostly headquarters that are BLUs while other units are one or the other.



Example: RMC!

TDV!

uhhh.. I mean.. Ready Aye Ready!


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## yoman (7 Mar 2011)

Lumber said:
			
		

> Example: RMC!
> 
> TDV!



At the very least it likes to pretend to be.


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## 57Chevy (21 May 2011)

The Naval Reserve Units
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/navres/1/1-n_eng.asp


Click on your Regional Unit


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## Mtl432 (23 Jun 2011)

All of the reserve units in Quebec are only french, except HMCS Donnacona. It is quite interesting that a fairly large percentage of the sailors from those units come out to the coasts and cannot speak a word of english. I don't understand why these units do not train their sailors in english. That way when they get on ship, they could learn a lot more, and be a more effictive member of the ship's company.


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## Stoker (23 Jun 2011)

Mtl432 said:
			
		

> All of the reserve units in Quebec are only french, except HMCS Donnacona. It is quite interesting that a fairly large percentage of the sailors from those units come out to the coasts and cannot speak a word of English. I don't understand why these units do not train their sailors in english. That way when they get on ship, they could learn a lot more, and be a more effective member of the ship's company.



Generally when a Franco reservist gets to us on the ship he can talk limited english. Its not that big of a problem only becoming one when the mbr refuses to speak english. I insist english is spoken only when it comes to training, exercises etc this way the mbr is forced to practice his english skills. This way it doesn't become a safety issue.


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## NavyHopeful (1 Nov 2013)

For a more recent update on this topic:

Yes, the NCSM Ville De Quebec is considered a bilingual unit, with French being considered it's primary language.  While in harbour, all daily routine pipes are SUPPOSED to be made in french, and emergency pipes in english.  However, there are instances when a new QM/BM has no knowledge of the proper translation for the pipe they are supposed to make (or their GAF levels are seriously low), and the pipe will be made in english.

At sea, however, the only pipes that are made in french are the wakey wakey, hands to lunch and hands to supper pipes.  Everything else is done in english.

This is the way that our XO and our Coxn want it, so as proper members of the crew, we are to oblige, or catch the wrath of crap coming our way if we don't...


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