Paul McCartney Vs Locals Over Free Quebec Concert

MONTREAL — Paul McCartney told Quebec nationalists on Thursday "to smoke the pipes of peace" over their opposition to his free concert celebrating the city's 400th anniversary.

Several artists and politicians have questioned McCartney's participation in the weekend birthday celebrations of French-speaking Quebec City because of his British roots.

But McCartney said he was unmoved by their claim his presence evokes painful memories of Britain's conquest of New France, which included Quebec, in 1760.

"I think it's time to smoke the pipes of peace and to just, you know, put away your hatchet because I think it's a show of friendship," McCartney said on Radio-Canada.

McCartney tried to deflate the political rhetoric around Sunday's show on the Plains of Abraham, site of the pivotal 1759 battle between British General James Wolfe and France's Marquis Louis-Joseph de Montcalm.

"The kind of thing I read about in the schoolbooks when I was a kid was ... who was General Wolfe?" he said jokingly. "I still haven't figured it out."

Since the celebrations of the city's four centuries of uniquely French culture kicked off in July, Francophones criticized elements of the festivities they feel are too English.

The ex-Beatle said he has been working on expanding the few lines of French he used in the 1965 hit "Michelle."

"Come on Quebece-ins (Quebecers), love me baby," said McCartney.

The open-air concert is his only scheduled appearance in North America this year. Organizers are expecting a crowd of around 200,000.

Comments

[ballerinagirl]

Sir Paul was welcomed by THOUSANDS for this concert! This was really a tempest in a teapot! Most Quebecers were thrilled to see him and many camped out just to get a glimpse of him after tickets were gone.
For many years there has been a movement in Quebec to celebrate and 'live' only all things French including language. These Quebecers are called 'separatists' because their biggest goal is to have Quebec 'separate' from Canada and stand alone or be aligned with France.,depending on whom you're speaking with. This separatist movement swells and wanes, but so far, there have not been enough people in Quebec ready to 'separate' in order to carry it through.
Hopefully, there never will be!

[RGKahn]

It is ironic that their is a law in Canada that requires all official signage be in both English and French in every province of Canada except in the Quebec where it is illegal to have signs in English. The English speaking province have to have bilingual signs in areas with few French speaking inhabitants. But not in Quebec it seems. "But McCartney said he was unmoved by their claim his presence evokes painful memories of Britain's conquest of New France, which included Quebec, in 1760." It is 248 years ago, that is 12 generations ago, that this battle took place and it evokes painful memories now? All I can say is get over it, it is so yesterday.

[JohnnyCanuck99]

nothing like spending ten minutes crafting a thoughtful response to have it excluded.
i think that this is my last post on here.

[unclesmedley]

Quebeckies, Quebecnoids, Quebeckniks, Quebecnecks, Quewiegiens, Quebecites, Quebeckites, Quebeckans, Quebeckians, Quebecists, Quebecistas, Quebeckskis, Quebequarians, Quebecksters...

[laylahb]

It's Quebecois (f. Quebecoise) with an accent over the first "e."

Francophones have spent the last 45+ years trying to eradicate any traces of Anglophone culture, enacting a multitude of laws designed to limit the use of the English language. There's still a lot of animosity towards Anglophones and the use of the English.

[Sonoma]

Here's a simple solution. Invite Jerry Lewis to perform at the same time, but at a different venue. Quebecoronians would then have a choice, and those who object to McCartney's insulting Wolfonian music could instead laugh themselves silly over the spastic antics of the famous comedian. After all, if you don't revere Jerry Lewis, you're not really French.

[devilyousay]

I could handle it if he said "Quebecers" but he didn't. He's quoted in the Globe and Mail, Canada's National Paper, as having used the expression Quebecians. And yes, the correct Francophone version is Quebecois.

Sir Paul is out to lunch. He doesn't know what the right expression is just like when he did an interview, challenging Danny Williams to debate him on the Seal Hunt. He told Williams he was in Newfoundland and Premier Williams had to inform poor deluded Sir Paul that he was actually in a Prince Edward Island tv studio.

Hysterical but sad. The guy needs to get his faculties checked out. He's clueless.

[pastgone]

So: you spend all your free time hoarding petty and obscure McCartney gaffes--for just such an eventuality. Lucky you that this article came up on Huffpost and you got to call Sir Paul "clueless." It might be years before you get another chance.

[thundermummy]

Yes, seriously. So he is not up on all things Quebec, so what.

[NamvetPR]

He might not be John Lennon but he is still non arrogant and rather cool, the Quebecois should cut him some slack.

[grailknight]

Denizens of Quebec are Quebecois, not Quebec-ers.

Sir Paulie is too English? His name is Irish, who were aided by the French in 1798. He has a home in Scotland, whose queen, Mary was raised in France. Yikes! Sir Paulie should be made an honorary Quebecois.

[BadgersBite]

Gosh I remember 1759 like it was yesterday...

[Kenji]

Ah, those painful memories. And don't let the Turks take Serbia!

[OgreDaddy]

Power walked in fear of dear departed John Lennon
and now it seems they fear Sir Paul.

[AxelDC]

Most ppl in Quebec are thrilled that he is coming. Don't let a few politicize an otherwise fun event.

[JamesRiddle]

The people opposing McCartney's participation are boorish Stalinlists. The idea that one of the people who sang "All you need is Love" (amongst tons of other songs promoting understanding and peace) is a represntative of a reactionary politcal force is ludicrous.

[JohnnyCanuck99]

One of the most beautiful things about Canada is that we can have two cultures living together with no walls, no wars, no looming genocide. Beyond the official two cultures/languages, we have hundreds of cultures living side by side everywhere. A metaphor for the world's potential.
don't try to cheapen that Quebec City. Your birthday is for everyone to celebrate.

[FeloniouslyAnnoying]

If you think Canada's diversity is amazing you should really look into 2 or three countries south of yours.

[CharlieMarlowe]

I am curious. Which countries did you mean?

FYI: The UN declared Toronto the most multi-culturally diverse city in the world back in the early 1990s. So, there aren't any countries more diverse.

[JohnnyCanuck99]

Why would my saying one country is multicultural have to imply *all* others are not?
Not everything has to be us vs. them, or f.u., or b&w, every time does it?