Hello Pirates, this is your captain speaking....

This week's theme is MEDIA. The question that I think is interesting for us to talk about is this :

A lot of people say that the media (newspapers, tv stations, radio stations, etc.) are not fair or accurate.
For example, some people say that because a few big companies own most of the tv and radio stations, you can't TRUST the media.

Another point of view is that it is up to the CONSUMER - me, you- to look at many different sources of information. Maybe if we can't get good information, the problem is US, not the media...

What do you think?

1. Can you trust the information you get on tv, radio, internet, etc.?
2. Do you think the media in Canada are good? Fair? Do we get good quality information? Do we get enough information?
3. Whose responsibilty is it to make sure you get quality information?

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have to say, pirates....

3. Should francophones in BC, or anglophones in Quebec, have the right to government services in French? Why should the government spend money on this, when there are many more people who speak other languages?

2. Should children have to go to school that uses the official language?
(In Quebec, the children of all immigrants have to go to French school. In BC, we don't have a law like that. For example, many people go to French Immersion : they do all their schooling in French, even though they won't have to use French when they grow up.)

1. Should people have the right to put up signs (on their business, for example), in any language they want?
Or should they have to use one of Canada's official languages?
(You may have noticed that in Vancouver you can often see signs for businesses that do not use English; in Quebec this would be illegal. Is it fair to make people in Quebec use French, even if they don't want to?)

LET"S ARGUE!

What is the difference between an ARGUMENT and a FIGHT?
For your first post today, I want you to answer this question. Once you have posted your answer - don't forget to write your name after! - then you can get ready to MAKE SOME GOOD, LOGICAL ARGUMENTS.

Today's controversial issue is LANGUAGE RIGHTS. More specifically, we are going to try to answer the following questions :

1. Should people have the right to put up signs (on their business, for example), in any language they want?
Or should they have to use one of Canada's official languages?
(You may have noticed that in Vancouver you can often see signs for businesses that do not use English; in Quebec this would be illegal. Is it fair to make people in Quebec use French, even if they don't want to?)

2. Should children have to go to school that uses the official language?
(In Quebec, the children of all immigrants have to go to French school. In BC, we don't have a law like that. For example, many people go to French Immersion : they do all their schooling in French, even though they won't have to use French when they grow up.)

3. Should francophones in BC, or anglophones in Quebec, have the right to government services in French? Why should the government spend money on this, when there are many more people who speak other languages?



NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY : HERE ARE THE RULES FOR TODAY.


1. You have to write AT LEAST 4 posts today. They do not have to be long.

2. In EVERY post, you have to ACKNOWLEGE ANOTHER PERSON'S COMMENT. You can agree or disagree. It could look like this :

If you agree
I AGREE WITH what Jane said about choosing schools, because....
I THINK MARIO HAS A GOOD POINT. It's true that....
LIKE SARAH SAID, .....

If you (respectfully!) disagree
I DON'T AGREE with JOHN. I think that....
FRANCESCA HAS A GOOD POINT, BUT I THINK THAT....
WHAT TYLER SAID IS INTERESTING, BUT....

3. That's all. Let's argue!

Hello pirates,

Next week we have a new theme : controversial issues.

controversy : "disagreement in a matter of opinion"
issue : " a point in question, a subject of debate" (Concise Oxford Dictionary)

Controversial issue : a subject that people do not agree about.

Examples of controversial issues right now include :
1. The war in Irak
2. The Kyoto protocol, and other environmental issues
3. Same-sex marriage

I would like your help to decide which controversial issues we will work on next week.
They could be environmental issues, social issues, or political issues.
Please suggest two or three issues THAT YOU THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
Also, if you think that the issues that another student suggests are good, say so. You have until Monday to post some ideas.
Thank you. Pablo

Welcome to our blog.
For our first post, I want us to think of 3 THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT, here in Vancouver.
What did you notice on your first day here? What was interesting? Bizarre? Exciting?

When I moved to Québec, 3 things that I noticed were :

1. The buildings are all made of brick. For me, this is very beautiful.
2. People wear scarves all the time! (A scarf is the thing you wrap around your neck to keep warm.)
3. In the grocery stores, the vegetables are wrapped in plastic. This made me mad!

NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING I JUST DID, BUT TALKING ABOUT VANCOUVER.

When I first came to Vancouver, 3 things I noticed were :

1.
2.
3.


Click on "COMMENT" to get started.
Good luck.