The real naked truth

In reaction to the article (The naked.truth about NU) which appeared in the Nunatsiaq News (April 30, 1999), I would like to say this:

I, as a francophone feel more offended by what Ms Stanton implies in the article than by two letters of our common alphabet: NU.

Throughout out country’s rich history, francophones have been blessed with many appellations, labelled and tagged with wild descriptions, reputations and colourful adjectives.

But to imply that we are prudes, or easily offended when it comes to matters related to nudity or sex is totally new and mind-boggling. Prudery is by no means a French attribute, generally speaking. The word would better fit another race which I do not care to name here for civic reasons.

So it is because of the francophones that NU cannot be used as a postal designator, because we could be offended by the naughty connotation?

Did you come by this yourself Ms. Stanton? Or is this the result of steamy, sweaty hard-fought meetings of bureaucrats at Canada Post.?

Are you really concerned that francophones might smack you across the head (your own words) if you take one wrong step?

What a stressful life you must have Ms.Stanton, specially after this giant wrong step The thought of smacking you across the head did come to my mind, but not because of NU, merely because you needlessly drag francophones into something they do not feel concerned with!

It is as if you want us to be perceived as trouble-makers, as going against general consensus It is as if you are trying to point your finger at us as the guilty ones forbidding the use of what must be a widely preferred postal designator, NU, for our newly formed territory of Nunavut. Thank you for picking us out of the crowd, Ms. Stanton, thank you for implying that once again it is because of the francophones if something goes wrong

From me to you Ms Stanton, do not worry about offending francophones with NU, but think twice the next time you want to drag us into the newspaper, assuming things on our behalf and blaming us for your shortcomings. This is reason enough to blush for cover, Ms. Stanton, and rightly so.

As a closing comment, I want to add that if you guys at Canada Post favor NN over NU as a postal designator, be man enough to endorse your choice. Do not try to play it safe, to make a political issue out of it bringing francophones into the picture to act as scapegoats.

Now this could be the real naked truth.

Sam Touche
Iqaluit