Re: Ontario

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article Mike Pfaiffer <pfaiffer@mbnet.mb.ca> writes...

>Paul Barber wrote:
>>
>> Anyone here from Southern Ontario?  I have a few items I'd like to dispose
>> of and need help finding users within my usual range of travel.  Would also
>> be open to connecting with people at the Niagara Falls or Detroit/Windsor
>> border crossings.
>
>       The next closest place in Canada is Southern Manitoba. Although our
>Apple// community is small, we are probably the most tenacious people
>you'll find. Our usergroup had a couple members from Quebec, but we
>haven't heard from them in a while...

    There was once a users group called "Club Informatique Longueil Inc"
based in Quebec, which supported Apple IIgs users (I found one of their
phamplets and was rather shocked to see on its front, at the very top,
"Apple //GS" and then below it, IBM and Macintosh. Even about four years
ago this was a rare sight! :). Another users group was the Montreal Apple
Core (M.A.C.) which published a newsletter, had monthly meetings, etc,
but disappeared in the early 90's.

    I believe most of C.I.F.'s members (including the group's president)
moved to different parts of Canada, probably why you haven't heard from
them. Most people are leaving this province because of all the problems
caused by political uncertainy, like one of the worst economies in all
of North America (chances are Quebec will separate from Canada in the
next 1-2 years, and considering how terribly racist and xenophobic the
Quebec government is, a scenario similar to Bosnia could very well occur).
In the meantime, with a lack of jobs and laws forbidding the use of the
English language (with a "language police" to enforce it) it is not at
all surprising people are leaving in great numbers. I guess I'm lucky
to be posting in English, a few weeks ago they were trying to force local
businesses from using English on their web-pages! (that didn't work, so
now they're working on getting rid of English in hospitals, those they
haven't shut down that is :/). Off that tangent, I think there are still
solid Apple II user groups in Ontario and British Columbia.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca