By ANNE SUTHERLAND - mIn anticipation of the royal visit from the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the local branch of the Société St. Jean Baptiste has sent a letter to Prince Charles telling him he's not welcome in Quebec.
Casually addressed and calling the prince by his Christian names and not his title as per protocol, the letter states Britain has never apologized for the decimation of French inhabitants in Quebec going back 250 years and that SSJBM members will protest against the visit.
The letter calls the deportation of 12,500 Acadians in 1775 "ethnocide" and cites the "terror, repression and death on the shores of the St. Lawrence" during the Patriots Rebellion of 1837-1838.
The letter - over two pages, written in French by SSJBM president Mario Beaulieu - lists the Canadian constitution and Bill 104 as affronts against the French language, and invites the prince to apologize on behalf of the crown for the deportation of the Acadians.
"Good God, oh come on, what party poopers they are," said Robert Finch, chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada, when the letter was read to him by The Gazette.
"This is still the same old BS that this party always spews. It's so unfortunate that the separatists have high-jacked history lessons in French Canada."
Finch said he doubts the Royals would pay much attention to this type of publicity. They probably won't even see the letter, as it was sent yesterday and the couple will leave for their visit on Monday.
The royal couple will be visiting Canada Nov. 2-12. They are scheduled to be in Montreal on Nov. 10. This is the 15th visit by Prince Charles to Canada, and the first official visit by his wife, Camilla.
asutherland@thegazette.canwest.com