The RRQ didn't show up to protest, but to salute the Irish in their struggle for independence and to preserve their language, which is Gaelic by the way NOT English. The Mouvement Montréal français was there as well, with a sign that read "Nous sommes fiers de nos racines irlandais" we're proud of our Irish roots.

I have been to several Saint Patrick's Day parades in my time, and I have to say this one was by far the most English. Even in London, Irish-English celebrate their Irish language, heritage and culture as much as they indulge in drinking. I thought New York and Boston had the worst displays of Plastic Paddyness, but Montreal takes the cake. I guarantee you, that 80-90% of the "Irish" in this parade couldn't name the Taoiseach na Poblacht na hHireann, or tell you who Daniel O'Connell was, or even know what Sinn Féin means. Only in Montreal could St Patrick's Day, which has a history of being political and sober, supress political dissent and be defined as a celebration of drunkeness and ignorance. There is MORE to being Irish than being intoxicated and singing Oh Danny Boy. The Irish diaspora has a proud tradition of fighting imperialism and tyranny from Chile, under Bernardo O'Higgins, to the San Patricios of Mexico, to John F Kennedy in the states, to the Irlando-Québécois fighting for Québec's independence in 1837 all the way till today. Anglicising St Paddy's Day, is like singing Deutschland Deutschland über Alles on Holocaust remembrance day.

J'étais à cette parade.

Nous avons été reçu avec beaucoup d'hostilité verbale, plus d'une dizaines de balles de neige et de la bière à deux reprises sur nos vêtements. Un anglophone a même tiré sur la bannière du MMF pour la faire tomber au sol. Un autre a tenté de mettre le feu à la bannière de la SSJB-M.

Marc-André Bahl,
Vice-président MMF