Monday, February 26, 2007

Kinda Cool ...

Tonight the tv was on for background noise (not on CMT this time - thank God) ... it was turned to the tv listing channel which was playing its usual assortment of advertisements for realtors, car dealers and community events, when suddenly a strange voice broke through ...

... this voice wasn't speaking English. This voice was speaking Spanish (for some of my more urbane readers - remember we're talking about rural Manitoba here)!! It was an advertisement for one of the Car Dealers in Brandon - and the entire voice over was done in Spanish !!

"Brilliant!!" I exclaimed ... The massive Hog processing plant in Brandon has been bringing in workers from Mexico lately. This has meant more and more encounters with non-English speakers in and around Brandon.

Clearly one of the car dealerships is taking a calculated risk on attracting a new customer base by offering them a salesman and an advertisement aimed specifically at them in their own language. This is one of those moments wherein I'm proud of Canada and its multicultural heritage. I think it's just very, very cool !!

2 comments:

Katie Bowen said...

It was ONE of those moments you were proud to be a Canadian? Reverend, is there every a moment when you're NOT proud to be a Canadian?

You're proud with good reason. Canada rocks.

Sincerely,

Katie

Anonymous said...

Hey there!
Just check what the deal is btwn the plant and the governments of Mexico and Canada. Lately in Ontario an agreement btwn our two fair lands has happened and somehow within it the treatment of Mexican workers has been horrid...and it is all deemed ok by the scary working agreement btwn the countries. Many groups are advocating but it is a slow process..so check out the living situations and the working situations of these workers from Mexico and see what the reality is.
But of course I am always happy ot hear of Spanish being spoken in places where you least expect it!
In Solidarity for all rights of all workers-
Wendy
PS and how are you?