In free societies, people must be free to speak any language they wish. Quebec will not make French stronger by trying to weaken English. All people should be proud of their language and speak it well, and all people should recognize that it is an advantage and an enviable condition to speak more than one language. As Paul-Émile Cardinal Léger put it, "It will not be by laws, regulations, fines, and harassments, that a language is promoted. It is by speaking your language in a way that to hear it, others will wish to speak it also."

One hesitates to guess what was on Black's mind as he walked up Spadina Avenue to the journalistic offices of HuffPost and AOL, but he must have been slightly uneasy or wary of his reception -- would he be shunned, welcomed or ignored? Whatever concerns he may have had evaporated immediately. He was an instant rock star.

HuffCanada's place is exactly what I expect. Lots of bright young men and women who come straight from whatever society pages bright young people inhabit these days. More beautiful people than I can remember at any recent event I've been to. Although to be truthful, most of the gatherings I'm invited to are filled with dour, everything's-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-these-days journalists of a certain age.