Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has come under fire in the Canadian media this week from political sources in the Quebec election campaign.
In the past French Quebec media have criticised her for using the anglicised pronunciation of her name “ Genie” (Jeannie) instead of the French “Eugenie”.
Raised in Montreal, she is an Anglophone, albeit bilingual, although writers in the French Quebec media have attacked her in the past also for her level of linguistic ability in French and have also called her “arrogant”.
A hard-line Quebec separatist commentator, Mathieu Bock-Cote railed against her in an article in the Journal de Montreal, claiming she had assimilated into Anglo culture associating her with the derogatory term “un assimilé”. He also wrote that she is a bad model for French Quebeckers adding she has disdain for her “country” of origin. Given his political leanings, that “country” may be presumed to mean Quebec, and not the actual country of Canada.
Bouchard gets caught up in Quebec politics
Though she has fallen in the rankings of world tennis Bouchard still does well financially, primarily from endorsements which are thought to have brought in over $6 million in 2016.
Earlier this year she moved her residence from Florida to the Bahamas, generally known as a tax haven.
This week that news became more widely known, and became a sidebar in the Quebec provincial election campaign. on the campaign trail for the provincial election in the mainly French-speaking province, the leader of the CAQ (Coalition Avenir Quebec) who currently leads in the polls expressed dismay at the news of Bouchard’s move.
Quoted in media sources he said “I think we should live where we were born, where we learned to play tennis, and pay taxes in our country”.
Another politician, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois who is a candidate for the separatist Quebec Solidaire party was quoted in the National Post saying, “It’s deplorable that people take advantage of tax havens”.
Quebec native Celine Dion is one of many Quebec artists who have moved abroad, and has never been criticised in French-Quebec media for making a career in English, nor for living in the U.S. (Facebook-Celine Dion)
Other Canadian tennis stars who no longer live in Canada are Denis Shapolalov (age 19) who also now lives in the Bahamas, while 27 year-old Milos Raonic lives in Monte Carlo also known as a tax haven.
One reader of “Le Journal” responding to the story of Bouchard’s move to a tax haven wrote to mention Raonic in Monte Carlo adding that it was kind of disturbing to hear journalists and broadcasters referring to him as great Canadian representing this country when he has “no solidarity” with Canadians.
Another reader posting comments noted that many Quebec celebrities and athletes moved abroad and yet suffer no criticism in the French Quebec media citing Celine Dion in Las Vegas, former F1 star Jacques Villeneuve who lives in Switzerland and hockey star Mario Lemieux who lives in Pittsburgh.
Additional information-sources
- PostMedia: M Forrest: Sep 5/18: Quebec politicians don’t like Bouchard’s move
- Montreal Gazette: M Lapierre: Sep 4/18: Legault criticises Bouchard
- La Presse: C Lecavalier: Sep 4/18: Paradis fiscal-Bouchard (in French)
- CTV: Jul 29/16: Tennis star critiqued over name
- Journal de Montreal- Jul 28/16: Opinion- Bock-Cote (in French)
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