James/Radford announce partnership

[cisum88note]

Really surprised, despite everything, that Eric blocked Meagan on social media. That’s one hell of a way to close the most successful chapter of your skating career.

 

[Amei]

Really surprised, despite everything, that Eric blocked Meagan on social media. That’s one hell of a way to close the most successful chapter of your skating career.

Well we aren't privy to the entirety of their relationship, only what they say/show to us, and what we see is usually filtered; their relationship prior to this 'incident' might not have been rosy to both of them. Its a bit sad, but at the end of the day ending a relationship isn't going to kill either 1 of them, Meghan decided to go on social media and do interviews to air her grievances, that's well within her right but I can understand if Eric looked at the situation and had a desire to back away from someone that airs their grievances to the masses, sometimes best option to walkaway and not get caught up in their drama.

Really surprised, despite everything, that Eric blocked Meagan on social media. That’s one hell of a way to close the most successful chapter of your skating career.

Success doesn't mean happiness.

 

[chasingneverland]

Just recently in the news, Laurentian university in Sudbury, Ontario, where 25% of residents say their mother tongue is French, and identify as French Canadian, shut down its French language program. These cuts were denounced by Quebec's government as it does threaten a minority. Source.

The Laurentian University debacle was/is MUCH bigger than just shutting down its French language programs.

They're shutting down 58 undergraduate programs and 11 graduate programs. Of these, 41 are actually English language programs.

This is MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger than an anti-Québécois sentiment...

 

[4everchan]

The Laurentian University debacle was/is MUCH bigger than just shutting down its French language programs.

They're shutting down 58 undergraduate programs and 11 graduate programs. Of these, 41 are actually English language programs.

This is MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger than an anti-Québécois sentiment...

where did i mention an anti-Québécois sentiment? (If I had wanted to do so, I would have shown such an example) Québécois students have plenty of opportunities to study in French in their home province. However, in Ontario, shutting down the ENTIRE French department of a very lonely post-secondary option for young francophones is a tragedy. It is a major problem throughout the country where Francophones cannot get essential services like education and health services in their own language, yet the country boasts itself by saying it is bilingual.

Sure, the Laurentian University has major problems, however, closing its French department has direct repercussions on an already out of resources minority. I don't think GS is a place for this discussion so we should end this here. I was only using this as an example to show why calling Vanessa James a French Canadian is not accurate. I could have used so many others examples.

 

[chasingneverland]

where did i mention an anti-Québécois sentiment? (If I had wanted to do so, I would have shown such an example) Québécois students have plenty of opportunities to study in French in their home province. However, in Ontario, shutting down the ENTIRE French department of a very lonely post-secondary option for young francophones is a tragedy. It is a major problem throughout the country where Francophones cannot get essential services like education and health services in their own language, yet the country boasts itself by saying it is bilingual.

Sure, the Laurentian University has major problems, however, closing its French department has direct repercussions on an already out of resources minority. I don't think GS is a place for this discussion so we should end this here. I was only using this as an example to show why calling Vanessa James a French Canadian is not accurate. I could have used so many others examples.

You're using it as an example of "French Canadians being a minority group fighting for survival". While yes, I agree with that (my dad and all my relatives on my dad's side are Quebecois), the Laurentian University is a gross mismanagement and "fraud" of research grants with dire consequences. It's a tragedy on a much wider scale! There are over 100 faculty that have lost their jobs and hundreds of students affected.

Therefore, it's somewhat disingenuous. (They shut down the Études françaises and Littérature et culture francophone programs amongst 24 french language undergraduate programs. However, they also shut down 34 english language undergraduate programs.) They also shut down their ENTIRE Physics and Math departments too (both undergraduate and graduate), amongst others. They DIDN'T shut down the entire french language program offerings.There are STILL 28 french language undergraduate programs and 7 french language graduate programs that survived.

However, yes, calling Vanessa James a French Canadian is a misnomer but I believe the intention was similar to calling a Canadian with German ancestry a German Canadian. Dual citizenship would have been appropriate.

 

[4everchan]

However, yes, calling Vanessa James a French Canadian is a misnomer

Well I am glad we agree on this. Moving on to figure skating now. As I said, this is not the place to discuss the very complicated issue of the French minority in Canada, outside of Quebec. We already have established, with our difference of opinions on the topic that it's a very difficult debate, and not one to have here.

 

[chasingneverland]

Well I am glad we agree on this. Moving on to figure skating now. As I said, this is not the place to discuss the very complicated issue of the French minority in Canada, outside of Quebec. We already have established, with our difference of opinions on the topic that it's a very difficult debate, and not one to have here.

I don't actually think we disagree.

I just think it's overly simplifying the Laurentian University issue. I DO agree with you that it's a loss of opportunity and options to study in the French language (when already there are so few opportunities to do so outside of Quebec), particularly at a University that was committed to offering French language options and with a mandate to serve the francophone minority. However, in many cases the English language program options got cut as well.

So it isn't just a question of french program funding but rather of a University grossly mismanaging its grants and under such dire financial situations as a whole that it wasn't paying it's own staff across all disciplines, programs, and faculties, and many are paying the price.

Of note, I don't think it will be the end of some of these cut programs. U of S in particular wants to take over all Laurentian's french language programs. Other universities are also stepping in to try to save some of the cut bilingual programs and offer them on their own campuses.

I also think French language and culture needs to be protected as well as Indigenous language and culture. I just think the Laurentian University debacle is a MUCH bigger tragedy affecting hundreds if not thousands across a diverse landscape.

 

[4everchan]

I don't actually think we disagree.

I just think it's overly simplifying the Laurentian University issue. I DO agree with you that it's a loss of opportunity and options to study in the French language (when already there are so few opportunities to do so outside of Quebec), particularly at a University that was committed to offering French language options and with a mandate to serve the francophone minority. However, in many cases the English language program options got cut as well.

So it isn't just a question of french program funding but rather of a University grossly mismanaging its grants and under such dire financial situations as a whole that it wasn't paying it's own staff across all disciplines, programs, and faculties, and many are paying the price.

Of note, I don't think it will be the end of some of these cut programs. U of S in particular wants to take over all Laurentian's french language programs. Other universities are also stepping in to try to save some of the cut bilingual programs and offer them on their own campuses.

to me cutting French language, culture and literature programs is much more dangerous for the survival of a minority than cutting let's say, another undergraduate program taught in French. It's with language, literature and culture that a people stays alive.

 

[4everchan]

for those who had not seen this... (i hadn't) they do look good together and very quick to have shots done LOL

 

[chasingneverland]

to me cutting French language, culture and literature programs is much more dangerous for the survival of a minority than cutting let's say, another undergraduate program taught in French. It's with language, literature and culture that a people stays alive.

Agreed. They also cut Spanish, Modern Languages, and Italian programs.

Although they didn't cut ALL french classes. So far, they've kept 21 FREN courses and Discovering French-Canadian Folklore. I am however, hopeful that all of these programs can be saved, potentially at another university.

But I actually hope for that for ALL the cut programs, many of which have been underfunded and underenrolled for years.

 

[chasingneverland]

for those who had not seen this... (i hadn't) they do look good together and very quick to have shots done LOL

I actually had! Eric also posted it.

I think it's a sign that they had been preparing an announcement and word got out before they were "ready".

 

[Jacey91]

Well we aren't privy to the entirety of their relationship, only what they say/show to us, and what we see is usually filtered; their relationship prior to this 'incident' might not have been rosy to both of them. Its a bit sad, but at the end of the day ending a relationship isn't going to kill either 1 of them, Meghan decided to go on social media and do interviews to air her grievances, that's well within her right but I can understand if Eric looked at the situation and had a desire to back away from someone that airs their grievances to the masses, sometimes best option to walkaway and not get caught up in their drama.



Success doesn't mean happiness.

They seem to be so different as personalities. And if Eric was looking for a new partner even back in 2014, I doubt their partnership was rosy at all. Meagan seems so hurt I don't think Eric can do much about that for now. Maybe in time Meagan will get over it and they could be friendly again. I wish to see Eric and Vanessa competing soon.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I doubt their partnership was rosy at all.

That's rather sad because after the 2018 Olympics they released a book called Soulmates on Ice and it really seemed they had a strong bond. But the news that Eric was looking for a new partner after Sochi...it kind of sours the book which I bought for the library I work at.

Now it's like...should that go in the fiction section?

 

[chasingneverland]

That's rather sad because after the 2018 Olympics they released a book called Soulmates on Ice and it really seemed they had a strong bond. But the needs that Eric was looking for a new partner after Sochi...it kind of sours the book which I bought for the library I work at.

Now it's like...should that go in the fiction section?

Well I mean it was PR and how they BOTH wanted to be presented.

But it also doesn't mean it's fiction or wasn't how they felt at the time. Relationships and people change and evolve all the time.

Also as for him talking to Aliona that's not actually how her book describes it AT ALL. Consider that a TSL rumour. Aliona's own book doesn't actually phrase it that way. He asked her in 2013 what her plans were for after the Olympics and she thought about those words later when picking a new partner. As for him contacting her LAST season. That's from a PUBLIC instagram post that Aliona actually posted on her OWN instagram in 2019 with a caption that even mentions their partners. Meagan's reaction to TSL's twitter post (where all this originated) is a "mind blown" GIF but she actually KNEW about it. Anyone who could see an instagram post knew about it LOL.

 

[Jacey91]

Well I mean it was PR and how they BOTH wanted to be presented.

But it also doesn't mean it's fiction or wasn't how they felt at the time. Relationships and people change and evolve all the time.

Also as for him talking to Aliona that's not actually how her book describes it AT ALL. Consider that a TSL rumour. Aliona's own book doesn't actually phrase it that way. He asked her in 2013 what her plans were for after the Olympics and she thought about those words later when picking a new partner. As for him contacting her LAST season. That's from a PUBLIC instagram post that Aliona actually posted on her OWN instagram in 2019 with a caption that even mentions their partners. Meagan's reaction to TSL's twitter post (where all this originated) is a "mind blown" GIF but she actually KNEW about it. Anyone who could see an instagram post knew about it LOL.

Thanks for clarifying things for me. I have to admit I haven't followed skating until recently and I just based my post on the things Megan said in that recent interview. Who knows what their relationship was like. I guess for me Eric looking for a new partner just was an indication that he wasn't 100% sure about Meagan. I am sure they had their ups and downs. Eric sure seems happy about his fresh start with Vanessa and hopefully Meagan can focus on coaching or skating with someone else.

 

[cisum88note]

That's rather sad because after the 2018 Olympics they released a book called Soulmates on Ice and it really seemed they had a strong bond. But the news that Eric was looking for a new partner after Sochi...it kind of sours the book which I bought for the library I work at.

Now it's like...should that go in the fiction section?

I agree. And I question the speculation that their relationship probably wasn't rosy at all. They were together every day for over 8 years. Given the little interaction I had with them, they seemed up through 2020 like they were genuine friends. I think that's what makes this announcement worse. If they weren't friends and really couldn't get along, it wouldn't be such a surprise or blow to never skate together in the future. You may question Meagan's method of social media response, but I truly feel like she did not see this coming and expected more from someone she trusted and considered a friend. Maybe Eric saw it differently.

 

[Amei]

I agree. And I question the speculation that their relationship probably wasn't rosy at all. They were together every day for over 8 years. Given the little interaction I had with them, they seemed up through 2020 like they were genuine friends. I think that's what makes this announcement worse. If they weren't friends and really couldn't get along, it wouldn't be such a surprise or blow to never skate together in the future. You may question Meagan's method of social media response, but I truly feel like she did not see this coming and expected more from someone she trusted and considered a friend. Maybe Eric saw it differently.

Well when I posted the comment about maybe their relationship wasn't rosy i pointed out the only things we see of their relationship is what they post/share (aka filtered information), so we aren't privy to all the details.

 

[cisum88note]

Well when I posted the comment about maybe their relationship wasn't rosy i pointed out the only things we see of their relationship is what they post/share (aka filtered information), so we aren't privy to all the details.

I mean, that's true for every person in life. In FS circles where gossip runs rampant, there really hasn't been any major drama surrounding D/R. Every relationship has ups and downs and people change, but at least from Meagan's perspective, she felt they were still friends and she was owed a more forthright conversation earlier in the process.

 

[TontoK]

Well when I posted the comment about maybe their relationship wasn't rosy i pointed out the only things we see of their relationship is what they post/share (aka filtered information), so we aren't privy to all the details.

This is true. We generally only see of people what they want us to see.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the divorce rate in Canada. It's about 40%. So nearly half of all married couples in Canada, who presumably make legally binding promises to each other... as well as spiritual vows for some of these to remain together "until death do us part"... do not keep to those promises. Of course, there are any number of reasons that divorce is the correct solution... but promises were made, and I argue they are far more serious than whatever verbal understanding/misunderstanding was in place here.

I think it puts this in perspective.

 

[Jacey91]

I mean, that's true for every person in life. In FS circles where gossip runs rampant, there really hasn't been any major drama surrounding D/R. Every relationship has ups and downs and people change, but at least from Meagan's perspective, she felt they were still friends and she was owed a more forthright conversation earlier in the process.

I must sound like a broken record, but why was Eric looking for a new partner then? I think they must have been friends, nobody is denying that, but maybe Eric wanted to do something in skating he couldn't do with Meagan. I was wondering what would have happened if Eric had said to Meagan that he wanted to maybe compete and skate shows with someone else after Meagan had her baby? If he had been completely honest. Do you think Meagan would have been fine with it? Like everyone here I agree he should have been honest, but I guess as humans we struggle with that sometimes, because we feel guilty and don't want to hurt other people.