Canada Dismayed Over Quebec Terrorist Game Plot

Thanks to Canoe.ca for their article discussing the Canadian reaction to the in-game plot of Sony's forthcoming PS2 title Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain, which has a level in which "...the [terrorist] Quebec Liberations Front has taken control of one of Toronto's underground subway tunnels." This is "an apparent reference to the Front de liberation du Quebec (FLQ), whose kidnapping and murder of Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte in 1970 led to the imposition of the War Measures Act." A spokesperson for the Toronto transit commission has suggested: "The fact is someone is putting the Toronto subway as a terrorist site, that is a very dangerous thing to do", while a group of Quebec sovereigntists have commented: "It's difficult not to be made to feel like a target when you have a game inviting players to shoot at separatists." Update: 10/23 23:25 GMT by S : According to CTV.ca, Sony have now agreed to change the game, "rather than face a real-life storm of angry Quebecers."

Comments

If this isn't a British Columbian's dream!

[Tofino]

"It's difficult not to be made to feel like a target when you have a game inviting players to shoot at separatists."

It's not very difficult to reach for my credit card when you have a game inviting players to shoot at separatists.

Re:If this isn't a British Columbian's dream!

[Goldberg's Pants]

LOL! And Alberta too:)

Seriously, they need to get over themselves. Nobody stops to think about when the muslims or whatever are targets in a game. No, killing them is just fine. It's total hypocrisy.

As someone who lives in Alberta, blowing up Toronto and offing hardline Quebecers... Well, it'a a dream come true really innit:)

Re:If this isn't a British Columbian's dream!

[JFMulder]

Hi. Fellow quebecois and separatist here, just like you. Have you seen all the hate we get from english canadian on this story? It's amazing how many people hate quebecers so much.

Personnally, I don't hate them or anything, it's the stupid assholes the rest of the country wants as the government that pisses me off and makes me want to leave.

And they've got that idea that because we think we're different, we're implying better. Didn't someone say that all tastes were part of nature? It's not because we love different things than them that we consider ourselves better.

You could argue that at least we don't suck up to the americans and british like a big part of Canada does (see Paul Martin), and that does make us more enlightened in that regard.

Anyway, we're our own people and own culture. Sure we borrow from other cultures, as all cultures do, but we mostly stay true to ourselves, instead of watching american TV show all week long.)

To go back on topic, at first I was kinda pissed about it and after a while I was kinda looking forward to hearing how the french terrorist spoke. Finally I could have heard "Calice de tabarnaque!" in a game. :) Anyway, it's just a game, and as someone else pointed out, if it's okay to shoot muslim terrorists in a game, why is it not ok to shoot french canadian terrorists? Maybe it's because we're a long way off a terrorist group that promote Quebec's independence and maybe that's why people are pissed.

I'm sure if there was a game Russian game where the US invaded Russia and you as Russia had to fight back, americans would be the first one to cry and moan about it. But did you see someone say something about Freedom Fighter released a couple days ago? (I think that's the name of the game where, in an alternate reality where Russia has won the cold war, Russia invades the US) Nope. Not this side of the atlantic anyway. I wonder what they're saying over there. Probably something like "Typical american propaganda. Eh, what can we do about it. Anybody wants more vodka?"

Sony already changing it?

[alphaseven]

CTV is reporting that Sony has already agreed to have the game changed. (Video linked to on the page).

Funny part is, I was just watching a Canadian reporter talking to an actual retired Quebec terrorist, and he kind of liked the idea, he thought it might make young people a little more militant.

Bah

[daeley]

A potential terrorist target is a potential terrorist target whether or not somebody says it's one. In fact, you're worsening the danger by *not* pointing out something like that, since likely not enough will be done about the problem otherwise. "...dangerous thing to do"? Bah. It's not like there's some Separatist at an underground cafe right now slapping his forehead and saying "Sacre merde, the subway! Why didn't we think of this?"

Re:Bah

[Chasuk]

Actually, no.

When suicides are widely reported, the incidence of suicides go up. That's why Toronto, at least in the past, didn't/doesn't report suicides (or at least omits the information that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted).

Sensationalism of kidnaping inarguably leads to more kidnaping, and sensationalism of skyjacking leads to more skyjacking.

This has been known for years, and I don't see why it wouldn't apply to terrorist acts, as well.

Re:Bah

[Danse]

So you're claiming that because suicides increase when a suicide is reported, terrorism will increase because a game contains a plot that has you fighting terrorists? I think I'm going to cry now...

I'm a Federalist...

[MainframeKiller]

... you insensitive clod!

What's with the PC BS?

[pkhuong]

I'm quebecois, and i don't give a ****. Hell, i'd probably have a lot of fun with the game if i had a PS2 :) However, I think it's a bit sad that the FLQ is only remembered for their one(and last) mistake. They did many things before the kidnapping-and-murder mistake, and it was very clean; it involved blowing statues representing the british domination, etc. While it was costly, but it made their point and didn't physically hurt anyone.

BTW, re the inflammatory comments: not all of us are like the hardline PQ, just like not every anglo's like Alliance-Quebec(or whatever their name is) people. Thank you.

Re:And for you European Insensible Clods...

[drewmca]

About the time their ancestors were over there, I seem to recall that the only reason that America won the Revolutionary War was because of support from the French.

Enjoy your freedom fries, moron.

Whoa people!

[M3wThr33]

Don't be so quick to blame Canada for this one. Queubec shouldn't even be considered part of the provinces. It's sort of like Texas, but without the cowboy hats or guns. ... Make that just without hats.

Ahhh, Sony tucks tail

[DesScorp]

How rediculous. There IS a Quebec seperatist movement. Some of them HAVE used terrorism in the past. This is comparable to using IRA terrorists in a game, and then backing off because Sinn Fein complained.

Someone at Sony needs to grow a sack, and tell these PC assholes to shove it.

Prior art

[jtheory]

There's a book called Infinite Jest in which Quebecois separatist terrorists play a pretty central role in the plot.

It takes place in the future, and the Quebecois want to secede more than ever partly because the US has taken to lofting all of their radioactive waste into an area right on the Quebec border... and Canada proper didn't object. Apparently the wasteland is prowled by feral giant fetuses and such.

I don't imagine the PS games has much else in common with the book... but David Foster Wallace certainly gave no apologies for his plot, so why should they? Who complains about terrorist plots anywhere else, for however outlandish reasons?

dude - they killed five people and injured more...

[deadsquid]

...with their "very clean" actions involving bombs and gunfire. Perhaps you should do a little reading on the FLQ.

Their bombing of the Montreal Stock exchange injured 27 people. They planted several mailbox bombs which injured several people, some critically. Their bombs killed three people, and their guns killed a couple more, and that's not counting M. Laporte's death by strangulation.

They were terrorists, and they hurt people. Yes they targeted itms that were symbolic (to them) of what they considered to be an opressive regime, but the collateral damage destroyed peoples lives. They scared people because of those injuries and deaths to further their cause. That's what terrorism is, and terrorists is what the FLQ, or at least the more extreme elements of the FLQ, were. Do a little reading on the FLQ's