Soooo… has anyone else heard about the taxi strike tonight? Apparently its happened before. Anyone have details on that one?
[quote=“MiG”]
Can we please not call it a “Paddy Wagon” – it’s on the same level as “being Jewed” or being “Gypped.”
Sometimes people use these racist terms and have no clue what they’re saying.[/quote]
Good ol’ under-educated me is not sure why “paddy wagon” is considered racist. Who is it offending?
Paddy = Irishman.
Paddywagon in that it was used to transport Irish.
Would you call it an indianwagon? Or a jewishwagon? Wopwagon?
I totally understand that a lot of it comes from honest and innocent ignorance, though. Like when you explain to kids why they shouldn’t say “gypped”, they’re like… huh? Gypsies? What?
Listen, you drunk inbred newfie!
Hey, I’m not drunk!
But on a serious note, the word “Newfie” is like the N-word for black people. Or the I-word for First Nations people. Newfoundlanders can use it, you can’t 
You funseekers are getting way out of control now , I think they made a load of money with the tickets no matter what . Maybe they can fix our roads a bit . As far as the taxi strike or whatever good maybe they will take time to repair most of them . The name calling is kind of interesting though . I would like to make a suggestion though , lets not take it too seriously now or we will all be SCREAMING LIKE THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO IS TRYING TO SELL HER HOUSE AND HAS TALKED TO TAXI DRIVERS. OOpppp sorry I got carried away there , sorry Mig .
heh.
I wonder if FN people can call each other “I’s” like Black people call each other “N’s” 
It is kinda sad how these words have some how worked their way into everyday slang. People say them without knowing where they came from or who it’s defaming.
Why is, okay I’ll say it, INDIAN such a bad word? I don’t like using it anyhow, but to me it’s not nearly in the same category as the N word. There is nothing that can be said about the N word to make it better. INDIAN is more politiclally incorrect as opposed to being racist. I’m probably splitting hairs, but that’s how it appears to me.
I got this from Wikipedia after searching the word INDIAN…
“In Canada, although all governments are now careful to use the terms First Nations (for “Indians”) and aboriginals (First Nations, plus Metis and Inuit), the federal ministerial portfolio in charge of their affairs is the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and “Indian Reserve” is still a legal land description. Some First Nations also use “Indian Band” in their official names.”
Great observations…
I personally don’t like the terminology “Indian” because with the Canadian mixing bowl it makes me think of East Indian, therefore it’s more appropriate and less confusing to be considered Aboriginal or First Nations.
Actually, I started the paddy-wagon thing. Mainly so you’d know what I was talking about, as that’s the term from the old US cop shows.
When police vehicles were black, and were all issued consecutive license plates, we used to call them "Black Mariah’s"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Maria
As for the Newf thing, lar jeez bye grow some skin! Treehumpers, stubblejumpers, bluenosers and herringchokers can live with it. I’ll spare Quebec, as they may have the legitimate case…
We need to get together and find a name for Ontarians…
I like First Nations to describe the many groups of living pre-european descendants in Canada. I think it honors the heritage of all Canadians. However, to describe individuals in the groups, I find it awkward to use Aboriginal because I’ve always associated this word with Australia’s First Nations. I also find it awkard to use Natives as well because it can be confuse with the other uses of the adjective ( ie: such plant species is native of this area.) It also doesn’t translate well in French. (By the way, I’ve always found it weird when people say that I’m “French” since I don’t come from France and neither were at least six generations in my family!)
Indian is not appropriate for the connotations and for the historical mistake. So what’s left?
I’ve used “person of FN heritage” before and I think it is politically correct.
How about Canadian of First Nation heritage? A bit long but a good respectful description.
So I’m not French, I am Canadian of Acadian heritage! And I don’t drink Molson, I drink Moosehead Alpine! 
Isn’t Ontarians bad enough?
Out of curiousity, what should we call a paddywagon?
A “prisoner transport” vehicle?
A “mobile short-term detention center”?
Barfwagon?
I’m thinking about the poor RCMP officers who need to sanitize their units after they complete the bar closure runs. 
As for taxis and seatbelts, I have been asked a few times in the last couple of years to buckle up, not for my own safety, but for my wallets’ …Big fine!@!@!@ How about buses? Should we have to buckle up in a bus? Just wanted to start an old debate…I’m bored today! As for a name for people from Ontario, well, that’s easy , the Blessed Ones, might be a good start! 
I am from Hamilton, so speaking on behalf of the great Steel City, and those unfamiliar with the area, we are classed as the “wanna-be Torontonians” NOT!! Sorry, didn’t mean to yell! We are also affectionately known as the children of the Mafia, so named for those unfamilar, for the “few” Mafia families in the city. Now, if you want to be really mean, we are the city with the really shitty football team…Go Ticats, please…move to Toronto Really, I am a fan, honest… 
Just as I thought , with this BIG Boom I knew we would eventually have the Mafia connection eventually in this Quiet town . But I may be wrong it has happened before I am sure . Your right about The Cats and as for the seatbelt thing, it is good to know you are respecting the laws . So we have possible Mafia and Steel Workers now . You seem to be alright though at least you do not shout .
Um. Police van?
A police car isn’t a paddycar.
Actually here Archie & Pete use suburbans and they’re just called “taxis”. Since the cab co. folded, the kids on the rez started the term and it spread.
The reason “Newfie” is on par with the N-word and the I-word is that when it’s used by non-Newfoundlanders, it’s always as a compound insult. It’s never used in the same way we would use it. You’ll find that it’s used in the same way white people would use the N-word or the I-word.
Take a look at how Eso used it, for example.
To the generation before me Newfoundland was a seperate country, and it was mainly a term of distinguishment. Unlike true racist jokes, Newfie jokes were always ‘cute’ or ‘tasteful’. A little bit discriminatory. Quasi-discriminatory. The Diet Coke of discrimination.
But seeing as how even Coors is still beer… your point made.
Now the name change is official and no-one’s gonna take a huge breath to refer to you as a Newfoundland and Labradorian, you can be just another Canuck, okay? Not even any hyphens allowed.