The last election campaign brought its share of necessary debates for our society, but also brought to light the discomfort with regard to the question of social cohesion and immigration in an increasingly polarized global context.
Posted yesterday at 2:00 p.m.
As a child of Law 101 of Vietnamese origin who plays hockey, who rubbed shoulders with and who grew up in almost all cultural circles in Quebec, ranging from cultural minorities, the English-speaking community, metropolitan, suburban and rural francophone environments, and to aboriginal communities and who finally married the most beautiful of Acadians, I was personally challenged by the comments that came from all sides about immigrants and which came to unearth an old insecurity , that of my cultural identity.
After 1995, I had to do my way of the cross to understand who I was. I finally found answers to my questions by touring Quebec.
I was pleasantly pampered by noticing all the beauty that this beautiful region can offer through its landscapes, but also the warmth, openness and kindness of its people who accompanied me throughout my journey towards medicine. of family. It was in a way a way of reconciling myself with my host country while affirming my deep Vietnamese roots.
But here comes the thorny question that every child of immigrant origin asks themselves: am I a Quebecer?
This fundamental question inevitably comes up in a North American context where one can easily choose between French and English cultures or a mixture of the two. At the end of the election campaign, I am convinced that many young and old have moved away from Francophone culture, as was the case in 1995. Need we remind you that words have weight and that they can reopen deep wounds for several generations, hence the importance of empowering those in power if we really want to build a unifying national project.
The scars of history speak volumes about a people. The influence of the clergy and submission to the English at the time explain part of the visceral reactions of French-speaking Quebecers today. Similarly, the colonialism and opportunism of the last centuries probably led to a feeling of caution among the First Nations in the face of any attempt at rapprochement.
It is therefore essential to approach the subject of social cohesion with delicacy and empathy as we are taught in family medicine with our patient partners. Above all, we must show humanism and not reduce people to mere figures, because it has been well proven that a human relationship of trust precedes any therapeutic success. As such, an emotional election campaign that affects certain sensitivities without appealing to the main parties concerned lends itself less to constructive exchanges, on the contrary, it can lead to perpetuating cultural collisions.
For example, the relationship between the majority and the visible minorities must be taken into account. Montreal’s unique location, which is like an airport within a city, a hub which sometimes contrasts with the surrounding regions and which amplifies any social phenomenon, must be seen as an opportunity to be seized to identify representatives and experts in the field of social cohesion. We often talk about groups that study these phenomena, but we must especially think of street workers and community organizations that know the reality on the ground.
What is especially important is to listen and let people talk, as well as putting aside certain paternalistic reflexes.
Aboriginal and cultural communities have a number of things to say and I am not sure that we have given them all the space to do so, because they are part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Mme Christine Fréchette, who was recently appointed head of the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, has a heavy task to accomplish. It must allow those who have not been heard to have a voice. Above all, she will have the challenge of raising the debate above the fray in a transpartisan manner and influencing all of her colleagues to take the pulse of all citizens.
Quebec is ripe for a major national discussion. Quebec is a great nation and its history is filled with sacrifices and struggles in the face of assimilation that deserve admiration, because it has succeeded against all odds where many have failed.
I am convinced that it is possible to unite the Aboriginal peoples, the newcomers and the French-speaking majority as well as all layers of society so that we can all say we are proud to be Quebecers, because we all share a trait in common , resilience.