Beauce, an industrial power in perpetual shortage of labor, also a crucible of the Quebec conservative movement, is turning more than ever to foreign countries to maintain its pace. Story of a transformation.
An increasingly familiar voice speaks every Wednesday on Saint-Georges radio. “It’s African culture day,” Kimberly Cascante announced that week in her accent halfway between Beauceville and Latin America. “It makes me laugh,” says the host, Gaston Cloutier. “People think Africa is a country. Africa is a continent with how many countries…”
Hassan’s testimony follows. The neo-Beauceron, Senegalese of origin, describes to the audience his history, his journey, his country. This express introduction to difference began last September and has become a must-see on local radio, Kimberly says after the exercise.
“When there is no special theme, I raise awareness. I explain what we teach immigrants. Sometimes people think people come here and it’s easy. It is not like that. »
This weekly column “I immigrate to Beauce” is essential in the region which now welcomes thousands of immigrants each year. “Before, we didn’t know anything. Speaking with immigrants is like traveling to their country,” admits off-air morning man beauceron. “We are now able to distinguish them. »
“We take charge”
Although the majority of immigrants to Beauce were first invited by companies to work there, the region attracts all kinds of new faces. For about a year, an asylum seeker has knocked on the door of Martin Beaulieu’s office every week, on average, to ask for help. The general director of the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Beauce-Sud generally manages to find a way to integrate these more deprived migrants into the territory of the “black shanks”.
Housing vacancy which is close to 0% does not help. On the other hand, the unemployment rate which fluctuates between 2% and 3% – the lowest percentage in Quebec from year to year – helps.
The Quebec state helps, it is true, but businesses contribute largely to meeting these ever-increasing requests for assistance. Martin Beaulieu also says he is certain of obtaining the support of his community if he needs to raise funds.
It’s true that in Beauce “we take charge of ourselves, because we don’t want to depend on the government”, explains the man who also deals with the social reintegration of poorer or marginalized Beaucerons. “We use our system which works and we adapt it to immigration. »
The Beauceronne method means growing “in progress and innovation while having a healthy conservatism”, says Martin Beaulieu. “The biggest companies in Quebec are here. It must have a connection. »
In French please
The inside of the walls of the Monseigneur-Beaudoin school has rarely been so teeming with life. The building in the heart of Saint-Georges houses one of the largest francization centers in Quebec, if not the largest.
The data is hard to follow as the increase is exponential. While ten years ago, there were only a few dozen registered, last October, there were 878. Today, there are 1,436 people learning French there.
“And the year is not over,” underlines the general director, Nataly Blondin. “We’re out of breath, bits and pieces. We are constantly adjusting. »
The volume of students is so overflowing that the primary school in the neighboring municipality of Saint-Cyprien, after having been left empty for some time, now hosts francization classes. Such classes are spreading to all the villages that request them. And “if the numbers are there, we go to the company”.
In these corridors where we hear Spanish, Arabic, Ukrainian spoken, everyone introduces themselves with a “hello”. It remains to be seen whether they will not say “goodbye” in a few years.
This report is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.