Mr. Legault, dear elected officials of the Coalition avenir Québec,
Today, after this period of Quebec elections, no one is really winning, except perhaps a few supporters of malevolent strategies who revel in division and power. Indeed, the racist and even misleading comments that have been made recently about immigration still stick in my throat and paint our society in a very bad light. We have heard all kinds of things, but when these words are spoken by our leaders, their scope commands more restraint.
Describing myself, in this duality that you serve us, as being of Quebec culture, I am terribly ashamed vis-à-vis the Farah Alibays, the Boucar Dioufs and the Caroline Dawsons, proud Quebecers and proud Quebecers of immigrant origin who honor, worse, vis-à-vis all those I meet every day, work colleagues, the taxi driver, the young man from the convenience store who, benevolent, always welcomes us cheerfully. Unbearably shameful.
If we had expected a government that promotes the integration of people
immigrants, it is quite the opposite that is being built under your leadership. I hear unacceptable comments from acquaintances who are poorly informed by your words, in the image of what your leadership legitimizes. Not only am I on a crusade to correct these statements, in addition, I refrain from going to ask forgiveness for your flat-bellied remarks in front of all the immigrants I meet daily. Finally, I dither on a slogan to put on a t-shirt, like “I absolutely don’t believe what the CAQ is saying out loud”. Because I don’t even dare to imagine it, how one feels at the moment when one comes from immigration.
I don’t know how many rounds of apologies or how many years will be needed to mend this social divide, to rebuild bridges and establish a certain trust — never won, it seems — in each other. It seems to me that the shame is in my camp, I hate this duality imposed by your leadership. I dare to hope that we are, Mr. Legault, dear elected officials of the CAQ, allies and allies in the same society, allies and allies who in the majority did not vote for you.