Societal issues become acute, caustic, during an election period. This does not establish a climate suitable for productive debates, for constructive argument. Yet our political candidates would demonstrate their relevance by using a different tone. Obviously, the atmosphere of crisis is often invented, generated, artificial, obscuring the piling up of unresolved problems mandate after mandate.
Posted at 10:00 a.m.
Let’s discuss immigration: crisis or threat? Remember that Canada and Quebec have acquired their international importance through the contribution of successive waves of immigration, sometimes Irish, sometimes Vietnamese, sometimes Haitian, etc. Each has colored our society which, I believe, has become better by adapting and adopting new ways of being, by changing values and mentalities. Immigration is a fact with both positive and adverse challenges, but mainly opportunities that certainly do not constitute a crisis.
On the other hand, the current ambient discourse gives the completely biased impression that each immigrant or refugee is a problem, a burden.
Yet it is difficult to argue that integration is threatening to the welcoming majority, especially when attitudes persist that perpetuate systemic racism or restrict active and equitable participation in society. On whom weighs or is really exerted the risk? It is obvious that does not deserve the epithets used to frighten the voting majority.
This is particularly true in the area of health care, which remains mainly focused on the needs of the majority, neglecting the illnesses suffered by immigrants or their descendants. And this despite the fact that racialized Quebecers have been members of the population for generations. Threat comes from verbal swelling that elicits painful, unhappy affirmations. The image forming in people’s minds suggests that enough is being done for ‘them’. This is inappropriate vocabulary.
The health system already has the distressing impression of never doing enough for anyone. In particular, the insufficiency of the care offered to the immigrant population or descendants of this immigration draws an inequity pointing to ignorance, an indifference that the discourse of crisis foments and reinforces, while the authorities proclaim without conviction the principles of EDI (Equity , Diversity, Inclusion).
As elections approach, politicians want to impress, give THE answer and represent THE truth, demonstrating their desire to instill visceral reactions. Mistake. It should be the reason that guides our choice when voting or developing public policy.
Unfortunately, clientelism means that the vote is more and more individualistic. However, the majority of citizens are endowed with a common sense of respecting the other, not wanting to impose their well-being at the expense of others. It therefore seems important to me that the discourse change, that we agree that the so-called debate of ideas does not weigh on those who have arrived more or less recently and who are too easily identified, too often ostracized.
It also seems clear to me, observing the evolution of the health system over the past 30 years, that the quantity of care could not be equivalent without the contribution of staff belonging to populations with an immigrant background. I believe that the best way to encourage immigrants to invest in respecting common values and collective practices such as the language of use is to seek to encourage mimicry among them (wanting to resemble the other) and emulation (aspiring to better) by showing them real appreciation, and not just in times of COVID-19.
It is up to everyone to be able and willing to adapt to a changing world in order to become positive agents in the evolution of our society.
Without ever preaching great principles, my parents showed me by example that they were more proud to receive people than to be received. I believe that their teaching goes beyond the simple context of family gatherings. It’s a real Quebec value, or at least it was.
I already have in The Press quoted Coelho: “When a thing evolves, everything around evolves in the same way. Every day gives us the opportunity to learn or to stay stuck in the past. Each moment gives us the opportunity to review our habits by aiming to improve ourselves rather than by perpetuating habits that have no value in absolute terms.
I doubt that politicizing immigration will have any positive effect. This discourse erects borders, physical and intellectual, which will prevent the integration of an immigration which will invariably increase. Because wars exist, escalate. Because climate change forces some to go into exile from their homeland. Because the mixing of nations remains the only way to reduce the risks associated with totalitarianism and the absolutism of right-thinking leaders.
Recently, Minister Lionel Carmant announced the imposition of a course for parents in the process of international adoption. Like this program, perhaps it is appropriate to suggest that Quebecers develop skills to welcome and integrate, avoiding the climate of crisis and threat? At this time, the required apprenticeships are only for the immigrants themselves. Well-ordered charity begins with oneself.