Today and Monday, we are going to hear a lot of good things about Quebec. Normal, it’s his party. It’s going to make a change! The rest of the year, we talk bad about Quebec almost all the time.
Things are not going well in hospitals in Quebec. Things are not going well in schools in Quebec. Things are not going well in housing in Quebec. The environment in Quebec is not going well. Things are not going well in transportation in Quebec. Things are not going well in the municipalities in Quebec. Things are not going well in culture in Quebec. Things are not going well in sports in Quebec. Things are not going well with immigration to Quebec. Things are not going well in social services in Quebec. Things are not going well economically in Quebec. In short, things are not going well in Quebec, as in not good.
By hearing about it in a negative way, the word Quebec ends up sounding, to our ears, like failure. So much so that we end up dissociating ourselves from Quebec. Quebec is the government. Quebec is the unions. Quebec is employers. Quebec is everything except us. It’s an entity that we get used to, and that exasperates us most of the time. We complain about Quebec much more often than we sing to it People of the country. And the more we maintain this attitude with Quebec, the more things will not go well in Quebec.
Because Quebec, first and foremost, is us. Every time we hear the word Quebec, we shouldn’t react as if we’re talking about someone else, we’re talking about you and me.
There was a time when people’s names contained the place of their origin: Jesus of Nazareth, Robert of Artois, Francis of Assisi…
Over time, the practice came to generate family names: Gérard Lenorman, Julie Le Breton, Joe Montana…
We all have the word Quebec at the end of our name: Mario Tremblay-Québec, Normand Brathwaite-Québec, Mariana Mazza-Québec…
We are all part of the same family. The Quebec family.
And we don’t have to hide it. We don’t have to be ashamed of it.
Yes, things are not going well in many areas in Quebec, but things are not going well in these areas throughout the world. Or almost. Even though things are better here than in most other nations.
Above all, we must never forget that great things are also happening in Quebec hospitals, in Quebec schools, in Quebec municipalities, in all areas in Quebec.
We don’t insist on it, but we should, in order to inspire citizens.
On Saint-Jean, pride is mentioned a lot, but there is an even more essential feeling to awaken in each of us, and that is love, love of Quebec. Because when we love, we feel concerned, we feel responsible.
For things to get better in all areas in Quebec, as many Quebecers as possible must want to provide their share of efforts, want to contribute to collective well-being. The government cannot do anything alone. Only when everyone is rowing in the same direction will we emerge from the troubled waters.
But to row in the same direction, you must be part of the crew, you must not only seek personal advancement, you must not escape in a rescue boat.
On this national holiday, this is the wish that I express for Quebec: that each person who lives there has at heart the happiness of the other people who live there. Let us realize that the more things go well for a large number of Quebecers, the more things will go well for us too.
We are Quebec. And Quebec is what we are. And Quebec will be what we make of it.
We can despair of not being able to make things better in the world, but we cannot despair of not being able to make things better in Quebec, because Quebec depends on us.
Instead of Quebec gaining independence, it is as if Quebecers had achieved their individual independence. As if Quebecers had separated from each other. We must reverse the movement.
Quebecers must understand that they are interdependent on each other. And the best way to feel it is to love yourself.
You will tell me: other Quebecers, apart from you, of course, still need to be friendly. I think there’s a damn big gang that is.
This is what Midsummer is for: getting closer to each other, learning to know and love each other; the future of Quebec will always be a question of solidarity.
Long live Quebec that loves itself!
Happy National Day, everyone!
I love you !