The author is a historian, sociologist, writer and retired teacher from the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi in the history, sociology, anthropology, political science and international cooperation programs. His research focuses on collective imaginations.
In conclusion of thisThis series of three texts, I attempt to assess the state of our values. This will necessarily be in a telegraphic manner, due to lack of space and because the available data is insufficient. A whole field of research opens up to scientists here (a few are already active there, for example E. Montigny and G. Lachapelle).
Uncertain cases. I will therefore abandon part of the land. This will be the case for values such as equity and citizenship, or identity and memory. On these last two points, many see a state of crisis, others very much living legacies. We cannot decide.
Opening up to the world. This is a stock that seems to be doing very well. But what does it cover? Previously, it invited us to open up to broader horizons, to enrich our culture. Today, the dross conveyed by social networks and American popular culture are mixed in. Positive contributions are now combined with worrying dependencies – the anarchic rise of digital technology is another.
Laicity. We are uncompromising on the separation of State and Church. The results are therefore positive. But this value remains a place of deep divisions in terms of legislative or regulatory translations.
The French language. The situation of French inspires diagnoses that are sometimes gloomy, sometimes optimistic. It is reassuring that various organizations watch over our language. But there are worrying signs of relaxation and even resignation. There are sometimes outcries which testify to a very strong attachment to French; let’s think about the storm raised by the incident involving the big boss of Air Canada, Michael Rousseau, in November 2021. The awareness of being a fragile minority remains alive, as does the pride in our French heritage.
Solidarity. Here we come up against another measurement problem. I would nevertheless say that this value is doing rather well in the light of four criteria: a) the importance that we usually give to consultation, to the search for agreements, b) our status as a small nation in the world and vigilance that it inspires, c) the absence of deep social and cultural divisions, d) the marginality of radical demagoguery.
The religious. This is a stock that has taken a nosedive and we don’t see what could revive it. The Church is in pieces and the few reconstruction efforts remain in vain. What will be the long-term consequences? We don’t know, as the phenomenon has few precedents. Religious matters, however, remain quite important for 23% of Quebecers — compared to 39% for English Canadians (Léger survey, 2020); thanks to G. Lachapelle for pointing this out to me.
Environmentalism. This value has now become established among the public. Its concrete progress remains hampered by major economic powers. States, too weak or complicit, are very conciliatory. Major world summits inspire cynicism and heighten concern.
Pluralism. Quebec has undoubtedly progressed in this area (as evidenced by the same Léger survey from 2020). However, studies show that various forms of discrimination and racism persist. Large cities have equipped themselves with tools to combat them. Public institutions and the media are vigilant. The State, entangled in its infantile war against “systemic racism”, is not doing enough.
Nonviolence. Quebec continues to stand out across America for its low homicide rate. But this is an area to watch if we are to believe the media (“Gun epidemic” in Montreal? “Outbreak” of domestic violence? “Rise” of child crime?…).
Legality. Quebec is at the forefront of North American societies in terms of its social policies. But gaps persist between men and women. They are also increasing at both ends of the social scale: extreme opulence and homelessness. We observe upward mobility between generations, although relatively weak, except among women. Downward mobility is also low.
Schooling remains the main factor for social advancement. We are rightly concerned about the “three-speed school”, especially the divide between public and private. Here, equality of opportunity is an illusion.
Democracy. It is in decline in several countries, except in Europe (according to the research collective Trust in European Democracies). Quebec is doing rather well, as more than two-thirds of citizens think, according to a survey by the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM). It is threatened by the media crisis: information, the possibility of expressing oneself, criticism of those in power are essential conditions for democracy (2900 regional newspapers have disappeared since 2005 in the United States, we learned from the New York Times last November 30).
Note: less than one in two Quebecers believe they can influence government decisions. At 66% in 2022, the electoral participation rate is declining.
Rights and freedoms. According to the same INM survey, between 65% and 76% of those questioned believe that rights and freedoms are respected in Quebec. These proportions are rather reassuring. Access to the courts remains difficult. Are immigrants well protected?
Other values. For lack of space, I will quickly move on to other values that featured well in the Léger survey, such as family, work, and tolerance.
Conclusion: no crisis, but…
First, in terms of control over minds, there is a hierarchy among these values. No one will risk their life for memory or openness to the world. If we add it up, we see that there is no crisis of values in Quebec. We see this in particular in respect for institutions. There are obviously shortcomings and a lot of work to be done. The State, first of all, should feel more involved. It must serve as an example, serving as a source of inspiration for the citizen. Does he do it?