In his statement on immigration on September 7, Premier François Legault forged an amalgam of gross and unfair prejudice against immigrants by associating immigration with extremism and violence in opposition to Quebecers who , therefore, would be peaceful and non-violent. Immigration would therefore be dangerous, void in Quebec, and it would threaten our “way of life”. What insanity! What reinforcement of prejudice!
Criminal violence is not exclusive to immigrants. It is a truism to remember that “pure wool tightly woven” crime has been well established in Quebec for a very long time and that it is still the lot of a minority of individuals.
Immigrants and refugees are not characterized as imported products labeled as ” cans of beans “, arriving with all the perfect qualities required to conform to “Quebec values” (very vague notions by the way).
Limiting perceptions to arms ready to work for economic ends does not reveal a more brilliant conception of immigration. Quebec welcomes people who have cost society nothing before their arrival; they received education and care in their country of origin for 10, 15, 20 or 30 years without Quebec paying a penny for it. And when they arrive, we want them to be perfect in every way and they should speak French in six months. In other words, we are looking to square the circle.
The Prime Minister’s spontaneous assertions form a web of insults to the thousands of people who have come from elsewhere and who are contributing to the development of this country.
As vice-president of the Multiethnic Welcome and Integration of Newcomers to Terrebonne and Mascouche (AMINATE) organization, I feel deeply hurt and humiliated. And I am also speaking on behalf of the formidable intervention team made up of people from various countries (Algeria, Morocco, Colombia, Romania and Senegal), to which are added natives from here and many volunteers who work from hard with limited means to support the integration and francization of thousands of immigrants and refugees in southern Lanaudière.
We are working hard to allow all these people to integrate into the region, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI), the two cities concerned and the Municipality county region of Les Moulins.
Our action does not stop there; AMINATE provides support to companies that hire people from elsewhere and does awareness work with public services (schools, police services, etc.). Every day we try to work miracles with limited financial resources.
Francization requires time and resources, which successive governments have not fully understood for decades. In 1991, a symposium on the theme “Immigrants: partners in regional development” was held at the University of Quebec in Outaouais and we discussed then all the questions that today’s politicians take up as new. Why ? Because of the indolence and laissez-faire of all governments since that time.
Over time, the funds allocated to francization have been reduced, perceived as an expense and not as a fundamental investment. In some circles, the magical thought is even conveyed that francization in the workplace would suffice. It is high time for Quebec to wake up and invest in francization to the extent of the crying needs.
Yes, integration is a challenge. Let us put the price and the time required into it. Integration is a multidimensional process that goes beyond simple francization. Integration is based on the development of a person’s ability to participate in social, cultural, economic, institutional and… political life. Beyond francization, we must INVEST in the communities on the social and cultural levels. INVEST also to counter this evil (not recognized by the CAQ) that is racism.
Instead of seeing only the arms of immigrants, let us remember above all the openness of their hearts and the liveliness of their creativity to adapt and integrate. In short, integration is not just the responsibility of community organizations, but of society as a whole. The State and its representative must therefore set the… positive tone.