Quebec commemorates the sixth anniversary of the massacre at the Grand Mosque of Quebec which took place on January 29, 2017. This massacre left six fathers killed, six widows, seventeen orphans and a tetraplegic father. Several people who were at the mosque at the time of the killing will be traumatized for life.
This week we will pay tribute to Boubakr, Khaled, Abdelkrim, Izziddine, Mamadou and Ibrahima who lost their lives in the mosque shooting. We also show our solidarity with Ayman Derbaly, who was paraplegic in the shooting.
Six years ago, on February 3, 2017, during my tribute to the victims of the massacre, I made a sincere appeal asking that the post-January 29, 2017 be different from before January 29, 2017. I also appeals to our leaders and to all of society to take the necessary measures to ensure that these victims are the last victims of acts of hatred and hate propaganda. Unfortunately, there have been other attacks and other victims, not in Quebec, but elsewhere in Canada and around the world.
The risk that hatred will claim yet more innocent victims, here and elsewhere, still remains. Being a Quebecer, I will devote my thoughts to Quebec.
I fear a slippage that could bring us to the same place where we were on the eve of the Quebec mosque massacre in January 2017.
We can recall the atmosphere that reigned in Quebec at that time following the reasonable accommodation controversy and its effects. This atmosphere and the rise of populism south of the border contributed to the radicalization of the author of the Quebec mosque massacre. The trial of this assassin revealed his admiration for Trump and his fear of foreigners, who he believed would kill his family, especially with the arrival of Syrian refugees.
Avoid amalgams
There are two factors that risk contributing to a deterioration of the relationship between Quebec society and Quebecers of the Muslim faith; one external, the other internal. The external factor is what is happening in the Muslim world, particularly in Iran and Afghanistan and the reflection of these unfortunate developments on the image of Islam and Muslims. The internal factor is the direct or indirect result of the social debate that Quebec is experiencing these days around national identity, immigration, the need to protect the French language and Quebec culture.
We cannot ignore what is happening elsewhere in the world. On the other hand, it is necessary to avoid amalgams and accusations by association. We must not hold Quebecers or Canadians of the Muslim faith responsible for what is happening elsewhere in the world. Just as Quebecers are not responsible for the hate crime of the perpetrator of the mosque massacre, Quebecers of the Muslim faith are not responsible for the acts of other Muslims elsewhere in the world.
With regard to the debate surrounding national identity, which is currently very much alive in Quebec, we must certainly protect Quebec identity and Quebec culture. It is also necessary not only to protect the French language, but also to enrich it. On the other hand, insinuating that new Quebecers, including Quebecers of the Muslim faith, represent a threat to the Quebec nation and that they are enemies of Quebec culture and the French language is a danger that we must avoid.
The new Quebecer is neither an enemy nor a threat. He is a fellow citizen like all the others. It’s the doctor who examines us, the nurse who treats us, the taxi driver who offers us transport, the teacher who teaches us, and so on.
The people who come to join us in this welcoming land do not come as invaders. They come to make a new life for themselves and for their families. In doing so, they are building Quebec and Canada with us. It is up to us, especially our governments, to help them learn French, live in French and integrate well and be active and productive members of society.
The social debate is important and must take place with serenity, prudence and responsibility. You have to take good care of your words. With a tree, you can make thousands, even millions of matches. But it takes a single match to burn down an entire forest. Words are as strong as a tree and as destructive as a fire. Pay attention to what you say: it can go a long way. We experienced it on January 29, 2017.