They live on another continent, but they are still blamed for the invasion of Ukraine: members of the Russian diaspora in Quebec have been the target of discriminatory messages since the beginning of the war.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
“Shame on you and your people! Go back to Russia! »
This is the message sent on February 25 to the Facebook page of the hockey team “Les Russes de Montréal”, by Igor Tchiniaev. The man of Russian origin, also a figure skating coach, says he found these words “disturbing” which were sent to him by a complete stranger. “It’s not up to him [l’inconnu] to decide who has a place here,” laments Mr. Tchiniaev, who has lived in Canada for 23 years. Especially since the hockey team was created about twenty years ago for the pleasure of “sport, not for politics”. People of all nationalities meet on the ice.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, hateful acts and remarks towards the Russian diaspora have arisen across Canada.
In Vancouver, the doors of a Russian community center were covered in blue and yellow paint last Saturday.
These gestures should not be tolerated, especially since it is unfair to blame all members of the same nationality for a political conflict, argues Igor Tchiniaev. The comments received on social networks contrast with the Canada he “adores”, because of the freedom and tolerance that reign there, he argues.
Igor Tchiniaev says he “feels badly” for the Ukrainians who are suffering from the war. Several of his friends live there. “I’m sad,” said the resident of Longueuil. I talk with them and support them to stay safe. The human side touches me enormously. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ELENA PAVLYUCHENKO
Elena Pavlyuchenko
Elena Pavlyuchenko, a resident of Quebec originally from Russia, reports that she has left several groups on social networks. The woman who has lived in Canada since 2004 received messages telling her that “Russian soldiers are mean,” she says. “What is the connection with me? “, she laments.
“I didn’t do anything, sobs Mme Pavlyuchenko, who claims to be against the war. I have a Canadian passport, I work here. “These hateful messages must stop since the conflict “has reached Quebec City”, she underlines.
Feeling of insecurity in the community
When political conflicts arise between two nations, this necessarily leads to prejudice and discrimination on both sides, argues Micheline Labelle, professor emeritus in the sociology department at UQAM. “Prejudices work by generalization, they do not distinguish between the government in place and the Russian people,” she explains.
When we talk about discrimination, it is necessary to analyze the role played by institutions, especially organizations, argues Micheline Labelle. The latter takes the example of the cancellation of the services of the Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev, who was to play with the Orchester symphonique de Montréal, announced on Tuesday. A gesture that she considers scandalous.
We can clearly speak of discrimination against a young pianist who has nothing to do with the current conflict.
Micheline Labelle, professor emeritus of the sociology department at UQAM
The danger of discrimination and prejudice, when entrenched, is that they can turn into violent acts, says Ms.me The beautiful. “The example of the ransacking of the community center in Vancouver is violence,” she said.
It only takes a few people who perpetuate hateful acts to create a feeling of insecurity within an entire community, adds Louis Audet Gosselin, scientific and strategic director of the Center for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence (CPRLV).
It is necessary to denounce these acts, but also to make the population aware of the hateful messages circulating on social networks, underlines Mr. Audet Gosselin. “You have to understand that what you say online has the same effect as what you do in person,” he said.
Communities that do not “have to pay the price of war”
According to Louis Audet Gosselin, the speeches of politicians, as well as those conveyed in the media, must be clear: “Communities of Russian origin here absolutely do not have to pay the price of this war”, affirms- he.
The majority of Quebecers, however, make the distinction between the government of Vladimir Poutine and the Russian communities in the province, points out Mr. Audet Gosselin. This is what Igor Tchiniaev observes. “Everyone around me is very kind and respectful to me,” he says. There really is no problem. »
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- 622,445
- Number of people of Russian origin living in Canada, according to the 2016 census
source: STATISTICS CANADA