(Sainte-Croix) The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, invited his supporters to turn the page on the “backward-looking attitude” of François Legault who “distorts” the image of Quebecers by making them pass for intolerant . However, he admitted to sharing certain CAQ ideas on French and common values for newcomers.
Posted at 8:19 p.m.
“The reality is changing and we must take note of it,” he declared in front of the hundred people gathered in Sainte-Croix, in Chaudière-Appalaches. The Conservative leader delivered a plea in favor of economic immigration.
“Immigrants will be a resource. It will be an addition, then we have to open our hearts and our arms to integrate them into the French-speaking majority and integrate them into our businesses because we have a labor shortage, ”he argued. .
We need them as much as they need to come here to escape their country of origin and at some point the CAQ will have to understand that.
Éric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec
He then attacked the remarks of the Minister of Immigration, Jean Boulet, and those of François Legault. During an election debate on Radio-Canada in Trois-Rivières last week, Mr. Boulet said that 80% of newcomers “go to Montreal, don’t work, don’t speak French or don’t do not adhere to the values of Quebec society”. He apologized when his remarks resurfaced on Wednesday.
François Legault fueled the controversy in turn before the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on Wednesday morning by declaring that “it would be a bit suicidal” to welcome more than 50,000 newcomers a year due to the decline of French.
“They are distorting reality, they are giving a false perception and they are making Quebecers look intolerant, which we are not,” he said. He added that “seeing the other as a stranger, as a threat” is a thing of the past and that we must “see them as a contribution, as a neighbor, as a potential friend, as a potential co-worker”. .
The attitude of the current government is harming Quebec. I think it’s an attitude that is backward and it’s time to move on.
Éric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec
The Conservative leader, however, admitted to agreeing with some of the CAQ positions, he who promises to impose a test of values on newcomers. “There are things that are fundamental and that are not negotiable for Quebecers, but that being said, that does not mean that we are against immigration,” he argued, referring to French and the integration of immigrants into Quebec society.
Éric Duhaime promised during the election campaign to pass a test of values to newcomers, in particular to ensure that they respect equality between men and women as well as homosexuality. He did not specify how this test would differ from the one already added by the CAQ during the last mandate. He also agrees with the annual target of 50,000 immigrants without being attached to this figure.