This will perhaps be my last text on interculturalism. I’m getting tired of writing needlessly on this subject and I suspect that many people are tired of reading me. So, let’s go with one last effort.
In Europe, a sad scenario
Let’s start with a very useful reminder. This is the story of the poor immigrants that European countries “welcomed” into their homes from around the 1960s, usually from their former colonies. I was a student in France at the time and, every day, passing on the sidewalks, I saw these wretches assigned to collecting garbage and, more often than not, repairing sewers, at the bottom of large holes that they dug “with a small shovel”, as we said back home. I looked down on them, obviously; they lowered their heads, not proud of their situation, they who had been respected fathers of families in their country, honest peasants, but incapable of surviving with their family and forced to emigrate.
They found themselves far from home, exploited, without a social safety net and without a future, crowded ten or twelve into very small apartments and nevertheless finding a way to send a little money to their loved ones. Such were those (it seemed to me to be only men) that the Europeans called with delicious euphemism, the “ guest workers » (guest workers)…
They were deeply despised, the object of the worst racist jokes, but their presence was tolerated, because it was known that they did not cost much and that they were not there for long; they would be sent back to their country as soon as possible. But there you have it: a large number stayed. The authorities didn’t really know what to do with it and, frankly, they didn’t really care about it. Except that over time, they were able to bring their families, their children grew up, they had to be sent to school and they ended up obtaining citizenship. But it didn’t take them long to understand that they were not treated like the others, victims of discrimination of all kinds, especially when it came to finding a job and housing.
What happened ? They ended up getting angry, and that’s when things got bad. A misfortune never comes alone, several of them were Muslims… The rest is well known, you just need to find out a little about the political news in European countries: intolerance, racism, extreme right, suburbs, etc. . It is true, not surprisingly, that the descendants of the “guest workers” had become much less nice (meaning: quite rebellious), having resolved to organize a life on the margins.
And in Quebec?
Read me again, what have I just told if not a story, a scenario of which pieces are now in place with us? Be careful, though, I’m not saying it’s going to happen again here, I don’t want to play the Seven Hours guy. First of all, I guess we’re not stupid enough for that; plus, I like to think that our society isn’t as harsh. So what ?
There are currently more than half a million immigrants in limbo in our country – our temporary immigrants, driven from their country by poverty (or other misfortunes), and whom we have welcomed to employ them in tasks which remain vacant sometimes because of the shortage of manpower, sometimes because they are repugnant to us. So far, so good, they are friendly, our little Latinos, and hardworking, and not demanding. Mr. Fitzgibbon can smile. This is the enjoyable part of the scenario. What will be next?
We would have to be very naive to imagine that things will stay there. One day, we will have to take serious care of these “guests”, that is to say: treat them like other Quebecers by recognizing them the same rights, the same consideration. It may not be as easy as you think. And when that day comes, Mr. Fitzgibbon will be long gone. And then, we will have to integrate them into our culture, into our way of life, into what Quebec is with its sweetness, but also its fears, its anxieties. Are we prepared for this? No.
This is where I return to interculturalism, a model that favors integration with respect for rights and equality. A model designed according to the culture, sensitivity, needs and expectations of Quebecers. I and others have been working to promote it for a long time (I feel like I have given conferences in every town and village in Quebec). The same reception everywhere: that’s what we need. Canada has multiculturalism, we need the equivalent, matched to the kind of society in which we want to live.
What do our governments say about it? Over the last ten years, I have been approached by ministers, MPs and senior civil servants, all of whom were very enthusiastic. Even that, on two occasions, ministers prepared, with my collaboration, bills in due form. They still sleep in boxes.
What is happening ? What is the cause of this nonsense? I do not know. And I won’t have to wonder anymore, I’m throwing in the towel.