[français en-dessous]Montréal, December 4, 2008 -- Shortly before Québec premier Jean Charest called the provincial election, Yolande James, his Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, astounded us with the announcement that immigrants to Quebec would have to respect Québec’s “common values”. She said that immigrants to Québec must respect the fact that Québec is a secular society where men and women have equal rights, and would have to sign a declaration to this effect. Not to be sidelined, and in a pathetic attempt to prop up sagging support, ADQ head, Mario Dumont raised the ‘Quebec identity’ bogey, saying the new course in Quebec schools on ethics, religion and culture in Quebec schools was “a negation of Québécois values.” While Dumont has been roundly pilloried for this, James’s announcement has not received the same kind of attention. And if we look back in recent history, we cannot forget former PQ leader Parizeau’s “money and the ethnic vote” comment. (Photo: Yolande James, Quebec Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities)
James and Dumont show that time has changed little. That no matter the political stripe, when it comes to minority rights, politicians play politics, and are ready to sacrifice them. They pander to what they believe are the sentiments of majority voters. They scapegoat immigrants and they are deliberately blind to history. The first inhabitants of Québec (and lest we forget, ‘Québec’ is an indigenous name) are the aboriginal people. Yet there are no sensibilities to their language, culture or values, (which include higher levels of gender equality than that of the settler colonialists).
Last year, in response to Dumont’s challenges, Premier Charest established the Reasonable Accommodation commission. It was heartening to see that the xenophobic elements were in the minority. That the majority of Quebecers were not caught up with narrow definitions of identity. Unfortunately, completely negating the findings of their own commission, the Liberals have, a year later, issued the James ‘requirement’. And Dumont tried to stir up a hornet’s nest again. We said it then and we say it now – playing identity politics is a red herring and a dangerous game. It should be trashed once and for all!
Instead of having new immigrants to Quebec sign a declaration, the Quebec government should issue a promise to all in Quebec -- new arrivals, as well as those who have been here longer, and the indigenous people -- that all rights will be protected, there will be no racial profiling, that equivalences for education and professional experience will be processed without delay, that housing is available to all irrespective of race and income, that minority youth will not be discriminated in employment in public and private sectors, that there will be no distinctions based on race, gender, ethnicity and religion, and government will work affirmatively in this direction. In essence, that Quebec will be a society based on justice and equity. Some examples of these affirmations would be the provision of more free French classes, reduced waiting periods for newcomers to access healthcare in the same way as other Quebecers.
We at the South Asian Women’s Community Centre, providing support, services and advocacy for South Asian women and their families in the Greater Montreal area for the past 27 years, would like to warn all parties about the irresponsible and dangerous game they play when one group in a population is targeted. History is full of examples of the consequences. Once the monster it out of the bottle it’s hard to push it back in.
Info: sawcc@cam.org; 514-528-8812 x 103
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Sommaire du Communiqué de presse
Arrêtez d’utiliser la question des immigrants pour gagner des votes
Les partis politiques continuent d’utiliser la question des immigrants pour influencer les votes. Les libéraux du premier ministre Charest ont annoncé, peu avant le déclenchement de la campagne électorale, que les immigrants au Québec auront à signer une déclaration reconnaissant les valeurs du peuple Québécois. Mario Dumont, le chef de l’opposition l’ADQ, dénonce le nouveau cour dans les écoles traitant de l’éthique, la religion et de la culture québécoise comme une négation des valeurs québécoises. Et, il est impossible d’oublier la fameuse phrase de Jacques Parizeau ‘ nous avons été battus par l’argent et les votes ethniques’.
N’importe le parti politique, ils sont prêts à sacrifier les droits des minorités pour céder aux sentiments de la majorité des électeurs. Pourtant, la contribution à la destruction de la richesse des langues, des cultures et valeurs des autochtones restent toujours un oubli.
L’établissement de la Commission de consultation sur les pratiques d’accommodement reliées aux différences culturelle, le 8 février 2007, a démontré que la majorité de la population ne percevait pas l’identité québécoise d’une manière étroite et rigide. Malheureusement, les recommandations de la commission n’ont pas figuré dans les initiatives du gouvernement Charest.
En lieu de faire signer une déclaration par les immigrants, le gouvernement du Québec a besoin de promettre aux nouveaux immigrants, aux immigrants qui sont établis depuis longtemps et aux premières nations de protéger leurs droits humains, de ne pas faire du profilage ethnique, d’améliorer le processus pour obtenir des équivalences pour les études et l’expérience professionnelle, l’accès aux logements, que les jeunes des communautés culturelles puissent accéder à l’emploi dans le secteur privé et public sans discrimination et d’offrir plus de cours de français et de réduire le temps d’attente pour l’accès aux services de santé.
Le centre communautaire des femmes sud-asiatiques qui existe depuis plus de 27 ans offre des services d’aide et de soutien aux nouveaux immigrants et réfugiées. Nous soulignons que c’est irresponsable et dangereux à tous les partis politiques d’utiliser la question des immigrants pour gagner des votes. Les conséquences sont désastreuses.
Centre South Asian
communautaire des Women’s
femmes Community
sud-asiatiques Centre
communautaire des Women’s
femmes Community
sud-asiatiques Centre
Info: sawcc@cam.org; 514-528-8812 x 103
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