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More Quebecers See Immigrants As Threat: Poll

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Marian Scott, Montreal Gazette, May 22, 2009

One year after a provincial report on the accommodation of cultural minorities, a majority of Quebecers still say newcomers should give up their cultural traditions and become more like everybody else, according to a new poll.

Quebecers’ attitudes toward immigrants have hardened slightly since 2007, when the Bouchard-Taylor commission started hearings across Quebec on the “reasonable accommodation” of cultural communities.

The survey by Léger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies found that 40 per cent of francophones view non-Christian immigrants as a threat to Quebec society, compared with 32 per cent in 2007. Thirty-two per cent of non-francophones said non-Christian immigrants threaten Quebec society, compared with 34 per cent in 2007.

“If you look at opinions at the start of the Bouchard-Taylor commission and 18 months later, basically, they haven’t changed,” said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the non-profit research institute.

“If the hearings were designed to change attitudes, that has not occurred,” he added.

Headed by sociologist Gérard Bouchard and philosopher Charles Taylor, the $3.7-million commission held hearings across Quebec on how far society should go to accommodate religious and cultural minorities. It received 900 briefs and heard from 3,423 participants in 22 regional forums.

Its report, made public one year ago Friday, made 37 recommendations, including abolishing prayers at municipal council meetings; increasing funding for community organizations that work with immigrants and initiatives to promote tolerance; providing language interpreters in health care; encouraging employers to allow time off for religious holidays; studying how to hire more minorities in the public service; and attracting immigrants to remote regions.

Rachad Antonius, a professor of sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal, said it’s no surprise the commission failed to change Quebecers’ attitudes toward minorities.

“Focusing on cultural differences is the wrong approach,” Antonius said.

Cultural communities need to achieve economic equality by having access to education, social services and job opportunities, he said.

“If there is greater economic integration, that is what is going to change things,” he said.

The poll reveals persistent differences between younger and older Quebecers and between francophones and non-francophones on cultural and religious diversity.

For example, 56 per cent of respondents age 18 to 24 said Muslim girls should be allowed to wear hijabs in public schools, while only 30 per cent of those 55 and over approved of head scarves in school.

Sixty-three per cent of non-francophones said head scarves should be permitted in school compared with 32 per cent of French-speaking respondents.

Only 25 per cent of francophones said Quebec society should try harder to accept minority groups’ customs and traditions while 74 per cent of non-francophones said it should make more of an effort to do so.

The poll also found Quebecers split on an ethics and religion course introduced last year in schools across the province. A coalition of parents and Loyola High School, a private Catholic institution, are challenging the nondenominational course, which they say infringes parents’ rights to instill religious values in their children.

Half of francophones said the course was a good thing while 78 per cent of non-francophones gave it a thumbs up.

When asked their opinion of different religious groups, 88 per cent of French-speakers viewed Catholics favourably, 60 per cent viewed Jews favourably—down 12 percentage points from 2007—and 40 per cent had a favourable opinion of Muslims (compared with 57 per cent in 2007). Among non-francophones, 92 per cent viewed Catholics with favour, 77 per cent had a positive opinion of Jews and 65 a good opinion of Muslims.

A national poll published this month by Maclean’s Magazine also revealed that many Canadians are biased against religious minorities, particularly in Quebec.

The survey by Angus Reid Strategies reported that 68 per cent of Quebecers view Islam negatively while 52 per cent of Canadians as a whole have a low opinion of the religion.

It found that 36 per cent of Quebecers view Judaism unfavourably, compared with 59 per cent of Ontarians.

The Léger Marketing survey of 1,003 Quebecers was conducted by online questionnaire May 13-16. Results are considered accurate within 3.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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Original article

(Posted on May 22, 2009)

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Comments

1 — Anonymous wrote at 8:00 PM on May 22:

As an English-speaking, multi-generational White Canadian I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand French-Canadians have a lot of ethnic pride and solidarity and are far less advanced down the road to political correctness and its wasteland then Anglo-Canadians, which I admire. On the other hand it was the historic support of the federal Liberal party by Quebec (especially under Pierre Trudeau) that was so instrumental in opening the floodgates of third world non-White immigration into English Canada. Now Quebec is reaping what it has sown and getting a taste of its own medicine. Like I say mixed feelings.

2 — Anonymous wrote at 7:47 PM on May 23:

I say, God bless the French.

I almost jumped for joy when I found out that my mother’s father’s side of the family was Anglo-Norman.

The French seem, to me, to be an inituive people, a people who FEEL what they believe.

If we get them on our side, I think victory is very nearly assured.

Intellectual ideas, by themselves, are fine, but when emotion is brought into the mix—there is the real power. The French, to me, seem to provide emotional power to intellectual ideas.

After all, they financially broke Great Britain, enabling the American colonies to become free.

3 — SKIP wrote at 9:27 PM on May 23:

Rachad Antonius, a professor of sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal,

Names like RACHAD running things in Canada pretty much says where Canada is heading socially. Their professed GOOD opinion of muslims will change when there are enough muslims in Canada to do what they want without being bothered by White Canadiens.

4 — ghw wrote at 1:11 PM on May 24:

I say, God bless the French. I almost jumped for joy when I found out that my mother’s father’s side of the family was Anglo-Norman.

The French seem, to me, to be an inituive people, a people who FEEL what they believe. If we get them on our side, I think victory is very nearly assured.

After all, they financially broke Great Britain, enabling the American colonies to become free.
Posted by Anonymous
……………………………
Forgive me, but I have to disagree. Sorry. I think you’re being very unrealistic. You think with the French on our side, victory is assured? An amazing statement! Are you aware of what is happening today in France? They can’t even help themselves, much less help us! What’s worse, they’re not even inclined to try.

As for saying “they financially broke Great Britain”, the fact is that the American Revolution (largely financed by France), financially broke France — leaving the its government bankrupt and thus leading directly into the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, and many years of war, bloodletting, and chaos. Meanwhile, Britain went on to achieve the Industrial Revolution, the triumph at Waterloo, world supremacy, and the greatest phase of its imperial power. Who defeated whom?

Since France’s debacle at Waterloo in 1815 (and subsequent occupation), the French have been repeatedly unable to help themselves. Through three more invasions by Germany (in two of which we saved them) and now undergoing an invasion by the Third World, they have not been resisting … (and from which we seem disinclined to save them this time, undergoing the same invasion ourselves).

How I wish you were right!

5 — Anonymous wrote at 6:49 PM on May 24:

“Who defeated whom?”

America, with the immense help of France, defeated Great Britain.

“They can’t even help themselves, much less help us! What’s worse, they’re not even inclined to try.”

On what do you base these statements?

Could not the same be said about America, Great Britain, and Germany?

6 — Anonymous wrote at 2:27 PM on May 25:

“it was the historic support of the federal Liberal party by Quebec (especially under Pierre Trudeau) that was so instrumental in opening the floodgates of third world non-White immigration into English Canada”

No, the 1967 Immigration Act, with its shift to global immigration, was supported by both parties. In fact, it was a consolidation of administrative changes that had begun with the Conservatives under John Diefenbaker.

There were many reasons why Canada made the leap to global immigration in the 1960s. One reason was a desire to win over newly independent countries in the Third World (and keep out Soviet influence). Another reason was that immigration from Europe was tapering off. There were also big business interests in mining, agriculture, and other sectors that wanted to control labour costs.

But the main reason was that racial discrimination — in any form whatsoever — had become completely demonized. This is something that many Canadians, including small-c conservatives don’t understand. Anti-racism does not simply mean a better deal for minorities. It means that the minorities will become the new majority … throughout the Western World.

7 — lavoiesylvain50@gmail.com wrote at 4:18 PM on May 25:

The matter of the attitude of Francophone Québecers (not «French - Canadians», an imposition of an wretched, patronizing «kanadian» «Anglicism» that makes about as much sense as «anti - abortion,» or «pro - choice), and Third World Immigration is somewhat complicated.

For an number fo years, Québecois nationalism was celebrated quite assertively, even aggressively; at the «St. Jean - Baptiste» celebrations on the Plains of Abraham (now re - interpreted as «la Fêté National»), non whites who lingered on after dark, and after the performances on stage had ended risked being the target of ethnic slurs, or even physical assaults.

Currently however, Québec Nationalism is in an «dormant» phase; possibly an consequence of the demographic decline of Francophones - in Québec. There is, in my opinion, an sense of malaise among Francophones, old and young. In my opinion, many young francophones believe that the future is so daunting, in terms of employment and career prospects («steeper ladders, narrower gates» in the assessment of Messieurs Murray and Herrnstein, authots of the «Bell Curve»), that nationalism is something hypothetically desirable. But, one which, nonetheless, must be placed «à côté» in order to earn the LLB degree, the M.D., accreditation, the «stage» (internship), with an top drawer attorney’s firm, and, among Francophone women, a good marriage to an similarly «focused» young, upwardly mobile, professional.

I don’t think many Francophones like the «newcomers» in their midst. The government appears to be sensible to their attitudes. An acquaintance of mine, from the Indian Sub - Continent (now known - by those in the know, simply as the «sub - con»), who happens to speak Tamil, has been hired by the Québec government to «interpret» the «hows and whys» of life - in the national capital of all places, to an group of Tamil refugees. Why, one may ask, have 60 (apparently), perhaps there are more of them now, Tamil «nationals» or «Indian nationals» been settled in the Québec City region? Additionally, however, he has been told in no uncertain terms, that if he speaks to the media concerning their presence, his contract will be immediately terminated.


There seems an lack of «national» will among Francophone Québecers to protest, to oppose the transformation of their society and culture by people utterly unlike themselves. An illustration of the «eloi» syndrome, articulated by Laurence Auster, one may assume. At the same time, the devious and surreptitious means, adopted by the federal and «provincial» governments to «promote» the «normalcy» of non - whites in Québec society is preposterous and grotesque.

As an example, an large (at least 5 foot by 3 foot), portrait of an smiling «Barack Obama» now beams down from one of the pillars of the «Atrium» of the université Laval student centre. And, in my local «Metro» store, an large poster, hung directly over the main pedestrian entrance, encourages applications for employment as an meat wrapper («emballeur»); there is an «trinity» of three persons in the photo : two middle aged men, and, in front of both, an young, smiling Asian female.

In another provocative development, in the foyer of the same «mini - mall, there is an night club of some local renown. Matters sometimes «get a little out of hand» although there are no shootings or knifings; merely some incidental property damage to surrounding shops. As well as doors and windows. The doormen are large, friendly, not teribly intimidating - and White.

However, as of last Friday night, and early (9:30 PM), an employee of «Garda» the Québec version of «Brinks» stood glowering across the concourse, facing the clubs main doors. He was very unpleasant of appearance and demeanor, and he was black. Why was he black?

In an area like Ste Foy, overwhelmingly white and Francophone, this was obviously an deliberate «move» by the authorities, directing Garda, to place an «visible» minority, in an place of public prominence. I am also utterly contemptuous of the policy, adopted by université Laval, itself, to deliberately and invariably appoint an Black student security person (who are absolutely not needed), to «supervise» largely, if not exclusively White social events.


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