Quebec Reasonable Accommodation Hearings

Written By: fullife
Date: 2007-10-29 12:41:31
<a href="/article/62046223-quebec-reasonable-accommodation-hearings">Article Link</a>

The struggle between the French and English of Quebec has shaped the mindset of its inhabitants. Intolerance has become the legacy after winning the fight for French supremacy. Being a superior race breeds fear of losing this position. Everyone becomes a threat. This is at the heart of the reasonable accommodation debate. The question for the people of Quebec is will they choose to be like the White citizens in my small American southern town who will never accept anyone who is not just like them. Or will the people of Quebec continue to open their hearts to an immigrant population who are more than willing to abide by unbiased laws that are made after careful study and will stand the test of time.

I believe that the beautiful people of Quebec will show through these reasonable accommodation hearings that the democratic process does work and future generations will be the beneficiaries of a land that will be a model to the world of freedom and justice for all.

I LOVE MONTREAL

On my first visit to Montreal, I fell in love. What a contrast from my small American southern town. It did not seem to matter to these Montreal natives that the color of my skin was black. I thought it was amazing that most people spoke two languages. I wished that my curriculum had required more than one semester of Spanish that I barely got a passing grade in.

As I continued my love affair with Montreal, I realized that my lover had a big problem. The province of Quebec was in a battle to separate from Canada. I started asking questions of my newfound Quebec friends about their feelings regarding separation. My roommate’s boyfriend is a separatist and perfect gentleman. He even kissed my hand a few times. I asked him why he wanted to separate from Canada. He told me it was because separatists did not want the federal government telling Quebec how to run their province. They also wanted to preserve their language and culture. There had already been a few referendums that failed to give them the majority needed to form a new country. I then wanted to ask a friend who had voted “No” in the referendum. I talked to a beautiful and highly educated black lady who was born in Quebec and called herself a federalist. I asked about her feelings regarding Quebec forming a country. She told me that she believes that Quebec will suffer financially and become isolated from the rest of North America. Quebec would also be vulnerable to invasions and attacks from other countries.

I wanted to get a historical view of Quebec so I researched information on the internet and read books and newspaper articles. I discovered that the battle between the French and English had gotten so bad until many English families were forced to move out of the province. I felt sorry for many of these English people because their historical roots were in Quebec.

After learning about the province of Quebec, I understand the reasons why reasonable accommodation hearings are being held. My hope and prayer is that at the end of these hearings my beloved Montreal will remain a place where people like me can come and feel accepted.

what a bunch of poppycock ! Québec's commission on reasonable accomodations is not about the assimilation of its immigrant population but about its integration into Québec's laïc society. If Canada wants to define itself as a "Christian" nation, that is their choice but don't come and impose your Christianity on us, just as we expect new immigrans to leave their religion outside the public domain which we wish to share with ALL citizens, no matter if they are Québec born or not. . In 50 years, more than half the population in greater Montreal will be composed of first and second generation immigrants. Personally and hopefully, Québécers will have found a way to integrate their immigrants as full participating citizens instead of ending up with immigrant ghettos such as those that can now be found in many Canadian cities. http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html? id=f8f53e5e-8755-4f50-983b-8d787426c495 I invite you to read this National Post article found at the above link, titled "Giving Peace a Chance in Muslim suburbia"excerpt: <blockquote> "Even though they are born in Canada," says Teston Road's principal, David Nimmo, "their first language is Urdu."</blockquote>--- « Il y a une belle, une terrible rationalité dans la décision d'être libre. » - Gérard Bergeron

"Québec's commission on reasonable accomodations is not about the assimilation of its immigrant population but about its integration into Québec's laïc society"

Just curious - what's the difference?

---
The preceding comment deals with mature subject matter, however immaturely presented. Viewer discretion is advised.

Perhaps I can answer that.

Assimilation is forgetting one's language and culture due to a lack of espace vital to nurture it when picking up the ones. Integration is doing this within a breathable space for one's own language and culture. In one case the outcome is a "metis", and in the other a dead duck!

---
"We are all in this together somehow, some more than others somehow"

@Michou

I know that the reasonable accommodation hearings are about the integration of immigrants. I was referring to the large number of people who spoke at these hearings expressing the desire for immigrants to lose their cultural and religious identity in order to qualify for Quebec citizenship. This would not be integration but assimilation.

I wonder if they are the same people outraged by pictures of Lord Durham.

---
The preceding comment deals with mature subject matter, however immaturely presented. Viewer discretion is advised.

There is a rather large difference in between promoting a genocide of a native population and promoting the integration of new immigrants into a society. I will remind you that francophones formed a majority in those days in case you had forgotten. In fact Lord Elgin got beaten up by anglo hooligans, british "traders" (remember the Boston tea party!) and kicked out royalist lackees from the US for living by his democratic principles that respected its anglophone minority as a *minority*. They just could not stomach that and burnt a democratically elected parliement. I don't think this dark period of our History has ever been taught in English Canada. I am not surprised why not...

Let's say you have had more astute comments in the past... Perhaps if you are for the rehabilitation of Lord Durham for being so enligthened on integration, you should say so. Hmm.

---
"We are all in this together somehow, some more than others somehow"

Durham paved the way for genocidal school laws in the ROC as well as residential schools. Not much of an improvement over burning villages and scattering people on boats far away. Great canadian sovereignist that Lord Durham...

---
"We are all in this together somehow, some more than others somehow"

Just pondering G. I don't see much of a difference between Lord Durham forcing Quebecois into English only schools, and forcing immigrants into Quebec only culture. He didn't do so from a 'racist' point of view, rather as a measure to blunt the hatred of anglos left over from the Plains of Abraham and the 1837 rebellion. He did not want the french to be thought of or felt to be inferior. You will see that if you read his reports.

Think of him what you will, but he did reccommend the uniting of Upper and Lower Canada, the first steps in forming this great nation. Ignoring that part of our history is just silly.

---
The preceding comment deals with mature subject matter, however immaturely presented. Viewer discretion is advised.

I can only agree to disagree.

---
"We are all in this together somehow, some more than others somehow"