DaimonAugustus
New Member
If multiculturalism works, why not use it, right ? Indeed. Except for one tiny detail. It would work if Québec were an independant country where it is clear and established that french is the common and "normal" language of the public space. Unfortunately, things are not that way.
We have 300 million neigboors who happen to speak the current lingua franca as their mother tongue. Because of some historic events (most of them illegitimate and unhappy) that happened long ago, we happen to be a member province of a federation named Canada where the majority speaks english. It is pretended that we have two official and equal languages in the federation. The truth is that the only ones to be really billingual are those who inhabit our province. Billingualism does not really exist outside Québec. Result, french is just another language. Therefore, if we let things go, Québec will slowly but certainly become english, for the simple reason that immigrants are naturally attracted by english. It's the language that anybody can gibber. The language of power and money. And you think multiculturalism will work in that context ? Pious dreams.
I like my culture and I like my language. It can change and evolve and become richer of new elements. That's perfect. But as long as we stay in Canada, multiculturalism won't be about change and evolution, but about death. So we need legislative dams to protect ourselves from disappearance.
1-Assimilation is a "natural" process. Something that happens more or less rapidly, but that is usually history after a maximum of four generations. We can't magically assimilate immigrants with the use of a wand. But we can adopt legal measure that will favor the process of assimilation.
2- No legal text can define what a Québécois is. Therefore no law will pronounce itself on a precise and rigid definition. That would indeed be fascism. However, the law can define a number of non-negotiable elements, such as language.
3- Rights that are acquired or granted cannot be revoked, except in the case where someone commits serious crimes (murder, fraud, high treason etc...). So this law project is about defining on what criteria do we base ourselves to grant the status (and the rights of) of citizens to newcomers, including newcomers that come from other provinces of the Canadian Federation.
The government of Québec has been promoting our culture for the last 47 years. It is considered good and normal around here. It is also the Ministry of Immigration of Québec's top most duty to recruit immigrants and ensure that they integrate themselves properly into Québec's society, for both the immigrants and the natives greater good.
Who, tell me, would want a country where people don't understand each other ?
Last but not least : potatoes and tomatoes are the pride of the American Continent. Best vegetables in the world. I would never give that away to another continent !
We have 300 million neigboors who happen to speak the current lingua franca as their mother tongue. Because of some historic events (most of them illegitimate and unhappy) that happened long ago, we happen to be a member province of a federation named Canada where the majority speaks english. It is pretended that we have two official and equal languages in the federation. The truth is that the only ones to be really billingual are those who inhabit our province. Billingualism does not really exist outside Québec. Result, french is just another language. Therefore, if we let things go, Québec will slowly but certainly become english, for the simple reason that immigrants are naturally attracted by english. It's the language that anybody can gibber. The language of power and money. And you think multiculturalism will work in that context ? Pious dreams.
I like my culture and I like my language. It can change and evolve and become richer of new elements. That's perfect. But as long as we stay in Canada, multiculturalism won't be about change and evolution, but about death. So we need legislative dams to protect ourselves from disappearance.
So you want people to assimilate. Sounds simple enough. But how would you go about doing this? Who would define what constitutes a Quebecois and what constitutes a non-Quebecois? What would be done to ensure assimilation? Would you give the state power to revoke and grant rights to individuals based on some definition of whatever it is they feel constitutes French Canadian culture? To what extent? And what about those that deviate from social norms but aren't immigrants? Clearly they would have to be dealt with too.
1-Assimilation is a "natural" process. Something that happens more or less rapidly, but that is usually history after a maximum of four generations. We can't magically assimilate immigrants with the use of a wand. But we can adopt legal measure that will favor the process of assimilation.
2- No legal text can define what a Québécois is. Therefore no law will pronounce itself on a precise and rigid definition. That would indeed be fascism. However, the law can define a number of non-negotiable elements, such as language.
3- Rights that are acquired or granted cannot be revoked, except in the case where someone commits serious crimes (murder, fraud, high treason etc...). So this law project is about defining on what criteria do we base ourselves to grant the status (and the rights of) of citizens to newcomers, including newcomers that come from other provinces of the Canadian Federation.
If you are upset that immigrants of today do not take part in Quebec culture, fine. But don't expect the government or any other authority to do something about it. Go out and promote your culture. Stop worrying about forcing it upon others.
The government of Québec has been promoting our culture for the last 47 years. It is considered good and normal around here. It is also the Ministry of Immigration of Québec's top most duty to recruit immigrants and ensure that they integrate themselves properly into Québec's society, for both the immigrants and the natives greater good.
Who, tell me, would want a country where people don't understand each other ?
Last but not least : potatoes and tomatoes are the pride of the American Continent. Best vegetables in the world. I would never give that away to another continent !