Immigration idea a patate chaude to Legault
The federal government has not yet passed a resolution to boost Canada’s population to 100 million by 2100, it’s just an idea, but François Legault already sees this notion as a threat to Quebec.
He’s trapped, though. If Canada accepts so many immigrants but Quebec refuses them, its weight in the government of Canada will be reduced as it loses seats in the Commons according to the rules about distributing ridings according to population. But if Quebec admits its share, some of them won’t be able to speak French, and Legault only wants to admit people who can already speak French. Legault would like to import only those people who are already fully Québécois in language, culture and attitudes, but he’s learning that the only place to find these people is in Quebec.
Incidentally, I still don’t quite understand how Quebec can control immigration when there are no border checks with Ontario or New Brunswick. I don’t understand what would stop someone from immigrating to the rest of Canada, then hopping a bus to Montreal, if this is where they have prospects of a life.
Nicholas 09:59 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
You’re right, Kate, permanent residents have the right to move anywhere in the country (it’s even in the charter, s.6). When you immigrate you promise to live in the province you select, but it’s not really enforceable because intentions can change and people have mobility rights.
A few years ago it was easier to get PR in Quebec so many people would apply there, stay for 3-6 months (the minimum suggested to not get in trouble for breaking your promise by saying you changed your mind), then move to Ontario. Now it’s evened out, if not reversed.
Quebec had 290,000 non-permanent workers in July and has 346,000 now, and invited just 14,000 skilled workers (both in Quebec and overseas) to apply for PR from January 2022 through today. The patronat is not going to be happy with the worker shortage the government is producing, and you’ll just get more people applying in other provinces and then moving here.
Meezly 11:06 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
Everyone is always so gentle and euphemistic when it comes to Legault’s anti-immigration stance. Why can’t we call it for what it is, that immigration is a threat to Legault’s ethno-nationalism and latent xenophobia? He’s being a complete dick. Let’s not forget how the CAQ f**ked up the student immigration PEQ program.
A political leader with moderate views would be going, that’s great Feds, we need immigration to maintain our economy, but we better make sure our French integration infrastructure is robust enough to support the influx – we want to welcome them, but we also want to make sure they’re properly integrated into Quebec society.
steph 11:07 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
The PQ has a solution to propose us!
SMD 11:39 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
At least the patronat can enjoy the temporary foreign workers whose numbers have ballooned, from under 12,000 in 2016 to almost 350,000 now. Precarious and cheap labour to exploit as they see fit. Numbers from this thoughtful La Presse column today: https://lp.ca/Ai4Q4t.
Kevin 12:50 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
Quebec’s intelligentsia is forever trapped in their own broken paradigm that produces consequences that everyone but them sees as mind-boggingly obvious.
It will never change until they realize you get more flies with honey than with vinegar or clowns.
Kate 13:37 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
SMD, in the future, people will look back on this temporary worker racket and feel deeply ashamed we did that. At least, I hope they will.
Daniel 13:41 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
“Legault would like to import only those people who are already fully Québécois in language, culture and attitudes, but he’s learning that the only place to find these people is in Quebec.”
So well said.
Spi 14:21 on 2023-05-10 Permalink
No one dares debate or call out the underlying narrative or factual misrepresentations. For example QC brings up (and journalist repeat verbatim) time and time again the province’s lack of ressources to integrate/francizer the 50 000 immigrants (or more depending on the year). The problem is that by its own admission only a fraction of them don’t speak any French upon arrival (25-30%?) So the honest statement would be that the provinces isn’t able to provide French classes to 12-15k people a year (add on a few thousand people that move here from the ROC) that’s seems more like lack of willingness rather than a lack of ressources.
The more cynical side of me would point out the parallels to a well known conservative strategy; defund or setup public services to be so poor and fail that you can justify the more drastic measures you really want to pursue but aren’t palatable until the situation has gotten worse (from your own doing).
Meezly 09:09 on 2023-05-11 Permalink
@Spi, absolutely. The CAQ has proven time and again that they’re great at pushing legislation (latest being Bill 25) but generally unwilling to improve existing infrastructures. Their latest moves have been primarily to consolidate power (esp. re: education), keeping their caucus happy (21% salary hikes for MNAs) and performative gestures to “protect” French to keep their base happy.
But no one seems to be able to explain whyno one dares call them out? Have they really succeeded in convincing everyone that critiquing their government is automatically seen as QC bashing?
shawn 16:16 on 2023-05-11 Permalink
Québecor wins! https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2023-05-11/100-millions-de-canadiens-d-ici-2100/ottawa-prend-clairement-ses-distances-de-l-initiative-du-siecle.php