Immigration fight brings a toxic element to the Quebec election

While the parties spar over the "appropriate" level of economic immigrants, behind the disagreement over policy is a highly divisive political debate.

By Asma Bouikni

QUEBEC’S POLITICAL PARTIES traditionally engage in a battle of numbers every time an election approaches, thanks to the 1991 Federal-Provincial deal that gives Quebec substantial control over immigration. This is primarily in the sphere of economic immigrants, where individuals are selected based on their ability to contribute to the economy, and which represents well over half of the total annual immigration to Quebec. 

This year, the governing Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) is targeting 50,000 economic immigrants per year – while  the Québec Solidaire (QS) has targets ranging from 60,000 and 80,000 economic immigrants per year. The Parti Libéral Du Québec (PLQ) on the other hand,  would like to bring in 70,000 immigrants per year. And finally, the Parti Québécois (PQ) would limit that number to as low as just 35,000. 

All the parties argue that what determines the threshold for their respective targets is Quebec’s capacity to integrate immigrants into the economy. However, the absence of concrete studies to understand what this threshold really is, and on what criteria it should be based (such as infrastructural capacity, cost of francization, and labour shortages) raises more questions than answers. Logically, this should have been the first item on the agenda before debating the numbers. This lack of research to draw on leads to sterile and repetitive debates where immigrants are often described as a problem that needs to be addressed, instead of identifying them as human beings with complex socio-economic needs. Developing a coherent immigration policy requires policy research, data and an inclusive global vision. 

One of the recurring fears surrounding the immigration debate is the status of the French language. Quebec is in a unique geographical and demographic situation in which the French language, firmly attached to the province's history and national identity, will always be at risk. There is a strong desire among locals to avoid being drowned in the North American sea of anglophones and losing their common Quebecois identity. While this objective is worthwhile and worth pursuing, it is often exploited when it comes to the issue of immigration. Currently, French is not a prerequisite in order to be selected as an economic migrant to Quebec. However, in the process of getting their Certificat De Sélection Du Québec, immigrants do get more points in their application according to their proficiency in French.

In the current election cycle, all the political parties have argued about the best mechanism to preserve French almost exclusively through the lens of immigration. The governing CAQ wants to increase the percentage of French-speaking immigrants in the economic pool, putting the target at around 80%. The PQ goes further and aims to select only French-speaking immigrants, with the protection of the French language acting as the foundation of their low target of 35,000 immigrants per year. While such a policy may have merit from the perspective of preserving and promoting the French language, it would deprive Quebec of many talented people who can contribute enormously to society and who simply do not have proficiency in French due to their socio-cultural backgrounds. Stories of integration as inspiring as that of Farah Alibay, the daughter of non-French speaking immigrants, has made Quebec very proud. Such successes would no longer be possible if harsh linguistic requirements are imposed on incoming immigrants.

Pursuing a policy of almost exclusively francophone economic immigration is also an admission of the failure of francization. Requiring immigrants to learn the language perfectly enough to receive services only in French within six months is to assume that immigrants who fail are acting in bad faith. It does not recognize that financial aid, which can amount to as little as $205 per week, is largely insufficient to meet an individual's needs while allowing them to dedicate themselves fully to the task of learning the language. This challenge is even greater for parents who need to support their children. Before determining that francization has been a failure, targeted studies on immigration and francization could be conducted to better understand and address what specifically is not working, including funding, and thus better integrate adult migrants within the framework of a holistic approach towards immigration.

Most studies agree that there is a decline in French speaking in Quebec, which is a real issue that requires an appropriate response. When discussing immigration however, political parties often frame the issue in terms of the mother tongue and the language spoken at home, placing immigrants at a disadvantage and putting them under a spotlight that presents them as contributing to the decline of the language. Studies using this kind of data conclude that only half of anglophones adopt French. However, when we look closely at the second most used language at home, at least three quarters of allophones use French. Moreover, the definitions are rigid, and anglophones and allophones are often not considered francophones even if they become fluent in French, according to commonly used definitions. For example, people who use mostly French outside their homes, but another language in the comfort of their residences, are not considered francophones. Being continually told that you’re a problem because you choose to speak your mother tongue at home, even though you function entirely in French in the public space, can be really tiring and alienating – making you feel like you’re not really a part of the society you call your own, and that you never will be. Debates on the issue should be much calmer than they are at the moment and should reflect reality and not fear.

In every election since I was old enough to vote, there has been a toxic climate surrounding the issue of immigration in Quebec. Beyond the numbers and the French factor, in the midst of debates it is quickly forgotten that immigrants are human beings in their own right – with lives, loved ones, dreams and ambitions just like anyone else. Also lost in the debate is that the entire point of economic immigration is to bring in people who can contribute to this society. 

The most recent example of this is the inflammatory comments made by the premier, François Legault, a few weeks ago when he drew a connection between immigration and violence. Stereotyping in an electoral context has the potential to inflame the situation and create a divide in the population that will be damaging to locals and immigrants alike. Responsible political actors should calm the tone of debates and discuss immigration issues for what they really are in order to avoid a social split. Even better would be if the people primarily concerned by the debate were invited to the political table to discuss their experiences so that the debates and policies stemming from them reflect reality.

Asma Bouikni is a candidate in the Masters of Public Policy Program with the Max Bell School at McGill University. Asma is interested in science policy and social affairs, and hopes to bring an EDI (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) lens to her work. 

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