Quebec Values Charter – Analysis of Strategy
2013/11/08 2 Comments
A few good pieces of analysis of the PQ strategy in tabling a more doctrinaire and rigid version of the Quebec Values Charter, starting with Terrence McKenna of the CBC:
The political strategy behind Quebec’s values charter – Canada – CBC News.
And Martin Patriquin of Macleans,
There are evident risks to this strategy. Successive polls (like this one) suggest Quebecers are far less worried about what’s on a woman’s head than what the mobster is stuffing into his sock. As Parizeau’s sortie demonstrates, the charter has divided the sovereignist movement itself. There are inevitable court challenges should the proposed bill become law. And though Drainville et al. are loath to talk about it, there is the sticky matter of enforcement: what happens when, not if, a Muslim, Sikh, Jew, Christian refuses to remove his or her religious accoutrement?
But these are logical considerations, and logic has no place in pride. In one form or another, CALVDLEDNRDLEAQDEELFELHEELDDA (the French an acronym) is now a political inevitability in Quebec. God help us all.
Why the PQ won’t back down – Blog Central, Martin Patriquin – Macleans.ca
Lastly, Bernard Descoteaux of Le Devoir, on the electoral and political risks:
Il est certain, si le gouvernement Marois maintient la ligne dure, que le projet de loi 60 ne pourra être adopté tant qu’il est en situation minoritaire. Pour peu que l’appui populaire que recueille la Charte des valeurs se maintienne, il aurait là l’argument qui le justifierait à demander aux Québécois un mandat majoritaire. Le pari est risqué. Sous un gouvernement libéral, ce projet de loi 60, comme d’autres qui sont actuellement en plan, notamment le projet de loi 14 amendant la Charte de la langue française, sera enterré pour longtemps. Une telle approche est un quitte ou double dangereux. Inutile aussi puisque la Coalition avenir Québec est ouverte au dialogue.
Avec son appui, le gouvernement pourrait faire adopter l’essentiel de ce projet. Il y aurait des compromis, mais ce serait mieux que rien du tout. L’objectif de ce projet est d’assurer « la diversité de la société québécoise dans l’harmonie », nous dit la première ministre Marois. Pour cela, est-il indispensable de tout régir dans le moindre détail ? Bien sûr que non.
About Andrew
Multicultural Meanderings 
And thank you, Andrew, for the links. I’m enjoying the show. I just have to ask a question though as I read that nearly 50% of the people in Quebec think immigrants are a problem. Let’s see I have two daughters in that lovely province – Roman Catholics and French speakers both with a whole life ahead of them. Are they a problem for these people? Should they take their education and leave? Is that what they want? A concerned mother would really like to know.
And they should stop and think very hard about how to answer that question because, yes, it is a trap.
Ah, trick questions, I love them! So your lovely daughters have two positive checkmarks for the people who are concerned about immigration in Quebec – religion and language. For the people in the hinterland (the target xenophobic voters of the PQ), while that addresses fear of Muslims, it may not address the question of race or skin colour which may or may not be an issue.
Look forward to clarification on the trap!