Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - October 2007
According to Statistics Canada since mid-2006 more than 40,000 people have moved away from Quebec. This is the highest level of out-migration since the separatism threats of the mid 1990s. From 1996 to 1997, nearly 38,000 people left the province. This number fell annually until 2003 due to the receding threat of separatism, the province’s growing economy, and the presence of a liberal, federalist government.
The factors causing that reduction of out- migration are still present today. This leads many to draw the conclusion that the main reason for the current exodus is the debate over “reasonable accommodation”, which has been splashing the news since 2006. This debate focuses on the extent to which people in Quebec need to accept changes in their communities due to the presence of cultural and religious minorities, and the degree to which these minorities should assimilate into Quebecois culture. The reasonable accommodation debate has seen the spotlight focused on many Quebecois voicing some very intolerant perspectives with regards to new immigrants in the province.
While some argue that the issue of reasonable accommodation has come up too recently to be responsible for the rising number of people leaving Quebec, it has undoubtedly caused some new immigrants to fear for the wellbeing of their families in this province. The racist and intolerant views expressed at public hearings throughout the province on this issue are causing some new immigrants to feel worried and pessimistic – that the situation won’t get any better soon.
The suggestion of a link between high numbers of people leaving Quebec and the reasonable accommodation debates is thus quite plausible.
Source:
The National Post
