Quebec's nationalist politicians (see here and here) are up in arms about leaked excerpts - appearing in the anglophone Montreal Gazette - from the soon to be released Bouchard-Taylor report on "reasonable accommodation" of immigrant minorities in Quebec; I will be waiting the full report before judging whether Dag was right that we could expect nothing more than the usual political correctitude from the two notable scholars, one a brother of the nationalist hero, Lucien Bouchard, the other a famous academic philosopher who has nonetheless found a place for religion and some kinds of nationalism (including the Quebecois) in his world view. I recall a line from a Charles Taylor article of some years ago, which went like this: nationalism is like whiskey; taken diluted it makes you mellow; taken straight it knocks you out. Dag, the eternal punster, will no doubt make the connection to Liberian warlords.
Previously, I thought it was possible, given their personal histories, that these two would come up with something at least a little challenging to multiculti orthodoxies. On first glance, it appears they try to be all things to all people, while emphasizing a critique of provincial Quebecois "insecurities", and a now tiresome rhetoric of embracing diversity, although as the means to integrate people into shared fundamental values:
The commissioners have also apparently provided answers to commonly held sentiments among the so-called "pure laine" (pure wool, old stock) Quebecers, such as:
No doubt we will have more thoughts on this story as the full report is released and digested. But so far, it seems Taylor and Bouchard are opting out of providing a compelling vision of how a common and democratic public life in Quebec can be guaranteed.
Previously, I thought it was possible, given their personal histories, that these two would come up with something at least a little challenging to multiculti orthodoxies. On first glance, it appears they try to be all things to all people, while emphasizing a critique of provincial Quebecois "insecurities", and a now tiresome rhetoric of embracing diversity, although as the means to integrate people into shared fundamental values:
In Quebec, they say, everyone should feel welcome and the majority should no longer feel under threat by newcomers.Print Story - canada.com network
"We think it is possible to re-concile Quebecers - franco-phones and others - with practices of harmonization, once it has been shown that: a) these practices respect our society's fundamental values, notably the equality of men and women.
b) they don't aim to create privileges but, rather, equality that is well understood and that respects everyone's rights.
c) they encourage integration and not marginalization.
d) they're framed by guidelines and protected against spiralling out of control.
e) they're founded on the principle of reciprocity.
f) they don't play the game of fundamentalism.
g) they don't compromise the gains of the Quiet Revolution." The final draft is dated March 19, two weeks before the commission announced on its website that the writing of the report was finished and that, after adding a series of recommendations, proofreading the document and translating it into English, it would be sent to the printers.
The official report is now in the hands of Premier Jean Charest, who is to present it to cabinet on Wednesday. After a budget-style "lock-up" behind closed doors for journalists Friday morning, the commissioners will hold a news conference to discuss their findings.
Broken down into half-a-dozen parts, the voluminous report has more than a dozen chapters and almost as many annexes consisting of a series of research reports, independently produced under special order by the commission.
Their subjects relate to the accommodation debate, including media coverage, ethnic ghettos and French-language training for immigrants.
In their report, Bouchard and Taylor - but mainly Bouchard, who did the bulk of the writing, insiders say- argue that the responsibility for open-mindedness and desire for change lie mainly with one people: the French Canadians themselves.
"It's principally from this milieu that the crisis arose," the commissioners write, adding that many French Canadians "have a strong feeling of insecurity for the survival of their culture." They fear losing their "values, language, tradition and customs" and of eventually "disappearing" entirely as a French-speaking minority in North America.
Self-doubt and "the fear of the Other" - are "the two great hindrances from the French-Canadian past," the commissioners write.
[...]
People should get used to the idea that "Quebec is made up of diverse ethnic groups, each of which, as is its right and in its own way, cultivates its own memory" - in other words, none is more valuable than the other.
The two commissioners - who each collected a salary of $380,000 for their work - also: Declare themselves in favour of more funding for community groups that try to bring cultures together.
Argue against race-based projects that segregate people from mainstream society (such as a proposed all-black school).
Lament the "wasted careers" of foreign professionals who can't find work here because their credentials aren't recognized.
Deplore that only three per cent of Quebec public-service jobs are held by immigrants, "one of the worst situations in North America." Blame the Quebec media for being generally "very 'old-stock,' very 'white' (and) by consequence, they broadcast an often biased image of a (multicultural) reality that a lot of people don't know well enough." But Bouchard and Taylor also - surprisingly - come to the defence of Hérouxville, which made headlines around the world.
"In a very awkward and excessive way, the Hérouxville text expressed a tension, an ambivalence many French-Canadian Quebecers have," the commissioners write.
Finally, they make a plea for better understanding of Quebec's Muslims, "who only make up two per cent of the Quebec population, about 130,000 people," who are "massively francophone and highly educated," who are "among the least devoutly religious of all immigrants," and who are "the least ghettoized" geographically in Montreal.
"The way to overcome Islamophobia is to get closer to Muslims, not to run away from them," the commissioners state.
"Mistrust breeds mistrust. Just like fear, it winds up feeding on itself."
The commissioners have also apparently provided answers to commonly held sentiments among the so-called "pure laine" (pure wool, old stock) Quebecers, such as:
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.But this kind of response will rightly fuel the anger of Quebec's nationalist politicians. It is one thing to allow that a tolerance of newcomers' remembering where they come from is necessary and welcome in a free and open society; it is quite another to suggest that a free and democratic society can exist without a shared and privileged understanding of what is sacred to our common public life, such that anybody can be educated to take the lead in defending and renewing the covenant that guarantees our shared freedom. To defer endlessly to pluralism is only to encourage rule by an imperialistic elite that puts everyone in their place. On the other hand, democracy requires some common cultural assumptions, values, and language. Ultimately it is not really to elitists like Taylor and Bouchard that Quebecers must look for their future; it is only in the potential ability of each and every Quebecer to stand up and make him or herself representative of the common good, as it needs to be realized and represented according to the unpredictable exigencies of unfolding events and crises, that a free and open future can be won.
"Once again, metaphors can be misleading. In this case, it's assumed that the immigrant should get rid of his culture in order to adopt that of the host culture. This is an affirmation of the rule of assimilation, something that (is) no longer admissible, because it goes against the principles of pluralism."
No doubt we will have more thoughts on this story as the full report is released and digested. But so far, it seems Taylor and Bouchard are opting out of providing a compelling vision of how a common and democratic public life in Quebec can be guaranteed.
