Huh?? Whaaaa???
Gives a whole new meaning to the term âcolonizationâ, eh?
So, Quebec culture must relentlessly assimilate immigrants to protect itself?
First, it should be noted that, because of my background, indigenous issues are a particular hot button of mine. As one of the last speakers of an effectively dead language (or, more correctly, one of a few people who can put more than a word or two together), and as someone who had a grandparent and great-grandparent drill some of the old stories and old traditions of some of my ancestors into me because I certainly wasnât going to be getting that background from other sources, I am definitely NOT unsympathetic to concerns regarding cultural assimilation.
However, I do also have an Americanâs traditional skepticism and mistrust of government. With the time Iâve spent in Canada, QuĂ©bec specifically, Iâve come to appreciate just how much of an Americanism that skepticism/mistrust is⊠but I donât think that necessarily makes some of the views informed by that stance incorrect.
It is well and good that the Québec national government has taken steps to try to correct some of the injustices the francophone majority faced over the over two hundred years between British conquest and the Quiet Revolution, to ensure that they are free to speak the language they choose to speak, and to ensure that they have the chance to foster the culture of their choice.
HoweverâŠand I realize this is where some of my American upbringing may be coming into play⊠I view âgovernmentâ as being different than âpeopleâ. While itâs appropriate for government to facilitate people choosing to protect their culture, the choice belongs with the people; it shouldnât be dictated by the government. It is completely inappropriate to suppress minorities, particularly those that have similar, or greater, claims to calling a region âhomeâ, from practicing their culturesâŠand risks begging the question of whether the government might be indulging in some of the sins of the past.
(And blocking some people from government employment because they practice their faith, for reasons unrelated to their qualifications and ability to perform the duties of such employment⊠thatâs the kind of thing that reinforces my distrust of the potential for government to abuse its power.)
And when it comes to immigration, and fears of cultural change associated with it⊠Iâm sorry, but thatâs the story of human history. Attempting to prevent the inevitable begs for greater problems, of one sort or another, down the road. If people value the local culture, they will take steps to preserve it, and it will survive, or at least evolve in its own unique way.
Really donât care.
Hi, just posting a periodic reminder than Elon Musk is a Nazi and that you really did see him heil Hitler.