Quote:
Originally Posted by RyLucky
From reading some responses here, I predict that there is a divide in attitudes between Quebec and Western Canada on this issue.
I can't speak for all westerners, but usually when I hear a view about white or anglo people becoming an "under class", I immediately am uncomfortable because (in the west at least) that is a common view of the kind of people who deny white privilege. In my opinion, attitudes that feel threatened by immigration and diversity are archaic and potentially racist.
Quebec clearly has a different experience with language laws, and has been bathing in a context of french v english for two hundred years. I'll admit that most Westerners do not understand the Quebec-specific issue related to language and immigration. However, Quebecers/Québécois should know that when westerners hear Gilles Duceppe/PQ/BQ and other Quebec politicians relate immigration to ghettos, ban minority religion dress and custom in public, etc, we think of how these attitudes/policies would be interpreted in our culture, and the conclusion is that these attitudes/policies are considered extremely (unacceptably so) conservative. Of course, I don't mean to paint all of Quebec with one brush; I know there are many stances on this issue. Nonetheless, these conservative attitudes seem to be tolerated in Quebec more so than they are in the rest of Canada, probably because French speaking people see themselves in the defensive position, which I understand, but it makes for a delicate and uncomfortable issue from the outside.
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Just fyi as a result of that attempt at the charter of values the Parti Québécois received the lowest number of votes in the history of the party since it's inception.
There is a great divide between Montrealers/Montrealais as well as Quebec city dewllers and the people who live outside of urban centers on the farms still that the affects of the quiet revolution has not reached yet.
I'm fully aware that being a white male gives me privileged and it disgusts me, though it is very clear to me that their is a demographic change in Vancouver where wealthy Hong Kong Chinese hold a great deal more of wealth (look at median incomes of Richmond VS New Westminster or Surrey as well as their race demos)