| The Bouchard- Taylor Report: Tolerance, by another name - Glossing over racism and discrimination |
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The Canadian Race Relations Foundation's response Bouchard-Taylor Report By Ayman Al-Yassini, Ph.D. "Tolerance" is one of those words in race relations that sets off alarm bells to activists. No one wants to be just tolerated. All members of society, regardless of their race, religion, ethnic or linguistic background, want to be treated equitably. In "Building the Future: A Time for Reconciliation" by Gerard Bouchard and Charles Taylor (Bouchard-Taylor) gives "tolerance" a more updated look. Emerging from the "crises" in Québec "tolerance" now becomes "racial and religious accommodation". The notion of tolerance or accommodation suggests that the existing belief systems essentially intact. We will however accept minor adjustments as long as they do not challenge or supersede our prevalent cultural norms and values. There is no question that Quebec has a strong case to protect its cultural identity. However, its legacy in the creation of New France involved the colonization of land and people. That process, by definition, engaged racism and discrimination. The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is disappointed with the almost casual dismissal in the Bouchard-Taylor report of the role of racism and discrimination in shaping the views of some Quebecers towards members of racialized communities. "What we are facing, instead, is the need to adapt-Our society is sufficiently divided at present and we must seek to reduce splits and tensions instead of exacerbating them," the authors note in discussing the general orientations of the report. Later, the authors also acknowledge the fact that the "tools to combat discrimination exist but they do not appear to be used as much as they should be in conjunction with concrete initiatives". They also point to recent studies which found that "between 20% and 25% of Quebecers claim to have been victims of discrimination over the past three to five years, mainly in the workplace." We also know, from a recent report by B'nai Brith that there has been an increase in the incidents of anti-Semitism. In September 2006, the CRRF presented a brief to a committee of the National Assembly which was looking into developing an anti-racism policy for Québec. In its presentation the CRRF identified that for some the prevailing notion of what is a real "Quebecer" is essentially exclusionary; that is, a racialized person or a non-Catholic would not likely be considered a "Quebecer". The brief posed the questions: "What are the criteria to become a 'Quebecer'? When do successive generations of immigrants, racialized peoples and cultural communities, among others, become 'Quebecers'?" In looking at the evolving Quebec, Bouchard-Taylor addresses the "Quebecer" question indirectly. It notes the "insecurity" of the "double status" in which the French-speaking majority in Quebec is a minority in Canada and North America. "The identity inherited from the French-Canadian past is perfectly legitimate and it must survive, but it can no longer occupy alone the Quebec identity space." The discussion does not however situate the French-speaking immigrants who most often are racialized. What is the likelihood of them being considered "Quebecers"? Immigration to Quebec, not unlike elsewhere in Canada, has been on the increase. And, Census 2006 records that many have been taking up residences outside of the traditional urban areas. Bouchard-Taylor accepts the testimony that the immigrant population "integrates smoothly" in the regions. They base this conclusion on the Statistics Canada survey of immigrant incomes. Bouchard-Taylor nevertheless acknowledges the "precarious condition of immigrants", notwithstanding the fact that they are, for the most part highly educated yet under-employed, and attributes this condition in part to "discriminatory practices experienced, in particular, by racialized groups." To be fair to Bouchard-Taylor, the inherent lack of the basic acceptance of racism and discrimination in the analysis is not unique to this commission. Racism exists and it continues to be in a state of denial in most of Canada. Canadians, for the most part, refuse to accept that racism continues to act as an impediment to the integration or "racial accommodation" of racialized communities. Add to this the religions of some immigrants, particularly those whose religious symbols make them more visible. Finally, Canadians still tend to equate the manifestations of racism to physical or open attacks. There is ignorance of the systemic or institutional racism and discrimination and there is an unwillingness to even try to understand it, its practice and its impact. It is not unusual for reporters, following a story on racist acts or comments, to ask the Foundation: Are you surprised by these attacks? The Bouchard-Taylor's analyses of the media's reportage of some of the events which triggered the setting up of the commission are poignant. A combination of a lack of appreciation of racism and the quest for sensationalism drives the initial coverage of stories which, after further investigation, reveal a different - often opposite - reality. |
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