Quebec's toxic identity debate

Across Canada, people of goodwill are cringing as Quebec's identity debate turns toxic. Premier Jean Charest served blunt notice this week that politicians are "fanning the flames of intolerance" toward cultural and religious minorities, and promoting a "siege mentality." That may sound alarmist to those who have not followed the debate. But Charest had reason to speak out. And not a minute too soon.

Consider Quebec's two opposition leaders. Mario Dumont of the Action Démocratique party argues that Quebec is "pretty much at capacity, in terms of intake," and wants to block increases in immigration. Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois, for her part, wants to bar newcomers who do not speak French from running for public office.

This unwelcome mat is drawing attention. "People in the rest of Canada, in the United States and in France are wondering what's going on in Quebec, where we've earned a reputation for openness and tolerance," says Charest. He's right. The optics are terrible.

And they are getting worse. After fighting an election in which "reasonable accommodation" of cultural and religious groups was a hot button, Charest invited a spasm of anti-immigrant fearmongering by naming two academics to tour the province sounding people out on just how far Quebec should go to make minorities feel welcome. The answer for many Quebecers is, not very far.

At public hearings, commissioners Gérard Bouchard and Charles Taylor have presided over a festival of fear, bigotry and ignorance.

"In 100 years I don't think there will be many Québécois left," one man fretted, mourning the implausible extinction of Quebec's Catholic, francophone identity. Another complained about the cost of providing Jewish kosher foods in shops. There were calls to ban Muslim head scarves and Sikh ceremonial daggers. And to thwart immigrants from "taking over" Montreal neighbourhoods by forcing them to settle in the back country. One city councillor invoked the spectre of women being stoned in the streets.

An anxious teacher suggested Christians might soon have to "wear yellow crosses," as Jews wore yellow stars under the Nazis.

It even got to the absurd point this week where a lawyer complained that Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu – a Finn who struggled to learn English – was showing "contempt" by not addressing the fans in French, which he has yet to master.

Understandably, minorities in Quebec have been "spooked" by this "open, unchallenged intolerance" and "explicit racism," says Fo Niemi, co-founder of the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations.

Their concern was underlined by a Léger Marketing poll that reported 56 per cent of Quebecers want minorities to abandon their cultural practices. Elsewhere in Canada, 20 per cent hold that obnoxious view.

Sadly, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives have not been above mining these seams of intolerance. They have tabled a bill forcing Muslim women to unveil their faces to vote, absent any evidence that fraud-by-veil is a problem. Worse, this needless targeting of a minority was abetted by the federal opposition parties.

Canada has welcomed 7 million immigrants over the past 40 years, vastly enriching our society. We are a more productive, cosmopolitan nation as a result. And what "accommodations" have Canadians been asked to make? Getting used to Sikh Mounties wearing turbans, seeing a few graceful mosques and temples sprout in vacant fields or parking lots. Accepting that some pious Muslim women cover their heads, as nuns once did, and still do.

This is not to deny that strains can arise in any society that undergoes rapid transformation. In Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty has drawn lines against allowing Muslim sharia law in the family arbitration process, and against more publicly funded religious schools. Canadians do not shrink from debating "reasonable accommodation" when the need arises or from affirming collective values. At the same time, we will not tolerate preaching hatred in the name of religion.

Canada needs more immigrants, not fewer, and we should welcome them with open minds and hearts, in the same generous Confederation spirit that "accommodated" Protestants and Catholics, English and French, when our nation was founded. Ontario took in 125,000 immigrants last year, far more than the 45,000 who went to Quebec, without the same unhealthy anxiety about "us" and "them."

During the hearings this week commissioner Bouchard felt moved to point out that Quebec's future lies in "tolerance and sharing," not walling itself off from newcomers and the world. Wise words. They cannot be repeated too often, in Quebec – or across this country.

“Canadians do not shrink from debating “reasonable accommodation” when the need arises or from affirming collective values. At the same time, we will not tolerate preaching hatred in the name of religion.”

Yeah - sure. Until the bombs start going off...

Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal. Easter celebrations are illegal. It is punishable by death for a non-mulsim to enter the “holy” muslim cities of Medina and Mecca.

Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.

Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.

Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith (up to and including death). Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.

Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution. The country has passed the “Regulation of Religious Practice” law, which stipulates a punishment of two to five years’ imprisonment and heavy fines for anyone convicted of urging a Muslim to change his religion.

Syria - The constitution requires the president to be a Muslim and specifies that Islamic jurisprudence is a principal source of legislation. Sharing your Christian faith is discouraged as “posing a threat to the relations among religious groups” and carries a penalty of up to life in prison. A Christian is not allowed to proselytize – ever. Churches who want to hold an extra service must get a government permit. Sermons are routinely monitored, as is church fundraising.

Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.

Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.

Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy. Islam is the state religion, and in a court of law the testimony of a Christian carries less weight than that of a Muslim. Section 295(c) of the Penal Code calls for a death sentence for anyone who defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad and requires the testimony of four Muslims for a conviction. This fosters an environment in which Muslims can feel free to use intimidation and violence against religious minorities for personal gain. Also, if any criminal Muslim rape with any Christian female and then take plea that she has accepted Islam and marry with him. Such person is not culpable under Pakistani criminal law

Qatar - Islamic instruction is compulsory in public schools. The government regulates the publication, importation, and distribution of non-Islamic religious literature. The government continues to prohibit proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims.

Malaysia - Under Malaysian law, any convert to Christianity must apply to a shariah (Muslim law) court to legally renounce Islam. Many Christians prefer to remain silent converts rather than take their battle to the shariah courts, where apostasy or conversion out of Islam is punishable by whipping, fines, imprisonment and—in the most extreme application—death. In a country where Muslims account for more than half of the population, conversion from Islam is punished with a 5-year prison sentence and a $3,000 fine. A Malaysian Muslim who marries a non-Muslim and who converts the non-Muslim to Islam is rewarded with an apartment, a car, a one-time payment of $2,700, and a monthly stipend of $270.

The Maldives - In the island paradise visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, Christianity is simply not tolerated. While local Christians – said to number around 300 out of a total population of 300,000 – do get together to worship, they do so at the risk of imprisonment or worse if discovered by the Muslim authorities. Bibles are banned, and tourists can be arrested for trying to bring them into the country.

England - Bradford, Yorkshire, UK. Pop. 300,000 - 20% Islamic. Local police required to tell community elders the location of girls who run away to escape arranged marriages. Bars and liquor stores in the Lumb Lane / Manningham Lane area of the city ‘requested’ to close on Fridays. Schools, colleges, and health clinics have to have separate areas for women, with a copy of the Koran available. Public critcism of Islam or it’s adherents, such as letters to the local paper, emails to friends, speeches etc, can and has led to criminal charges ‘Using words intentionally and wilfully to cause fear, hate, or distress. Christmas decorations not to be put up, as this may make the Moslems feel ‘culturally overshadowed’. Shops ‘requested’ not to display easter eggs for the same reason. The term ‘requested’ means not legally enforceable but local police warn that they cannot intervene if your premises get ‘damaged’ somehow. Local councillors and MPs have encouraged all this for the past 15 years. Bradford Northwest MP Ann Cryer regularly appears with long sleeves and her head covered. She once stated that women in Islam are properly liberated and that Islam is an example to us all.

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