On racism, PQ action plan beats Liberal talk

Commission is misnamed and a waste of time, money, Jennifer Drouin says.

Premier Philippe Couillard’s government recently announced that it would hold a “Commission sur la discrimination systémique et le racisme.” This commission is misnamed. “Systemic” is an American buzzword; it is more accurate to use the term “institutional” to describe racism within social and political institutions, such as employment or policing. Easily confused with “systematic,” “systemic” gives the false impression that Quebec society is plagued with racism, like Alabama even after the abolition of Jim Crow laws.

I spent six years in Alabama witnessing institutional racism and becoming attuned to white privilege. Institutional racism in Quebec is not “systemic” in the American sense.

This commission’s “primary objective” is to “propose concrete and lasting solutions” to eradicate discrimination and racism. The Parti Québécois has already proposed 20 concrete solutions. However, the governing Liberals refuse to implement them, making their commission appear to be merely an attempt to play wedge politics in the lead-up to the October 2018 election.

The 20 PQ proposals are divided along four axes: better recognize foreign qualifications; end structural obstacles in hiring; fight strongly against racism and discrimination; and take steps toward inclusion.

In the first axis, the PQ proposes one-stop-shopping for recognizing foreign diplomas and experience as well as extending the Qualification Montréal program across Quebec and establishing a common legal framework for internships through universities and professional orders. The PQ also wants immigrants to be better informed about requirements before they arrive and for there to be a reboot of negotiations toward reciprocal agreements with Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria that Couillard’s government quashed three years ago.

In its second axis, the PQ proposes banning any requirement for a first job in Canada, as Ontario has already done. It proposes investing substantially in Emploi-Québec’s PRIIME program, which is designed to provide immigrants and visible minorities with internships and first jobs. It also advocates creating an inspection system that would fine employers who discriminate in hiring, and it would start a pilot program for anonymous CVs so employers cannot choose a Tremblay over an equally qualified person named Said. It proposes an in-depth revision of hiring policies by the state, where visible minorities only make up five per cent of public employees despite being 11 per cent of the Quebec population.

In the third axis, the PQ proposes a vast public awareness campaign about discrimination in housing and employment. It proposes there be a new citizenship course for elementary and high school students about democratic values, the equality of women and men, and rejecting racism and discrimination. Better dialogue could be achieved by promoting the regions to immigrants through student exchanges with Montreal high school and CEGEP students. Encouraging citizens to denounce racism on social media would marginalize discriminatory voices. The PQ also wants to make it easier to impose fines on landlords who discriminate in housing.

The PQ’s fourth axis includes fighting illiteracy, which would help all Quebecers, including immigrants. The plan also calls for better French programs for immigrants upon arrival and in the workplace. The PQ is already implementing its proposal that political parties have more diversity in their slate of election candidates, staffers and internal structures. Diversity should also be promoted for the boards of directors of public and parapublic organizations. Finally, it wants greater inclusion of minorities in cultural events.

With these 20 proposals on the table, a commission to “propose concrete and lasting solutions” is a waste of time and taxpayer money.

Strangely, Québec solidaire favours a commission over the concrete PQ proposals. Perhaps QS members have forgotten how many Bouchard-Taylor Commission recommendations the Liberals enacted after the acrimonious public debates: almost none.

Between more talk and real action, the choice is clear. Instead of putting Quebecers on trial for “systemic” racism rooted in the American context, the Liberal government needs to enact the 20 PQ proposals now.