Quebec secularism is historical fact
My grandmother Alice had seven children. She taught me what it meant to have the Catholic Church’s oppressive influence in every aspect of her life, including annual visits from the local priest, who would castigate her for her failure to bear a child every year. Like many in Quebec, she embraced the changes brought on by the Quiet Revolution.
I, along with many progressive Quebecers, hold the principles of the Quiet Revolution close to my heart — none more so than the strict separation of religion and state.
Let’s face it: the current debate around secularism is emotionally charged; it’s multi-faceted, and it’s frankly little understood outside of the province. Yet, as a country, we have a duty to make sincere efforts to understand where many Quebecers are coming from.
There’s no doubt that racists and Islamophobes try to exploit Quebec’s history to spread their hate. But, it’s a mistake to assume that any Quebecer who supports secularism is indulging in a form of socially acceptable racism.
The notion of progressive secularism in Quebec is not invention, it’s historical fact.
I know that there are racialized communities in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada who see this debate as nothing more than window dressing for the perpetuation of white supremacy. Let me be clear: I unequivocally reject racism, Islamophobia and bigotry in all its forms. As I’ve said, I wholeheartedly oppose the Assemblée nationale du Québec’s proposed Bill 62. The state should not dictate to citizens what they can or can’t wear.
I also truly believe there’s more to this story than racism.
It was always a vexing proposition to New Democrats outside Quebec that the party could never seem to break through in what many see as Canada’s most progressive province. Jack Layton took on that challenge with love, hope and optimism.
The breakthrough came in 2005 when the NDP’s Quebec Section proposed the Sherbrooke Declaration. The Declaration recognized Quebec’s unique national character, and affirmed the NDP’s intention to respect Quebec’s right to secede from Canada with a simple majority vote. A year later, the party adopted the Sherbrooke Declaration at its convention in Quebec City. The NDP took this important step a full three years before Stephen Harper would introduce the unanimous motion in the House recognizing Quebec as a nation.
Quebecers took careful note of this move by Layton’s party. While Jack’s charisma was a huge part of the NDP’s success in Quebec, without the Sherbrooke Declaration, there simply couldn’t have been an “Orange Wave” in 2011.
Ultimately, the Sherbrooke Declaration is about treating Quebecers with respect.
Canada’s paternalism toward Quebec is as old as the idea of Canada itself. Generations of Liberal and Conservative prime ministers have kept Quebec’s political class on a short leash, rapping them on the knuckles when they strayed too far or asserted themselves too forcefully.
If we claim to recognize Quebec as a distinct nation within Canada, then we must actually treat it as such.
Recognizing Quebec’s right to decide for itself is exactly what the Sherbrooke Declaration is all about.
We can’t achieve the fair, inclusive Canada we seek if we simply shut down essential debates and brand Quebecers as racists for having a discussion on the religious neutrality of the state.
I trust Quebecers to draw upon the progressive values of the Quiet Revolution, just as I trusted Quebecers to reject the cynical dog-whistle politics of the Parti Québécois’ Charter of Values.
As for the NDP, if we turn our backs on the values of respect and trust enshrined in the Sherbrooke Declaration, we’re firmly closing the door on our electoral chances in Quebec for another generation.
It’s a mistake to assume that any Quebecer who supports secularism is indulging in a form of socially acceptable racism