A multiculturalism for Québec

If Canada's policy is Multiculturalism, that is, the allowing a distinct group of people to maintain their ways of living within the larger majority culture, has been a cornerstone of home policy for so long, then why has it not been conceded that the province of Québec, encompassing the distinct nation of the Québécois, should not be offered reasonable accommodation in terms of their own application of multiculturalism and related policies?

Should the distinct nation of the Québécois, anchored on the territory of the Québécois territory, in that itself actualises tens of thousands of new arrivals every year, not be given a reasonable amount of autonomy in the areas of culture, integration, and language assimilation?

The Québécois population has, with what some would say good reason, rejected the doctrine of multiculturalism, claiming that it undermines the fragile Québécois identity already threatened on all sides by international conglomerates, media, culture, etc. They see it as essential that immigrants integrate and accept the values that the Québécois hold dear. In fact, there is a government project where as when one enters Québec as an immigrant one signs a statement of common values such as

• The primacy of the French language
• A free and democratic society
• A secular State
• A pluralist society
• A society grounded in laws and rights that garauntee equality
• Gender equality
• The excercise of rights is not to be to the harm of others and should be for the general well being

Most would say that the majority of these are Canadian values as well, however these values, though written in a similar manner, take on a different meaning for the Québécois. They are concerned about individual rights, as well as the betterment of society. The right to speak French is at the heart of many people's concerns, and that is the main tusk of the multiculturalism issue.

Just how far should immigrants be pushed to gain knowledge of thier adopted country's language, what should be made available, and how should community languages are accomodated. Québec, though progresive in many areas, and a very accepting and welcoming place, takes a more hard-line approach towards language than in the ROC.

The answers are not hear, but what do you think? Should Québec be allowed to excercise its own multiculturalism, within the Canadian multiculturalist project?

Libellés : Accommodements raisonnables, Politique, Québec, ROC

par Borges à 10:42

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New Labour: Go Back to Basics!

This country is facing disaster. Finances are wrecked, cuts are coming, services will suffer. There is no way out of this impasse within the market framework, that has been made clear. PM Brown, Leader of the Opposition David Cameron, Chancellor Darling and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne all assure us that we can get through this if we pull together and find some sort of political consensus.

Labour is dropping in the polls, trailing far the Conservatives, neither the government nor the Official Opposition have revealed how they intend to finance the country in the future, and neither is willing to talk straight about the cuts that either government will be forced to make under the current system.

They do not realise that no working-class will give up their rights and privileges, not for any political scheme, not for any public debt. The Winter of Discontent was a clear indicator of the British people in the face of crushing economic defeat. It was ironic that this was during a Labour government. 30 years down the line we find ourselves in a similar situation.

Labour has started to pre-empt the election campaign by launching a non-manifesto «Building Britain's Future» with no less than 14 competences under proposal, including a massive housing building program, a legal obligation for the government's child poverty commitments, healthcare «entitlements», jobs or training for all school leavers etc. Honestly this gives one hope that perhaps the government is listening to the concerns of ordinary Brits who fear their jobs, their homes, their health, their children's opportunities, lost.

However this does not go far enough .The Labour Party is still no longer committed to the nationalisation of the public services that are essential to everyone's well-being. The large scale industries, all public sector enterprises, must be but under democratic workers control, so that they can be held accountable for their actions and so that the public may decide how thier money is used. Only in this way can we work our way out of the crisis, when we start putting the well being of the many rather than the profits of the few, first.

Schools- Public and well funded
Healthcare- No place for private sector
Child poverty- Eliminate now
Unemployment- Massive program of public works
Infrastructure- Massive program of public works
Education- Progressive restructuring of the education system to make sure it is fair, effective, and the valued asset that it is.
Banking and Industry- Nationalise the essential sectors of the economy under workers control

These demands should not shock any Labour supporter, they are the core of what the Labour Party was found on...

Libellés : G.B., Labour

par Borges à 12:25

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End the Monarchy now! Reform the Senate immediately- Abolir la monrachie! Réformer le Sénat maintenant!

In a recent poll conducted by a Canadian Television company CTV reveals that over 65% of Canadians want the monarchy done away with. This shows the completely progressive nature of the Canadian people who want nothing to do with an out-dated remnant of feudalism which persists in the modern capitalist Canadian federative state. The Queen and her representative Michaelle-Jean, not to mention the provincial governors, who do nothing but represent a long ago broken link between the United Kingdom's monarchy and her Parliament.

However the Monarchy is not the only feudal remnant in the Canadian political system, and that is the appointed Senate, which has much power, and yet is completely unaccountable to the people that they are making the laws for. The Senate should be reformed completely and modelled on more democratic lines so that the officials are elected, by what form the voting to be made taken by Canadians.
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Dans un sondage récent révélé par le chaîne de télévision canadienne CTV démonte que 65 percent de canadiens veulent l'abolition de la monarchie. Cela démonte la nature progressive de la population canadienne qui n'en veulent rien avec une relique féodale archaïque qui n'a pas de lien avec la fédération capitaliste moderne canadienne. La Reine et ses répresentants comme Michaelle Jean, et les gouverneurs provincuax, coûtent cher la population canadienne.

Or, la monarchie n'est pas la seule rélique féodale dans le système politique canadien, et cela est le Sénat appointé, qui a beaucoup de pouvoir, mais est complètement inexplicable au peuple pour ceux qu'ils font les lois. Le Sénat doit être reformé complètement et modelé sur un principe plus démocratique pour que les sénateurs soient élus, par quelque forme choisie par le peuple canadien.

Libellés : Québec, ROC

par Borges à 10:32

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