Negative values codified in law hurt our identity and culture more than some pieces of cloth that some of our fellow Quebecers place religious and cultural value in.When Quebecers, especially those outside of Montreal, find out a large percentage of Montrealers speak a different language at home that represents a threat to Quebec culture just like English signs were a threat. It was important to maintain an outwardly French face but not like a movie set. The goal was for Montreal to be French Canadian in culture as well as language. That people are speaking a different language at home means they are not culturally French Canadian. They just speak French.
I'm sure that somewhere the Transit system of Montreal has a POC working but I have never seen one drive a bus. I even had a transgender driver on the 55. The STM wants the public face of the transit system to be French Canadian. Same goes for the public face of licence bureaus and any other government service you can think of. Hydro Quebec as far as I can tell all visble are French Canadian born.
To many Quebecers the burka and niqab, even though most have never seen one, are a threat to Quebec culture the same way English was a threat even though most people outside of Montreal never met any English people unless they were tourists.
Quebecers are used to passing laws to maintain the French language and culture. This is no different than mandating that English on signs must be smaller than the French. The goal has always been to keep Montreal a French Canadian city culturally not just a city that outwardly operates in French. Montreal schools have large immigrant populations and parents want their children in a culturally French Canadian school so they leave Montreal. It's not that they mind a few immigrants. It's that in some schools immigrants are the majority in some classes or close to it. They want their kids raised in French Canadian culture not just in French.
It is inevitable that the immigrant population in Montreal will grow faster than the French Canadian population. Every time a poll is taken on language spoken at home the percentage of those not speaking French will grow. 16% will become 20%- and then 25%.
Everytime it increases anti-immigrant sentiment and racism will rise. They did not drive out the English only to turn Montreal over to immigrants and their children.
nationalism definition. The strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the belief that a people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination.
Quebec is a distinct society because its people share a common history and culture not just because they happen to speak French. That is what they believe is threatened. It used to be threatened by the English now it is threatened by immigration. Nationalism is so entrenched in Quebec I have no doubt that there will be growing unrest as Montreal becomes increasingly diverse.
Bill 62 was intended to pacify nationalists like saying "see, I will protect Quebec's culture". After decades of pumping up nationalism in Quebec it can't just be shoved back into a box.
This comment to me sounds logical. People driven by fear.