The CAQ leader said a hike in immigration would be "suicidal" for Quebec. Outgoing immigration minister Jean Boulet argued that "80 per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not adhere to the values of Quebec society."
Quebec’s opposition leaders accused François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec of sowing fear and using “dangerous” tactics after comments surfaced from the party’s outgoing immigration minister that “80 per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not adhere to the values of Quebec society.”
The immigration issue, which has repeatedly returned to centre stage in the Quebec electoral campaign, was further inflamed when Legault said Wednesday that allowing more than 50,000 immigrants a year into the province would be “suicidal” for Quebec.
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“These words are dangerous, because they are feeding fear of others,” said Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade, the daughter of Haitian immigrants. “They are dividing Quebecers, and they are false on top of that. And they don’t reflect who we are collectively as Quebecers.”
Jean Boulet, an incumbent CAQ MNA who holds the immigration and labour portfolios in Legault’s government, made the statement at a radio debate for candidates in Trois-Rivières riding last week that was not widely reported.
The candidates were asked about immigration and the labour shortage.
Elaborating on the comments above, Boulet said the solution is “regionalization and francization,” meaning more immigrants should settle in Quebec regions and the province has to ensure immigrants speak French.
“Montreal is a welcoming place for immigrants, who contribute to the economic, social and cultural vitality and to the dynamism of French,” Plante tweeted.
“I’m sorry for expressing my thoughts badly,” he tweeted. “The excerpt broadcast does not reflect what I think. We must continue to focus on the reception, francization and integration of immigrants, who are a source of wealth for Quebec. ”
It’s not the first time Boulet has stirred controversy with a statement about immigration.
In a December 2021 tweet, Boulet implied asylum seekers were bringing COVID-19 into the province.
At the time, he was worried about the arrival of refugees via Roxham Rd. in the midst of a pandemic and asked the federal government to close that route of entry into the country.
The recent comments by Legault and Boulet “show to what point they are disconnected from the reality that we are living here,” Anglade said. “Look at the team we have assembled here,” she added, gesturing to the multi-ethnic Quebec City region candidates accompanying her at a press conference. “Are these not people who contribute to Quebec? Some have been here for generations, some are first generation. … Shouldn’t we be proud of that, to see what we can accomplish as a place that welcomes people, and to see the contribution of all these people who enrich us collectively?
“The history of Quebec is what we see here. That’s what we are building together.”
This story will be updated.
rbruemmer@postmedia.com
pauthier@postmedia.com
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