With the welcoming of Syrian refugees in 2015, Canada has earned praise in the international community for its effective response to the refugee crisis and reputation as a haven for distressed immigrants. However, this population influx was characterized by sudden exposure to unfamiliar cultures, the societal tension fueled by the risk of terrorism, and the economic strain in rural areas due to disproportionate urban inflow. This paper introduces the concept of intercultural relations in Quebec, Canada, provides an analysis of the newcomers and old-timers faultline in Quebec, and concludes with an overview of the benefits of immigration growth. Social, cultural, and economic implications elevate the socio-cultural friction between newcomers and old-timers, which poses a risk to Canada’s regional cohesion, particularly demonstrated in the case of Quebec, known for its independent and protected culture.
The intercultural relations in Quebec between newcomers and old-timers have been characterized by increasing tension between the province’s welcoming demographic, cultural enrichment, and its struggle to preserve the entrenched Quebecois way of life. As Bone (2018) notes, Quebec’s view on cross-cultural interaction has shifted from multiculturalism towards interculturalism, acknowledging the necessity of a bilateral accommodation between minorities and the French-Canadian majority to “maintain cordial relations” (p. 150). However, the friction between the Quebecois French-Canadian culture that managed to prevail within an English-speaking North American environment and the substantially unfamiliar new immigrant cultures might render acclimation for the latter more challenging. Perry (2022) remarks that migrant workers learn to adopt social behaviors expected by “wider societal norms” to minimize the threat to their livelihood by following “the discipline of coercive immigration and employment controls” (p. 12). This conformist projection belies the opportunity to establish a close-knit community built on trust and solidarity. While immigration helps the population broaden, the sudden exposure to foreign cultures might impel Canada, specifically Quebec, to safeguard its unique French-speaking culture.
Canadian political parties and the public have raised concerns about the societal implications of rapid large-scale immigration. As Bone (2018) notes, welcoming “unlimited floods of refugees and immigrants from war-torn Muslim-majority countries” poses risks of demographic outburst and terrorism (Bone, 2018, p. 149). The 2015 lone-wolf attacks in Quebec, the alleged recruitment of Canadians into foreign terrorist organizations, and the grim depiction of war in the Middle East have created a climate of fear. These rare terroristic acts generated preconceptions and irrational fears, and the deprecation of multiculturalism often appears as an indirect deprecation of Muslim immigration (Ghaffar-Siddiqui, 2019). Nonetheless, Ghaffar-Siddiqui notes that studies indicate that most Muslims in Canada describe their perceptions of discrimination as “relatively low” (p. 58). Although the public may keep its biases in check, terrorism sentiments still produce societal tension between newcomers and old-timers.
However, for the Canadian government, this potential tension appears secondary to the economic benefits of population growth associated with immigration, especially for regions with slowed growth rates, including Quebec. Quebec has recognized the growing immigrant population in small towns across the province as an opportunity to address “population decline, a shortage of particular types of workers and an ageing population” (Hanley, 2017, p. 282). However, these small-town communities are increasingly dependent on temporary foreign workers, as most new immigrants choose to settle in the metropolitan area, which strains local economies and the labor market. Since, as Bone (2018) notes, newcomers are “necessary for economic growth,” the disproportionate distribution of this enhanced workforce and investment in regional enterprises would entail heightened economic discrepancies between rural and metropolitan areas (p. 134). Consequently, the government of Quebec, and potentially other provinces, will likely continue attracting immigration to strengthen rural communities, alleviating economic strain.
In summary, while Canada, particularly Quebec, recognizes the economic advantages of immigration growth, its high inclusiveness is also associated with further financial strain in the rural areas and fear-based societal tension between newcomers and old-timers. Moreover, with its protected and unique French-speaking culture, Quebec might want to take a defensive stance concerning foreign cultures. While expanding towards greater egalitarianism, Canada might additionally seek to extract the economic benefits of immigration; this may come at the cost of increasing inner-societal tensions and unbalanced economic development.
References
Bone, R. M. (2018). The regional geography of Canada (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Ghaffar-Siddiqui, S. (2019). Voices from the fault line – Being Muslim in Canada (Doctoral dissertation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada). Web.
Hanley, J. (2017). The “regionalization” of immigration in Quebec: Shaping experiences of newcomers in small cities and towns. In G. Bonifacio & J. Drolet (Eds.), Canadian perspectives on immigration in small cities (pp. 271-285). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Perry, J. A. (2022). Situated learning and transnational labor migration: The case of Canada’s seasonal agricultural worker program. Adult Education Quarterly, 1-17. doi:10.1177/07417136221095480