The president of the Quebec Liberal Party’s cultural communities committee disagrees with the youth wing’s attempts to ditch multiculturalism as a way of shoring up the party’s nationalistic branding.
Mohamed Barhone took to Facebook Thursday to state he is “resolutely opposed,” to the Liberals shifting away from multiculturalism towards the concept of interculturalism in its approach to immigration because he believes the concept creates a hierarchy of citizens.
“Multiculturalism has always been a Quebec reality, of our founding peoples, francophones, anglophones and indigenous people right up to the innumerable communities which compose our rich mosaic,” Barhone wrote.
“Interculturalism is not the defence of Quebec’s identity or the French language; it is to divide us between the majority and minority cultures, condemning them to assimilation. Interculturalism is inherently unequal, it is a rejection of the desire to live together by creating a hierarchy between Quebecers.”
He goes on the note that despite the Liberal youth wing assertion that former Liberal leader Robert Bourassa backed the concept of interculturalism, time has shown the concept to be a failure.
“Only multiculturalism guarantees the equality between all the communities and all Quebecers; it is the path towards a pluralistic and harmonious francophone society in North America. We are francophones, we are all Quebecers.”
Barhone, a staunch defender of minorities within the party, was reacting to a proposal made public Wednesday by the Liberal youth wing and its president Stéphane Stril.
To be debated this coming weekend by the Liberal youth wing at a convention in Quebec City, the proposal calls for the party to pledge to adopt a law enshrining the concept of interculturalism as its approach to welcoming and integrating new arrivals if the Liberals form a government in 2022.
While multiculturalism is used to refer to a society where people of different cultural backgrounds live side by side without much interaction, interculturalism as defined by the youth wing would recognize the existence of a francophone majority in Quebec.
It would state the best path for immigrants is to learn French and actively interact and exchange with the majority.
“This common culture must serve as a pedestal for the integration of new arrivals,” the Liberal youth state in their proposal released at a news conference Wednesday.
On Thursday, Liberal youth wing officials downplayed Barhone’s decision to wade into the debate, noting that not all members of his committee agree with his viewpoint.
Barhone is no stranger to controversy. As the Liberal candidate in the riding of Taillon in the 2018 election, Barhone touched off a storm when he said the Coalition Avenir Québec’s plan for immigration – which later became Bill 21 on state secularism – was worse than the old Parti Québécois’ failed charter of values.
“It is even more dangerous than the charter of values,” Barhone said. “And they (the CAQ) said in 2019 they are going to do an immigration clean up. That’s why it is important to get out and vote in October.”
Barhone later apologized for the remarks. He was not elected.
