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<div class="gmail-l-row"> <section id="gmail-title-content-area" class="gmail-title-content--story gmail-l-col-1 gmail-l-col-sm-8 gmail-l-col-md-8 gmail-l-col-lg-8 gmail-l-offset-lg-2"> <div class="gmail-l-row"> <div class="gmail-pb-container"> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-label-headline" id="gmail-fxjqIy1zfx99Sq"> <header class="gmail-o-primary-header"> <h1 id="gmail-skip-link-target" tabindex="-1" class="gmail-c-primary-title gmail-c-primary-title--news">CAQ seeks to expel immigrants who fail ‘Quebec values’ test</h1> </header> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> <div class="gmail-l-row"> <section id="gmail-main-content-area" class="gmail-main-content--story gmail-l-col-1 gmail-l-col-sm-8 gmail-l-col-md-8 gmail-l-col-lg-8 gmail-l-offset-lg-2"> <div class="gmail-l-row"> <div class="gmail-pb-container"> <article class="gmail-c-article gmail-c-article--none"> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-photo" id="gmail-fzSxNi2zfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-meta" id="gmail-f0fkQFMzfx99Sq"> <div class="gmail-c-article-meta"> <div class="gmail-c-article-meta__bylines"> <a class="gmail-c-byline gmail-c-byline--link" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/les-perreaux/"> Les Perreaux </a></div> <div class="gmail-c-article-meta__timestamps"> <time class="gmail-c-timestamp" datetime="May 15, 2018">Published May 15, 2018</time> <time class="gmail-c-timestamp gmail-js-story-moment" datetime="2018-05-16T02:17:38.253Z">Updated 12 hours ago</time> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-content" id="gmail-fBmUXe2zfx99Sq"> <div class="gmail-c-article-body gmail-js-c-article-body gmail-u-clearfix"> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The
party leading the race to form Quebec’s next government is doubling
down on a controversial policy that would test immigrants for Quebec
values before allowing them to stay in the province permanently. </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The
Coalition Avenir Québec also now says it would rely on Ottawa’s
co-operation to expel or relocate undesirable immigrants to ensure
compliance with the policy. However, the federal government seems
unlikely to support the plan.</p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Quebec’s
next provincial election is fixed for Oct. 1 and the CAQ under François
Legault has led the Quebec Liberals under Philippe Couillard in
numerous polls since last fall. With issues that usually dominate
elections on the backburner – public finances are in order, the economy
is growing robustly and the issue of Quebec independence is dormant –
the main parties are staking out positions as protectors of “Quebec
values” in advance of the vote.</p> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-commercial-dfp-ads" id="gmail-"> <div class="gmail-"> </div> </div> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The
right-leaning CAQ, which is trying to position itself as the protector
of the French language and secular values, is taking a harder line on
immigration than other parties. </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The
immigration platform − first leaked this week to news magazine
l’Actualité − confirms Mr. Legault’s promise to test Quebec values and
French language comprehension and adds a requirement that immigrants
find work or document their hunt for it. The values tested would include
respect for diversity, democracy and secular government among other
values the party considers core to Quebec identity. </p> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-asf-body-top" id="gmail-"> </div> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Immigrants
would have to pass the values, language and employment test within four
years to receive a Quebec selection certificate – a document that is
the first step to gaining permanent residence in the province under the
immigration program it shares with Ottawa. Those who flunk would be
handed off to Ottawa for relocation or expulsion under the CAQ proposal.
</p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Under the agreement with Quebec,
the province selects most non-refugee immigrants while Ottawa is in
charge of establishing if they’re admissible to Canada. It’s not clear
how the CAQ plan would work under that division of labour. Justin
Trudeau’s government did not rush to embrace the CAQ plan, instead
lauding the important role immigration plays in growing the economy amid
labour shortages and an aging population.</p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Mathieu
Genest, a spokesman for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, said the
minister is “aware of recent reports of the CAQ immigration proposals,
and we continue to follow the file closely.”</p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The CAQ plan would also cut Quebec’s immigration quota by 20 per cent, to 40,000 new arrivals per year. </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Quebec’s
Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard called the CAQ plan a product of
muddled thinking that barely merits being called a rough draft. The
Liberals have taken a more inclusive stand, saying tests send the wrong
message and that immigration is vital in a province with slow population
growth. </p> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-commercial-dfp-ads" id="gmail-"> <div class="gmail-"> </div> </div> <div id="gmail-js-ad-slimcut-wrapper" class="gmail-c-ad gmail-c-ad--slimcut"> <div class="gmail-c-ad__wrapper"> <p class="gmail-c-ad__message">Story continues below advertisement</p> <div id="gmail-js-ad-slimcut"></div><div id="gmail-fsk_splitbox_3527_onscreen" class="gmail-fsk_splitbox_3527_onscreen"><div id="gmail-fsk_splitbox_3527" class="gmail-fsk_splitbox_3527" style="height:0px;text-align:center"></div><div id="gmail-fsk_splitbox_3527_passback"></div></div> </div> </div> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">“Their
platform is not even applicable, it’s riddled with errors. But the
biggest issue is the plan approaches immigration as a problem that needs
to be solved when it’s an incredible opportunity,” Mr Couillard said.
“Mr. Legault needs to stop hiding and start explaining how his plan
would work.” </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Mr. Legault wasn’t
available for comment Tuesday but the CAQ critic on the immigration
file, Nathalie Roy, confirmed the outlines of the plan to reporters in
Quebec City and insisted it’s always been Ottawa’s job to deport
unqualified immigrants.</p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">In a
statement issued later, she said the unemployment rate of immigrants is
double that of citizens, many fail to learn French and one quarter of
them leave the province. “Our goal is to ensure when they get settled
here permanently is to make sure they speak French, adhere to our values
and want to work,” she said. </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">She said Mr. Couillard is the one with muddled thinking, saying he “wants to sweep the problem under the rug.” </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">Paradoxically,
Mr. Legault’s party has advocated dropping French-language requirements
for new immigrants to favour technical and professional skills the
province lacks with its low unemployment and growing economy. Under the
party’s plan, a CAQ government would boost funding for training that
would include paying people to take language courses. </p> <p class="gmail-c-article-body__text">The
Parti Québécois – languishing in distant third place in recent polls –
would beef up language requirements for immigrants while eschewing tests
or deportations. “The CAQ is proposing things that will not happen,
cannot happen and couldn’t ever be applied,” Leader Jean-François Lisée
said. “They’re putting up a smokescreen for voters.</p> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-commercial-dfp-ads" id="gmail-"> <div class="gmail-"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-correction" id="gmail-f0aCFaJzfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-asf-body-bottom" id="gmail-f0tcn3lzfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-disclaimer" id="gmail-f00kZ28zfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-follow-on-twitter" id="gmail-f0Bei1Izfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-actions" id="gmail-fubIif1zfx99Sq"> <div class="gmail-c-article-actions"> <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-an-error/" class="gmail-c-article-action"> <span class="gmail-c-indicator-icon"> </span> <span class="gmail-c-article-action__text">Report an error</span> </a> <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/about/editorial-code/" class="gmail-c-article-action"> <span class="gmail-c-indicator-icon"> </span> <span class="gmail-c-article-action__text">Editorial code of conduct</span> </a> </div> </div> </article> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-u-space-mtm gmail-u-space-mbn gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-financial-barchart-story-tickers" id="gmail-f0NlaG7zfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-related-adv" id="gmail-fk57vg1zfx99Sq"> </div> <div class="gmail-article-related-content-chain gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-chain gmail-pb-c-article-related-content" id="gmail-c0AtmZFzfx99Sq"> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-comments" id="gmail-fRGB132zfx99Sq"> <div class="gmail-c-comments"> <div class="gmail-c-comments-bar gmail-js-c-comments-bar"> <div class="gmail-c-comments-bar__count"> <span class="gmail-c-comments-bar__count__icon"> </span> <span class="gmail-c-comments-bar__count__text"> Comments </span> </div> <div class="gmail-c-comments-bar__control"> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></section></div><div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-comments" id="gmail-fRGB132zfx99Sq"><div class="gmail-c-comments"><span id="gmail-comments"></span> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-u-wrapper gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-related-articles" id="gmail-f0vwKHPzfx99Sq"> <aside class="gmail-o-related-articles"> <h2 class="gmail-o-related-articles__heading">More on this story</h2> <div class="gmail-o-related-articles__cards"> <div class="gmail-o-card gmail-o-card--story"> <a class="gmail-o-card__link" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-globe-editorial-the-quebec-election-is-coming-so-are-the-identity/"> <div class="gmail-c-label--card gmail-c-label--card--muted"> <span class="gmail-c-label--card__content">Editorial</span> </div> <div class="gmail-o-card__content"> <div class="gmail-o-card__col"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-group"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-text">Globe editorial: The Quebec election is coming. So are the identity politics</span> </span> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="gmail-o-card gmail-o-card--story"> <a class="gmail-o-card__link" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/feeds/canadian-press/national/quebecs-coalition-party-riding-high-in-polls-but-last-in-political-donations/article37448061/"> <div class="gmail-o-card__content"> <div class="gmail-o-card__col"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-group"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-text">Quebec's Coalition party riding high in polls but last in political donations</span> </span> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="gmail-o-card gmail-o-card--story"> <a class="gmail-o-card__link" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/francois-legault-and-the-caq-more-pragmatic-than-left-or-right/article37353695/"> <div class="gmail-o-card__content"> <div class="gmail-o-card__col"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-group"> <span class="gmail-o-card__content-text">François Legault and CAQ trying to be 'more pragmatic than left or right' as Quebec election looms</span> </span> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </aside> </div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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