A story about racial discrimination in Quebec

I remember going to a “Quebecois” school in Quebec where I first learned about racial discrimination when I was younger. The difference between a “Canadian” school and a Quebecois school in Quebec is the Quebecois school generally had separatist influences, they are relatively less diverse than the Canadian schools, there is no trace of anything distinctly Canadian, and there is no assistance to students who do not speak French as a native language.

Canadian schools, on the other hand, had a diverse student body, had some programmes for non-French speaking students, and put down racism in their school by promoting multiculturalism. My early experiences were both at a Canadian (St. Lawrence School) and Quebecois school (Ecole Samuel-De Champlain) where I spent 2 years in each school when I was young.

The first instance of racism I experienced at a Quebec school called Ecole Samuel-De Champlain, was when I was entering the school in the morning. While I was walking to class, some French kid kept making “Ching-Chang-Chong” noises while looking at me while a few kids called me a “Chin-tok (Chink in French)”. The kids that were around me simply ignored it as if it was normal while a handful laughed. At another instance, some French kids beat me up, trashed the things in my bookbag, and told me to “Go back to China” in French because they felt immigrants were taking his parents’ jobs or diluting the Quebecois spirit.

Then there was that second grade teacher named Sylvie L, who still teaches in the school as a grade 1 teacher. At that time she was in her late thirties, and I learned later that her husband was unemployed. I knew when I was younger I was a bit of a troublemaker, but I always thought it was strange how she would only give stern warnings to the White kids in the class while throwing me out of her class for the entire day when I did something wrong. This was strange because I did similar things to the other kids, but I got a harsher punishment and she never called me back to class once she threw me out.

I think these things were related to immigration and that’s why I get disgusted when people opposed to immigration rabidly deny that the issue has a racist element to it. I can definitely say, it has a racist element since I had the luxury of experiencing it first-hand in Quebec, Canada.

I really don’t like talking about this part of my life but it is a crude reminder of who I am. It’s also a reason why I unlearned the French language, abandoned my Catholic faith, and one of the reasons why it took several years to come to terms with myself.

My experiences in America are much better than Quebec. Although there is more ignorance than rampant racism here compared to Quebec, I want to do what I can to eliminate negative racial stereotypes and explore what it means to be Asian-American.


51 thoughts on “A story about racial discrimination in Quebec

  1. You are witnessing the ugly side of nationalism. Pre 60’s French Quebec had a defeatist mentality, but since the Quiet Revolution, the French people are taking pride in their roots. Like with the rise of China, Chinese people worldwide are becoming conscious of their Chineseness. There are a lot of similarities between Quebec and China, both were suppressed by foreign powers and both are regaining their national pride. I sympathize with what you went through, you were a victim of the torrents of history. The US is a true superpower. The fact that a black person is able to run for president is a sign of a country that is able to provide world leadership in race issues.

      1. This is a good story and makes a lot of sense. You people commenting about Obama are dumb though. Voting for a presidential candidate because he is black is racist. Just because you feel that the significance of having a non white president to promote “change” or “moving forward” should not be a sole reason to support him. racism still happens today just as much as it did with Bush as president or any other white president. None of you mentioned his policies, or what he has done. Yeah he’s great for some social issues but personally I feel he has done more harm than good with irresponsible spending and inability to work with the opposition on issues (not to mention an attempt to dilute the 2nd amendment) . While you people are somewhat mild in your comments, I have openly voiced my opposition against the Obama administration because I feel he is changing our country for the worse and I have been called racist for it. I honestly could care less if he were black, white, asian or latino. This is troubling to me and makes me worry about both the media’s influence on the way people think, and how many other people voted for this underperforming leader so that they can consider themselves “progressives.” Racism is in every culture and is a part of life. It is a part of history and can present itself in obviously wrong destructive or small subtle ways. Whether this has advantaged you or disadvantaged you, that should not be a factor for how you perform as a person.

  2. Hi,

    I am a bilingual (mother tongue english) 30 year old female born in Quebec, I have lived here for most of my life except for a few years which I have lived in the United States. For the last 2 years I have been living in a small north eastern town in Quebec. The reason for this move was to be closer to my mom who was really sick at the time. Since living here I have become extremely unhappy. The racial and sexist discrimination is worse than I ever could have thought. In the past I have lived in Montreal which is very multicultural. I have noticed discrimination before but like I have seen since I have moved away from Montreal. It is a complete shame that I am embarrassed to speak english because everyone stops around you and stares and this is not an over exaggeration, they literally stop and stare. Some even comment on it. I can’t find a job, it has been a year that I have been looking. I am an educated and completely bilingual individual with much experience under my belt and I can’t even get a position at the local store. I have tried everywhere. Hundreds of applications…no phone calls. I have never had this problem before, it has never taken more than a few days to get a response and eventually work. If someone mubbles something that you didn’t HEAR and you ask then politely if they can repeat, if the noticed that you have an accent, they will repeat what they said very nastly, like they are annoyed that you didn’t understand them even though it was only because you didn’t hear what they have said. They automatically assume that you didn’t understand. Apparently, according to the french I am not a Quebecer, I am Canadian because I am english. I guess that literally means that I was not born in Quebec…which I believe I was. So I would say I am provinceless. If Quebec would separate from Canada one day and I am no longer a Canadian what would I be…according to the french theory that would make me homeless. What would I say if some asked me my nationality, I would have to response I AM NOTHING. The whole thing that makes all these matters worse is that the Quebec government is the leader of this cult. The discrimination starts at the top and works its way down. If Quebec is part of Canada why aren’t all services bilingual. You can’t find any important information in English all french. Funny how you need French to work in Quebec but you don’t need english. Many Quebec companies service you in french and no english. There is so much more that I can vent about but my conclusion being is that I no longer have respect for Quebec (the leader (government) and its cult followers). Presently, I am sadly looking to move out of Quebec. It is sad only because i am going to be leaving everyone I know and love behind…this includes my mom. If I stay here my quality of life will be non existent. It already is. So be it.

    1. I have been throught the same thing. First of my class in 2 different QC universities (UQAM UQTR and laval average 4.06 on 4.33). Applied 400 places. No reply. One did reply because he was curious about why an ethnic would apply. One day a Qc native friend told me: they do not reply because of your familiy name, it scares them off. so I did a little experiement I suggest you try and it will help you PROVE whether or not you are victim of institutionnal systematic racism:

      I sent the next 33 job applications in double: one copy with my real name, and experience and achievements (the REAL CV) and one with the same mailing address but with a native quebee name (like Tremblay or Trudeau, or the likes). That CV is the FAKE CV, in which you just put the minimal experience and remove everything remotely valuable in your CV (so the Fake CV is of a lesser-experienced candidate than on your real CV).

      Of the 33 double CV sent to the 33 same quebee employers, no one replied tothe real one because of the ethnic (my real name). And 8 of these employers responded to the Fake CV even though the candidate had no experience worth a damn.

      So for the ethnic candiadte that has a 4.06 average, 1000 hours logged in clinical stages etc etc gets no call for interview, and the native queebee candidate with no experience or anything remarquable besides the fact he got a diploma, gets a third of the employers interested. The only diffenrence being the names on the CVs.

      Try it, and laugh yourself to death when, caught with their paints down by Scientific methodology versus their ignorance, the racists will go on to such extremes to denie their paints are down. And even turn it on you (“you are the racist”, “you trapped me down”, etc…).

      Racism can be genuine a source of fun sometimes, like irony and satyres can be. Racists are so easy to catch unaware (yes they are dum but what do you expect from ignorants).

      Another idea to suggest to fight against racism. Start a racist organisation let’s say, something like The go-back home foundation. You then propose that that organisation sponsors the “willing deportation” of those annoying immigrants and ethnics who comes down to “our” country to abuse and fraud our system. so under the guise of “let,s get rid of that immigrant scummy problem” you sollicit funds from the racists pretending it is used for their cause. I garantee you can make as easy as 25000$ CAD in less than a week if you advertise. every racist is going to want to contribute to such a noble cause. point made: they will then promote the organisation, and they will delegate their racist endeavors to that (fictitious) organism. So racism may even decrease for a while (dilution of responsibility). By delegating responsibility to that organism, they will be less active as persons in the racism usual harassments.

      Be aware that in most cases, racism is not only product of social ignorance. It is a form of psychopathological intolerance, same as mysogynia and cannot be treated independantly than its environment, which nurrishes it. but racism is a choice, same as murder. Everyone should be held accountable, including the victims (for letting it happen).

      You must fight racism, in my humble opinion if you want to leave this world a better place for the next generations. sometimes fire is fought only by fire.

      Because racism can be deadly. I have the unfortunate honor to carry a nasty form of lung cancer, am also a diabetic and cardiac patient who suffers from a major post traumatic stress syndrome. I am refused treatments, a family doctor and specialists, revenues, and medecine. I have been put on waiting lists for the last 3 years. In canada no less. And if I complaint about it it does get worse. The reason given: you come down this country to abuse the system (PS I was born and raised here). No one will acknoledge the situation, even at ombudsmen levels. I was victim of criminal assaults, theft, harassment because of my race, and nothing came out of it. except the bullsh++t discourse on how I must have deserved it.

      Yes I did, I was a psychologist for 20 years in emergencies. My job was to help these people go through their mental distresses. I am a very bad person.

      I hope this letter may have helped even a single soul who is suffering what racism is about.

      1. I am a Quebec refugee. Run away this year in January. I am being harassed and threated I’d lose my job here as well. They are a criminal organization. They operate all over Canada. They try to shut up every one who dares to tell what they do in Quebec. Apparently, the Anglophones are afraid of them. very said. I tried to find a job in US. They monitor my calls, my emails. They try to stop me from leaving and telling everyone my story. I was literally threatened that I’d be eliminated, I was intimidated… for years. never though that this could ever happen in Canada. I went to see a lawyer to protect myself while in Quebec. Daniel Cooper in west island of Montreal. He refused to give me advice. I wrote a complaint letter to the immigration minister, nothing happened. I am being told to live my life the way I can… I am hoping to escape this prison. I hope to regain my freedom. I am hoping to find a job and live for US.

  3. I was born and grow up in China. I have been in Montreal Quebec for five years, and I feel very depressed about the discrimination I receive from where I work. I plan to leave Quebec, living under discrimination for the rest of life is a tragedy.

  4. There has been a culture war in Quebec: those who want the province to be progressive and tolerant like France and Canada and there are those who want to keep it “Pure and French”. It seems the latter is winning the culture war.

  5. Also, Quebecois schools do not sing the Canadian National Anthem in any way shape or form while the “English” schools sing either the English or French version…

  6. You generalise so much, it’s almost like a lower form of racism.

    I’ve lived all around Quebec and I can tell you not everyone is racist. It’s mostly just few people (living outside city) who haven`t met any other cultures that end up having weird reaction/behaviors upon meeting those individuals because they`re facing the ”unknown”.

    1. Brossard is a real place and these things did happen there. I am sure you get none of this crap because you are White and able to speak half decent French.

      1. I am totally agree what u just said, I live in Brossard for like 17 years, those who are white have no problem for they done but if u were colour even u build a fence on your own turf, they would judge u and blaming u for what u done. It doesn’t matter u could speak fluent french or not, the white just doesn’t like ur culture ethnic.

    2. Better get something straight here flq:
      Remember this expression: “It takes only a few rotten apples to spoil the barrel”!
      There are a hell of a lot more than just a few rotten apples in the radical nationalist camp.
      I should know this. I once hung out with Mario Beaulieu and his crowd when I was a McGill student way back in 1982. Mario Beaulieu is today the president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society here in Montreal. They are a very radically anti-anglo, anti-Canada, anti-federalist and anti-immigrant association.
      One night at an outside terrace on St. Denis st. in 1982 or 83, Mario told me I wasn’t a real Quebecois because my Mother was anglo/american! And I spoke english far too well too!! I was therefore an anglised or colonized sellout!!
      There are other radical hate mongering groups just like this in Quebec and you better know they are not going anywhere. Mainly they’ve got nowhere to go and nothing better to do. Most did not finsh their formal education and can’t have normal careers, so their careers are associations like the above and they go around spewing ther crap and making headlines and contributing greater and greater damage to quebecs reputation. It only takes a few but when they get as much media attention as they are want to get, the result can be pretty effectively damaging for the whole society.
      It definately can’t be too good for the reputation of this province when leaders of official politcal parties like Pauline Marois actually embrace these hate mongering groups and actually goes to their highly pubilsized meetings that appear in all the news the next day.

  7. Every summers, there’s thousands of Quebecois who travel across the country all the way to British Columbia to pick fruits or plant trees and obviously, learn english. No racist individuals would do such things.

    1. Yes they do. Racist or not people can travel as they please and do fun things. Just because you had a super-fun experience in Quebec Province doesn’t mean its great for everyone, unless you’re White of course.

    2. I think everyone from Parizeau’s generation needs to just die if Quebec wants to shake off that backward, insular, xenophobic mentality that is so fashionable under Marois and her cronies. The FLQ wanted to purge the province of the Anglo overlords and their supporters did except they are now the overlords and the allophones/newcomers are now the new underclass where French-Canadians in Quebec use to be.

    3. Every summer we have plenty of Quebecois engineers working on contract in the Middle-East and earn good salaries and are welcomed and when they come back they treat immigrants like shit. I am Canadian Arabic origin and I completed high-school, DEC, Bac, and a masters in engineering here in quebec at Polyt. a Montreal and I am struggling finding a job since 3 years during my studies…lol. My recommendation to all immigrants, if you have a higher degree or skilled immigrants, do not waste your time in Quebec just leave and you will be very fine. There is a wonderfull side of Canada that you should discover, People are very very nice everywhere…with the exception of Quebec of course. -Take what I say seriously, don’t waste your time serving here-.

  8. Hey,

    I’m a french canadian who now lives in Hong Kong. I heard today two black guy buinessmen speaking in french in the subway who reffered to the chineses as “Chin tok”.

    I had a vague remembrance of myself reffering to chineses as “Chin tok” when I was a kid, which made me find this blog post on Google.

    I’m very surprised and sad to see how much this racist slur and behavior affected you and I must agree that where I am originally from, this must have been very typical. I am myself sorry if I ever contributed to this.

    On the other hand, you must know that racism is present threwout the world and Quebec is just none-the-less different. Having spent quite a bit of time here, I have seen similar stuff hapenned toward other races, such as indians or mainland chineses.


    1. Hey Remi,

      Those two French black guys are no better than the racists in Quebec. If they were in Quebec, they would be subjected to slurs starting with the letter “N” either in English or in French. I have read accounts of Haitians and West Africans who have problems living in Quebec despite being fluent in French and holding advanced degrees.

      Well, if you didn’t do anything wrong or were not influenced by lesser minds, I would not burden myself with guilt. However, you should try to persuade others to not engage in such destructive attitudes.

      I have the impression Quebec was xenophobic or racist due to the belief that all immigrants who come to Quebec are indoctrinated by the Canadian government to oppose separatism or from the belief immigrants use Quebec as a backdoor to naturalisation then moving out of Quebec once they are citizens. Also, there is the perception the immigrants living in Quebec are diluting the pure French character and are getting in the way of separatism.

      Racism is everywhere yet Quebec was pretty bad compared to the ignorant nonsense in America or Asia, which was nowhere near the levels of what I faced in that province.


  9. Discrimination exists very well in the Quebec society, mainly in the work sector. Many visible minorities can’t not find job after they graduate from Universities. Some of my friends are still looking for Job in Montreal after they finished their Masters in 2006. It’s difficult for them to move other provinces where there is more openness because they speak only French. As a Bilingual, just as my brother, I moved from Montreal after my graduation to seek job. Many immigrants move from Quebec for the same reason. I encourage immigrants to learn english and move from Quebec. Other provinces are not perfetc but far better than Quebec.

  10. Having said that Quebec is better than Europe because they tried to show they don’t discriminate but hiring few minorities. In Europe, mostly France they don’t even bother. It’s make me wonder if French and racism go hand in hand.

  11. pira , go fuck yourself.

    any of you realize that calling someone racist is racism in itself? you are all talking about anecdotal events and claim it is a general phenomenon, yes the problem is that anti-chinese discrimination or so is not addressed as much as it should in quebec since the emphasis is on anti-english and anti-native american sentiment. personally, i highly doubt your story that you were beat up for being chinese.

    by the way, look up gerard bouchard who said that quebeckers behave like a minority scared of assimilation even if they are a majority in their territory, the reason is simple, they are a minority in quebec, independance would help a whole lot to stop racism in quebec. but most of you chauvinist canadians cannot care. look up the g20 protests where quebeckers were arrested for being quebeckers, none of you cares it seem.

    1. Oh God. Another maoist claiming I was never beat up for being Chinese because I am a supposed racist for talking about my account of ethnic discrimination in Quebec. Fortunately, you are not one of those transplants who is dumb enough to believe that Montreal reflects all of Quebec province. I still cannot believe someone like you claiming to be a progressive would try to pretend my personal problems with racial discrimination never happened.

      Pira’s remarks are a bit extreme but there are problems with ethnic minorities in France and Quebec province. Yes, anti-allophone discrimination is often overshadowed by anti-Anglo and anti-native discrimination and this in itself is discriminatory.

      I hope you are talking about Lucien Bouchard and it’s really naive to believe independence would be a magic bullet to solving ALL OF QUEBEC’s problems. Over 80% of Quebec’s population is made of white, French-speaking people. How does this make them a minority in their own “distinct nation”?

      If Quebec was independent, minorities would still be discriminated as they are now and the entire province would be at the mercy of Wall St. bankers due to their high debt levels and from losing Federal aid. Is the independent Quebec you dream socialist, racist, and at the mercy of bankers?

      Speaking of G20, all protesters were assaulted or raped regardless of their place of origin. Stop trying to make Quebecois sound like holocaust victims or Tibetans when it is nowhere near those levels.

  12. Hey Pira, congrats for the nice blog, I am really impressed. Yes, I agree with you that there is a lot of racism in Quebec, and mainly on the workplace. Me personally, was a victim (may be bit exagerated) of this strange behavior from people calling themselves ‘quebecois’. My boss, he is one of them is always giving me at least 3-4 project more, and demanding to finish them at least a month before my ‘quebecois’ collegues. I am neither chinese, neither coloured – just a person with accent. And I see the difference in the behaviour and requirements when it comes to quebecian emploee, and for everybody else. If you have noticed there is even no organisation that can protect the english speaking people in Quebec, may be we have to work in this direction? OR MAY BE THE DECISSIONS FOR QUEBEC AND CANADA REMOTELY TAKEN FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE?

    1. Its quite sad that the white, French-speaking quebecois treat you differently because you’re not one of them. These people don’t understand that this maltreatment is the reason why they will never be a country and why people outside the province have mixed feelings about them and their cause. For me I rather live in New Jersey than Quebec after living in both places.

  13. I also have an experience to share actually would like one day to publish that in a newspaper, I am an immigrant who came here 10 years ago even though I landed in Toronto my fate brought me to Quebec.After building a decent career working permenantly for several reputable companies in USA-Toronto & Montreal for the last ten years, most recently I reached quite a high position in one of the major companies in Montreal, I can not say that all my quebecois colleagues were racist but I faced the following situtaion, the company changed its president , in a meeting with my boss and the new president, the new president looked at the organization chart and said to my boss(non ca ne se fait pas), so he simply siad to my boss you can not do that, couple months later, human resources informed me that I have been terminated,as I did not fulfill the requirement of my position, they advised me that its is better to sign for the sake of my reputation, when I refused to sign they called the security and escorted me out of the company.
    Even though all my evaluation reports for the 3.5 years i have been with this company were graded as fully as expected and I am a designated individual in my field with a designation from both Canada and USA.
    For the first time in 10 years I find my self jobless with two professional designations, when I apply for work no one wants to hire me as this employer does not provide a reference and they did their best to ruin my reputation and destroy the career that I built in the last ten years. Another interesting point to mention is when I joined the company I had an anglophone boss they fired him six months later and hired an individual (quebecoise) in a very high position (Vice president) without a professional designation in his field and without pertinent experience. I wonder how the major shareholders agree with that it is not for the best interest of the company, so the conclusion we fire designated and qualified employees (if they are foreigners) but we keep nonqualified individuals if they are form Quebec.
    I would appreciate any comments that could help me solve this dilemma.

    1. You should report this case of wrongful termination to the anti-discrimination groups in Canada and go forward with your story on the Montreal Gazette, the Globe and Mail and the National Post. People need to know this tribalist mentality is a detriment to Quebec society and business practices.

    2. Alexi:
      Address: 2,complexe Desjardins
      Tour de l’Est, 24e etage
      C.P. 730, succ.Desjardins
      Montreal, Qc H5B 1B8

      Grande region de Montreal : 514-873-7061

      Appels interurbains: 1-800-265-1414

      Internet: http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca

      All this contact info is on the back of one of their 1998 publications I never pitched out. No guanantee it’s all good, but at least you have something. Otherwise try looking in the blue pages of the phone book under : emplois.
      You can always get a lawyer in the yellow pages that will work on retainer too. There are about 10,000 lawyers in Mtl. maybe more!
      Best of luck to you,

    3. Alexi, leave Quebec and go to the Middle-east, Calgary “where i stay” or USA, they are disperate for qualified ppl like you and they don’t ask any references, they need you and they give you anything you want. I am a starter as engineer so I can’t help you much however, just make me a favor…please vote for Mario to get Quebec out of the way.

  14. Alexi:
    Since the company (forced) you to sign some kind of non-recrimination document you might have to get a lawyer who can argue they forced you to sign it under some pre-supposed threat of a reprisal of some kind that caused you great anxiety. You were not in the preseance of legal counsel and were therefore coerced into signing the document feeling vulneable and threatened .

  15. From all what you`ve written ,so far, I confirm that really there is racism in Quebec.Even though i do speak perfect frech and that i am completly bilingual, with all the qualifications and experience that a person could have, icould not get a permanent job.

    I rather move where no french is spoken…

  16. Bonjour!

    I am a nurse from the Philippines. I am processing my papers to study and eventually work in Quebec. Currently, I am learning French and I already spent a lot of money to the agency. I don’t know what to do. I’m shaking right now in fear that I have done a terrible decision.

    Is it worst if you are serving in a health care setting? or is it tolerable? I think I’m in a situation where there is no backing out. My parents are gonna kill me if I will withdraw my application. Money is already spent.

    I cannot believe I am in this position! Please help me!

  17. Yeah I don’t think everyone in Quebec is a racist. Kids can be cruel. Just think, they’re stuck in Quebec whereas you got to immigrate to the U.S.A. lol

      1. Uh, well, considering that New Jersey is the third wealthiest state in the United States, I imagine that many people would.


        Someone who unfortunately moved to Quebec and now is desperate to get back to New Jersey.

  18. I’m Chinese Canadian,I agree with the discrimination in Quebec. I’m from Vancouver, I don’t feel a single bit being discriminated and had coasian friends in high school and even nannies who are white and willing to take care of me. However, when I moved to Montreal for university. I can feel vivid discrimination here. I had a terrible experience of one person making fun of me while I tried hard to be friend with him but still treated harshly in the end. I think after I graduate I wanna either move back to Vancouver or go to America.

    1. So glad things have either gotten better or cases are underreported. I hope this comment was posted before the shooting from that crazed Quebecer.

      1. Believe me they haven’t gotten better – THEY’VE GOTTEN WORSE – MUCH WORSE. Monsieur ‘Evil Separatist’ FAILS to mention, of course, that the illegal – discriminatory ‘Language Loi’s’ – have TOTALLY & ILLEGALLY Erased English as an Official Language –
        and the 40 year long – French Media – Anglo Hate Slurs – run multiple times DAILY – to continue to ‘drum’ the, ‘horrific & racist Anglo hate – brainwashing ‘- into ‘French Quebeckers heads. The ‘Gestapo like ‘Language POLICE’ – have been given an increased million dollars a year (this year – ditto for last year) – (no one knows how many Language Police are employed) to ‘terrorize’ ONLY the Greater Montreal Area ‘ – where of course the Majority of English speaking Quebeckers have ALWAYS lived! Evil Separatist ‘claims’ hate crimes in Quebec are the lowest because: The Quebec Human Rights Commission REFUSES to hear ANY language discrimination complaints from English speaking Quebeckers ! There is NOWHERE to go – including The Canadian Human Rights Department – that ALSO REFUSES to ‘hear’ ANY COMPLAINTS OF RACISM – DISCRIMINATION coming from Quebec! The FACT IS – Discrimination against the 2.5 million English speaking Quebecers IS the LAW – the unwritten one – because it’s of course ILLEGAL around the world, so le gouvernement de quebec & Canada are desperate to keep it – Canada’s Dark DIRTY secret.

  19. I was born and raised in Montreal to be perfectly bilingual . I do not think that the PQ is more racist than Quebecers. If you are un importé and drive a taxi or work as a busboy, they will leave you alone. As soon as you show any sign of education, know-how or ambition, the first question is a maplle-syrop flavoured inquiry : C’est quoi votre nationalité ? Then be prepared to be screwed ! If you are of a visible minority, you are screwed regardless. In Quebec there is also something called an audible minority. This tells them that you are an importé as soon as you open yor mouth. If that fails, then they look at your family name. This tells them that you are an importé . Then comes the inquisition : C’est quoi votre nationalité ?
    I have left Quebec years ago and in hindsight, I must say that this was the best decision I have ever made. Nowhere else except for La Belle Province will you get your granma’s chromozomes scrutinized for any impure fabric that would violate the purity of their pure-laine make-up . I am very happy and fortunate to be living in Canada, a country that values multi-culturalism.
    And BTW multiculturalism makes smarter kids (I am sure you can figure that one out !) . As for Quebec and Quebecers, I have only 1 thing to say : Adieu mes anciens compatriotes !

    Signed : Je me souviens

    1. You are 100% correct. I am born and raised in Montreal, my mother is a 5th generation Canadian but because my father emigrated from elsewhere the first question I get is what is your race. I have lived here all my life and I am really getting tired of the way the quebecois bully and discriminate anyone who in not one of them! Sure, there are good french ppl and I dont like to generalise but it is seems it is their culture to be nasty and hateful l to anyone who is not french. And you really do feel it in the workplace as the other ppl have commented. I wish I could just pack up and leave. Not easy though, have a child, mortgage, some good inexpensive health insurance at work.
      One day I will have the courage to sell my home and leave this belle province for good as most of my friends I grew up have done years ago.

      1. In hindsight, I should have seen it long time ago. Better late than never. The first target was the anglophones in the 70’s. This created a huge exodus. The second target was “le vote ethnique” after the second referendum. I apologize for having such a shitty opinion of Quebec , but my opinion is an acquired opinion , not pre-judiced . What that means, is that if I avoid Quebec, and Quebeckers , it is not me that is in the wrong. I realized that Quebec was the shithole of Canada and that it is not a place where I would want to raise my family with all this bullshit. Let them separate !

        Je me souviens!

      2. I am pretty shurt that most of the people in this forum have ever speak a words of french bunch Squareheads.

      3. I grew up in Quebec. Not the West Island ghetto. Donc je suis parfaitement bilingue. J’ai appris l’anglais parce que le monde est ROND pas carré. I left because I was not pure laine. I had traces of polyester.

  20. Hi, I ran away from Quebec this year in January. I have two bachelor’s degrees in accounting. I was constantly told i was a woman and I should be cooking and raising kids instead of studying. I was threatened I’d end up on the street. I was intimidated, harrassed laughed at and humiliated. I was told that people like me stand out and they’re being eliminated. It’s been like that for years.
    i literally left everything, jumped into my car and drove for three days to the west of Canada.
    the sad part is that I’m being harassed here as well. I am suggested through my coworkers that I should stop telling everyone what happened to me in Quebec… if i don’t want to lose my job.
    not sure how bad people can influence the good ones in the west. They are afraid of Quebecers i guess. It is a criminal organization that does this harrassed. It is supported by the authorities.
    I was told that i don’t like in Canada or the prime minister for i don’t speak French.
    How can one extrapolate like that?
    I am tired of being treated and feel unsafe in a country like Canada. I want to leave in USA the symbol of freedom and human rights.
    i hope they let me be. My phone calls and emails are still being traced. They know every move I make. They told me to live my life the way I can… Outrageous!!! Criminals decide people’s lifes in Canada legally. How is it possible?

  21. It could logically end up like picking a match in a very
    matchbox full of matches. In other words, instead of going on the single
    one-on-one date, why not try going as being a group.
    The way you walk, how we talk, sit, stand – each and everything is being watched from your

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