Discrimination in Quebec

Each weekday morning my twelve year old child wakes up with a sad resigned look on his face. Slowly but surely his spirit is being broken by the despicable school system practiced in Quebec that excludes him from learning in his mother tongue. He is one of the unfortunates who is bright, intelligent, has no learning difficulties or other defects and who's parents did all of their education in English but, crucially, in England and not in Canada (This blatant, disgusting discrimination is just unbelievable - Shame on you Canada).Therefore, in the bizarre parallel universe that we live in, he must go to a French school. Rather like the Black kids in 1960's Alabama he is forbidden to enter into certain schools based on his race. In most civilised countries damaging and abusing children based on race is considered a crime but, oh no, not in Quebec, Canada.

Of course, in Quebec this will immediately be considered a language issue. THIS IS NOT A LANGUAGE ISSUE IT IS A FREEDOM ISSUE. There is an English School Board in my area and the schools are much closer to our home than the French school. It is my human right to choose where I send my child to school. I am an adult and I have the right to freedom of choice.

Instead we are all treated like children and our basic rights are abused. The rest of Canada then turn a blind eye and let this happen without sanction.

My eldest son also had to go to a French school. He was brow beaten, made fun of by one of the teachers and broken to the point of depression over a two year period. Even when diagnosed by the school psychologist as suffering depression they still would not let him go - Bastards. I am convinced the policy of the school is to make the lives of English immigrants so difficult that, eventually, the kids are withdrawn from the school. After all, they have committed a crime by being born in England so surely they deserve to be abused? Once withdrawn from the school what do they do? Who cares they're only immigrants!

Fortunately we found a way round the situation due to the kindness of a couple who reached out to us and gave us the opportunity to send our son to Ontario to finish his high school education.

As someone who gives a lot of my time volunteering to advance the development of kids in Quebec whatever race, creed or colour, the only words I can find to describe the medieval policies practised in this province are SAD and BIZARRE.

The smoke screen of the language issue, as always, obscures the real issue here; a child?'s welfare. The best interest of a child is not being taken into consideration at all. Yes he can now speak French but what is the use of this if he is put off the whole French culture and language because he is being forced to do something he hates? My son is now bilingual; he speaks French. The job is done. What moral argument can possibly be put forward for keeping my son in a school he detests? Canada should be ashamed!

Bill 104 has recently be thrown out by the Supreme Court of Canada seven years after it was first challenged. However, they have given Quebec a full year to put something in its place. The question is why are Canada so scared of upsetting Quebec? What hold does Quebec have over the Canadian government?

Anyway, one thing is for certain, nothing will change and Quebec will continue to find ways to antagonise and drive English immigrants out.

Mick, St-Lazare