Only a week after Quebec pundits were virtually unanimous in their praise for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's handling of Canada's initial humanitarian response in Haiti, the Quebec press is now divided over the government's refusal to bend immigration rules for Haitians affected by the disaster.
In a column published Wednesday in Le Soleil, Brigitte Breton acknowledged that "Canada and Quebec have shown generosity and solidarity" toward the Haitian people, but went on to argue that "[Canada and Quebec]could do even more by further opening up the doors to immigration." Ms. Breton criticized federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's refusal to widen the definition of family or make other exceptions to facilitate immigration for Haitians. "The exceptional situation that Haiti is going through demands an exceptional approach," Ms. Breton declared.
In a column published the same day in Le Devoir, an incensed Marie-Andrée Chouinard called the Harper government's refusal to broaden the definition of family for Haitian immigrants " frankly detestable ." Ms. Chouinard seconded Ms. Breton's argument in favour of using extraordinary measures to respond to a situation of extraordinary hardship in Haiti. "In a humanitarian crisis, like the one in Haiti, there is no place for Canada's usual severity and suspicion about immigration matters," she wrote. Ms. Chouinard called on the Quebec government to "increase the pressure" on the federal government and to continue to "emphasize the exceptional nature of this situation."
On Thursday, Ms. Chouinard's colleague, Josée Boileau, attacked Mr. Kenney's assertion that the Canadian government must be consistent in its immigration policies for victims of natural disaster in foreign countries. " Consistency is not justice ," Ms. Boileau wrote. "What Haiti is going through is without precedent. Even the tsunami [in Asia in 2004]does not compare. [The tsunami]caused huge material losses and countless lives, but the government, administrative and social infrastructure of the countries affected was not hit." Ms. Boileau argued that Mr. Kenney should do everything within his considerable legal power to temporarily broaden the definition of family for Haitians. She contended that, since Canadian family members would be responsible for ensuring the new immigrants' financial stability, the cost of "such a generous" act would be relatively low, not to mention "politically profitable."
Not everyone in the Quebec press was critical of Mr. Kenney's stance. In his Saturday editorial in Le Droit, Pierre Jury praised Mr. Kenney's " wise and prudent " response to demands for exceptions for the Haitian community. "It's never well advised to modify long-standing policies in the face of emotion, panic and pressure from all sides," Mr. Drury opined. He concluded that the "decidedly better option" is to continue to send food, medical supplies, volunteers and soldiers to Haiti to help with emergency relief efforts and eventual reconstruction initiatives.
In a column published on the same day in La Presse, Mario Roy echoed Mr. Drury's argument, favouring action in Haiti over immigration exceptions in Canada. He maintained that even a "massive immigration" of Haitians to Canada would only be " an illusory solution ." Mr. Roy contended that sustainable progress in Haiti would not be achieved by "importing" its people, but instead by exporting logistical support, capital and jobs.
Editorial of the Week
La Presse's André Pratte finds himself in the unlikely position of defending newly appointed federal Minister of Natural Resources, Christian Paradis. In reaction to Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe's comment that Mr. Paradis is now "the defender of the oil sands ," Mr. Pratte accuses Mr. Duceppe of using "an old and detestable sovereigntist tactic ." Mr. Pratte deplores Mr. Duceppe's suggestion that "the only way to promote the interest of Quebeckers is to install yourself as the official opposition in order to promote independence. As if anyone who actually represents Quebeckers in Ottawa has sold their soul to the devil."
Mr. Pratte goes on to accuse Mr. Duceppe of disingenuously using the oil sands as his new cause celébré, now that he's moved on from fiscal imbalance debates. "If we discovered similar oil reserves in Quebec, Mr. Duceppe would be the first to demand that Ottawa supported this industry," Mr. Pratte quipped.