Actuality¹⁶³

The Coalition Avenir Québec government is adding to the uncertain and unstable global climate of recent years with its disastrous handling of the abolition of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).

On November 6, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government announced the sudden abolition of the PEQ, one of the main pathways to permanent residence for students and temporary workers in Quebec. Thirteen days later, the door was closed permanently to new applications.

This measure and approach were immediately and strongly criticized by all those affected by the decision: immigrant communities first and foremost, but also unions, the business community, employers... a unanimous and consensual rejection rarely seen in politics.

This decision immediately plunged thousands of people living in Quebec into total uncertainty and a precarious situation that is difficult to imagine for those of us who have never experienced immigration. Over the past few months, we have seen numerous testimonials from individuals, couples, and families torn apart by this instability.

A strong movement has emerged to demand the addition of a grandfather clause to this abolition, allowing people who had already been living in Quebec for months or even years at the time of the announcement to preserve their right to apply to this program, which was central to their migration plans.

A program that, for many, was sold to them and promised by the very same government that is now pulling the rug out from under their feet!

However, this response from both society and the media did not seem to overly trouble Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge. Instead, he chose to “spread falsehoods” in an attempt to defend this choice. In particular, he claims that such a clause is untenable because it would open the door to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who would suddenly become eligible and could receive what he essentially presents as a golden ticket to permanent residence.

We also saw Christine Fréchette, now a candidate for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), repeat the same misleading ideas for a few days, before suddenly changing her mind a few days later and endorsing the idea of reopening the PEQ for two years. This proposal, incidentally, is even more generous than that of her opponent, Mr. Drainville, who is proposing a grandfather clause restricted to certain priority occupations.

Yes, a grandfather clause would theoretically apply to hundreds of thousands of temporary workers, but very few of them were actually eligible for the PEQ, and reopening the program would not change that. The same number of people who were eligible will remain eligible.

Furthermore, eligibility for the PEQ does not guarantee acceptance, as it is governed by very demanding criteria in terms of employment and French language proficiency. In recent years, the PEQ has offered a Quebec selection certificate to approximately 2 to 5% of temporary workers, representing about 20,000 people per year.

This is a far cry from the figures put forward by Minister Roberge. In addition, acceptance into the PEQ does not lead to permanent residence, but rather to a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), which is only the first step in a long and tortuous process lasting several years to obtain permanent residence.

We have repeatedly seen this government link immigration to many of the ills afflicting our province, whether it be the shortage of teachers, violence, or the housing crisis. These arguments, in response to the criticism that continues to fly, seem to follow the same logic: we are assured that we have no choice but to take such measures, that there are too many immigrants, that they are asking too much, and that it is their fault that our government is forced to take such measures to “protect” our province.

Many will say that it is migration flows that are being targeted, not the people themselves, a distinction that loses all credibility when we see how these people are treated, without even batting an eyelid.

Because let's remember: it is not an anonymous mass of immigrants who are affected by this decision. These are human beings who, for months or even years, have begun to put down roots in our province, appreciate its culture and winters, and learn its language and accents. They have been able to forge ties, boost our economy, fall in love, build businesses, and start families in this part of the country that is so dear to us.

What these people are asking for is not a free or guaranteed ticket. It is humane treatment. Treatment that allows them, at the very least, to continue building their lives knowing the rules of the game, without fear that they could be changed at any moment, without warning or consideration for the impact on their lives, simply because they have the misfortune of not having been born here.

How can we claim to represent Quebec and its interests while refusing to show the most basic respect for these people who have already begun to make this place their home and who contribute to it with the same dedication as each and every one of us?

We can expect the mobilization to continue and the pressure to continue to grow in order to amplify this message, which should not be controversial: immigrants who work and live here deserve to feel heard, respected, and taken into account. Because beyond the economic arguments, we have a moral duty to these people who enrich our society, in Montreal and elsewhere in Quebec.

It's not too late to show humanity!