L’expérience coloniale anglaise et les relations interculturelles au Québec
Quebecers are now struggling with the presence of new immigrants in the province which many identified as an « identity crisis ». From 2006 onwards, many debates on the question were widely broadcasted in the media and extensively discussed within academia and NGOs, ultimately affecting the political sphere. Those debates revealed a constant nervousness of the French Canadian population of Quebec that immigrants were invading the province, refusing to adopt Quebec’s unique culture, leaving them as a marginalized alienated community on their own territory. This fear seems to have its origins in the British colonial era of the 18th century, then transformed into the modern nationalist movement that reemerged in the middle of the 20th century. A question then arises : What are the effects of the British colonial era on the way Quebecers understand and interact with immigrants ? We argue that it resulted in an unconscious cultural reflex, maintained by a lack of historical consciousness, to protect itself from potential new invaders influencing the mechanisms of how Quebecers understand the Other. As understanding has great effects on action, this view ultimately affected intercultural relations and interactions. Through interviews with Quebec’s French Canadians and immigrants, we showed the influence of that fear in understanding and discourse and explored how immigrants react to Quebec’s situation.
Immigration Intercultural relations Quebec History Colonialism Nationalism National identity Interactions Understanding Hermeneutics