Quebec tables integration model that opposes multiculturalism

'Multiculturalism no longer applies on Quebec soil, finally!' Minister Jean-François Roberge declared, noting Bill 84 will relegate Canadian multiculturalism to the 'dustbin of history.'

 

The Canadian Press / Jacques Boissinot

The Québec National Assembly passed a bill establishing its own model for national integration, which Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge celebrated as distinct from the Canadian identity.

"Multiculturalism no longer applies on Quebec soil, finally!" Roberge declared, noting Bill 84 will relegate Canadian multiculturalism to the "dustbin of history." 

Inspired by interculturalism, Quebec's new law informs immigrants they must accept its social contract based on democracy, the French language, gender equality, and secularism.

"Otherwise, well, it's not a good idea to come here," Roberge said Wednesday.

Whereas multiculturalism permits newcomers to retain their culture and language, allowing diverse groups to coexist. 

Though final details are needed, the "National Policy on Integration into the Quebec Nation and Common Culture" is promised before the 2026 election, according to the Canadian Press.

Roberge announced that once the interculturalism model is established, all government-funded projects (excluding current funding) must adhere to its principles.

A report evaluating the new integration model, based on policy criteria, will be produced in five years. 

The Parti Québécois supported the government on the bill, but not the Québec Solidaire and Liberals. Roberge blamed partisan clientelism and a misunderstanding of the bill's openness by some "very, very multiculturalist" members.

Québec's recent rejection of multiculturalism aligns with a growing divide between the province and the rest of Canada regarding the notwithstanding clause. A 2023 Angus Reid survey indicated that 55% of Canadians outside Québec support abolishing it.

The notwithstanding clause, Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, permits provincial and territorial governments to override specific provisions of the Constitution when bringing in new legislation. 

Since 2018, the Coalition Avenir Québec government has used the clause to shield several laws from court challenges, including Bill 21 on secularism and Bill 96 on language. Most (58%) Canadians are concerned with the province using the clause to push legislation otherwise considered illegal.

Despite considerable opposition to the notwithstanding clause across Canada, 63% of Quebecers viewed it favourably, a 10% increase from 1992, when Angus Reid first polled its popularity.

In 2023, Premier François Legault asserted that only Quebec's National Assembly can make provincial law and rejected federal interference in the province's governance.

At the time, Legault criticized former prime minister Justin Trudeau for suggesting limits to the clause and considering Supreme Court referral. 

Alex Dhaliwal

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Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-05-30 19:39:45 -0400
    Alberta must abolish Pierre Trudeau’s multiculturalism too. It just divides people into camps.