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Remarks in Closing Speech

by Heather Ednie (The Link) (CUP)

Quebec’s black community leaders were insulted and outraged by Premier Jacques Parizeau’s blatantly racist address to his supporters Monday night.

‘*Parizeau placed ethnic groups and money in one basket and then the ‘‘good people’’ who voted Yes in the other,”’ said Michel Sanon, a Haitian student. ‘‘This I see as a recipe for ethnic cleansing.”’

As a means of explaining his loss in the referendum, Parizeau blamed ‘‘money and the ethnic vote.”’

Egbert Gaye, editor and publisher of Community Contact, a black community paper in Montreal, said that Parizeau’s speech highlighted the fact that there is no place for the black community in a sepa-

rate Quebec. Gaye feels that the narrow victory for

the No forces in the referendum was definitely positive for the black commu- nity, in light of Parizeau’s recent expres- sion of racist ideals.

‘*When they want to build by exclud- ing a specific percentage of the population you have to worry,’’ said Gaye. ‘‘We have no choice but to celebrate this victory of ours tonight.”’

The sovereignty movement is increasingly alienating minority groups in Quebec. Many blacks felt that a victory for the Yes side would have negative conse- quences for their community.

Michael-Ann Connor, a Concordia University student, believes that

Quebec separation would not be positive for any minority groups. She said that the sovereigntist leaders do not include visible minorities in their ideal of a sepa- rate Quebec.

‘*Visibly, by Bouchard’s standards, we are not Quebecois,’’ she said. Gaye agrees. He said that the separatists aim to safeguard their own nationalism would make it harder for the black community to have a voice in Quebec.

**The nationalists see themselves as a particular group that doesn’t seem to have a place for other groups within it,’’ said Gaye. ‘It’s not inclusive, and many of Bouchard’s statements have been a mani- festation of that opinion.”’

Noel Alexander, president of the Jamaican Association of Montreal, agrees that the sovereigntists create difficulties for the black community in Quebec. He said the Yes forces promote Quebecois culture above all others. As a minority in Canada, Alexander said that the Quebecois should be more understanding towards other minority groups.

“*Here’s the people who said they

suffered from the British, and here’s the people who pass bills and work for a political system that will serve their culture over all others,’’ said Alexander.

Concordia student Vyara Ndejuru said she hopes to never see the separation of Quebec from Canada. She said it would result in the closing off of Quebec, and the result would be very negative for immi- grants.

‘*We [the black community] would feel threatened always,’’ said Ndejuru. “‘It would be even more difficult to make it as a community because resources would be more scarce.”’

Sanon said that it is important to recognize that the leaders of the sover- eignty movement have defined a very select group of people for a separate Quebec. ‘‘It is no longer a language matter,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s an ethnic matter. This has been made very clear by Parizeau’s speech.”’

PANTHER PRINTS Parizeau Makes Racist

Campus

Comment What Is Your Opinion

of the Referendum?

Tanya Stuckless, 1st year Business: “I’m glad it’s a No vote. It would have ruined a lot of things for Canada and Newfoundland in particular would have been ruined because of the hydro.”

November 7

Tim Shipe, 4th year Arts: “I think that by the outcome of the referendum nothing’s been solved.”

Mary Lynn Do, 4th year History: “Canada missed this opportunity to really address multicultural issues that are just going to keep coming up. They put the problems under the table for someone else to deal with.’’

Jennifer Hennessey, 3rd year Arts: “I think right now is just the calm before the storm.”

Robin Hewitt, 3rd year Arts/Nursing: “I think we should be thankful that Que- bec voted to stay with us and that nobody got killed.”’

Jennifer Anderson, |st year Arts: “I think it’s sad that the fate of our country is under the control of one province.”

Jenna Clark, 1st year Arts: “I’m so sick of the whole thing.”