Dozens of foreign workers and students demonstrated Saturday afternoon in front of the National Assembly of Quebec against the abolition of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). They are demanding a grandfather clause, commonly known as the “grandfather clause,” to ensure that candidates who arrived in the province through this program can stay there.
It was their fifth demonstration there since November.
We want the grandfather clause. They still came to pick us up in France, there were organizations that came to pick us up and made us believe something and, quite simply, we were told “No, we’re changing the rules”
says Dorothée Le Mercier indignantly.
This French native is a spokesperson for the movement Quebec is us too
. She obtained a professional studies diploma in secretarial work in Quebec and applied for permanent residency last June.
Today, this woman who has a job in Quebec is in nothing and does not know if she will be able to stay in the province.
She deplores the opaque process of the Qualified Worker Selection Program, called to replace the PEQ, and she fears that many immigrants will have to live the Christmas of anxiety
This year.
François Proulx Dupéré, of the CSN, and Dorothée Le Mercier, spokesperson for the “Quebec, it’s us too” movement.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Flavie Sauvageau
This anxiety is felt by many demonstrators present on Saturday, like Anaëlle Mana, who lives in Montmagny.
It’s been a year since my life has been full of joy. This is because we are unfortunately faced with anxieties and doubts of not being able to project ourselves into life. I’m 33 years old, and I’d like to settle down somewhere in life. I feel good in Quebec: I’ve been here for five years
she says.
From one day to the next, we are changing the rules that were proposed to us before arriving
deplores Arnaud de Balanda. It’s okay to make reforms, but we have to make transitions. You can’t change a program like that overnight
he said.
Clarifications required
On Wednesday, François Legault promised in an interview that foreign students and workers arriving in the province thanks to the PEQ will not have to leave despite the abolition of the program, except those established in the Montreal and Laval regions.
However, this promise does nothing to reassure the demonstrators. We do not want to separate Quebec, we do not want to separate Montreal, Laval; we all came with this famous program, so why divide?
asks Dorothée Le Mercier.
The rest of us need guarantees, we need predictability, we need documents that concretely explain how things are going to happen.
insists for his part François Proulx Dupéré, spokesperson for the CSNwho co-organized this event.
Dozens of foreign workers and students who arrived thanks to the PEQ braved the cold for a fifth time since November to ask the Quebec government to apply an acquired rights clause that would allow them to stay in the province.
Photo : Radio-Canada
On Friday, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge took note of dissatisfaction with his government’s reforms.
However, he instead asked for federal help to offer a “grandfather clause” which would allow our temporary workers from outside Montreal and Laval to renew their permits
.
This request does not convince Mr. Proulx Dupéré at all. We are in the process of mixing things up. It was not the federal government that closed the PEQit is the provincial government. The provincial government, if it wants to simplify the matter, should reopen the PEQ
he believes.
He adds that the abolition of PEQ will have tangible consequences for many companies and their employees.
The people who will have to leave will jeopardize the sustainability of certain businesses, shopsfactories in the Quebec region and Chaudière-Appalaches in danger. These people need to stay
he believes.
