From: clamen@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (Clamen)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Montreal Jews again (was: Une opinion)
Date: 13 Apr 92 09:02:02 GMT
Reply-To: clamen+@CS.CMU.EDU
Distribution: can
Organization: McGill Research Centre for Intelligent Machines


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<> Evan Leibovitch writes: 

      The reality of the suitation is that many Jews have just packed up and
      moved away from Quebec. The Montreal Jewish community is a fraction of
      what it used to be, and can no longer support this network of schools.

<> Julie Payette replies:

   But why did they pack up, Mr Leibovitch ? Were they "thrown out"?
   You imply that Jewish people were "forced" out of Quebec due to
   unwelcoming and discriminatory treatment, yet did it ever occur to
   you that they might just have left because they didn't want to stay
   in a francophone Quebec anymore, that they didn't wish to adapt to
   this new reality ? Could that be possible ? 

<> I write:

I will defend Evan on this point.  The exodus that followed the Parti
Quebecois' rise to power in 1976 was indeed due to political reasons
(fears of separation, imposition of French on daily life, etc.), but
the same cannot be said of the current migration of anglo-quebecers
aged 25-35 (my generation) from Quebec.  Their parents opted to stay
in Quebec, and they've grown up in a post-Bill 101 environment.  They
entered the work force expecting to function mostly in French.  This
generation is the most bilingual generation of anglophone Quebecers
EVER, and the reasons for their leaving are due to a number of
reasons, not all of them political.  Here are a few non-political
reasons that have been cited as contributing to the migration:

	- They feel no discomfort working in French, but
	  they feel unwelcome and unappreciated by their
	  co-workers nonetheless.  (This is indeed the
	  perception of some anglo emigrants.  I'm afraid
	  that I did not keep the newspaper article
	  documenting this perception.)

	- They feel uncomfortable working in French.

	- Anglophone Quebecers are more mobile than
	  Francophone Quebecers, and they leave just to find
	  a better job.


<> Julie Payette writes:

   The Montreal Jewish Community is no less a fraction of what it used
   to be than the Montreal anglophone community. Those who left, left
   for political reasons, first and foremost.

<> I write:

But since the anglophone Jewish is only 10% of the anglophone
community in Montreal, it suffers more.  Also, most of the current
migration is of the younger generation.  The anglphone part of the
Jewish community is losing the ability the replenish itself.

I do not know how many Jews since 1980 have left primarily for
political reasons.  Almost all of my high school friends with whom
I've remained in contact and who are no longer living in Quebec have
cited professional reasons for leaving.


And oh, please note that 30% of the Montreal Jewish Community is
francophone.

---
Stewart M. Clamen			Internet:    clamen@cs.cmu.edu
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