The town of Herouxville, Que., wants immigrants that fit in with its citizens

Quote: Originally Posted by sanctus

HEROUXVILLE, Que. (CP) - The rural Quebec town of Herouxville says it has received about 2,000 emails in support of its rules for immigrants.
Coun. Andre Drouin says it's not that the community of about 1,300 doesn't want immigrants - it doesn't have any - but it just wants them to fit in. Among the rules passed recently by the town's council are: No stoning women and making sure women are allowed to drive cars.
Drouin says the resolution defines the citizens of the central Quebec town.
Premier Jean Charest said today that Quebec is a tolerant society and the town's resolution is an isolated case.
Quebec is in the middle of a debate about what is considered reasonable accommodation of racial, ethnic and religious minorities.


Copyright © 2007 Canadian Press

Quote: Originally Posted by canadarocks

Clearly this is a bylaw aimed mostly at Muslim immigrants. I must be honest and say I applaud their efforts int his regard. However, even having said that, I am honestly uncomfortable with the mindset behind this move. Who next might they not want, blacks? Protestants? Catholics? It just never stops once it begins...

Quote: Originally Posted by ottawabill

but that town has blacks and Protestants (baptist to be specific) .....

Quote: Originally Posted by marygaspe

I think canadarocks was just making the point that if a town, any town, starts insisting people must be a certain way to live there, it only becomes easier to stop something else they don't care for.

Quote: Originally Posted by hermanntrude

they dont really need to insist upon not stoning women, as that in itself would be a crime. and preventing a woman from driving would be dodgy too, after all how would u do it? She's allowed by law to get a lisence and a car, the only way you can stop her is by physically forcing her which would be assault or imprisonment.

If someone tells someone else not to do something (like driving a car) it's their business to say "i'm allowed to do that, and you can't stop me"

Quote: Originally Posted by hermanntrude

they dont really need to insist upon not stoning women, as that in itself would be a crime. and preventing a woman from driving would be dodgy too, after all how would u do it? She's allowed by law to get a lisence and a car, the only way you can stop her is by physically forcing her which would be assault or imprisonment.

If someone tells someone else not to do something (like driving a car) it's their business to say "i'm allowed to do that, and you can't stop me"

Quote: Originally Posted by canadarocks

Clearly this is a bylaw aimed mostly at Muslim immigrants. I must be honest and say I applaud their efforts int his regard. However, even having said that, I am honestly uncomfortable with the mindset behind this move. Who next might they not want, blacks? Protestants? Catholics? It just never stops once it begins...

Quote: Originally Posted by tamarin

I think what the town is doing is making a point. It's obvious that Muslim communities world-wide are growing in size and influence. And they value strict adherence to the faith. Ontario has already dodged an attempt to legalize sharia law in Muslim community life here. The province will be asked again and again as the years go by and Muslim numbers increase. Is the West asleep at the switch? Not in Herouxville!

Quote: Originally Posted by ottawabill

I don't think they are so much insisting that you be a certain way as to NOT be a certain way....
t.

Quote: Originally Posted by canadarocks

Clearly this is a bylaw aimed mostly at Muslim immigrants. I must be honest and say I applaud their efforts int his regard. However, even having said that, I am honestly uncomfortable with the mindset behind this move. Who next might they not want, blacks? Protestants? Catholics? It just never stops once it begins...

Quote: Originally Posted by tamarin

Sanctus, that's not the point. And the question to you is easy: When do you start to react? When the horse is out of the barn or kicking in the stall? As I've said, sharia law made headlines in Ontario last year. An attempt was made to get its official sanction from the Ontario government. Wisely, it turned it down. But that's merely act one in a long play to come.

Quote: Originally Posted by tamarin

Sanctus, that's not the point. And the question to you is easy: When do you start to react? When the horse is out of the barn or kicking in the stall? As I've said, sharia law made headlines in Ontario last year. An attempt was made to get its official sanction from the Ontario government. Wisely, it turned it down. But that's merely act one in a long play to come.

Quote: Originally Posted by hermanntrude

the thing is, we cant force muslim men to say "you can drive" because the law already provides that they can. If their man says "you must not drive" they have a choice available to them. They can either risk the wrath of their man (who will be punished if he does anything he shouldnt) and drive anyway, or they can decide not to drive, to please their man. If it were me i think i'd take the car and drive somewhere remote, start a new life.

Quote: Originally Posted by Zzarchov

So what is the problem with this? They don't target any group, but they lay it out very clearly they will not pass laws forbidding people from driving (and if you think all domestic abuse gets reported your nuts), they will not pass laws to segregate children based on gender, and they will not let you decide which police officers you will let arrest you.

Which of those statements is wrong? If Muslims feels this targets them why? Are they doing any of these things? and if they are..doesn't that justify this being passed?

And if they aren't, who cares..its like someone passing a law saying you may not shove mustard in your eyes for the purposes of gambling. It doesn't affect me so what do I care?

Quote: Originally Posted by Sparrow

This town is reflecting what a lot of people are thinking. I am a Quebecer, I was raised and educated in English, and even if the English language has been restricted here it has not stopped me from living in English, raising and educating our son in English. We didn't die when this happened and neither will anybody else. What people are afraid of is that they will change our country with all their demands. Other ethnic groups have come to Canada and have adapted to living like everyone else. Also there have been a few insidents here in Quebec with Muslins and Hesidic Jews that shows how far SOME not all of them will go. If we moved to their countries we sure as hell would be obliged to live by their rules or suffer the consequences, so why can they not come to our country and live like us. How they live in their private homes (except abuse of rights) is none of our business. Outside of their homes they need to conform to our ways.

Quote: Originally Posted by sanctus

I understand the concern, but I wonder if sometimes we are reacting in such a fashion because of the events in the Middle East. After all, not all that long ago our country tried to keep out non-whites for much the same reasons.

Quote: Originally Posted by jackd

Herouxville's thing is not a by-law, not a law, not even a rule.
It is a simple code of conduct, a declaration of what are the values of the village.
No enforcement, no fine, no legal obligations.

Quote: Originally Posted by tamarin

Well, for one thing the town's getting national attention. Free. And I wouldn't doubt it's spilling across the border as well. Some key American network evening opinion shows are caught in the throes of anti-Muslim rhetoric at the moment. H is arriving just at the right time.