For all of you that are not familiar “The PEQ (Québec experience program), enables the selection of skilled workers who wish to settle in Québec permanently. This program is intended for Québec graduates and temporary foreign workers who are employed and who meet certain conditions, including demonstrating knowledge of spoken French (oral comprehension and oral production) at a skill level equal to or higher than level 7…”
Of course all of this is on the surface of the program. Seeing that recently there have been demonstrations all over the city from not only foreign students, but frontline workers who have an immigrant status, and there seems to be quite the hole in this program, and perhaps many at that, especially when you speak with Mr. Andrés Fontecilla, and the rest of the people at the Assemble Nationale Du Quebec.
Fontecilla using his influence
He spoke in front of the Palais De Justice this past Saturday and spoke loud and clear, wanting his message to be delivered to the government that promised equal rights and privileges to all but in the end didn’t at all deliver.
In the end, Mr. Fontecilla has been a strong proponent for protecting those immigrants that come to Quebec in search of a new life, a new future, which in the end is what they’re promised. He has spoken at many protests and all in all the Assemble Nationale’s message is quite clear, as it was on Saturday in front of the courthouse: Things need to change.
Fighting for immigrants
Sabrina Sawodny , Political Attaché, for Mr. Fontecilla since 2018, explained their position on what’s going on. Essentially, the government isn’t holding up their end of the bargain—promises made to these entering the province, and both students and workers alike. They find it unfair that these immigrants are allowed to work on the front lines of the pandemic—and dangerous font lines at that—but are on a temporary status. They feel that these men and women deserve permanent status and equal rights, especially after being on those aforementioned front lines and in such a dedicated way.
Same goes for the students. Essentially, promises have been broken and action needs to be taken.
