Reasonable accommodations

Reasonable accomodation #1:

Elius Bellevue

After 35 years in this country, Elius Bellevue is a musician.Bellevue believes the Bouchard-Taylor report may have something to say about racism in Québec but it won’t do much for those who have to live with it every day.

“The government should choose its immigrants more carefully,” he said. “They should consider trades and other qualifications instead of making promises they can’t keep for those who want to build a new life here.”

His companion, Virginie François, comes from Africa’s Ivory Coast. With a degree in criminology and previous experience as a social worker, she thought she wouldn’t have a problem finding work once she came to Canada as a landed immigrant. Three years later, the university graduate has a full-time job working as a waitress in one of the city’s Dunkin’ Donuts.

 “This is a beautiful country,” she said, “but Canada’s immigration people should not make promises they can’t keep.”

Accommodement raisonnable #2:

Jacques Brien

Ce fut une scène typiquement Montréalaise de voir les amis et les voisins parler  des actualités de leur ville et de leur province pendant qu’ils sirotaient chacun leur petite bière avant le souper.

« C’est évident qu’une société libérale a le besoin de protéger ses minorités, » dit Jacques Brien, un cadre dans une étude légale hors d’Outremont. « Ce n’est pas plus ou moins que le devoir d’une société libérale et démocratique telle que la nôtre. »

Mais Brien croit aussi que le gouvernement devrait considérer le modèle de la troisième République française quand elle a adopté l'acte de Laïcité de 1904.

« La religion ne doit pas être imposée sur le monde dans un lieu public, » dit-il.

« On y trouve une grande différence entre les lieux privés et les lieux publics et la religion doit être toujours considérée comme une question de choix personnel et non pas l’objet de la politique d’un gouvernement. »

Reasonable accomodation #3:

Fouad El-Fakri

At 31, Fouad El-Fakri already owns and operates two of Montreal’s quality food stores. A bottle of olive oil in his La Folie en Vrac might cost you more than it would in the supermarket, but he sells quality because that’s what people want and that’s what people are ready to pay for.

“People have to work,” said the young entrepreneur. “It’s good to have this debate [about reasonable accommodations] but it’s better for people to have work.”

When El-Fakri’s parents emigrated to Canada, they settled in Chicoutimi when El-Fakri was a teenager.

“I learned the language, I learned the culture and I never once had a problem with anybody,” said El-Fakri. “I can’t say we don’t have problems with new Canadians but I do know people have to get work. That’s how they pay their bills and that’s how they pay their taxes because in the end, that’s what           it’s all about. We’re all working for the government.”