Abolition of PEQ: demonstrations organized Saturday in several cities including Montreal

Demonstrations are planned in several Quebec cities on Saturday to protest the abolition of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).

These demonstrations, supported by the CSN, CSQ and FTQ union federations, will take place at 2 p.m. in Montreal, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Saguenay (Chicoutimi), Gatineau and Rimouski.

They are organized by “Le Québec c’est nous aussi” — a group whose mission is to defend the rights and living conditions of immigrants in Quebec.

These organizations are demanding a grandfather clause for those who are already in Quebec and working there.

“The goal is to show that the mobilization is not stopping. The goal is to have the grandfather clause,” said Florence Bollet Michel, spokesperson for the LQCNA group and herself a social worker, in an interview on Friday.

These are, she said, “human and economic dramas that are unfolding throughout Quebec,” with these people who came to settle here, who believed they could establish themselves here for good, and who may not be able to.

“It plunges families into anxiety and uncertainty. It plunges employers, in the same way, into anxiety and uncertainty, because no one can plan ahead anymore. And it’s cruel,” she opined.

Immigration, Francization and Integration Minister Jean-François Roberge pledged on Thursday that the approximately 6,300 health workers who could be affected by the abolition of the PEQ will be selected under the new Skilled Worker Selection Program.

However, this commitment is not considered sufficient by the groups concerned, who reiterate their demand to grant an acquired right to all workers who are already here under the PEQ.

“It doesn’t reassure us, because it’s not just healthcare workers. It doesn’t reassure us. Minister Roberge said a lot of things, so now we don’t believe him anymore,” said Bollet Michel.

The new program that will replace the PEQ, the PSTQ, will allow Quebec to select candidates based on job shortages, regional needs and proficiency in French.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews