For some decades now, many English speakers in Quebec have expressed a sense of not quite belonging in their homeland. Numerous studies have observed this.

Look at the proportion of Quebec civil service positions held by English speakers: Less than one percent. Compare that to the percentage of the Quebec population whose mother tongue is English: More than eight percent. This is equally true in Quebec City and Montreal, reported a study carried out by the Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN) at Concordia University in 2018.

Who commissioned this study? The Quebec Government’s very own Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise, or Secretariat for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers. Below in this column is news about two projects funded by this same Secrétariat, and they both have to do with the question of belonging.
One has to do with belonging in a larger sense. The other aims to offer youth an inside look at how the Quebec government functions, and how to participate in it.

Good initiatives, I say. But a certain confusion about belonging still hangs over me, about how these efforts line up with other factors. Factors such as Bill 21 banning religious symbols for many government employees, and now Bill 94, proposing new limits to the use of English.
Belonging is a complicated question. « The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority; the test of courage comes when we are in the minority, » said Ralph W. Sockman. We have ample need of both tolerance and courage, as a Quebec society today.
BELONGING IN QUEBEC
The COM-Unity project is all about belonging, if you are an English-speaking Quebecer. The project was inspired by a 2018 survey of English speakers across Quebec by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise. The survey found that English speakers « have mixed feelings about their identity as Quebecers, and an ambiguous sense of belonging in the province. »
What to do about this? The Secrétariat funded six community organizations to create projects about identity and belonging. Members of these groups represent various ages and backgrounds within the English-speaking community.
« Our rich history has shaped us, and our story has been evolving since the very beginnings of our time on this land, as has our identity, » reads the project description.
Now – tomorrow! – you can see the results of this project in the form of an online celebration. It promises « exciting new videos and thought-provoking presentations » by the six partners, involving hundreds of people of all ages, from all around Quebec. Included are « surprising artistic creations from youth, poignant videos from the Black community, touching interviews with seniors, » and more.
The event is Thursday, June 10, at 12 noon. To register, visit this link: tinyurl.com/com-unity-2021.
The COM-Unity partners are the Black Community Resource Centre, the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), the Leading English Education and Resource Network (LEARN), the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN), Seniors Action Quebec, and Youth for Youth (Y4Y). The project is coordinated by the Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN) at Concordia University.
BISHOP’S YOUTH FORUM
The Civic Leadership Institute for English-Speaking Youth at Bishop’s University is free of charge for young people aged 17 to 26 who are interested in leadership in today’s Quebec. It is billed as a virtual gathering with peers from across Quebec.
The Forum has a jam-packed schedule from August 13 to 17, offering speakers, workshops and activities in an interactive virtual gathering. It offers an inside look at how Quebec institutions work, including the Quebec National Assembly, political parties, business, community organizations, and media. The aim is to « give participants not only a sense of what it is like to work in these major sectors, but also how to influence change. »
The event wraps up with a mock Parliamentary Commission, featuring feedback from « several Quebec luminaries. »
The initiative is supported by the Quebec Government’s Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise.
Find more information and register by July 1 at bishopsforum.ubishops.ca.
EATON CORNER MUSEUM
Summer job opening: The Eaton Corner Museum is looking for a Heritage Interpreter to work with genealogy documents, beginning June 16 for four days/week, 6 hours/day, for eight or nine weeks. For information, email eatoncorner59@gmail.com with “Heritage Interpreter” in the subject line.
The Heritage Interpreter will not be working with the public because Museum will remain closed to public visits during the 2021 season, announced Sharon Moore, for the Board of Directors. Questions? Leave a message at 819-875-5256, or visit the Eaton Corner Museum Facebook page.
ADULT ED THIS SUMMER
For persons age 16 and older, the Eastern Townships School Board’s Adult Education Summer School offers virtual high school courses, free language courses, and free employment services through Job Links. The registration deadline is June 18. Info: etsb.qc.ca/adult-education-summer-school-2021/, or email adulted@etsb.qc.ca.
CHURCHES
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services are available Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer), or at Trinity United Church (plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services for 25 or fewer persons with Covid-19 protocols in place (wash hands at the entrance, stay 2 metres apart, use assigned seating, wear masks, do not shake hands, and leave via the exit door). The service in French is at 9 a.m., and in English at 11 a.m. Persons with flu symptoms are asked not to attend services. The pastor’s message is also available on YouTube: For the link, contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-239-8818.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by June 14 for publication June 23 and by June 28 for July 7.