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What???
I'm black and grew up in Montreal, and NEVER had any of the issues you mentioned.
The only thing remotely close to that was people assuming I was either from DR or Haiti, since most blacks in Quebec come from there.
To be honest, all I talked about happened in Quebec city, not in Montreal. My gf is haitian and grew up in Montreal and has the same opinion. She tells me there is no racism in Montreal. And I haven't experienced yet racism since I'm here.
But after two years of madness, I'm just scared of quebecois and I don't want to stay any longer. Even if in Montreal life is easier for minorities, I don't feel at ease.
To be honest, all I talked about happened in Quebec city, not in Montreal. My gf is haitian and grew up in Montreal and has the same opinion. She tells me there is no racism in Montreal. And I haven't experienced yet racism since I'm here.
But after two years of madness, I'm just scared of quebecois and I don't want to stay any longer. Even if in Montreal life is easier for minorities, I don't feel at ease.
With all due respect this makes no sense... You are saying that your gf is Haitian and hasn't experienced racism in Montreal and you haven't yet either.. With that said, you are scared of 'quebecois' and don't want to stay any longer even though you've had no negative experiences in Montreal.. You don't feel at ease? It seems like you are being paranoid and using experiences elsewhere as an anchor holding you back from enjoying where you are now with no justification.. Why don't you give the place a fair opportunity before just packing up and leaving - especially since your GF is Haitian and Montreal has the most sizable Haitian community in Canada.
Being naive ? I was and almost failed my studies.
And I don't know what to do after my studies. I heard a lot of stories about unemployment rate of immigrants in Montreal. So I try to be optimistic but it's hard.
As you say you are an immigrant from France and find the racism in Canada intolerable perhaps Canada isnt a suitable country for you and now your studies are almost complete perhaps a return to your homeland might be a consideration.
With all due respect to the OP, it's a pretty common thing to use racism as an explanation when things don't work out for someone in a particular place, either academically, socially, employment-wise or business-wise.
Not every place is a good fit for every person.
I am sure Lebanon, for example, is full of people who say Canada is racist against Lebanese because their shawarma shop in Canadian City X was not successful. And yet in Canadian City X right now there are tons of booming shawarma shops run by Lebanese people...
To be honest, all I talked about happened in Quebec city, not in Montreal. My gf is haitian and grew up in Montreal and has the same opinion. She tells me there is no racism in Montreal. And I haven't experienced yet racism since I'm here.
But after two years of madness, I'm just scared of quebecois and I don't want to stay any longer. Even if in Montreal life is easier for minorities, I don't feel at ease.
I'll echo fusion2's post and say you need to make up your mind about what the problem is, or more precisely where the problem is.
As one of the few Quebec City residents here, let me tell you I partially agree with the jist of your post -- people in QC are more likely to be conservative (in the traditional sense of the word, although I guess it also applies to politics vs. the rest of Quebec). Ignorance has dumb people saying dumb stuff, nothing new but that can be an unfornate characteristic of QC. Until I'm proven wrong I will believe this applies to every fairly homogenous place on this planet.
That said, I don't buy your "university teacher" anecdote whatsoever. Seriously, you stood in line and the teacher ignored you when it became your turn? No friggin' way.
I'll echo fusion2's post and say you need to make up your mind about what the problem is, or more precisely where the problem is.
As one of the few Quebec City residents here, let me tell you I partially agree with the jist of your post -- people in QC are more likely to be conservative (in the traditional sense of the word, although I guess it also applies to politics vs. the rest of Quebec). Ignorance has dumb people saying dumb stuff, nothing new but that can be an unfornate characteristic of QC. Until I'm proven wrong I will believe this applies to every fairly homogenous place on this planet.
That said, I don't buy your "university teacher" anecdote whatsoever. Seriously, you stood in line and the teacher ignored you when it became your turn? No friggin' way.
It is not hard to imagine that some less worldly non-sophisticated people (in Quebec or elsewhere) might find it odd that a black person says he is "French". It's dumb but it is what it is. But I seriously doubt that most people, even those asking this dumb question, would be nasty about it. The vast majority would likely just respond with a... "Oh, yeah... is that right?"
I mean, why would they really care or have strong feelings about it?
As for the rest, well it's hard to believe that Quebec City overall can be that unpleasant a place to live for a person who speaks fluent French (regardless of skin colour). But hey, everyone has their own experiences I guess.
It is not hard to imagine that some less worldly non-sophisticated people (in Quebec or elsewhere) might find it odd that a black person says he is "French". It's dumb but it is what it is. But I seriously doubt that most people, even those asking this dumb question, would be nasty about it. The vast majority would likely just respond with a... "Oh, yeah... is that right?"
And this happens everywhere, not just in QC/Canada.
Down here, I still play ice hockey. Now, first off, the fact that I live in Florida and play hockey shocks a lot of people. Add to that the fact that I'm black, and people get even more confused: "But you're... You mean, hockey hockey? Like, sticks, pads and all?" Yes... I do... "Like, roller hockey?" No. Ice hockey.
Ignorance is everywhere, and dumb questions will follow. Doesn't make them "racist."
About racism in general, I agree with the last poster that not all 'dumb' questions are necessarily racist. Dumb questions sometimes just mean that people have not been exposed to a certain thing and can be an opportunity to educate. Ignorance doesn't mean stupid. We all have areas of ignorance and we shouldn't be made to be afraid to ask the 'dumb' questions. There is no other way to get smarter.
^ it's not intent, it's impact. So dumb question can be racist if interpreted that way by the receiver.
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