When minority comprises the majority of the population and visibility among minorities is hardly visible enough as being supported by the data from each provinces of Canada. A problem exist and was taken for granted. Its been for how many years the different political parties throughout Canada didn’t pay attention to the need of visible minorities representation. And if there was, no significant awareness was given. Canada is famous and admired of being a Multicultural mosaic country and believed to be of most human when it comes to dealing with its people. What makes Canada strong is not only due to its abundant natural resources but also because of its human resources comprising the versatility of its mix cultures. . When diversity in each culture harnessed properly and being strengthened could bring a lot to the populace yet, how can it be maximized when there’s no equal representation of the populace in the governing body.
Here in the Province of Quebec, particularly in Montreal only 6 out of 208 elected leaders represents the minorities when there is 32% of visible minorities in the population, it is understood that there is problem. Montreal City had 63 City Councillors where only 2 came from visible minorities, 39 Borough Councillors, only 2 visible minorities and 105 elected officials from the Agglomeration of Montreal Suburbs had only 2 visible minorities. Laval had 21 City Councillors still 2 came from visible minorities While in Longueuil composed of 15 City Councillors and no one visible minorities. This picture of visibility is most likely the same with other provinces.
A press conference was held in Jan. 18, 2016 at the Office of the Black Coalition of Quebec, 5201 Boulevard Decarie in the presence of Benoit Dorais, Maire du Sud-Ouest et Chef de Coalition Montréal; Marvin Rotrand -Conseiller de Snowdon; Steve Shanahan-Conseiller de Peter-McGill et Représentant de Vrai Changement pour Montréal of the Population; Érika Duchesne, Conseillère du Vieux-Rosemont; Peter Francis, Représentant de la Ligue des Noirs du Québec;
Khokon Maniruzzaman, Commissaire Scolaire, Côte-des-Neiges-Snowdon; Erik Hamon, Candidat aux Elections Municipales de 2013.
This conference is called to address the under representation of visible minorities present in the City. Montreal being a multicultural city, everybody or majority enjoy and is happy on the diversity of population, Everyone enjoys celebrating various festivals yet this diversity was not brought to the next step, it is not well represented in every political party of our governing body in the City . Ms. Erika Duchesne -representing the Women and the City Councilor of Vieux -Rosemont supported the visibility and participation of minority knowing that there are many capable, and knowledgeable individual from the minority and among women’s group. She believed that there are women out there who are more capable yet just not empowered to come forward for they don’t know or were not encouraged but have the potentials and knowledge. Mr. Eric Hamon from the Filipino community; who ran for a party in Darlington for the past election was there too, to testify that there was an increase of voters in their borough during the time he was running for the election in his district in Darlington. Mr. Rotrand believed that it’s time for the City Council to seriously redress the situation and time to reconstruct the members of the party. Encourage more representation of visible minorities, Montreal has a party system ,and they stand independently that cause to fight a lot in the council which resulted to finding quick solution.
Mr. Marvin Rotrand was asked why raised this issue now said that this was adopted by the council way back in 2013, yet the council didn’t pay much awareness in its deliberation due to insufficient time and now urging them to bring it back to the table, There was already a motion before, yet the turn-out of minorities representation is shocking, having only 6 person out of 208 elected needs awareness in the council., and 18 months before the next election come would be adequate time to take into consideration offering some suggestion for each party to be serious in constructing their members of the party. Make use of the tools available in the City Council. There were 3 identified specific council with strong advisories: the Inter-cultural Council, they are experts in this area; the Women’s and the Young Council, utilized these group in search for potential and right person. And the Clerk who gathered information. Make use of these information to find the right people, believing there are qualified candidate outside. Recruit, train and support them, find people to financed them and surely they will come forward and be elected. This will surely change the complexion of the City Council. The more debates of great ideas will occur and could surely result to an excellent solution and decisions ensuring well representations of each visible minorities.
In the end and most significant is that the need and interest of majority of citizen be looked after ensuring security and general welfare of the people.
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