From the moment of its creation, and especially since the Quiet Revolution, the Quebec Liberal Party is the only one who remained committed to the principle of an open definition of the Quebec nation.  It is the only Party in Quebec that seeks to preserve the vitality of the French heritage without raising walls and borders around us, the only one to think of Quebec culture as something alive, fluid and open to new influences, the only one with genuine respect for our heritage as well as the individual freedoms that are such a big part of it. It is the first Party in Quebec history to make French the official language in Quebec, and the only one that actually increased the time spent by young Quebecers learning it in school.

Throughout our history, the Quebec Liberal Party was fighting on every front to lay down the foundations for a open, secular and civic form of nationalism, and to champion the idea that immigration brings wealth and vitality to Quebec, whether in economic, demographic or cultural terms.  The Quebec Liberal Party is the one who struck historic deals with the federal government to give Quebec control over its immigration policy, and who gave Quebec its first ever cultural policy.

Quebec is doing extremely well in integrating newcomers to its ranks when compared to other countries.  Three out four immigrants use French outside the home 10 years after landing in Quebec, and there are few Quebecers born elsewhere who are not convinced that their children born here can expect to become first rank citizens too, and to aspire to the highest responsibilities.

Truth be told, many European countries are envious.  Riots and ghettos are by and large foreign to the Quebec experience. Here, but not elsewhere, you can expect the distance separating the customs and cultural markers of immigrants and natives to narrow further with the passage of time and the turnover of generations.

Yet new and better efforts are always welcomed to improve the tools of integration, so newcomers can contribute even more to making the Quebec nation richer, and do so more quickly. This is why the government of Jean Charest is ceaselessly striving to:

Prevent discrimination in schools, housing and workplaces, while increasing resources for French tuition.

Better prepare immigrants to settle here successfully, prior to their landing as well as in the critical years that follow.

Accelerate the recognition of foreign credentials and skills acquired by immigrants, to avoid wasting talent and facing shortages of critical personnel, especially among healthcare professionals.

Ratify agreements to improve labour mobility between Quebec and France, and between Quebec and the rest of Canada.

Grant foreigners who come here to earn their degrees a Quebec immigrant selection certificate upon graduation, thus inducing them to begin their career in a society where they already know the language, the professional demands and the cultural code.