Quebec anti-racism ads criticized: ‘It’s something for kids in an elementary school’ – Montreal | The Canadian News

An advertising campaign by the Quebec government aimed at fighting racism continues to generate controversy.

Quebecer born and raised Brian Smith has been ingrained in Montreal’s black community for decades. He was hopeful when he heard that the government was running a series of ads to combat racism.

When he saw them, he was disappointed.

“It was not done well,” he told Global News. “I call it a failure.”

One of the ads shows the words: “In Quebec, a group of young black men meeting in a park at night is called,” and then it reveals a group of young black men sitting on a park bench and displays the word: “friends. . “

Smith considers the message to be “elementary” and believes it will have no real impact.

“I don’t know what kind of audience they are really trying to connect with. It’s something for kids in an elementary school, ”he said.

Other ads call a group of Arabs in an apartment “a family” and a South American man covered in tattoos “a neighbor.”

The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) called the ads “uncomfortable.”

“We also found that the ad itself was still stereotyped, ”said Eva Ludvig, a member of the QCGN board. “We feel uncomfortable when we see the way the ad comes through.”

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Like many Anglo-Québécois, Smith noted how the English and French versions of the ads were different.

In English, for example, the young black men gathered in the park are “friends”, but in French they are “des amis Québecois.”

The word Quebecer is excluded from all English versions of the ads.

“You know, we’re all supposed to be Quebecers in the province of Quebec, regardless of language,” Smith said.

The QCGN believes that the difference says something about how the Legault government views Anglophones.

“This kind of just continues the kind of message that has been going out that we are not really Quebecers as English speakers and that worries us,” Ludvig said.

READ MORE: François Legault adheres to the position that systemic racism does not exist in Quebec

The minister responsible for fighting racism says the government will make changes to the English versions of the ads, following criticism from English-speaking rights groups.

On Twitter, Benoit Charette explained that the government did not include the word Quebecois in English ads because it seemed less inclusive.

He admits that it was not the right decision, he says that the ads will be changed and that all Québec citizens are Québécois regardless of their language.

Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone is furious with the government.

“I think it’s very painful and very, very short-sighted, especially since they have someone who is supposed to give them advice, who is supposed to make recommendations,” he said.

“There is a difference between making a mistake and making a decision, and this government consistently makes decisions to divide the population rather than unite us,” Maccarone said.

Smith, who works in finance, said he believes “heads would roll” if such a mistake occurred in a private company.