In April, 2007, I had the pleasure of attending an event called Montreal Mosaic, sponsored by QAHN, the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network where  representatives of various cultural groups explained their 'connections' to Quebec's English community.

Of course, as it was often stated, this is a problematic approach - and some suggested that Canada's policy of 'two official languages' clashes with the idea of promoting multi-culturalism.  Is language (French or English) merely a tool to conduct business or is it a cultural identification? Must one identify with one founding culture or another to start with?

I learned a lot. After NDG-Lachine MP Marlene Jennings opened with a description of her own multi-racial roots (so typical of Quebeckers). Historian Dorothy Williams, author of A Road to Now: A History of Blacks in Montreal (1997) told the audience about the long, difficult but proud history of the Black Community in Montreal (not an homogenous group, by any means).  Slavery (using Blacks and Aboriginals)  existed in Quebec in the 1700's, but that practice ended in the late 1700's, just before official American abolition. Many Black citizens of the time were free men.

French Canadians often inter-married with Blacks (as well as with aboriginals).  When the railway was being built, black labour was brought in, with a Black Community (homes and service businesses) rising up in the West End, near the railway yards. Eventually Black men were relegated to the lower paid jobs on the railway, redcap and porter. A plaque exists in Windsor Station to commemorate their contribution. When Norman travels first class in 1911 a Black porter prepares his berth.

In 1902 the Coloured Women's Club was founded to provide social and cultural aid to the expanding community (much like the St. Andrew's Society.) The Union United Church was founded in 1907 because Blacks were not welcome in other churches and became home to the world-famous Jubilation Choir.  Montreal's Jazz scene hopped in the twenties, with Americans (both musicians and tourists) coming up to party, because Montreal was definitely not dry. (There are many illustrious Montreal Jazz Musicians. See: Oscar Peterson, Oliver Jones, Charlie Biddle.) In the 40's, Nova Scotia Blacks came to Montreal and in the 60's Caribbean women, brought in to work as domestics (even if they were professionals) greatly increased the size of Montreal's Black Community. (Read the book Small Island. It's about England but it resonates.)

Rahul Varma, a Hindi playwright and activist (theatre of dissent) and artistic director at Tessri Duniya Theatre, discussed how the official Canadian definition of multi-culturalism is really about maintaining the established hierarchy and that hot button issues in the press, like 'fears about preserving our secular democracy' and 'whether women should wear a veil to vote' are red-herrings. His plays often counter the way we typically 'dialogue' about multi-culturalism. This Tighsolas website reveals how the same sort of thing was going on in 1910 with the Royal Commission on Industrial Training and Technical Education. They discuss "right and proper aspirations". Everyone in his place, so to speak.

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