Friday, April 16, 2010

Herouxville Town Charter


Municipalité Hérouxville

Publication of Standards
The social development and territory security are some of the major objective goals of the democratically voted individuals in our MRC. Hérouxvillebeing part of the MRC, we share these same objectives.
To do this, we would like to invite, without discrimination, in the future, all people from outside our MRC that would like to move to this territory.

Without discrimination means to us, without regard to race or to the color of skin, mother tongue spoken, sexual orientation, religion, or any other form of beliefs.

So that the future residents can integrate socially more easily, we have decided unan-imously, to make public, certain standards already in place and very well anchored in the lives of our electors.
These standards come from our municipal laws being Federal or Provincial, and all voted democratically. They also come from the social life and habits & customs of all residents of our territory.

Our objective is to show that we support the wishes of our electors and this being shown clearly by the results of our poll regarding this issue. And our goal is to inform the new arrivals to our territory, how we live to help them make a clear decision to integrate into our area.

We would especially like to inform the new arrivals that the lifestyle that they left behind in their birth country cannot be brought here with them and they would have to adapt to their new social identity.

Published by The Mayor and 6 city counselors of Hérouxville, democratically elected.

Municipalité Hérouxville

The Standards
Our Women;
We consider that men and women are of the same value. Having said this, we consider that a woman can; drive a car, vote, sign checks, dance, decide for herself, speak her peace, dress as she sees fit respecting of course the democratic decency, walk alone in public places, study, have a job, have her own belongings and anything else that a man can do. These are our standards and our way of life.
However, we consider that killing women in public beatings, or burning them alive are not part of our standards of life.

Our Children;
Our children are required to attend public or private schools to insure their social development and to help integrate into our society. Any form of violence towards children is not accepted.

Our Festivities;
We listen to music, we drink alcoholic beverages in public or private places, we dance and at the end of every year we decorate a tree with balls and tinsel and some lights. This is normally called “Christmas Decorations” or also “Christmas Tree” letting us rejoice in the notion of our national heritage and not necessarily a religious holiday. These festivities are authorized in public, schools, and institutions and also in private.

Our Health Care
In our old folks homes men and women are treated by responsible men and women. Please note that there is no law voted democratically that prohibits a woman treating a man and a man treating a woman. In our hospitals and CLSC’s woman doctors can treat men and women and the same for the men doctors. This same principle applies for nurses, firemen and women, ambulance technicians. These responsible people do not have to ask permission to perform blood transfusions or any task needed to save a life. For the last few years men have been allowed into the delivery room to assist in the birth of their baby. They have been with their wives to prenatal courses to help them in this task. In the said establishments the patients are offered traditional meals. There is often music playing in the background. There are magazines or news papers available and any other form of multimedia that shows our community spirit and our way of life.

Our Education;
In our schools certified men and women teach our children. The women or men teachers can teach boys or girls with no sexual discrimination. They do not have to dress any different to accomplish their tasks. In our schools the children cannot carry any weapons real or fake, symbolic or not. The children can sing, play sports or play in groups. To promote decency and to avoid all discrimination some schools have adopted a dress code that they strongly enforce. For the last few years to draw away from religious influences or orientation no locale is made available for prayer or any other form of incantation. Moreover, in many of our schools no prayer is allowed. We teach more science and less religion. In our scholastic establishments, be private or public, generally, at the end of the year you will possibly see “Christmas Decorations” or “Christmas Trees” The children might also sing “Christmas Carols” if they want to. Many of our schools have cafeterias that serve traditional foods. Students may decide to eat elsewhere.

The history of Quebec is taught in our schools. Biology lessons are also given.

Our Sports & Leisure;
For the longest time boys and girls have played the same games and often play together. For example, if you came to my place we would send the kids to swim together in the pool, don’t be surprised this is normal for us.
You would see men and women skiing together on the same hill at the same time, don’t be surprised this is normal for us. You would also see men and women playing hockey together, don’t be surprised this is normal for us. In our public swimming pools we have men and women lifeguards for our security to protect us from drowning, don’t be surprised this is normal for us. All the laws adopted that permit these phenomenons have followed a strict democratic process. You would appreciate this new life style and share our habits & customs.

Our Security;
Our immense territory is patrolled by police men and women of the “Surete du Quebec”. They have always been allowed to question or to advise or lecture or to give out an infraction ticket to either a man or woman. You may not hide your face as to be able to identify you while you are in public. The only time you may mask or cover your face is during Halloween, this is a religious traditional custom at the end of October celebrating all Saints Day, where children dress up and go door to door begging for candy and treats. All of us accept to have our picture taken and printed on our driver’s permit, health care card and passports. A result of democracy.

Our Work Place;
The employers must respect the governmental laws regarding work conditions. These laws include holidays known and accepted in advance by all employees. These work conditions are negotiated democratically and once accepted both parties respect them.
No law or work condition imposes the employer to supply a place of prayer or the time during the working day for this activity. You will also see men and women working side by side. We wear safety helmets on worksites, when required by law.

Our Businesses; Our businesses are governed by municipal, provincial and federal laws. In our businesses men and women work together and serve the clientele whether they be man or woman. The products sold by these businesses can be of any kind. Food products for example must be approved by different governmental agencies before being offered to the general public. You might see in the same store several different types of meat, eg. Beef , chicken, pork and lamb.

Other Businesses offer their clientele a place and equipment to exercise. These places have windows that their clientele can look outside while exercising and are composed of men and women dressed in clothing appropriate for exercising.

Our Families
You will appreciate that both parents manage the children needs and both have the same authority. The parents can be of the same race or not, be from the same country or not, have the same religion or not, even be of the same sex or not.
If a boy or girl wants to get married, they may, they have the liberty to chose who their spouse will be. The democratic process is applied to ensure each and everyone’s liberty to choose. In our families, the boys and girls eat together at the same table and eat the same food. They can eat any type of meat, vegetables or fruit. They don’t eat just meat or just vegetables they can eat both at the same time and this throughout the whole year. If our children eat meat for example, they don’t need to know where it came from or who killed it.Our people eat to nourish the body not the soul.

Other:
You might still see crosses that tell our past. They are an integrated part of our history and patrimony and should be considered as such.

To publish all the laws and standards of Municipalité Hérouxville would be a tedious task. The standards published above are just a sample so the new arrivals to this territory can clearly identify with us before making their decision to move here.

Certainly, being the elected members, we would give the new arrivals the assurance that the conditions that they have fled from in their country would not happen again here in our territory.. Consequently, the peace of mind that we live with will always be. It must be very clear that any person or persons, groups legal or not that would like to modify our habits and customs or our general way of life cannot do so without going through a referendum process following all laws put forward by our towns and municipalities. These referendums will be at the petitioner or petitioner’s cost.

Signed jointly by the mayor and 6 city counselors of Hérouxville, all democratically elected.

Your comments are most certainly welcome, please refain from using profanity or racist comments. Again Thank you.

19 comments:

the patroller said...

Indeed it is wise to inform immigrants what community standards are so that they do not offend their new neighbours. However it would be equally wise for you to learn a bit about your new neighbours and perhaps learn from them.

You are lucky enough to live in a society that has economic opportunity and little violence -- for that you are to be commended -- although it would be ignorant to pretend that your society was created without horrific violence in its 400 years of history. It is arrogant and condescending, however, to think that people who you (Canada & Quebec) have permitted to immigrate are coming because they want to be just like you. They have their own reasons which include fleeing violence, war, poverty, or oppression. I would suggest that almost none of them consider hockey, St. Jean Baptiste, or poutine when they choose Quebec and Canada as their new home. Your culture is great, but no greater than theirs. Just because you happen to live in peace and prosperity does not give you the right to dismiss the value of their cultures.

Yes they are coming to live among you, but don't forget that you have invited them. If you don't want them then be honest. But remember that you grow and learn by accepting them and their way. I am certain that you can do this without sacrificing your heritage and without suppressing theirs.

Anonymous said...

I support you in the right to have the community you want. I agrre with the format of this project.
Good luck in your endeavors!

Anonymous said...

I fully support letting people who want to immigrate to your country and area know what to expect and what is expected of them to make good citizens. If I immigrate to another country, I would expect to learn the language, obey the laws and respect the local way of life. I would also ask for respect for any of my ideas that are different. However, if my views conflict in a way that would not allow me to integrate my children into your schools, accept medical and other assistance from either men or women as it is offered, perhaps I should look for another place in which to immigrate. It is very presumputious to think that I can impose my culture onto you when they are diametrically opposite. It won't work. There will be tensions imposed onto a population that was getting along well until I decided to enter and oppose the local customs and way of life. It just doesn't make common sense to expect people to have to change their way of life for a few who wish to immigrate into a culture that is very different from their own. I wish you well.

Anonymous said...

very well said. I only wish more communities in the western world had the guts you do. Your thoughtful, non-rhetorical, straightforward approach to this important issue will stand as a milestone in the west's war with fanaticism.
Congratulations.

Anonymous said...

You fail to distinguish between laws and customs.

Everyone must obey your laws and you are free to make any laws you want as long as they are fair and constitutional . You want to celebrate Easter, make it a legal holiday. You want to play hockey? Pass a law funding the community hocky rink.
Everyone must contribute their tax dollars to support these laws and they must obey them.

On the other hand customs and traditions are personal, not legal. If you can't legally and constitutionally mandate a custom it must be because it wouldn't stand up to a challenge in court and thus is not fair game for a mandate.

In the end that is what this whole fuss is about. You know that courts would legitimately knock down laws you passed to mandate religious or ethnic customs so you have tried to bypass that.

The honourable thing to do would be to stand by your convictions and challenge this at the constitutional level not to make up your own rules that would not be found legal otherwise.

Indeed it is not immigrants or stonings or circumcision that you have a problem with, it is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

That is not how civilized modern societies function.

Anonymous said...

I applaud the people of Herouxville for being proactive in this matter. You are correct in stating that people who are looking for a new home should know what the community standards are and what would be expected of them.

If I agree that I can live in those circumstances, I can then choose to re-locate to such a community. If however, I decide that I cannot in good conscience accept that kind of lifestyle, I should look elsewhere for a place to reside.

I don't see the problem with being up-front about what you expect from new residents or with trying to preserve your local community's flavour.

I only wish more communities would make clear what they do and what a new resident can expect to experience should they decide to move there.

Please keep up the honesty and forthrightness that you have displayed.

Anonymous said...

Keep demanding your rights and don't compromise. You have a right to self-identification and self-determination. By the way, my grand parents came to the U.S. from Kamouraska. Quebec. Quebec should be its own nation! If it ever becomes such,I may move there.

Anonymous said...

May the Lord continue to shine bright upon you PROUD men of the West.... God bless!

reino said...

Greetings from Finland!

I think what you did is great! You're setting an example that the rest of the civilized western world should follow. After all, if we don't recognize and appreciate our own values and traditions, how can we expect anyone else to respect us?

I wish you all the best and hope you can preserve your life style for generations to come.

GiGi said...

Blessings be with you Herouxville, Canada, thank you for your encouragement for Muslim Women.

Our Sisters must know Islam has kept us subjugated for centuries. Your Canadian Laws mean freedom for woman.

I have read of Islam in Canada and how they have harmed your country, your will to keep Canada free of religions that persecute others is wise.

My family and I have been to Canada during your winters, bitter cold.
Your photos are splendid and your town sounds like a lovely home for everyone. It is similar to our cousins home in Maryland, USA.
My cousin has helped with our Muslim Sisters website as she is a born US Citizen
and her command of English is more elegant than my own.

Perhaps one day I shall visit Herouxville in Canada

Blessings be upon your town
Fatimah

Anonymous said...

From Winnipeg, although I suspect your narrowmindedness won't allow a democratic discourse I must say that I am personally ashamed of your racist actions and you should all be stripped of your Canadian citizenship immediately! See if you have the guts to post this note.

Anonymous said...

Just saw your town's story on The National. Wanted to say thank you for your bravery!! We whole heartedly agree. From Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Barry O'Regan said...

Anonymous from Winnipeg, we certainly have the guts to post comments good or bad, unlike yourself who wishes to remain anonymous.
Regards
Barry O'Regan

Anonymous said...

I agree that informing people of the customs and laws of the land that they are immigrating to is important and that they should conform to them. However it is also important that the culture already present not condemn a person because his or her beliefs are different than their own. A knowledge of the mixed cultures of a community eases tensions in the community and still allows each his own beliefs. I think that this is what you are truly aiming for, but I think it could be expressed better.

Herman said...

I do not understand why so many people are picking on a straight forward set of standards for immigrants, while nobody even protests when the Saudi-Arabia government FORBIDS all religious symbols, even for visitors: flat out!!!

And BTW: look at Europe and see what's happening over there, with immigrants who do not adapt to the countries' laws, freedom and expectations:
-filmmaker killed in the Netherlands
-Muslim rape wave in Scandinavian countries
-France's no-go zones: What are they? Those places in France that the French state does not control. They range from two zones in the medieval town of Carcassone to twelve in the heavily Muslim town of Marseilles, with hardly a town in France lacking in its ZUS. The ZUS came into existence in late 1996 and according to a 2004 estimate, nearly 5 million people live in them.
-Germany: He beat her and threatened her with murder. But because husband and wife were both from Morocco, a German divorce court judge saw no cause for alarm. It's a religion thing, she argued.
-Belgium: bus passenger murdered by Muslim group; a SIOE (Stop Islamisation of Europe) demonstration forbidden
-UK: an advise to not celebrate Christmas as to not offend muslims?!; Muslim worshippers are being urged by radical clerics to ignore British law; the one mp who was told he had no business in the muslim area of his own constituency.

And you do not have to believe me; just google on a few keywords and links will come up abundantly!!

Herman said...

If the customs and laws of an immigrant are completely the opposite of the new country, then that new country has the right and the DUTY to protect their own laws, and this includes refusing those imported customs.

How about a few examples?
About women:
Tabari IX:113 Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them
Qur'an 4:3 ...marry women of your choice who seem good to you, two or three of four
(mohamed himself married lot's more and not to protect them, just out of pure lust)
One of the worst quotes - basically allowing rape of the wive:
[2:23]Your women are a tilth for you, so go into your tilth when you like
Discrimination to women:
[4:11]Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females

non-muslims
060.013 YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Turn not (for friendship) to people on whom is the Wrath of Allah,
qur'an [9:23]
O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers.
[4:89]
They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them,

And we should allow and embrace that 'religion' in Canada or anywhere in a free world??
I don't think so!

Thanks again to Herouxville for the courage to stand up against barbaric behaviour!

shelleyinmtl said...

Half your town is unemployed or on welfare and this is what you worry about.But don"t worry I can't think of anyone ethnic who would want to move there anyway. As a second generation Quebec Jew I know that I will always remain an outsider(a vous as opposed to a nous) to people like you and could not care less. If you want to be a secular society then there should be NO christmas lights,easter decorations etc in schools or on municipal buildings(it is a christian holiday)nor should these days be holidays.as far as the accomendation issue the most i ever asked for was not to work on the Jewish high holidays(rosh hashana(the jewish new year,and yom kipper(the day of atonment) and i was not paid for these days.i worked for the royal bank i did however offer to work christmas/easter so that people like you would get the time off for your holiday,so who's accomondating who?

Anonymous said...

I really agree with most of this, especially the part on the Christmas celebration. Not just in Herouxville, but in the rest of Canada, with the restrictions on saying Merry Christmas and such in public, since it 'offends' people of other cultures. This is Canada, that has ONE HUNDRED plus years of celebrating 'christian' holidays (I don't really find them religious anymore anyways). I don't think new residents of Canada have the (hypothetical) right to say that our historical celebrations offend them, when we welcome their cultural differences with open arms. Canada is multicultural yes, but it has its roots as a French and English country, celebrating French and English customs, and that isn't going to change.
I, a second generation Italian-English Canadian, have nothing against other customs and celebrations, so they shouldn't have anything against ours.

Anonymous said...

I am a student and i just learned about this tonight and am appauld by it, if every city in Canada well open minded as Montrea, Toronto, there will be a better place, people will be wiser, if you people are saying this what should the Indians who Canada belong to them say? If there were to say everyone should go back to where they are from, there would be no one except Indians here. The only way people learn and become better is interacting with different culture in that sense they can function where every they are.