In recent discussions around Quebec’s ongoing teacher shortages, some government officials have pointed fingers at the province’s immigration levels as a contributing factor. However, teachers and educators are pushing back, asserting that the blame is misplaced and that immigrants are not responsible for the staffing crisis in Quebec schools.
Government’s Stance on Immigration and Education
The Quebec government, under Premier François Legault, has been vocal about the need to control immigration levels to maintain the province’s French language and culture. In recent remarks, Education Minister Bernard Drainville suggested that the rising number of newcomers could be adding pressure to the education system, particularly in regions where the demand for French-language education is high. The government argues that an influx of non-French-speaking students puts additional strain on already overburdened schools, contributing to staff shortages.
“There has been a significant increase in the number of children who need a teacher because of the explosion in the number of immigrants.”Quebec Premier François Legault stated.
About 20,000 more students were enrolled than the previous year, with about 80% of them being new to the province, according to Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville in mid-August. The federal government should “take control of the immigration process to reduce temporary immigration in Quebec, particularly asylum seekers,” he demanded, citing the approximately 5,700 open teaching positions.
According to data from the previous week, 1,957 teaching posts were still open throughout the educational system.’
Teachers and Unions Disagree
Educators and unions, however, are challenging this narrative. They argue that blaming immigrants for the shortage of teachers is both unfair and unproductive. According to the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT), the real issues lie in the province’s education policies, working conditions, and inadequate support for teachers. They point out that many immigrants are, in fact, part of the solution, as they often bring valuable skills and perspectives to the classroom.
“The shortage of teachers is a result of years of underfunding, poor working conditions, and a lack of respect for the teaching profession,” said Heidi Yetman, President of QPAT. She emphasized that focusing on immigrants diverts attention from the systemic problems that need to be addressed to attract and retain qualified teachers.
According to Diane Querrien, a professor in Concordia University’s French studies department in Montreal, Drainville’s maths is off.
Querrien explained that dividing that number by the approximately 5,700 open positions would require employing one instructor for classes of just three to four pupils. “Even if you go with the worst-case scenario, meaning that the 20,000 more students are all immigrants, it doesn’t make sense,” Querrien said.
According to Querrien, this doesn’t explain why there are shortages of teachers in some rural areas, where immigration is lower than in larger cities and has been for some time.
Systemic Issues at the Core
Experts like University of Sherbrooke professor Philippa Parks suggest that Le Sueur’s estimate of a 25 percent attrition rate among new teachers might be conservative, with some statistics indicating that up to 50 percent of new teachers leave within the first five years. Parks argues that immigration is “a drop in the bucket” compared to the systemic issues that drive teachers away from the profession. She criticizes the notion of blaming immigration as “a little bit of dog-whistling and disingenuous,” pointing out that the real problems lie in the lack of support and training for teachers, especially following reforms that integrated students with learning and physical disabilities into general classrooms.
Parks also draws attention to the fact that teaching is becoming a less popular middle-class career. When I began teaching in 1998, I was able to purchase a home. She stated, “I really used my teacher salary to put down a down payment, but since then, the financial landscape for educators has undergone a significant shift. Even though widespread teacher strikes resulted in recent compensation raises of 17.4% over five years, Parks and Le Sueur concur that more work has to be done to enhance the daily lives of educators and draw more individuals into the field.
Political Context and Broader Implications
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) administration has portrayed immigration as a scapegoat for a number of crises, according to François Rocher, an emeritus professor at the University of Ottawa who studies immigration and Quebec nationalism. He contends that the current teacher shortage is part of this larger trend. In a similar vein, Rocher claims that the CAQ has held immigrants accountable for various issues facing the province, including the housing problem, a drop in the usage of French, and more demands on the healthcare system.
Educators contend that immigrants are not to blame for the teacher shortage, despite the Quebec government’s legitimate worries about immigration and its effects on the educational system. Rather, they are advocating for a fresh emphasis on enhancing the conditions in the education sector, which would increase the sustainability and appeal of teaching as a career. Quebec can better support its educators and guarantee a top-notch education for all children, regardless of background, by tackling three fundamental problems.
