December 20, 2013

Secretaire suppleant pour un mandat: Valerie Roy difice Pamphile-Le May 1035, rue des Parlementaires 3e tage, Bureau 3.15 Qubec, Qubec G1A 1A3 Re:Commission des institutions Concernant Loi 60 The Cole Foundation, a private family foundation based in Montreal, wishes to present the following comments on the proposed Bill 60. First we submit that there is no problem or crisis to be resolved. The separation of church and state, and the equality of men and women, are currently guaranteed in both the provincial and federal Charters of Rights. Quebec has been receiving immigrants from many different cultures for centuries. Everyone in Quebec, except First Nations citizens, is, or is a descendant of, immigrants. The Quebec educational system has a policy to make cultural diversity a key platform for instilling values that help maintain egalitarian relationships with others and to reject all forms of exclusion. This allows the wearing of religious symbols and clothing in schools by students, teachers and support staff. Measures that negatively highlight cultural differences and exclude minorities, do not serve any useful purpose and lead to social alienation and to divisions rather than cohesions within our society. The Bouchard Taylor Commission creatively and realistically responded to the question of "reasonable accommodation" that was already on the provincial agenda. Since its report was published, issues of dress code and behavior between cultural communities have been successfully resolved by the responsible managements/authorities. The Quebec Human Rights Commission reports less than 1% of its case work are issues of reasonable accommodation. We therefore urge the government to withdraw this bill which appears to address a non-existent problem.

407 Clarke Ave, Westmount, QC H3Y 3C3 Tl.: (514) 938-9428 Email: barrycole@videotron.ca

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The Bouchard Taylor Commission reported that there was much room to enhance the welcome and accommodation given to visible minorities and different cultural communities by the Francophone and Anglophone communities of Quebec. The Cole Foundation decided to address this issue and use the arts, theatre and literature in particular, to help broaden the cultural and social experience of all our citizens. To do this, we have been sponsoring the production, translation, and commissioning of plays that present the stories of different cultural communities on stage for Francophone and Anglophone audiences as a way of broadening their perspectives, in a non-confrontational way, on the issues pertaining to culturally diverse communities, thus initiating greater understanding, tolerance and respect for them. To date over the past 6 years, we have contributed to the costs of commissioning 21 plays, the translation of 30 plays, the production costs of 62 plays and 5 theatrical workshops for Montreal audiences. Some of these works have also toured the province, to other Canadian provinces and to the USA, Europe and South America. These grants have gone to professional theatre companies that perform for both adults and children/youth. We have also contributed to the costs of bringing 115 international authors to Quebec from 30 different countries for the Festival Litteraire International de Montreal Metropolis Bleu. We are committed to these programmes to support the immigration and educational policies and practices of the Government of Quebec and to help in the integration of all citizens into the cosmopolitan society that we have become where diversity is accepted, appreciated and understood. Our financial support in these areas of Quebec culture total $1.25 million to date. The proposed legislation of Bill 60 is working directly against the social and cultural harmony in Quebec that we are supporting with these programmes. We ask that this legislation be withdrawn. Respectfully,

Barry Cole President and Chairman Cole Foundation.