On Kindness or This Is Mutlicultural Montreal

Many people believe that a multicultural society is an utopia. I have been living this utopia since 1991 in Montreal, Quebec. Quebec is the province where multiculturalism is the most vivacious. British Colombia and Ontario for example have much more immigration but it is mainly from east and south Asia while in Quebec, and Montreal which is the recipient of the majority of immigrants, the mosaic is richer, there is no dominant community from immigration.

Of course, many things are difficult for an immigrant here in Quebec, as compared to the rest of Canada, especially when it comes to professional integration and dealing with the nationalistic aspirations of the Québécois who, in their majority, are proud of their distinctive ethnic character and their past, but it is not difficult to coexist with other immigrants from other countries with radically different cultures.

Yesterday, I went to the Eco center of my neighbourhood to get rid of some home painting material. But the Eco center had moved and I found myself carrying a heavy load from one place to another and out from the car and in the car again. After I finished, I went shopping for some grocery. At the cashier, I realised I was tired of carrying heavy bags and I asked the clerk if I could leave my bags near the door for about five minutes, the time I needed to drive the car and park it at the level of the store. A man behind me, a complete stranger, asked at that point where was my car, and I told him. He said: 'I would like to offer my help'. I was pleasantly surprised and accepted immediately while thanking him. We shared the load and walked outside. It was raining. He opened his umbrella for me. He spoke a litterary French, not the local dialect. I asked from which origin he was. He said that he has been living in Montreal since long but that he comes from Russia. I said that I was originally from Lebanon. I was affected by his curteous kindness and kept thanking him. He said: 'don't worry, this is Montreal, and after all, I am sure you would have done the same'.

I thought that it was so easy to be kind with others, even the distant other, that it should be the natural state of intersubjectivity; assuming kindness in others and acting under this assumption.

Update with a significant comment on this post from The Two Wolves blog:

Is it an example of multiculturalism though? Is it really true that even Quebec is really multicultural?

Definitely multi-ethnic but that's something different. Observe that you conversed in a tertiary language and that you were impressed by his mastery of that language. Also observe that you had to ask him where he originally came from, that it wasn't obvious to you. Isn't that an example of his, and your success in integration into a tertiary Franco-culture?

It is necessary to be mult-ethnic to be multicultural but it is not necessary to be multicultural in a multi-ethnic society, in fact I would argue that Canada has escaped the suspicions and privations evident in the US because its immigrants have more readily absorbed a Francophile culture. I think your story underlines that.