Charles
Taylor – Reflections on the Quebec Consultation Commission on Cultural
Differences
One of the most important thinkers Canada has
produced, Charles Taylor (BA ‘52) is that rare philosopher who attempts to put
his ideas into practice. His writings have been translated into 20 languages,
and have covered a range of subjects that include artificial intelligence,
language, social behaviour, morality and multiculturalism…he joined forces with
sociologist Gérard Bouchard to chair the high-profile Consultation Commission
on Accommodation Practices Related to Cultural Differences, the Quebec
government’s response to a string of controversies surrounding the “reasonable
accommodation” of religious groups; and he published A Secular Age, a study of
the changing place of religion in our societies, which the New York Times
hailed as “a work of stupendous breadth and erudition.”
There are
two recent models –the regime controlling religion or religion controlling the regime; both are
disastrous outlooks. The challenge is looking for a way of structuring lives
with diverse views; how can we live together as citizens in modern democracy,
which is very much different from Athenian democracy. There must not be
differences among citizens, no discrimination. We need to figure out how to
regulate different outlooks, to see all views on the same footing. We take into
consideration the diversity model based on the first amendment of the US
constitution. There are differences in established churches – there is trouble
if one Church has precedence over another. We have the American diversity model
versus French controlling law. There are issues of problems of extremism, for
example the19th century protestant Christian vision of society where
protestants united to stave off equality; The French 1904/05 laws establishing
separation of Church and State; Problem of Catholicism trying to influence the Republic.
A major question is “Where is hegemony in religion”.
We face the
modern problem of unprecedented religious diversity and immigration as source
of diversity. There is a tremendous amount of young people who are searching – an
immense number of searchers finding paths that did not exist before – this is a
very important feature of the modern religious landscape. Religious control
model has no relevance – the diversity law does. There are fears triggered by
diversity coming though immigration – these fears are not rational – the
presence of each minority religion is still negligeable, thus the fear is not
rational. Peoples comments are to the effect that this problem is going to
change their society so that it will become unrecognizable, but the reality is
that we are going to change even if there was no immigration. We can take part,
we can take charge of the battle, there is a well of potential. The problem is
slightly more powerful in Europe with the recent wave of immigration, the
problem is not as acute in North American societies. We have been through this
historically – we did not give rights to Japanese and Chinese immigrants, the
problem of slavery. We can all step back. What is religion? What are the differences
within religions. There was a very powerful tendency towards stereotyping,
Islamophobia, scapegoating.
Racial
equality is one of our great values, but Quebec has not achieved salary
equality between men and women. Do we really live up to our standards? We need to get rid of our
fear of others, for example with the problem of the hijab. What are we fighting
for – what is liberal – what is humane? I was a proud Canadian, a proud
Quebecer; I can no longer be proud. There are outstanding forces of
scapegoating and stereotyping – all of western society has to come to grips
with this – look what is happening in France, Germany and the UK. The Indian Republic
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