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Entry: Christ at the heart of Quebec Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/christ_at_the_heart_of_quebec#27801 Post contents: In the past few years, the Quebec birth rate has risen from 1.4 to over 1.6 children per woman. That is still well below replacement (2.1 children), but it's a sign that the recent incentives for child bearing are paying off. It's false to say that Quebec tried over the past 15-20 years to raise the birth rate and "it was all in vain." For a long time there was much talk but little action. Ironically, it has been Liberal governments that have tried to address the problem. The Parti Quebecois studiously ignored it and reversed any pro-natalist measures whenever it came to power. Much more could be done. Unfortunately, public policy is still influenced by groups who see marriage and family life as just one choice among many. As for immigration, it is not a solution to the aging of Quebec's population because immigrants are, on average, only slightly younger than Quebeckers. Family reunification inevitably leads to many parents and grandparents being brought over. Nor is immigration a solution to the shrinking workforce. Over 27% of welfare recipients are immigrants. From my own observation, this is not because of discrimination but because certain immigrants have no inhibitions against milking the system for all its worth. A very large proportion of these welfare recipients actually work full-time at jobs that pay only in cash. Sent at: 2008 11 20