Quebec, from first to last

Quebec, which in August 2024 was the region in Canada with the highest assessment of its society’s humanity (68.0), has, in just eight months, become the region with the lowest rating (58.4). A drastic drop of -9.6 points—the most significant decline in Canada. But what happened?

A Necessary Introspection
Have the U.S. elections had a greater negative impact on Quebecers? Has the Canadian federal election campaign affected Quebec’s perception of its own level of humanity more deeply? Did the United States’ desire to absorb Canada and make it the 51st American state play a role? Or perhaps the all-out tariff war? Certainly — but to that extent?

Maybe, and more likely, we need to look within Quebec itself. There is a great deal of criticism toward leaders, and dissatisfaction is palpable. The costly and embarrassing failures of the SAAQ and Northvolt, the perceived bad faith in the ongoing “third link” saga in Quebec City, the squandering of public funds on questionable projects (such as the idea of bringing the L.A. Kings to Quebec), the shaky integration of Santé Québec, the seemingly unsolvable homelessness crisis, the community sector barely hanging on, the perception that unions treat public money as an infinite resource, the ongoing housing crisis, the strikes are multiplying and the showdown between doctors—to name just a few—may have all affected how Quebecers perceive the humanity of their society. Not to mention the media, which thrive on negativity and anything that generates more clicks. Yes, it’s entirely possible.

A Divide Between the “I” and the “We”

This data suggests that a sense of weariness is setting in across the province, creating an atmosphere of discouragement. The social fabric is fraying at the same pace as trust is fading. Cynicism is taking hold at the expense of social cohesion.

What the Humanity Index reveals is a deep unease, clearly illustrated by the striking 15.8-point gap between how Quebecers perceive their own humanity (75.1) versus that of their society (58.4). A troubling mirror.

There are no simple answers to explain this drop in Quebecers’ perception of their own humanity. What there are, above all, are questions. It is important that Quebec society asks itself those questions and seeks answers, both individually and collectively, with detachment and without partisanship. Quebec deserves it.

Be Extraordinary
https://soyonsextraordinaires.org/

This small manifesto contains many of the answers.

Humanity will only reclaim its place when we realize that the “WE” is the sum of all the “I”s. That the well-being of the “I” depends on the health of the “WE.”