Racism debate heats up as mayors come out in favour

Racism became a big issue in the Quebec election campaign as the mayors of Saguenay and Trois-Rivieres came out in favour.

Saguenay mayor Jean Tremblay today made a strong statement in favour of overt racism by criticisng a Parti quebecois candidate for her ethnic origin and foreign-sounding name.  Trois-Rivieres mayor also endorsed racism today, saying that the "silent majority" agree with Tremblay's attack of people based on their race. 

Polls show most Quebecers are happy with the state of the province's economy, debt, infrastructure, health and education, and want their politicians to spend more time deciding whether it is good or bad to be overtly racist.

This is not the first time that pro- and anti-racism groups have clashed over their respective positions. Pro-racists argue that judging people on the colour of their skin and the name that their parents gave them is a positive and helpful activity, while anti-racist groups point to racism's often-hidden downsides.