The Quebec government is following in the footsteps of many companies and is suspending its advertising placements on Facebook for the entire month of July in order to denounce the lack of supervision of the social network towards hateful and racist messages.
This decision made “at the request of the Prime Minister” François Legault was announced by a press release late Friday by his cabinet and therefore applies to “all departments and agencies of the Government of Quebec”.
“Already, a number of financial institutions and companies, including several in Quebec, have joined the initiative by ceasing all advertising placement on Facebook, and by asking the American company to better frame this kind of messages”, we say.
“By this gesture, the Government of Quebec wishes to demonstrate the importance it attaches to the fight against racism as well as to access to fair and quality information,” adds François Legault’s office. In no way does the government tolerate the circulation of racist, hateful and discriminatory messages. ”
It also invites Crown corporations to do the same.
Desjardins Group, Air Canada, National Bank and Laurentian Bank also suspended their Facebook ads until the end of the month, as do several other companies in the country.
On Wednesday, the country’s five largest banks announced that they were taking part in the global boycott.
The #stophateforprofit boycott was launched in the United States by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Anti-Defamation League, organizations defending African Americans and fighting anti-Semitism. It is part of the vast movement against systemic racism that began after the death of the American George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in May.
On June 15, François Legault announced the creation of the Action Group against Racism, chaired by Ministers Lionel Carmant and Nadine Girault, whose mandate is to develop a series of actions to combat racism. Recommendations are to be tabled in the fall.
Note that the Premier of Quebec has always refused to recognize that there is “systemic racism” in Quebec, as regularly demanded by the Liberal Party of Quebec, Quebec solidaire and several organizations.
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