A Quebecer from Magog, who earns $270,000 a year at Walmart's headquarters thanks to French, has a dream life in the pro-Trump stronghold of Arkansas, even if he wants nothing to do with the return to power of the former American president.
“They had difficulty finding people who spoke French and wanted to move to Arkansas,” says Mathieu Phaneuf, 37, principal solutions consultant at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
At the age of 27, after learning English in Ontario, Mr. Phaneuf flew to work for IBM in the United States, because the company needed a candidate strong in French.
Quebecer Mathieu Phaneuf is enjoying his life in Arkansas.
Provided by Mathieu Phaneuf
A few years later, he moved to Walmart, which also craved his language skills for its recruiting system.
“The cost of living is not that expensive. Walmart salaries are very competitive. With shares and bonuses, it’s more than $270,000 per year, same thing for my wife,” continues the man who has lived there for 10 years.
In his corner, Trump is king. Trump Stores have been springing up like mushrooms in recent years. There are caps, cups, stuffed animals, flags and clothing marked TRUMP in large letters.
The KKK lair
While giants like Walmart attract talent from everywhere like honey, this is less the case 130 kilometers east, in Harrison, infamous for having sheltered the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), this group of white supremacists .
Donald Trump's former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is the Republican state governor.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 42, is the governor of Arkansas.
AFP
“I cannot support Donald Trump. His policy is not based on true facts,” believes Mathieu Phaneuf, referring to the phenomenon of fake news (fake news).
“Here, media like Fox News are very influential. It’s like a cult,” concludes the one who is part of the minority who leans towards Kamala Harris.
Expatriate in election
- Matthew Phaneuf
- 37 ans
- Bentonville
- Principal IT solutions consultant at Walmart headquarters.
