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This is primarily an American anglophone forum, and Quebec is a primarily francophone province and as such ranks pretty low on the potential relocation list for Anglo-Canadians, Americans and anyone else whose primary first or second language is English.
So why is there so much chatter about Quebec from you guys? Is the rest of Canada so bland and uninteresting (not saying it is BTW) that all that you wanna talk about is Quebec?
It's as if I went to Canadian discussion forum in French and all the talk was about Alberta and Ontario and not Quebec. It would be weird.
So what gives?
First I wouldn't judge the interest of lack of interest by this board.
Most Americans know very little about Canada, but one thing most do know is that " we have French ".
They know mostly nothing historically or politically about Canada. What some do know is Quebec and the separatism movement. So they feel they can talk about it as a way of opening up a conversation.
I can't tell you how many times when travelling in the US that people who know very little about us, but want to find something to talk about, they choose Quebec...or healthcare...or the cold. LOL
I haven't looked at French language forums to know if they do talk about the ROC, but Alberta and Ontario are not trying to separate from the ROC, so it doesn't seem weird to me that people wouldn't be talking about them.
Perhaps if the ROC was trying to separate from Quebec, those French language boards might start humming.
Because to many Canadians Quebec is the rock in their shoe. It's the part of Canada that hasn't managed to actually become (what they consider to be) Canadian. And they're not sure how to express their conflicting emotions about that reality. So it just goes on and on and on.
Americans don't care as much, it's not their country, but the concept of a long-standing French-speaking population in North America is still interesting to them. It's like the Cajuns; every American has heard of them and they even make reality shows about them hunting alligators or whatever despite the fact that there aren't that many of them today and they're not especially important.
You don't get it. English speaking Canadians do NOT think Quebec isn't " Canadian " at all. We are taught in school the history of the country and how it was founded. How TWO NATIONS became one.
I think the fault in your thinking is that you assume the ROC is all the same. Quebec and ROC. Well the ROC is extremely diverse. It's not just " English Canada ". We are used to that diversity and don't consider one part of the country less or more Canadians than the other.
You don't get it. English speaking Canadians do NOT think Quebec isn't " Canadian " at all. We are taught in school the history of the country and how it was founded. How TWO NATIONS became one.
Canada is a bilingual country that supports its francophone minorities through official policies, and where everybody, wherever they came from, can live in peace with their native culture being valued, thanks to multiculturalism. Quebec, on the other hand, is actively trying to stamp out English through bill 101 and the language police, the people refuse to learn English even though it's now an important skill in every country, thus Quebec is now the poorest industrialised place in North America, and because of their obsession with the "pures laines" they distrust everybody who looks different from them and are thinking of banning Islamic veils so Muslims will just go away.
Sounds like a familiar refrain? This is (part of) what I mean when I say that to many Canadians, Quebec hasn't managed (or has refused) to become Canadian. They interpret what they see in Quebec as a rejection of their identity.
My only problem with Quebec's existence is that I have to press #2 if I want to converse in English, which bothers me only because I don't like the phone in the first place, so any extra time I have to spend on it, isn't happy time. Other than that, what's wrong with Quebec?
I live in the BC Coastal Mountains, and all our road signs are written in the local "Indian" (First Nations) language. No English or French required.
You don't get it. English speaking Canadians do NOT think Quebec isn't "Canadian" at all. We are taught in school the history of the country and how it was founded. How TWO NATIONS became one.
I think the fault in your thinking is that you assume the ROC is all the same. Quebec and ROC. Well the ROC is extremely diverse. It's not just "English Canada". We are used to that diversity and don't consider one part of the country less or more Canadians than the other.
You are completely wrong.
But it is typical uninformed ROC thinking. Two nations did not become one. That is the false history taught in the ROC intended to drum up coast to coast patriotism. It is still two nations. Duh. That's what separatism is all about. If anything English Canada and the U.S. are one nation. What you don't understand is that it doesn't matter what flag you have the Quebecois fly, the Quebecois still see themselves as a nation, and only as Canadians the same way you see yourself as a North American. The "Quebecois" started the whole Canadian thing before English Canadians (who for a long time were insulted by the word Canadian which was usually only used for the dirty negres blancs d'amerique) stole the name and attempted to call everyone Canadians. So the Quebecois stopped calling themselves Canadien and started saying Quebecois to distinguish themselves from the new English speakers who stole their name.
If more Canadians bothered to be bilingual people like you would understand something about why Canada is the way it is. When people say something like Canada went from two nations to one it just shows how little they know. Thats why I can't stand these posts. Migratory Chicken, while I dont agree with all political views, knows a lot about Quebec and makes smart comments. He isnt another clueless person from BC or wherever who is basically an American talking about Canada being one happy family. If you want that, go across the border because it doesnt exist here. If you want to know something about Quebec, learn French and stop talking about hollow terms like multiculturalism and diversity, as if saying those words changes anything.
Canada is a bilingual country that supports its francophone minorities through official policies, and where everybody, wherever they came from, can live in peace with their native culture being valued, thanks to multiculturalism. Quebec, on the other hand, is actively trying to stamp out English through bill 101 and the language police, the people refuse to learn English even though it's now an important skill in every country, thus Quebec is now the poorest industrialised place in North America, and because of their obsession with the "pures laines" they distrust everybody who looks different from them and are thinking of banning Islamic veils so Muslims will just go away.
This is my usual line of thinking and i'm only half anglo. Canada is not bilingual. I am bilingual in the truest sense and don't 100% belong anywhere in Canada. To some degree Saint Boniface in Winnipeg and parts of Montreal/Gatineau (dont like being associated with the government, Marois anyone?) but not much more. If Canada was bilingual a guy like me would feel at home everywhere. I find that anglos who do not live near any francos are well meaning but totally ignorant about the reality of Canada (see above). In most of Quebec its too French Quebecois nationalistic, in most of the ROC it is too American midwest with a maple leaf nationalistic. Only a few areas of real bilingual Canadian identity exist.
One of my best friends (a brilliant musician) is from Montreal, and I can't understand most of the conversation when he gets going with his fellow Frenchies.
I learned French when I was very young and even lived there for a while, but it was Parisian French, which is very different from Quebecois.
I have another friend who, for reasons that elude me, hates the French - all varieties. His signature line on most forums is - It's wrong to be French! - ROFL! I've no idea why he feels this way and I don't think that he does either.
It seems to me that people everywhere just love to divide themselves into sects, religions, races, creeds. It's nuts! We're all just people, people!
But it is typical uninformed ROC thinking. Two nations did not become one. That is the false history taught in the ROC intended to drum up coast to coast patriotism. It is still two nations. Duh. That's what separatism is all about. If anything English Canada and the U.S. are one nation. What you don't understand is that it doesn't matter what flag you have the Quebecois fly, the Quebecois still see themselves as a nation, and only as Canadians the same way you see yourself as a North American. The "Quebecois" started the whole Canadian thing before English Canadians (who for a long time were insulted by the word Canadian which was usually only used for the dirty negres blancs d'amerique) stole the name and attempted to call everyone Canadians. So the Quebecois stopped calling themselves Canadien and started saying Quebecois to distinguish themselves from the new English speakers who stole their name.
If more Canadians bothered to be bilingual people like you would understand something about why Canada is the way it is. When people say something like Canada went from two nations to one it just shows how little they know. Thats why I can't stand these posts. Migratory Chicken, while I dont agree with all political views, knows a lot about Quebec and makes smart comments. He isnt another clueless person from BC or wherever who is basically an American talking about Canada being one happy family. If you want that, go across the border because it doesnt exist here. If you want to know something about Quebec, learn French and stop talking about hollow terms like multiculturalism and diversity, as if saying those words changes anything.
It depends on your definition of " nation ". First Nations, for example.
If it makes you feel better, how about we say two nations became a single state. The Quebec act of 1774 shows that the British didn't throw out Quebec culture, but kept it. Was it equal footing, of course not, winners of war seldom are benevolent. However this act was a departure from normal practice of the British.
Saying Quebecois still see themselves as a nation is a pretty broad statement. What MY family who are Quebecois, going back to the 1640's, believe is that Quebec is distinct WITHIN Canada.
I don't need a history lesson from you, and your distain for the ROC is showing when you ASSUME that a person in B.C. is clueless.
It depends on your definition of "nation";. First Nations, for example.
If it makes you feel better, how about we say two nations became a single state. The Quebec act of 1774 shows that the British didn't throw out Quebec culture, but kept it. Was it equal footing, of course not, winners of war seldom are benevolent. However this act was a departure from normal practice of the British.
Saying Quebecois still see themselves as a nation is a pretty broad statement. What MY family who are Quebecois, going back to the 1640's, believe is that Quebec is distinct WITHIN Canada.
I don't need a history lesson from you, and your distain for the ROC is showing when you ASSUME that a person in B.C. is clueless.
Lol!
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