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But their focus at the moment is on social justice, inequalities, globalization, the environment, etc.
Not so much on Quebec independence, although obviously a chunk of them believes that Quebec can play a more postivie role (both internally and globally) on the above-mentioned issues if it becomes independent.
But the issue is still on the back-burner somewhat because the current youth activist movements also include many kids who think Quebec should remain part of Canada.
EDIT: I should also add that relatively few young people in Quebec (interestingly enough, even the ones who are federalist, so against separation) are very passionate and patriotic about Canada.
Quebec is, in a way, to Canada as what the South is to the U.S. Both regions have historically attempted independence (one peacefully, the other violently) but in the end, neither attempt has been successful.
While I'm not inherently opposed to Quebec's potential secession, I think it leaving would be a huge blow to the rest of Canada. Its economy is a significant portion of Canada's, and it would lose billions of dollars in tourism alone (a lot of folks visit Quebec because it is such a unique part of Canada). In addition, while it's home to the majority of Canadian francophones, there's still hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of native French speakers in other provinces, namely New Brunswick and Ontario, and the rest are scattered throughout the remainder of the provinces and territories (I do know that Winnipeg, for example, has a fairly sizable francophone community).
That said, Quebec is an incredibly historic place and has arguably the strongest identity of any part of Canada. Seceding would obviously give it the freedom to govern exactly as it sees fit (i.e. making French the sole language instead of being officially bilingual). It's not a black-and-white issue that a lot of folks think it to be, it's an extremely complicated issue and could leave many thousands of families divided not by provincial boundaries, but national ones.
I'm all for it. PS - I lived there for 5 years. Great place, really a jewel in our backyard, bit I do feel it is somewhat stunted in Canada. If you get a chance don't just visit Quebec and Montreal but check out Gaspe, Lac St Jean, Sherbrooke, all nice areas where you really get a feel for how different the place is. Better learn a bit of French. I think that independence is what will happen sooner or later anyways. Independence support is always at 30-50% and never goes away no matter what is offered. Right now the future of Quebec is built on a house of cards of extraordinary language laws and the only way to make a real foundation for their future security is independence.
In my personal experience, younger Canadians from PQ feel connected to the rest of Canada more so than the older generations.
Also I have a lot of family in Quebec and I can clearly see a difference between my cousins who grew up outside Montreal and the ones that grew up in RDP, Pointe Aux Tremble, Nord, etc.
The ones that grew up around Allophones and Anglophones (within city limits) are all about moving to the "West Coast" and Toronto, multilingual and generally very "Canadian". I called my cousin a Quebecker and he very pointedly told me he was "Canadian not Quebecois". They talk a lot of smack about Americans though, as Acajack said.
Meanwhile my cousins from Saguenay annoy me like no other. They can't speak good Creole and there English is almost non-existent. They're learning English now but it's so strange to me since all my MTL family has always had some sort of English competency.
In my personal experience, younger Canadians from PQ feel connected to the rest of Canada more so than the older generations.
Also I have a lot of family in Quebec and I can clearly see a difference between my cousins who grew up outside Montreal and the ones that grew up in RDP, Pointe Aux Tremble, Nord, etc.
The ones that grew up around Allophones and Anglophones (within city limits) are all about moving to the "West Coast" and Toronto, multilingual and generally very "Canadian". I called my cousin a Quebecker and he very pointedly told me he was "Canadian not Quebecois". They talk a lot of smack about Americans though, as Acajack said.
Meanwhile my cousins from Saguenay annoy me like no other. They can't speak good Creole and there English is almost non-existent. They're learning English now but it's so strange to me since all my MTL family has always had some sort of English competency.
Out of curiosity, what's the ethnic origin of our family? Haitian or some other Caribbean I suppose?
This "English orientation" you describe might be something specific to your family (having close relatives in the US - or not - can also have some bearing) as opposed to something that's very widespread in the community.
I don't think it's such a good idea. Quebec seems to be too dependent economically on the rest of Canada to ever be able to function as an independent country.
And with a population of only 8.2 million? Yeah, that would be interesting.
This "English orientation" you describe might be something specific to your family (having close relatives in the US - or not - can also have some bearing) as opposed to something that's very widespread in the community.
On the dot.
While having family in the states certainly gives my family more reason to speak English, my cousins who grew up in Cote-De-Neige (we used to be all over there in the 90s) grew up speaking English more so because of the neighborhood.
Laval, Saguenay and QC; very different story.
I should mention these two "sides" of my family although close relatives, have very little to do with each other. Especially the younger generation.
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