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Well I'll say this. Quebec IS Quebec. My hat comes off to Louis and Samuel. They worked hard for it. Still standing too!...;-)...Here they knock down buildings to put up frankfurter stands. I hope to God it never becomes 'Flint, Michigan' or 'LA' or 'Toledo' or 'DEEE-troit' or heaven forbid New York!...;-)....Aren't some things sacred??
Who are Louis and Samuel? Louis XIV and Samuel de Champlain?
Inasmuch as being "Canadian" means having an identity, culture, preferences and lifestyle that doesn't closely mirror that of any other place in the world, then sure Quebec can be seen as being the most Canadian part of the country.
Of course, it's a complex question for several reasons. As you may know the descendants of the original French settlers were the original Canadiens (Canadians). The first group of humans to call themselves by that name. The aboriginals never really saw themselves as Canadian - they were Mohawk, Innu, Abenaki, Ojibway, etc. And English-speakers here had a fairly British identity until well into the 20th century.
A further layer of complexity has been added in the last 50 years as on the one hand the English speakers have strongly invested in and scooped up the Canadian identity, and a good chunk of the francophones have distanced themselves from it (or at least, from most of the "new Canadian" identity and its culture and symbols). Of course many francophones still consider themselves to be Canadian, but it's more of a civic thing than a cultural thing.
Anyway... all of which to say that Quebec is like Quebec. It's not like Europe, not like the States and not always like the rest of Canada either. It is best described as "itself".
Just because, in being "itself", Quebec might have some European-ish features that its neighbours do not have, doesn't make it any less its own place.
And no one in Quebec would ever say that Quebec is "just like" Europe, BTW.
This is what bothers me about topics like these. Like some Aussie poster some time ago said in the Australia similarities to US or UK topic, why can't Australia be Australia? I ask the same of the OP, why can't Quebec just be Quebec? If OP wants France in North America, maybe go to St. Pierre et Miquelon; you know, that little island off the coast of Newfoundland that actually has all cars with EU French license plates stuck on cars made by Peugeot and Citroën (which are not sold in Canada), I presume a French telephone number plan, Europlug outlets, and the flag of the French Republic, etc.?
Who are Louis and Samuel? Louis XIV and Samuel de Champlain?
Acajack..indubitably you know your history!...;-)....
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