English Canadian going to French Canada: Quebec

[stephaniehoffman]

We can say that as a British Columbian, to come to French Canada, known as Quebec, can be like going to a Foreign country, as Stephen Harper mentioned that Quebec is a Nation within a Nation.

This issue could be solved if the whole of the nation becomes a Republic. If we are not English Canada and French Canada, but just Canada, the French Canadians will have no more weight to whine and complain. The French in the USA who fought alongside to fight against the British during the American Revolution did not demand special treatment to the Americans as they knew that USA being a Republic was a new nation and that the French were not going to bring the old baggages to the Americans who declared themselves free from the Queen, (back then, King). So if Canada likewise takes the Queen off our money, the Quebeckers will stop their BS. This will enable solidarity of our nation, and since the Queen has done nothing, and we get no British benefits, we will only gain by becoming a republic.

What will British Columbia called then? Just Columbia or Republic Columbia? (Confuse it with the Republic of Columbia, so no "of"?)

[CanuckAbroad]

Yay the first post in the new forum!

I definitely think we should ge rid of the monarchy in Canada. Nothing personal, I just don't see any benefit or need of it. It would also take the ammo away from seperatists who still see Canada in such black and white terms as "English Canada vs French Canada". It's ridiculous.

In the last census I remember they found that while 22% of Canadians spoke French as their first language, 10% spoke Chinese as their first language! And then something like 65% english. So while the Quebecois have the heritage and the history, they shouldn't necessarily think they deserve special treatment because they can speak another language. A lot of Canadians speak more than one language. As a child of German immigrants, I learned german long with English (though don't ask me to speak German ).

The majority of Quebecers can also speak English in addition to French despite the Bloc Quebecois facist policy when they wouldn't allow children to be educated in English, where as in the rest of Canada parents can choose if they want their kids to go o French immersion.

Anyways, so as for British Columbia - I don't necesarily mind keeping the name, as a historical fact. Maybe a cool sounding native name. After all, they were here a long time before any British were.

[GhostRider]

They won't stop trying to seperate if we become a Republic. That is a moot point to believe in as they, the Seperatists truly want more power for Quebec or they threaten to seperate, like a spoiled kid. They don't want a republic, they want more power.

Having the monarchy is a point of pride for me actually. It is one more thing that seperates "us" from the shadow of being American. Now as to being "distinct" from Anglophones, you do realize that once you make yourself "distinct" from me you've made me "distinct" from you. The west has a culture but we never needed special protection to save it. For me, that is a sore point when you treat one group as more special than another based on ancestory. It never works in the micro when you apply it to families or small groups and it definately doesn't work in reverse, when you apply it to the larger society as a whole. It is in the micro as it is in the macro, it amazes me that folks still insist on this as a workable solution. Just be yourself, be proud but don't expect special treatment for your "status"

[Afia]

Very sorry to read those words on Quebec. I am from Quebec, and I can tell that the problem comes from culture more than language, but I must admit that culture and language are linked together. Language structures the mind, linguists say. We, french people from Quebec, have to protect our language and our values because we are only 10 millions among 330 millions english speaking. And don't compare chinese people to quebeckers : we are native! I do think that our values are different, but we have to cope with these differences more than to fight them. Being abroad gives me a new point of new on the national question, ans I continue my refelxion. Hope you do the same, and visit Quebec to feel the culture. Sometimes I feel like we have nothing in commun, but I suppose I'm not right. At least, we have hockey to get together!

[CanuckAbroad]

Are chinese-canadians who have been here for several generations any less native than Quebecers? I don't think so. Am I any less Canadian than quebecers, because my parents were immigrants? Not according to my passport.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to protect culture, language, and all that. But you don't need to make a seperate country to do so, and shun the rest of the country.

I met some quebecers, now good friends, while traveling. They were shocked when I told them that every province is unique in their own way. I had 'culture shock' to a degree when moving from Ontario to BC.

If anything I think traveling around Canada should be promoted more. I've been to Quebec, Ontario, BC, and Alberta but haven't seen the rest of the country. I've been to over 40 countries and still haven't seen that much of my own! Maybe if more people got around the country, they'd realize what a great nation Canada really is - one that can't be divided along linguistic terms.

Yeah the culture in Quebec is different, and maybe more obviously different than in other parts of Canada. I can tell you the culture is different living on Vancouver Island than it is in Vancouver. Or the other nearby islands. There are always differences in cultures wherever groups of people live - they all shape and influence their environment a certain way. I just don't think Quebec should consider themselves special because they have their own culture. So do millions of other Canadians. Instead of manipulating the culture to make it seem like they are so different, maybe it should be promoted more to the rest of Canada. Becuase right now all people see is a bunch of whining and complaining - And I'm sure there's much more positive things Quebec could be contributing.

[GhostRider]

I love Quebec and feel that it's "distinctiveness" adds to Canada, without that, Canada is not "quite right". But I stand with my original assessment that the other regions have their culture as well. None should be protected over another, but all should be encouraged just the same. Promoted and celebrated without special favour really. I agree that we should encourage more travel between provinces, we need to know more about each other. I also think that some of our difficulty would end if we stopped identifying ourselves as a country in the same homogenous way as Americans do.

They are proud of their sameness, in a way that is different from shared values. They don't share each other's values, the south certainly doesn't share the northeastern states values, the west and the midwestern states are different cultures but underneath it all they share their "shared American sameness". You could argue that each region has it's different culture and each state it's own sub-culture.

While we need to allow for regional differences at home and recognize each province's uniqueness as well as celebrate our collective Canadianism, we also need to take pride in our differences. We are not Canadian because of our Canadian similiarities. We are not striving to be like each other like or to be more Canadian than the next guy like Americans pride themselves on being ALL-American or MORE American than you or the guy down the street. We are more Canadian because of our differences. We are CANADIAN because we recognize that not all of us take the same path up the mountain to be a better Canadian. But we're on the same mountain (called Canada) just the same.

I guess it took extensively traveling and living in another country this long for me to figure out that not only is Canada the greatest nation on Earth. But that we are Canadian not because of our "melting-pot" sameness, we are Canadian because of our "shared differences". They are shared because we have all taken those differences in ourselves and in our region and province to say that this is what makes me more Canadian. Not my sameness but my difference. So. Viva' La Difference!

[CanuckAbroad]

Well said!

That's the thing - Many people call the US a melting pot - Welcome to America! Leave your culture/background/etc behind. While others consider Canada a Mosaic- where we encourage people to celebrate their differences.

Yes, some don't see it that way. But I do, and most people I know.

Just like you said - What makes Canada great is that people can come here from all over the world, and actually get along with each other. Just as many sizable cities in Canada have a "China town" and yesterday there were parades around the country celebrating Chinese new year. Carnival in Toronto in the summer. Stuff like that. It's great!

Quebec adds to Canada and vice-versa. We're far stronger together as a nation than we would be apart. If everyone who spoke another language and had their own 'culture' decided then needed to be called a 'nation' or actually become soveriegn we'd have a hundred different nations.

[GhostRider]

Now all we gotta do is get that word out. Canadians love to debate endlessly about "what makes us Canadian" using an American yard stick to come to a conclusion with. Yet you can not answer the question of WHO YOU ARE by someone else's rules! It has to be your own. Yes, we love to debate endlessly, it's what makes us all Canadians. Do we come to the same answer? No, that would make us clones of each other and I nor you are willing to go down that path.

We should recognize that part of being Canadian is not only our inherent differences but in our desire to debate and question endlessly to that end. We are communicators, it stems from the vast distances and remoteness that once and partially still separates us. Canadians are great debaters, great communicators, we love and embolden difference in ourselves and we are oh, so curious about ourselves and others. This did not come about by any mere chance. It was our collective roots of being pioneers, voyageurs and great explorers that built this country. If we have ANY shared traits they are that we are debaters, we are communicators, we love difference and we are oh, so curious. But it's in the way we express those traits that make us different.

This is what makes Canada to me, this is what makes a Canadian to me. It hasn't changed in over 400 years and it won't change in 400 more. It's all right to debate what makes us Canadian, it's all right to be different. We're Canadian, and that is all the answer I need.