Where Is Quebec in Canada? It Depends

As I’ve mentioned before, some of my awkward titles are designed solely to please the search engines, not to exhibit proper sentence structure. Regardless, I’ll attack this question largely from a philosophical standpoint, as we all know this Canadian province manages to inspire some and irritate others. Where is Quebec in Canada? Allons!

 

The Basics

Let’s start simple.

Quebec is one of ten Canadian provinces, which together with three additional territories comprise the world’s second largest country by area.

The province is known for a few things. First, by area, it is Canada’s largest, explaining its numerous land borders, namely those with three other provinces—Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick—and four American states—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Here’s a map.

Second, in terms of population, only the province of Ontario boasts a higher figure. Quebec is home to around 8.6 million residents, largely concentrated along the St. Lawrence River in the province’s two largest metropolitan areas, Montreal and Quebec City. With this population comes ample representation in Canadian Parliament—23.1 percent of the House of Commons and 22.9 percent of the Senate represent Quebec.

But far and away the most striking feature of the province—at least relative to its North American surroundings—is its predominant language. That language, of course, is French.

 

History

How, you might wonder, is there a linguistic island of French surrounded by a vast sea of English? We can call it a quirk of history.

In the 16th century, French explorer Jacques Cartier encountered, among other things, the St. Lawrence River, coursing from the Atlantic Ocean (more specifically the Gulf of St. Lawrence) to Lake Ontario. His pioneering work paved the way for future settlement in the region, and in 1608, the famed Samuel de Champlain (also hailing from France) set up shop in modern-day Quebec City.

It goes without saying that France wasn’t the only European country interested in global exploration, and perhaps the most fierce of all colonial competitors—the British—were rarely far from the scene. By the 1750s, the Brits and French had begun engaging in full-on global warfare—better known as the Seven Years’ War—and the defeat of France in the North American theater of that conflict mandated its relinquishment of relevant territorial possessions.

The result was the rather uneasy circumstance of French colonists suddenly forced to exist under British rule. With the passage of time, the French found themselves relegated to second-class citizens in what would eventually become Canada. And while the Brits were quite comfortable in the role of oppressor, they were also keenly aware of a stark reality—the very existence of Canada owed itself to the presence of the French, without whom the fruits of the American Revolution could have extended northward and without whom the population density would plummet to unsustainably low levels.

Two and a half centuries later, this tension remains well above zero.

 

The Charm

For Americans (and Canadians not particularly engaged with the intellectually blunted rhetoric of politics), Quebec and its French language provide an intangible that can be in short supply in North America—mystique.

It’s so European! is an exclamation that is often heard in reference to Quebec. Leaving aside the fact that essentially all of the New World is European, the spirit of such commentary is rooted in the region’s language, complemented by the architecture and café scene that are typically found in the Old World.

While those in other parts of the world are accustomed to car- and train-based cultural escapism, North Americans are not, and Quebec provides a welcome exception to that rule. Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon is found in Quebec City, whose historic district (Old Quebec) is undeniably unique when viewed on the backdrop of the continent in which it lies. This anomaly explains why Canada’s 11th-largest city regularly attracts throngs of tourists eager to take a trip back in time and display their cringeworthy language skills.

 

The Naysayers

As expected, there are many who are not particularly roused by what they perceive to be a manufactured mystique. Beneath the shine of cobblestone streets and patisseries lies an ugly political reality, one that—according to this camp—serves a select few while working against the nation as a whole.

To get a proper handle on the situation, one must revert to the aforementioned unsettled relationship between descendants of the French and the British rule to which they have been subjected.

Along the way, for the sake of national unity (and to undo historic wrongs), numerous concessions have been made to Quebecers.

In 1969, Canada adopted a policy of official bilingualism, ensuring the provision of key services throughout the country in both English and French. As a consequence of this policy, many high-level federal government positions require bilingualism, despite the fact that only 18 percent of the country is truly bilingual (with a large chunk of that group living in Quebec). As such, the argument has been made that a framework designed to level the playing field has in reality given speakers of a minority language disproportionate power.

To compound matters, in 1977, with the goal of preserving its minority language, Quebec passed the Charter of the French Language (known as Bill 101), formalizing the role of French in governmental, educational, and commercial affairs, prompting an exodus of English speakers to nearby Ontario (and inadvertently contributing to the rise of Toronto as the nation’s financial center).

In the wake of rising nationalist sentiment and the emergence of the Parti Québécois (a provincial political party), Quebec held two referenda—one in 1980 and the other in 1995—regarding secession from Canada, the latter failing to pass by a difference of one percentage point.

Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, initially brought over from France and celebrated in Quebec on June 24, continues to overshadow the celebration of Canada Day one week later.

Finally, some suggest a darker side of humanity is being masked by what is otherwise billed as mere cultural pride—that of insularity. Any time a relatively small collection of humans desires its own nation, the movement runs the risk of coming across as parochial. Those who push this argument point to the fact that several mass shootings in Quebec have been perpetrated by those from immigrant communities, postulating alienation from the larger society (this stance is immensely controversial).

 

So where is Quebec in Canada? For some, it’s at the epicenter of the country. For others, it’s on the loud eastern fringe. And for all, it’s in the conversation. Et c’est la vérité.