Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

So 44% of voters supporting openly secessionist parties + another 24% supporting a party that is very ambiguous about Québec's belonging in Canada. That's like a lot.

Another observation: Brexit supporters also tended to be more numerous among older people, and Brexit won. The thing is, older people tend to vote much more than younger people.

Quebecers young and old turn out big time for referendums. I remember the turnout in 1995 was 93.5%.

As for provincial elections, voting for a pro-sovereignty party doesn't mean the voter is pro-sovereignty. The PQ has been attractive to unions and those who support social programs since its inception and more recently Québec Solidaire has taken that role during the PQ's weakness. The poll I cited shows that 21% of PQ supporters are against sovereignty. Most of those who chose other parties were against sovereignty including Québec solidaire.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Getting back to the topic of Montreal — Acajack is right that it's still extremely rare not to be able to receive French service anywhere in Montreal, and when it happens it's usually at a fast food chain that has hired temporary foreign workers.

I think anglo Montrealers tend to overestimate the importance of English to Montreal's identity. It's important, yes, but I think what really defines Montreal is linguistic and cultural ambiguity/fluidity. It's a city where identities have always been complicated, and where people interact linguistically in ways they do in very few other big cities around the world. Just for example: there are twice as many Spanish speakers in Montreal as there are people of Latin-American or Spanish origin. This is a city where it isn't weird to switch languages mid-sentence, and that doesn't just apply to French and English.

« Let’s be perfectly honest. Montreal is interesting because it’s French. » -Peter Scowen, CBC and National Post

If you upset the balance it just becomes a bigger version of Ottawa: a typical North American city that operates in English but that happens to have more people speaking French within earshot most of the time.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Acajack

« Let’s be perfectly honest. Montreal is interesting because it’s French. » -Peter Scowen, CBC and National Post

If you upset the balance it just becomes a bigger version of Ottawa: a typical North American city that operates in English but that happens to have more people speaking French within earshot most of the time.

Would Montreal be any less interesting if the only language that was allowed to be spoken there was French?