Lisa Hoekstra

Premier Pauline Marois lunches at a Québécois cafe where the menu – and perhaps soon the food – must be French.

Premier Pauline Marois recently announced that she wanted Quebec residents to increase their locally-grown food consumption to 50 percent. It’s one of several strategies that the Parti Québécois has implemented in an attempt to bolster “national” pride within Quebec. Although, in this case, national does not mean Canadian.
The changes started with an increased pressure on restaurants to provide completely French menus. In February, an Italian restaurant in Montreal was ordered to remove the word “pasta,” because it was not in French, from its menus by the Office québécois de la langue française. A few other Italian words on the menu offended Quebec’s “language police.” But this isn’t the first or the last time that Quebec’s small businesses have undergone the scrutiny of government officials – and it is only the beginning stages of several new laws that the Parti Québécois (PQ) is aiming to enforce.
Ever since the PQ won minority government, it seems like the political landscape in Quebec has been shifting. But the reality is that strong separatist feelings from 1995, buried since the failed referendum, have simply resurfaced. As Premier Pauline Marois stated, “Sovereignty is as alive as it was. But there is work to do to convince Quebecers.” The 49.44 percent of Quebec residents that wanted to sever the province from Canada 18 years ago have not changed their stance. They’ve merely been biding their time, strengthening their platform and preparing for the chance to try again.
Outside of Quebec, the question has always been why? Why separate from the protection of Canada’s umbrella? Separatism seems counter-intuitive. Economically it doesn’t make sense; the common business language across the world is English, whereas Quebec is pushing for French dominance, even going so far as trying to decree that all communications into and out of any office – whether by email, phone or fax – must be in French, regardless of the language of the correspondent. Bill 101, which requires that French words are the most prominent on any sign, Bill 178 and the recent Bill 14 are good indicators of this movement towards English suppression.
The language barrier won’t be the only thing making life difficult if Quebec were to gain independence. Economically, the federal government funds quite a few projects within each province and, if Quebec succeeds in separating, the provincial government will have to take on those debts – pension plan, employment insurance, social programs. Even historical landmarks in la belle province are kept pristine by the men and woman in Ottawa. So why this desire to sever itself from the federal dime? Sovereignty and separation have more to do with cultural identity than anything else. Since Canada was first discovered, the French versus English battle has been a not-so-silent struggle. For the majority of Canadians, it no longer exists, but for Quebec residents, it never ends.

Vive le Québec libre
Sovereignty as a movement started in the 1820s, when Quebec Nationalists first emerged. It has been kept alive by those people who feel strongly that their culture and their way of life are threatened by the English regime. During the Quiet Revolution of the 50s and 60s, the PQ was founded, and it flourished. Its goals were for an independent and social democracy for Quebec. In 1974, Bill 22 was passed – the Official Language Act – which made French the sole language for the province. 1980 saw the first referendum, and 40.44 percent of the population wanted to separate. The second referendum, in 1995, was even closer – 49.44 percent voted “yes” to separation. Now, under the rule of Pauline Marois and the PQ’s minority government, we may soon see the third referendum. And this one might stick.

That still doesn’t answer why some Québécois feel so alienated from Canada. Gerard Bouchard, a Quebec historian, sociologist and writer, explains that “Francophones consider themselves a fragile and colonized minority, despite forming the majority of Quebec population . . . they find it difficult to accept other ethnic groups as being Quebecers.” He believes that an independent Quebec would give Québécois the confidence to act more generously to incorporate all willing ethnic communities into Quebec as a whole.
It’s the classic “the bully is actually afraid of you” concept. All of these motions and actions to divide from the English Federal government are rooted in the fear that their culture – the Québécois identity – will be removed with their language.

A nation of immigrants
But this fear isn’t evident outside of Quebec. Everyone comes from varied backgrounds. Our identity isn’t defined by our location; it’s defined by our ancestry. I grew up in small town Ontario. Even after 10 years of living in Montreal, I don’t feel like a Quebecker. But I also don’t consider myself an Ontarian. If I had to pinpoint my nationality it would be Canadian or, more specifically, second-generation Dutch-Canadian. Many of my Anglophone friends feel the same way; those with one type of ancestry define their nationality first by the homeland of their parents or grandparents, then by their country. Only after that do we get into the specifics of province.
Québécois are different. During the Quiet Revolution in the 50s and 60s, the term Québécois replaced French-Canadian as an expression of culture and national identity.
The Federal government has been trying to find a solution, to reach a compromise. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau worked to increase the French-speaking roles within the Federal government in an effort to promote a unified Canadian identity. 1987 brought us Brian Mulroney and the Meech Lake Accord, which recognized Quebec as a distinct society within Canada. It eventually crumbled as other provinces sought to have their cultures recognized as well. Sovereignty in this province grew in popularity as a result. Then Quebec officially became a nation within Canada – a motion passed on November 27, 2006 under the eye of Stephen Harper. Harper later stated that the motion’s definition of Québécois relies on personal decisions to self-identify as Québécois, and therefore is a personal choice. Unfortunately, none of these movements have dispersed the idea that it is either Federal rule, with the eventual disappearance of Quebec culture, or sovereignty.
There are different cultures evident in every Canadian neighbourhood. The Asian family down the street has a decor and customs that differs from South African or Swedish families. Each family unit has its own quirks and habits, based on the culture of its ancestors. All of us speak English to each other. Any other language is reserved for the homestead.
In Quebec, each house has the same quirks, the same culture. They are not Dutch-French-Canadians. They are Québécois. They feel that their culture is being slowly pushed out by the English-Canadians. They’re fighting for their right to live as they see fit. For the right to control their own future, to allow their children to carry on the traditions they’ve set forth. Our ancestors came to Canada knowing that their way of life would change. The French culture started this country and they don’t believe they should be expected to change.
But maybe, just maybe, they could just go about it in a better way.

Lisa Hoekstra is a freelance writer based in Montreal, Quebec. Her childhood love of reading developed into a passion for writing that has filled her life and provided her with an outlet for her imagination.