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A Look at the Provinces, Part VI: Quebec

© David Newman

This is the sixth article in the series. Quebec is the province east of Ontario. It is the largest province in area and is the only completely Francophone Province. It has an area of 1,540,680 square kilometres and has a population of 6,895,963 people (1991 census). The Capital is Quebec (usually referred to as Quebec City). It was the one of the founding provinces of the Confederation in 1867.

The Quebecois winters are really really Cold, not as cold as the Prairies but a hell of a lot more snow; the summers are hot and humid (like Ontario). There are three Natural Regions, the Canadian Shield (which covers most of the Province) the St Lawrence Lowlands to the south (around the St Lawrence), and the Appalachian Region which is basically the Gaspe Pininsula.

The History of Quebec is basically Canadian History until the Confederation (with a few exceptions like settlements in Ontario or Acadian History and James Cook visiting Vancouver Island). The History of Quebec (that of Europeans, the Amerindians go back much further) begins in 1534 when Explorer Jacques Cartier visited Canada and claimed the lands property of the King of France, Francois 1er , a.k.a. Francis 1st. The Land became known as New France (until the mid-17th century when it was commonly called Canada). In the early 17th century stylish felt hats were popular in Europe so many hunters came to New France for the large quantity of fur. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec (many people will call this the first settlement in Canada, and Americans will say, Jamestown was built before any Canadian Settlement which is untrue, because, Port Royal was built in 1604, before 1607 when Jamestown was built. Both these settlements didn't last long). In 1664, Jean Baptiste Talon was granted title of Intendant of New France and supervised the colony. An army was set up and more settlers came to Canada. After 1713, New france Lost Acadia (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Gaspe peninsula and Maine). There was Peace until 1749 when raids became common. In 1954, after a Battle in New France's Ohio Valley, war started called the Seven Years War (in Europe and in Canada, Americans refer to it as the French and Indian War). The Battle of Quebec was lost by the French in 1759, where both General James Wolfe and Louis Joseph Marquis de Moncalm were killed. In 1763, New France was British. The British though that Quebec would soon be Anglicised but even after monopolising Buisiness and Government, the French Canadians Continued to Speak French. When it seemed that French Canadians were getting control of their Province, Upper and Lower Canada were made into Canada. Quebec then Joined to Confederation in 1867. French Canadians started to have power of their Government and was declared officially Billingual (until 1977, when Bill 101 made it completely french). In 1970, the FLQ (Front de Liberation du Quebec) forced Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to pass the War Measures Act because of terrorism and the kidnaping of members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (one of them was murdered). In 1977 Bill 101 made French the Only language in Quebec. Businesses (who were mainly owned by English Speaking Canadians) were forced to use French and the Government published all documents in French and Outdoor signs had to be in no other language but french unless the French was put first and was twice as long as in another language. English Speaking children had to go to French School unless their parents went to French School within Canada. Although human rights seem violated, without this bill, it is posible that Quebec be an Independent state.