Essay On Quebec Identity

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There is so shortage of a collective regional identity in Quebec, as the people who occupy the province are proud of the history and culture that has shaped their lives. It works in two ways: providing regional identity built upon the strong individual distinctiveness of each person. Fernand Dumont works to understand Quebec uniqueness and its role within Canada in The Vigil of Quebec, which was published in 1974. Dumont, unlike Borduas and Vallières, does not take a radical stance on the position of Quebec but rather evaluates the state of the region in contrast to the larger nation. He argues “no nation itself is viable unless the group itself give the individual the idea of basically belonging” (Dumont 35). Quebec identity is rooted in its history – when convenient – and can be seen…show more content…
Quebec, like the rest of Canada has been industrialized and subject to the changing nature of the Western world (29) and yet the French have worked diligently to preserve their culture and wish to design their social, political and economic infrastructure to benefit those directly affected (33). According to Dumont, Canada moves timidly to build its own identity; however, it is often influenced culturally by the United States (33). This is often credited to their “ominous proximity” (37), though Quebec is often removed from the equation since they work to preserve their own distinct identity within a sub region, province or even a nation within a nation, in Canada. He does highlight an exception in English Montreal, but this should not come across as shocking. Quebec continues to search for its recognition as a distinct society and region even in contemporary Canadian life. Not everyone looks inward since the outward position does have a larger scope (41), but there is an undying wish to preserve “’[their] language, [their] institutions, [and their politics]”

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