French Canada history and culture

French Canada

Quebec stands for both the French province of Canada as well as the capital city of the region. Referred to as the New France, the region was an impressively successful colony to conduct fur trade operations; during the reign of Louis XIV it was transformed into a royal colony. The region was lost to the British in 1759 and they began to populate it and bring in new ways and traditions. Today, the Quebec Province is the sole French speaking region in Canada. There are also a wide number of English speaking communities, but the French population is trying to preserve most of their traditions and customs (the Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007).

This year, "Quebec City celebrates its 400th birthday - a milestone reached by no other North American city" (the Mail on Sunday, 2006). And there are a wide number of reasons why a foreigner should visit the French province and city, including their impressive culture and major developments.

The Canadian region is divided between the French and English speaking populations and the interactions between the two are rather limited and tense. "French-speaking Quebecers feel estranged from English-speaking Canada, which is leery of granting their province special constitutional status, and they are increasingly persuaded that maintenance of their culture requires separate existence as a nation. (English-speaking Quebecers, a slowly dwindling minority, contemplate their fate in a separate Quebec with fear and trembling.)" (Nuechterlein, 1997)

The duelling cultures of the English and the French however have not managed to become established as independently strong features and most of the region's cultural characteristics come from a strong American influence. "More important, Canadian culture is saturated with American influences. Despite government efforts in recent years to put up barriers to American cultural imports and to establish "Canadian content" rules wherever possible, the American presence is ubiquitous. Canadians read American books, watch American movies, sing American songs. English Canadian culture is not nonexistent, but its condition is perpetually fragile. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the National Film Board, and Hockey Night in Canada all make a difference, but not a defining one. It is difficult to imagine how things could be otherwise" (Nuechterlein, 1997).

The most relevant features of the French Canadian culture include:

The architecture in Quebec is the result of climacteric characteristics, large family size and European influences

Visual arts: "75 self-managed arts centres, 75 centres devoted to contemporary art, and close to 180 professional art galleries" (Quebec Portal, 2008)

Large number of film festivals which reveal a strong and mature industry

Impressive results in international circus, producing a large number of artists

Strong storytelling culture

Dancing is rather new, but it has managed to produce great talents and create an international reputation

More than 400 festivals, traditions preserved from the ancestors who would gather in winter to celebrate

Food is also an important part of the French Canadian culture and it is the result of numerous influences, including the Amerindians and the wide variety of citizens living in Quebec

The French literature in Canada is rather young and it depicts the family, religion and land

The 5,000 professional musicians and 200 composers detain a significant role in the international music

The theatre has developed along the nineteenth century to now offer performances to the liking of all citizens (Quebec Portal, 2008)

The French province, unlike most regions in northern Americas, is extremely well-known for its majesty in combining great food with skiing opportunities. The province also offers its visitors impressive sight seeing possibilities and beautiful views. "Quebec City, Quebec's capital, has many cultural riches. There are magnificent views over the ice flows of the St. Lawrence River from the city, which is the only walled fortress settlement in North America. [...] the annual Quebec City carnival from January 27 to February 11 will have a display of giant snow sculptures, dog sled races and the legendary canoe and icerunning race across the St. Lawrence River. Then there are basilicas, museums, and the Ice Hotel plus countless dining, wining and shopping opportunities. When you factor in the day trips to local ski resorts, you can have an unrivaled city-ski break" (the Mail on Sunday, 2006).

The educational system in Quebec is once again the result of cultural interactions between the French and the English, but the most significant part was played by the Americans, who left an impressive mark onto the Canadian education. "The evolution of the French Canadian college is not unlike that of the American" (Charlemagne Bracq, 1924, p. 296) foreign manager arriving in the Quebec Province would be presented with an opportunity to further develop his studies within highly specialized scholarly institutions, teaching in both French and English. The region also offers educational programs especially designed for the immigrants in the country.

Quebec is internationally recognized as a center of education. "Quebec has many universities, including Bishop's Univ., at Lennoxville; Concordia Univ., McGill Univ., and the Univ. Of Montreal, at Montreal; Laval Univ., at Quebec city; the Univ. Of Sherbrooke, at Sherbrooke; and the Univ. Of Quebec, with an administrative center at Sainte-Foy and campuses at Chicoutimi, Hull, Montreal, Rimouski, Rouyn, and Trois Rivieres" (the Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007).

The higher educational system has evolved significantly during the past century, when numerous institutions and commissions have been formed to regulate and improve it. Foremost, the social, cultural and economic changes of the last years have imposed the need for an education reform within French Canada. The most important stipulations of the reform revolved around: "access to education by all segments of Quebec society; the overhaul of the curriculum; improved teacher education programs; raising the profile of vocational education; enhancing adult education programs; increasing the decision-making power of teachers and decentralizing power in general; curtailing support for private education; considering whether to retain confessional schools (denominational schools) or to replace them with secular institutions, and funding of schools" (Mcconaghy, 1996)