Does Quebec dilute Loyalist America?

A Response to my friend John Arcto

My colleague, whose great publication,

The Anglofuturist

I greatly admire (we share a mutual appreciation for futurism), asked me a question about the dual nature of Canadian identity.

This short article is an explanation of why, and how, Quebec does not dilute the Loyalist identity, given that Canada was never solely or purely Loyalist-American.

First and foremost, Canada itself, as a state—an administrative body, if you will—was originally founded by France. Jacques Cartier named the region in 1535, and Samuel de Champlain established the first permanent French settlement in North America in Quebec City in 1608. This settlement would become the largest and most populous administrative hub for the entire territory. Canada was a colony within the broader territory of New France, which stretched from as far north as Tadoussac all the way down to Louisiana. It included multiple hereditary land-owning noblemen of Norman extraction.

Much of the original territory of New France

During the Seven Years' War, on 8 September 1760, General Lévis and Pierre de Vaudreuil surrendered the colony of Canada to the British after the capitulation of Montreal. Though the British had effectively won the war, the Conquest’s details still had to be negotiated between Great Britain and France. In the interim, the region was placed under a military regime. As per the Old World's "rules of war," Britain assured the 60,000 to 70,000 French inhabitants freedom from deportation and confiscation of property, freedom of religion, the right to migrate to France, and equal treatment in the fur trade. These assurances were formalized in the 55 Articles of the Capitulation of Montreal, which granted most of the French demands, including the rights to practice Roman Catholicism, protections for Seigneurs and clergymen, and amnesty for soldiers. Indigenous allies of the French were also assured that their rights and privileges would be respected.

The Treaty of Paris in 1763 officially ended the war and renamed the French colony of "Canada" as "the Province of Quebec." Initially, its borders included parts of present-day Ontario and Michigan. To address growing tensions between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies and to maintain peace in Quebec, the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act in 1774. This act solidified the French-speaking Catholic population's rights, such as the free practice of Catholicism, restoration of French civil law, and exemption from oaths referencing Protestant Christianity. These provisions satisfied the Québécois Seigneurs (land-owning nobleman), and clergy by preserving their traditional rights and influence. However, some Anglo settlers in America resented the Act, viewing it as favoring the French Catholic majority. Despite this, the Act helped maintain stability in Quebec, ensuring it remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolutionary War and Quebec was fiercely opposed to liberal French revolutionaries.

British concessions, from the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Paris to the Quebec Act of 1774, safeguarded the cultural and religious identity of Quebec’s French-speaking Catholic population, fostering their loyalty during a period of significant upheaval in North America. Following this period, merchant families such as the Molsons began establishing themselves in Montreal, alongside early Loyalist settlers who trickled into areas now known as the Eastern Townships. These merchant families quickly ingratiated themselves with the local Norman lords and seigneurs.

The Lower Canada Rebellion arose in 1837-1838 due to the Château Clique oligarchy (an alliance of Anglo-Scottish industrialists and French noble landowners), in Quebec refusing to grant legislative power to the French Canadian majority. The rebellion was not solely a French Canadian effort; to the chagrin of both chauvinistic Anglo-Canadians and French Canadians, who in recent years believed it was either a brutal crackdown on French degeneracy, or a heroic class struggle of French peasants against an oppressive Anglo elite. It included figures like Wolfred Nelson, an Anglo-Quebecer who personally led troops into battle.

Dr. Wolfred Nelson, of Sherbrooke

In response to the unrest following the rebellions of 1837-1838, Lord Durham, a British noble, was sent to Canada to investigate and propose solutions. His controversial recommendation, outlined in the Durham Report of 1839, was to abolish the separate legislatures of Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) and merge them into a single entity: the Province of Canada. This unification aimed to demographically and culturally assimilate the French Canadian population by creating an English-speaking majority.

However, the strategy failed for multiple reasons, and was given up shortly after. Lord Durham, having neither been born nor raised in the New World, underestimated the complexities of Canadian society, which was a unique fusion of Old World ideas in a New World setting. His assumption that French Canadians could be assimilated ignored their strong cultural identity, rooted in large families, which encouraged high birth rates as a means of survival. While Durham hoped unification would erode divisions, the old grievances between the British and French began to dissipate naturally.

Province of Canada, whose unofficial capitol was Montreal, where the two groups mixed

Despite Lord Durham’s intentions, French Canadians maintained their dominance in Quebec. Families averaged five children per household for over 230 years, a trend actively encouraged by the Catholic Church’s policy of La Revanche des Berceaux (the Revenge of the Cradles). This strategy aimed to preserve French Canadian culture and identity amidst the British short-lived attempts at assimilation. In Montreal, British industrialists expanded their influence by forging alliances with French landowning nobles through business partnerships and intermarriage. This blending of elites produced a bilingual Anglo-French upper class that became historically influential.

Such alliances drew on long-standing connections established as early as 1763 and later exemplified by the North West Company (NWC). The NWC in particular is interesting as a prominent fur trading enterprise of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in that it embodied this fusion of cultures. Led primarily by Anglo-Scots, the company’s leaders frequently formed unions or marriages with French Canadian women, fostering vital ties with the French Canadian communities crucial to their trade. Simon McTavish, known as the "father" of the NWC, maintained alliances with French Canadian families, while his nephew, William McGillivray, and other leaders like Duncan McGillivray followed similar paths. Explorers such as Alexander MacKenzie and David Thompson married French women. These unions strengthened familial and cultural bonds, shaping the broader Anglo-French collaboration that defined this period.

This relative harmony between Anglo and French Canadians continued with the formation of the modern Canadian state in 1867 during Confederation. Sir John A. Macdonald deliberately chose George-Étienne Cartier as his second-in-command. This collaboration contributed to the emergence of Canada’s ethnically Anglo-French elite, who have historically been bilingual. This legacy is evident in the backgrounds of many Canadian politicians, such as the Trudeaus, Mulroneys, Martins, Cartiers, and countless others who have both Anglo-Canadian and French-Canadian roots.

In more recent history, this dynamic has been further solidified by the federal government, where higher-paid positions often require bilingual proficiency. Interestingly, about 20% of Canada’s population is bilingual, reflecting the ongoing influence of this historical coexistence.

The last cannon which is shot on this continent in defence of Great Britain will be fired by the hand of a French Canadian.

~ George Etienne Cartier

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National Symbols of Canada

Ancient Roots

The origins of Canada’s national symbols can be traced back to its French and British heritage. While Angevin England (12th–13th centuries) and later English monarchs laid claim to the French throne, incorporating the fleur-de-lis of Royal France into their royal arms in 1340, this practice lasted well beyond the Hundred Years’ War between England and France (1337–1453). England officially abandoned its claim to the French throne in 1801, and the fleur-de-lis was subsequently removed from the British royal arms. These historical connections would later influence the design of Canada’s national symbols, reflecting the dual colonial roots of English and French heritage.

A Red Field

The British Red Ensign, a symbol common to all British colonies, dates back to 1776, when Loyalist Americans, abandoning the thirteen colonies after the American Revolutionary War, brought it with them as a symbol of their allegiance to the Crown. Over time, the Red Ensign evolved into a defining symbol of Canada’s identity. This early and basic version of the ensign, associated with Loyalist Americans, is often overlooked but was pivotal in shaping Canada’s early symbolism.

Canadian Coat of Arms

Canada’s Coat of Arms, formally known as the Royal Arms of Canada, was officially granted by Royal Proclamation on November 21, 1921, by King George V. It is directly inspired by the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, with notable adaptations to reflect Canada’s unique identity and dual colonial heritage.

The design incorporates symbols representing the four original ethnic groups foundational to Canadian society:

• England: Three gold lions on a red field.

• Scotland: A red lion rampant on a yellow field.

• Ireland: A gold harp on a blue field.

• France: Three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue field, representing Canada’s French heritage.

• Canada: Three red maple leaves on a white field, symbolizing Canada itself and the unity of its people.

Over time, English-speaking settlers from these backgrounds converged into the distinct ethnic group of Anglo-Canadians, while French Canadians, primarily from Normandy, Poitou, and Brittany, maintained their unique cultural and linguistic traditions. This ethnogenesis is reflected in the Coat of Arms, blending Old World heraldry with uniquely Canadian elements.

Canadian Red Ensign

The Canadian Red Ensign emerged as an informal flag to represent Canada as early as the 1870s, primarily for use at sea and on land “on all public buildings throughout the provinces.” Initially, it was adorned with the arms of the Canadian provinces, symbolizing their unity. In 1922, the arms of Canada replaced the provincial arms on the ensign, reflecting the growing sense of national identity. During the Second World War, the Canadian Red Ensign became a powerful symbol of Canada’s armed forces and its contributions to the war effort. It remained Canada’s national flag until 1965, when liberal prime minister purposefully forced a flag debate the public did not want, and then the liberal party’s choice won. This was deliberately done to detach the deep ethnic identity of Canadians from their national flag, which then became the maple leaf.

The Canadian Red Ensign combines the ancient Plantagenet unity of England and France, with the red field, to form the Canadian coat of arms.

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Montreal, the Imperial City

The flag of Montreal draws inspiration from traditional heraldry and reflects the city’s Anglo-French roots. Its design consists of a red cross on a white field, symbolizing the Christian origins of the city, though this is commonly mistaken for the cross of St. George, known as the flag of England. Montreal was founded by military officer Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, in 1642 as a Roman Catholic missionary settlement called Ville-Marie, and the cross commemorates this Christian foundation.

The four emblems in each quadrant honour the city’s founding peoples:

1. French (Fleur-de-Lis): The fleur-de-lis represents the French settlers who established Montreal and reflects Quebec’s broader French heritage.

2. English (Red Rose of Lancaster): The red rose symbolizes the English population of Montreal, particularly after the British conquest in 1760.

3. Scottish (Thistle): The thistle represents the Scottish immigrants who contributed to the city’s development, especially in trade and commerce.

4. Irish (Shamrock): The shamrock honours the Irish community, many of whom arrived in Montreal during the Great Famine of the 1840s and became integral to the city’s growth.

From 1763, following the British conquest of New France, Montreal became the de facto cultural, economic, and political capital of Canada. After the Treaty of Paris, the city emerged as a hub of the fur trade, driven by major players like the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company, leveraging its strategic location along the St. Lawrence River. The construction of the Lachine Canal in 1825 was a transformative feat of engineering, allowing ships to bypass the treacherous Lachine Rapids and turning Montreal into a key industrial centre. Factories and warehouses sprouted along the canal, powering industries such as textiles, shipbuilding, brewing, and ironworks, which attracted thousands of workers and settlers.

By the early 19th century, Montreal had established itself as a financial powerhouse with institutions like the Bank of Montreal (founded in 1817) and the Montreal Stock Exchange (established in 1832), solidifying its economic dominance. Politically, Montreal played a crucial role in the colonial administration of Lower Canada after 1791 and briefly served as the capital of the United Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, during which time it hosted key legislative activities.

Montreal also became a centre of learning and innovation, home to some of Canada's oldest and most prestigious universities, such as McGill University (founded in 1821), Université de Montréal (1878), and Concordia University (1974, following a merger). These institutions fostered intellectual growth and scientific advancements. The city forged a distinct identity, a physical embodiment of the Canadian nationality, and remains possibly the strongest municipal identity in Canada to this day.

Montreal remained Canada’s economic and cultural centre until the 1970s, driven by its bilingual, ethnically Anglo-French Canadian elite and a dynamic mix of French Canadian heritage and British commercial influence. While its political importance waned, its industrial power, financial institutions, and cultural achievements ensured its national prominence.

Biculturalism

Pierre Trudeau’s policy of biculturalism sought to formalize two centuries of relative unity between Anglo- and French Canadians. This effort emerged during a period when Quebec separatism—spurred by left-wing intellectuals and Marxists—was exploiting historical grievances to destabilize Canada. Trudeau, along with many liberal intellectuals, disingenuously utilized the relative intra-British diversity to advocate for mass immigration, multiculturalism, and a “cultural mosaic.” He argued that historically related peoples, who were ethnically, culturally, religiously, and racially similar, had managed to create new identities in the New World, suggesting that broader diversity could be similarly integrated. To bolster this narrative, they also pointed to the extremely small population of Germans in Canada—approximately 3% in 1867—as evidence of successful integration.

Great Canadian “Diversity”

French Canadians, while distinct from Anglo-Canadians, primarily originate from Normandy, Poitou, and Brittany, regions that are geographically and historically tied to England. Normandy, for instance, lies a mere 12 kilometres off the coast of England. This proximity, combined with historical ties, has contributed to French Canadians being ethnically and culturally distinct from other French populations, particularly those from southern or central France. This nuanced cultural and historical context challenges simplistic narratives of multiculturalism that attempt to equate New World biculturalism with broader diversity.

In conclusion, Pierre Trudeau’s left-leaning liberal biculturalism did not dilute the Loyalist American presence in North America. Furthermore, Quebec has consistently rejected Anglo-Canada’s left-liberal multiculturalism and leftist patriotism. When Anglo-Canadians under Brian Mulroney signed the 1988 Canadian Multiculturalism Act, Quebec responded by drafting the Quebec-Canada Accord, which grants the province unique control over immigration, including the power to set country-of-origin priorities and total immigration limits. For over fifty years, Quebec has been the only province actively attempting to integrate immigrants who are not ethnically tied to Canada, emphasizing the preservation of French language and culture within the province’s distinct identity.