6 Comments
Nov 16Liked by Fortissax

As always, a fascinating and informative read. I will admit that I do have some admiration for Quebec's attempts at preserving its language and culture. For as much as it might seem petty, parochial and, well, "provincial", when you see the results of it you very much appreciate it.

A couple of years ago my wife and I explored Quebec City and the towns between there and Charlevoix and I was *absolutely* blown away: an intact, cohesive, proud and stable culture that actually took pride in its history and wasn't constantly denigrating it, to say nothing of stunningly beautiful geography. Local customs and practices still intact in every place we visited, so to a downtown Torontonian it was utterly refreshing not to see sullen Indian and Chinese students behind every counter, families of burka-clad women with eight kids in tow, and shitty ramen and shawarma places everywhere. Instead, Quebec flags flying, and a sense that I was in a *place*, rooted in time and tradition. Young families enjoying Sunday lunches and ice cream, fresh cheeses and local produce, and a much more relaxed and leisurely air everywhere. I remember saying to my wife: we stepped into a time machine, this must be what Ontario was like in 1980 - or even 1990 - when I was young. Then I come back to Toronto...

I think an emergent movement of what you're referring to at the end of your piece *must* happen, but at least currently its biggest roadblock will be the very group that comprises the Anglo-Celt identity of which you refer: do-gooder, self-loathing whites who hate their heritage, think a couple of million more Indians will help in the cause of "diversity" and yet who, in my experience, live in the whitest neighbourhoods of downtown Toronto, drink in pubs, have friends who look like them and convince themselves that the very cultural legacy they enjoy is somehow illegitimate and must be undermined in the name of defeating racism and intolerance. Maybe when Indians move en-masse, 10 to a house, in the Annex, Leaside, Lawrence Park, Bellwoods, High Park and other white, posh enclaves will they realize what they've lost.

I've said this in other places but Brampton is what you get when you press the fast-forward button on Canadian immigration policy, and now we're seeing it: Subcontinent ethnic and religious conflict played out in temples and Mississauga parking lots. We *must* rewind to as big a degree as we can otherwise it's all gone, and Quebec *should* go it alone.

Expand full comment

It's always been puzzling to me how completely suicidal anglo canadians are culturally. You really get the sense they want to stop existing sometimes.

Sadly, in Quebec they have recently been sending more and more immigrants here. In small towns now you will see random africans. I don't know who is behind this but I suspect the federal government is doing some kind of retaliation.

Expand full comment

This is a real eye opener about the historical origins of Canada's population. My recollection of history

classes in primary school (grew up in Toronto) are about the battles between the French and English and multiculturalism. I'm from Montreal originally and reading this reminds me of why I regret that my family left (Bill 101) and the strong French-Canadian (albeit elitist) culture we left behind. Fascinating read - thank you!

Expand full comment
Nov 16Liked by Fortissax

In the late 19th and early 20th century nascent French-Canadian nationalism spread throughout Michigan and the upper midwest through the Societe St. Jean Baptiste and other organizations. My father's French Canadian family still spoke French as well as English in Michigan well into the 20th century despite living in Michigan since the early 1700s and endogamy was the norm into the 20th century. Despite the failure of France's American presense, the switch to British and then American rule, the French-Canadians of the Pays d'en haut retained aspects of our culture over centuries of increasing "marginalization". Check out Voyageur Heritage at voyageurheritage.wordpress.org

Expand full comment

This is all new information to me and very interesting to read. When I was young and in school, the teachers did not teach us about our neighbors to the North.

Expand full comment

This is one of my most listened to podcasts on Canada. People are hungry for truth, common sense and an explanation about the why of things that makes sense in through the lens of real history that is hidden from us:

https://soberchristiangentlemanpodcast.substack.com/p/s2-ep-12-untold-history-of-canada-b63

Expand full comment