Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A Visit to Quebec City: Discovering 400 years of history and a Distinct Society/la société distincte

Vieux Quebec with the Chateau Frontenac
Back in grade nine, our social studies course, called Canadiana 9, focused on the history of the nation. New France, Upper Canada, Lower Canada, the Plains of Abraham, Wolfe and Montcalm are historic topics and words that have stuck in my mind over the decades. 

As a reporter in the 1980s and 1990s, the seemingly endless constitutional debates between Canada and Quebec were mainstays of the daily news. As a westerner, I don’t think I fully appreciated all the points of view in Quebec.  

The National Assembly

Proposed amendments to the Constitution would have inserted the phrase “distinct society” to recognize the difference of Quebec from the rest of Canada. But since the 1990s, the distinct society phrase appears to have faded and with this year’s Quebec provincial election, Quebec separation  also seems to be on the backburner.

 
In any event, my four days in Quebec City in June prompted me to take another look at my views and come to the conclusion that Quebec is in fact a distinct place – within Canada.   
St. Roch Church


Putting aside the political discussions, Quebec City is a great visual, cultural, historic and architectural destination with all of its churches, cobblestone streets, terraces, staircases, pointed copper roofs and expansive vistas of the St. Lawrence River. 

Place Royale

400 years of history   
Quebec City fast food - avec poutine
Quebec's newest member of the National Assembly?  
 


 
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment