Some Things You Might Not Know About Quebec…

 

Happy Friday everyone! I am so looking forward to a lower key weekend! It’s pretty nice not having too many plans! Having time for rest and relaxation! It’s going to be great!

As many of you are already aware, I live in a very small community in Western Quebec. Literally right across the river from Ontario. I always get a kick out of people looking at you a little funny when you tell them you are from Quebec. Almost always, they ask as to why you don’t have a French accent.

That’s the thing about Quebec, Canada. I think there’s a lot of things people don’t realize. Some things great and some not so good. So, I thought I would like to share a few that come to my mind!

First, Quebec is correctly pronounced like this:

Kay Bek

 Not ALL of Quebec speaks French

In fact, pretty much all of my closest friends (who also reside in Quebec) speak English! I was born and raised in Quebec by my ENGLISH parents and I can hardly speak any French.

You graduate High School in grade 11

Yes, that’s right! Off to college you go after grade 11! It’s kind of cool not to have that extra grade and having the opportunity of moving away from home a little early.

 The legal drinking age is 18

Really, the legal drinking age around these parts is just a suggestion.

The PQ sucks.

Now, I know this isn’t really a fact. And some of Quebec would disagree with me. However, the community where I come from, the PQ sucks.

PQ = Parti Quebecois

Basically, it is a centre left provincial party here who has recently been voted in to power (minority, thank god!). It advocates separating the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada. Scary!

Currently, it puts into power the language law, Bill 101, that makes everyone in the province of Quebec post all French language signs. It pushes for more French in work places, schools and general public. It even forces their government people to speak to the general public in French EVEN if they can speak perfectly good English. So frustrating!

You can buy booze and cigarettes at any store (grocery store, pharmacy or even corner store)

A wonderful thing about Quebec. Not to mention beer is like half to price then it is in Ontario!

Quebec’s motto that is plastered on all of our license plates is, Je me souviens which means I remember.

Ironically, the meaning of what we are to remember has been debated and analyzed for decades! Confusing!

Celine Dion, William Shatner, Mario Lemieux and Glen Ford were all born in Quebec.

Quebec is a great place to have kids!

Can you say subsidized day care? Yes. Cheap childcare. As low as $7 a day! Can you say Quebec baby bonus program? That’s right in order to entice us to procreate more little French babies, the Quebec government has it’s oven parental leave program. Quebec is the ONLY province who does this.

BUT WAIT, call within the next 10 minutes and Quebec will also throw in the “allowance for newborn children” that pays up to $8000 to a family after the birth of a child. This is on top of the federal baby bonus.

My number 1 reason why I love Quebec…

The Poutine!

A Quebec delicacy. Fries topped with cheese curds and gravy! Yum!

AND just because I had a great laugh at this other fellow bloggers post about Canadians I had to share!

Happy Friday!

xo