1. OR ???

4.  Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest political division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. Nunavut  It is the second most populated province with over seven million people, only behind Ontario.Ontario  Most of its inhabitants live along or close to the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. The central and north portion of the province is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Inuit and other first nations.Saint Lawrence River

5.  Quebec is located in Eastern Canada.  Quebec has access to many waterways (shipping & trade).  A large part of Canadian industry is located in Quebec.  Many electronic and computer factories are located here.  There are many valuable natural resources in Quebec’s Canadian Shield.

10.  Canada was originally colonized by the French (fur trade).  Great Britain wanted part of the fur trade, so they fought and won the French & Indian War.  Canada was united in 1867. Quebec is still predominantly French. Most of the rest of Canada is English speaking.

12.  Most French Canadian families had been living in Quebec for hundreds of years.  They spoke French and had a different culture than English-speaking Canadians.  Most of the French Canadians were Catholic, but the rest of Canada was mostly Protestant.

13.  Quebec is the largest French speaking society in the Americas.  The official language of Quebec is French.French  Quebec is the only Canadian province whose population is mainly francophone (79%).francophone  95 % of the people speak French as either their first, second or even third language.  Quebec is largely Roman Catholic, whereas the rest of Canada is largely Protestant.

14. The results of the second election were VERY close! 50.6% 49.4%

15.  The MAIN REASON Quebec wants independence is that they are culturally different from the rest of Canada.

16.  Quebec is culturally different from the rest of Canada.  French is the official language in government and schools.  The laws are based on the French legal system rather than English common law.  In the past, Quebecois have felt ignored.

17.  It could result in economic disaster for Quebec.  It could ruin national unity and pride for Canada  It would make the rest of Canada lose all of Quebec’s natural resources.  Canada’s involvement in NAFTA allows it to trade freely with the U.S. and Mexico.

19.  Today, Quebec is fully integrated into the Canadian Government, who has symbolically acknowledged Quebec as a “Nation within Canada.”

20.  Many Quebecois felt that from the time of Dominion (1867) until the 1960’s, the issues facing Quebec were overlooked in favor of those facing Anglo- Canada.  Many felt they did not have a voice in government until Parti Quebecois became the Prime Minister.  Pierre Trudeau was PM from 1968-1984

21.  Canada’s government has passed several laws to help preserve French-Canadian culture.  In 1982, the Constitution Act made Canada bilingual.  Two official languages – English & French  All government documents must be written in French and English. Some people are happy with this, but others still feel that Quebec should be independent from Canada.

22.  So, maybe Quebec should be its own country.

23.  So, maybe Quebec should accept being part of Canada.