As Canadians rally around national unity in response to American tariffs and threats of annexation, kindling a renewed sense of Canadian nationalism, Québec stands in solidarity with the rest of Canada.
A February Angus Reid survey suggests a notable increase in Québecers’ emotional attachment to Canada and in their pride in being a Canadian. Those numbers increased by 15 and 13 percentage points to 45 and 58 per cent, respectively, compared to the findings in a similar poll conducted in December 2024.
A more recent Angus Reid poll has found Québec is the most anti-Donald Trump province in Canada.
Québec has joined the rest of Canada in mounting a strong economic response in the trade war. Premier François Legault has supported boycotting American products and buying local, diversifying exports and reducing barriers to inter-provincial trade.
With 41 per cent of Québecers responding that they are less likely to travel to the U.S., the province trails just slightly behind the 48 per cent share of Canadians with the same intentions, according to a Leger poll.
Canada’s provincial and territorial flags blow in the breeze in downtown Ottawa in June 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Québec’s distinct identity
In light of these expressions of unity, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s contention that Canadians “are more united than ever” resonates with many in Canada and beyond. His replacement as leader, Mark Carney, told Canadians in his victory speech that Trump is “attacking Canadian workers, families and businesses and we cannot let him succeed …. When we are united, we are Canada strong.”
Québec, however, with its distinct identity within Canada anchored in the French language and a unique culture, faces particular challenges and priorities amid the current crisis.
As a sociolinguist and a discourse analyst with broad expertise in Québec studies, I focus on Québec identity and its distinctiveness within Canada. I am particularly interested in how it is constructed and expressed in public discourse, especially in the media and the political sphere.
Canadian identity had not been a prominent topic of national conversation for some time. In contrast, Québec identity has long been a key topic of public discourse, maintained and fuelled by the province’s media.
As Canadian society re-engages in defining its collective identity, it is especially timely to clarify what defines Québec identity and how the province is grappling with the current crisis.
My work analyzing identity-related public discourse has consistently shown that Québec remains committed to its own vision of identity and belonging. This vision is distinct from the Canadian approach, which is based on multiculturalism and bilingualism.
The Office quebecois de la langue francaise in Montréal in November 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Interculturalism
In contrast to Canadian multiculturalism, which does not recognize a national or a majority culture, Québec adheres to a model for managing cultural diversity known as interculturalism.